We take a look at some of the more interesting quotes from the post fight press conference from inside the MEN Arena in Manchester following the successful UFC 105 event, with quotes below from Dana White and main eventers Randy Couture and Brandon Vera.

Update: Further quotes from White along with Michael Bisping, Dan Hardy and others can be found online at this link.

UFC President Dana White on Brock Lesnar’s health: “I can’t really talk about it right now, but he’s in rough shape. He’s in really rough shape. He’s not well and he’s not getting any better. There are other problems too. He’s not good, he’s very very sick, and he’s going to be out for a while.

“He’s got a lot of problems. I don’t know exactly, but we’re going to send him to one of those big hospitals to find out what is wrong with this guy. Brock knows there’s a couple of other things wrong, but he doesn’t want to talk about it publically, but he’s in bad shape. He’s not well and he won’t be getting well any time soon.

“If it’s a long wait, we’re going to have to something. The last thing I ever want to do is strip a guy who won the title. That’s the last thing I want to do. He went to Canada and some bad stuff happened to him – you’ve got to figure it out.”

Brandon Vera reflects on his controversial decision loss to Randy Couture: “What’s on my mind? I’m pissed, I’m really pissed but you know, in the sport of MMA – she, MMA, is a bitch and if you let it go to the judges, you let it go out of your hands you know?

“So, I’m going to take the blame for this loss, I’m going to man up, it’s my fault, I should have finished the fight – I had a couple of opportunities throughout the fight. I’m super happy I got the opportunity to fight Randy Couture – he’s my hero, my legend. I’m letting the rest of the 205lb division know, I’m going to whoop your ass if you get in the octagon with me.”

Randy Couture on his opponent Brandon Vera: “I was very impressed with Brandon. I’ve known Brandon and watched Brandon for a very long time. I knew coming in that this wasn’t going to be an easy fight. He’s a tough guy and he’s been fun to watch.

“I loved watching him at heavyweight and I think this is the right weight class for him, for sure. It’s probably the right weight class for me as well with the current trend in the heavyweight division. I was very impressed with Brandon’s performance tonight and in the past.”

Brandon Vera talks about what was going through his head when the decision was announced: “You know, honestly, I’ve been dreaming since I knew that I was going to fight Randy Couture, that at the end of the fight that it was either going to a decision or I was going to get a clean knockout.

“I was going to be standing in the middle of the Octagon with my arm raised and I wouldn’t be able to move because I was so happy that I beat the legend, you know? They said unanimous decision and I remember thinking in my head – “yeah, I did it, I did it”. And then they said “unanimous decision Randy Couture” and it was like a building toppling over. It was heavy on the heart.

“I walked out the Octagon, sat down on the edge of the thing and I was bewildered. A lot of mixed emotions you know, but this is why I do what I do.”

Brandon Vera on fighting Randy Couture: “I learned a lot tonight man. Like I told you guys before, I’m probably only at 70% of my full potential. This is the fight that awakened the beast and I’m going to go back to training and probably have five days mandatory off and then, I’m right back in the gym man. I need to get back in and start destroying some people.”

Martin Smith
martin@ifight365.com