UFC FIGHT NIGHT JAPAN: HUNT vs NELSON
Sep 19, 2014 Comments
(PRESS RELEASE) -- Las Vegas, Nevada – Two of the biggest, baddest
men on the planet will finally throwdown this Saturday, as Mark Hunt and
Roy
Nelson collide atop of perhaps the most stacked UFC FIGHT PASS
card thus far.
Hunt vs Nelson leads the UFC FIGHT NIGHT: JAPAN card which also features the undefeated lightweight Myles Jury taking on the legendary “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi, former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate taking on unbeaten newcomer Rin Nakai plus the return of both Yoshihiro Akiyama and Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah in welterweight clash.
Fans around the world can catch the action live - and then
on-demand - on UFCFIGHTPASS.com, the UFC’s digital streaming
service.
Mark Hunt ON FIGHTING Roy Nelson: “I’m looking forward to fighting Roy. He’s one of the best fighters in the top 10, and this win will take me closer to a title shot. I’ve not really got a gameplan for him, other than to put a hurting on him. I’m going to put hurt on him until he can’t take no more, stops being competitive, and either blacks out or the referee tells him he can’t take no more. I can knock anyone out, that’s just the way it is. So that makes for a simple gameplan, mate. I’m going in big and I’m going to knock his head off.”
Roy Nelson ON FIGHTING Mark Hunt: “I respect Mark a lot, he’s got huge power and a great chin, and next to a title fight, this is the most exciting fight there is for me. I know the fans have been calling for this one for a long time. I’m actually surprised we haven’t fought already, but it is happening now and I’m almost as excited as the fans are for this.”
NELSON ON HUNT’S ‘HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE’: “Yeah, Hunt has a lot of fans here in Japan and probably knows a few people and places where he can get good food, things like that, but I just fought Big Nog (Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira) in Abu Dhabi (April 11) and he literally had his own gym out there, he had a place to stay, and once the fight started none of that mattered. I still knocked him out.”
NELSON ON WHETHER HE NEEDS TO TAKE THIS TO THE GROUND: “Yeah, I can wrestle, I can use submissions, but if I am honest I’m only interested in having a war with Mark and knocking him out. I haven’t done that (go in with a submission-based game plan) in eight, nine years. I prefer to knock people out. Mark has power and a good chin, too, so why would I want to make this a technical fight? The two big guys are going to throw punches - and let’s see what happens. What’s more exciting than that?”
Takanori Gomi ON BECOMING A VETERAN: “I want to get into the top 10 again and show the fans I am still a top fighter. I never think about the age difference, I only think about how I match up with other fighters. I was a kid fighting people my age once, and now I am the older one and it is me who is fighting the younger athletes. It doesn’t matter, age, the only thing that matters is who is the better fighter on the night.”
GOMI ON WHAT KEEPS HIM FIGHTING: “I am not thinking about retirement, I am thinking about winning the UFC title. I coach the next generation of fighters in Japan, but right now I am a fighter not a coach. I still have the UFC title (in my sights) and this fight will get me into the top 10 and I will go forward from there.”
Myles Jury ON FACING A LEGEND: “I was a huge Gomi fan when I was a kid in high school. He’s a legend and this is a great opportunity for me to defeat an icon of the sport. Some fighters have shown too much respect in this situation, they show too much respect when they are in the Octagon with a legend, but I’m going to treat him just like any other opponent. All the pressure is on him, he’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders fighting in front of fans who’ve supported him all these years. I can just go in there and do my thing.”
Miesha Tate ON WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR HER: “This is the fight where I prove where I really belong in the division. I’m coming back with a vengeance. I’m coming back not just to win a fight, but to make a statement as to where I stand in the division. I want to leave a performance where fans are saying “Wow, she’s better than ever.” I’ve worked my ass off on improving my game and I can’t wait to show off what I’ve been working on. I’m going in there to finish Nakai, I won’t accept anything other than a crushing victory Saturday night.”
TATE ON NAKAI: “I’m fighting a Japanese star, she’s actually the queen of Japanese MMA, in Japan. So I know this is hostile territory. She’s not made too many mistakes in her career so far. She’s 15-0-1, and that’s hard to do no matter who you are fighting, but I think I have her on experience. I’ve fought in the other girl’s hometown before, I’ve faced better opposition, and I’ve won the world title fighting a pound-for-pounder while I had a busted knee. I’ve done all these things while (Nakai) was here in Japan having things her own way. I’m expecting a tough fight, she looks very strong and has a compact build, but I’ve been in deeper waters than she has.”
NAKAI ON HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE: “I take very seriously the (title) of being a pioneer for Japanese female MMA. I don’t want to lose in front of all the Japanese fans. I am the Queen of Pancrase and I want to defend that (title) in the UFC.”
NAKAI ON TATE’S ASSERTION SHE HASN’T FACED TOP OPPOSITION: “I don’t care about the critics, I care about winning fights. That is what I have been able to do this far. I think I can fight as well as Miesha Tate does, I think I am as good as her. And that is all that matters – the fight on Saturday. The critics aren’t part of the fight. I trained so hard to make this UFC fight happen, and I am excited for everyone who has heard only about my name or seen my videos now gets to see me fight. Of course, I want to be the Queen of the UFC (UFC champion) but I always focus on the fight in front of me, and that is Tate.”
UFC FIGHT PASS is available now at UFCFIGHTPASS.com on personal computers, iPad, iPhone, Chromecast, Android, Samsung, LG Smart TV and Roku. Subscriptions are $9.99 month to month, $8.99 per month for six months or $7.99 per month for a one-year subscription.
All bouts live and subject to change. Visit UFC.com for more information.
Hunt vs Nelson leads the UFC FIGHT NIGHT: JAPAN card which also features the undefeated lightweight Myles Jury taking on the legendary “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi, former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate taking on unbeaten newcomer Rin Nakai plus the return of both Yoshihiro Akiyama and Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah in welterweight clash.
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Mark Hunt ON FIGHTING Roy Nelson: “I’m looking forward to fighting Roy. He’s one of the best fighters in the top 10, and this win will take me closer to a title shot. I’ve not really got a gameplan for him, other than to put a hurting on him. I’m going to put hurt on him until he can’t take no more, stops being competitive, and either blacks out or the referee tells him he can’t take no more. I can knock anyone out, that’s just the way it is. So that makes for a simple gameplan, mate. I’m going in big and I’m going to knock his head off.”
Mark
Hunt ON FIGHTING IN JAPAN: “I was working in a factory in
Australia when I first got the chance to fight in kickboxing in
Japan. I was paid $40,000, which was more than I’d make in over six
months in the factory. I was like “Wow! This Japan is a pretty nice
place!” And I had some success in kickboxing and then MMA, and the
paydays just kept going up. Fighting in Japan changed my whole
life. I’ll never forget the opportunities I had here and what the
fans gave me. There’s still things I want to achieve in MMA,
winning the UFC title, and I will put on a great show for these
fans on Saturday.”
Roy Nelson ON FIGHTING Mark Hunt: “I respect Mark a lot, he’s got huge power and a great chin, and next to a title fight, this is the most exciting fight there is for me. I know the fans have been calling for this one for a long time. I’m actually surprised we haven’t fought already, but it is happening now and I’m almost as excited as the fans are for this.”
NELSON ON HUNT’S ‘HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE’: “Yeah, Hunt has a lot of fans here in Japan and probably knows a few people and places where he can get good food, things like that, but I just fought Big Nog (Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira) in Abu Dhabi (April 11) and he literally had his own gym out there, he had a place to stay, and once the fight started none of that mattered. I still knocked him out.”
NELSON ON WHETHER HE NEEDS TO TAKE THIS TO THE GROUND: “Yeah, I can wrestle, I can use submissions, but if I am honest I’m only interested in having a war with Mark and knocking him out. I haven’t done that (go in with a submission-based game plan) in eight, nine years. I prefer to knock people out. Mark has power and a good chin, too, so why would I want to make this a technical fight? The two big guys are going to throw punches - and let’s see what happens. What’s more exciting than that?”
Takanori Gomi ON BECOMING A VETERAN: “I want to get into the top 10 again and show the fans I am still a top fighter. I never think about the age difference, I only think about how I match up with other fighters. I was a kid fighting people my age once, and now I am the older one and it is me who is fighting the younger athletes. It doesn’t matter, age, the only thing that matters is who is the better fighter on the night.”
GOMI ON WHAT KEEPS HIM FIGHTING: “I am not thinking about retirement, I am thinking about winning the UFC title. I coach the next generation of fighters in Japan, but right now I am a fighter not a coach. I still have the UFC title (in my sights) and this fight will get me into the top 10 and I will go forward from there.”
Myles Jury ON FACING A LEGEND: “I was a huge Gomi fan when I was a kid in high school. He’s a legend and this is a great opportunity for me to defeat an icon of the sport. Some fighters have shown too much respect in this situation, they show too much respect when they are in the Octagon with a legend, but I’m going to treat him just like any other opponent. All the pressure is on him, he’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders fighting in front of fans who’ve supported him all these years. I can just go in there and do my thing.”
Miesha Tate ON WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR HER: “This is the fight where I prove where I really belong in the division. I’m coming back with a vengeance. I’m coming back not just to win a fight, but to make a statement as to where I stand in the division. I want to leave a performance where fans are saying “Wow, she’s better than ever.” I’ve worked my ass off on improving my game and I can’t wait to show off what I’ve been working on. I’m going in there to finish Nakai, I won’t accept anything other than a crushing victory Saturday night.”
TATE ON NAKAI: “I’m fighting a Japanese star, she’s actually the queen of Japanese MMA, in Japan. So I know this is hostile territory. She’s not made too many mistakes in her career so far. She’s 15-0-1, and that’s hard to do no matter who you are fighting, but I think I have her on experience. I’ve fought in the other girl’s hometown before, I’ve faced better opposition, and I’ve won the world title fighting a pound-for-pounder while I had a busted knee. I’ve done all these things while (Nakai) was here in Japan having things her own way. I’m expecting a tough fight, she looks very strong and has a compact build, but I’ve been in deeper waters than she has.”
NAKAI ON HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE: “I take very seriously the (title) of being a pioneer for Japanese female MMA. I don’t want to lose in front of all the Japanese fans. I am the Queen of Pancrase and I want to defend that (title) in the UFC.”
NAKAI ON TATE’S ASSERTION SHE HASN’T FACED TOP OPPOSITION: “I don’t care about the critics, I care about winning fights. That is what I have been able to do this far. I think I can fight as well as Miesha Tate does, I think I am as good as her. And that is all that matters – the fight on Saturday. The critics aren’t part of the fight. I trained so hard to make this UFC fight happen, and I am excited for everyone who has heard only about my name or seen my videos now gets to see me fight. Of course, I want to be the Queen of the UFC (UFC champion) but I always focus on the fight in front of me, and that is Tate.”
UFC FIGHT PASS is available now at UFCFIGHTPASS.com on personal computers, iPad, iPhone, Chromecast, Android, Samsung, LG Smart TV and Roku. Subscriptions are $9.99 month to month, $8.99 per month for six months or $7.99 per month for a one-year subscription.
All bouts live and subject to change. Visit UFC.com for more information.
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