UFC President: Machida’s UFC 133 Demands a ‘Slap in the Face’
Mike Whitman Jul 14, 2011
UFC President Dana White was in a pickle.
With Phil Davis suffering a knee injury that forced him from his UFC 133 main event bout with Rashad Evans, White needed to find a replacement as quickly as possible to fill the Aug. 6 bill.
After being turned down by Tito Ortiz,
White called another former champion in Lyoto
Machida. According to White, he had found his man; Machida
(Pictured; file photo) accepted the bout. A short time later, the
UFC boss claims he received a return call from the Machida
camp, at which point he was informed that the terms of the
agreement would need to change if Machida were to rematch Evans at
the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Though Machida’s wife told Sherdog.com on Wednesday that the karateka decided to decline the bout due to the lack of preparation inherent in accepting such an important fight on only three weeks’ notice, White asserts that he was presented with a very different concern by the Brazilian’s management upon receiving the call.
“It was very weird and very unlike Lyoto Machida,” he added. “That was the last thing on earth I expected. This guy has been terrorizing me to fight as much as he possibly can. I’m disappointed in the way [the Machida camp] handled it. All you have to tell me is that you’re not ready.”
Oddly enough, the man who White admits he would expect to use dollar signs as bargaining chips did no such thing. Ortiz called the UFC executive, asking if White had found a new headliner. When White confessed he had not, the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” informed the UFC boss that he would talk with his trainers and reconsider White’s offer. On Wednesday, Ortiz accepted the bout. According to White, the notoriously rebellious Ortiz did not barter or ask for more money.
In Ortiz, White puts forth a big name eager to return to his dominant ways of the past. Ortiz took one large step toward that goal in his most recent outing, quickly finishing Ryan Bader on July 2 at UFC 132. Prior to that victory, the 36-year-old was likely facing a Chuck Liddell-esque exit if he performed as expected and was defeated by his younger opponent. Ortiz had none of that, however, and now White believes he could be on the cusp of contending in the UFC’s light heavyweight division once more.
“If Tito beats Rashad on Aug. 6, how could anybody deny [that he is a contender]? If he beats a Top 10 contender in Ryan Bader and then he beats the guy who many believe is the No. 1 contender for the title, that would definitely put Tito in the mix,” said White. “I wouldn’t say he would necessarily be the No. 1 contender if he wins this fight, but he’s in the Top 3.”
Other highlights from White’s UFC 133 call:
• Davis will not require surgery to repair his knee, only rest and rehab. Even after suffering his injury, “Mr. Wonderful” still wanted to go forward with the fight. The full extent of Davis’ injury remains unknown, but White described it as “a strain or a sprain.”
• Vladimir Matyushenko, who is scheduled to compete at UFC 133 against Alexander Gustafsson, was White’s next choice as a replacement opponent for Evans before Ortiz accepted the bout.
• Middleweights Chris Leben and Chael Sonnen both texted White, requesting to fill the main event slot. White declined both offers, citing the weight differential.
• Brock Lesnar is recovering from his second surgery to combat his diverticulitis. Isolated on his farm somewhere in Canada, the former heavyweight champion is apparently doing quite well on his road back to the Octagon. “I guess his recovery has been pretty incredible,” said White.
With Phil Davis suffering a knee injury that forced him from his UFC 133 main event bout with Rashad Evans, White needed to find a replacement as quickly as possible to fill the Aug. 6 bill.
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Though Machida’s wife told Sherdog.com on Wednesday that the karateka decided to decline the bout due to the lack of preparation inherent in accepting such an important fight on only three weeks’ notice, White asserts that he was presented with a very different concern by the Brazilian’s management upon receiving the call.
“They called and asked for ‘Anderson
Silva money’ to take this fight,” White said during Thursday’s
UFC 133 conference call. “What makes you think you deserve
‘Anderson Silva money?’ You haven’t accomplished anywhere near what
Anderson Silva has accomplished. It’s completely disrespectful and
a slap in the face to us and to Anderson Silva.
“It was very weird and very unlike Lyoto Machida,” he added. “That was the last thing on earth I expected. This guy has been terrorizing me to fight as much as he possibly can. I’m disappointed in the way [the Machida camp] handled it. All you have to tell me is that you’re not ready.”
Oddly enough, the man who White admits he would expect to use dollar signs as bargaining chips did no such thing. Ortiz called the UFC executive, asking if White had found a new headliner. When White confessed he had not, the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” informed the UFC boss that he would talk with his trainers and reconsider White’s offer. On Wednesday, Ortiz accepted the bout. According to White, the notoriously rebellious Ortiz did not barter or ask for more money.
In Ortiz, White puts forth a big name eager to return to his dominant ways of the past. Ortiz took one large step toward that goal in his most recent outing, quickly finishing Ryan Bader on July 2 at UFC 132. Prior to that victory, the 36-year-old was likely facing a Chuck Liddell-esque exit if he performed as expected and was defeated by his younger opponent. Ortiz had none of that, however, and now White believes he could be on the cusp of contending in the UFC’s light heavyweight division once more.
“If Tito beats Rashad on Aug. 6, how could anybody deny [that he is a contender]? If he beats a Top 10 contender in Ryan Bader and then he beats the guy who many believe is the No. 1 contender for the title, that would definitely put Tito in the mix,” said White. “I wouldn’t say he would necessarily be the No. 1 contender if he wins this fight, but he’s in the Top 3.”
Other highlights from White’s UFC 133 call:
• Davis will not require surgery to repair his knee, only rest and rehab. Even after suffering his injury, “Mr. Wonderful” still wanted to go forward with the fight. The full extent of Davis’ injury remains unknown, but White described it as “a strain or a sprain.”
• Vladimir Matyushenko, who is scheduled to compete at UFC 133 against Alexander Gustafsson, was White’s next choice as a replacement opponent for Evans before Ortiz accepted the bout.
• Middleweights Chris Leben and Chael Sonnen both texted White, requesting to fill the main event slot. White declined both offers, citing the weight differential.
• Brock Lesnar is recovering from his second surgery to combat his diverticulitis. Isolated on his farm somewhere in Canada, the former heavyweight champion is apparently doing quite well on his road back to the Octagon. “I guess his recovery has been pretty incredible,” said White.
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