08/09/08: UFC 87 Fight Club Q&A Report

I've got a few minutes today before heading downtown to give you the lowdown on the Fight Club Q&A session with Dana White and Amir Sadollah.

Dana opened up yesterday's Q&A by thanking the Fight Club members for their loyalty and support, then briefly explaining you could ask either him or Amir about anything whatsoever with no holds barred. "I know I'll answer, I'm not sure how Amir feels though!" He says everyone on the UFC 87 card including the prelim fights are worth the money to see. Amir is asked who he would pick to fight in his division if he could pick anyone. "I don't know, whoever. I'm here to fight." Unsatisfied the fan prods him to see if he'd take Anderson Silva, which draws laughter from the crowd. "What? Why is everybody laughing?" Amir's cheshire cat-like grin is very reminiscent of Forrest Griffin.

A fan asks Dana if he's planning to bring a UFC PPV to Boston, and he says yes. When asked who Forrest will fight next he says Chuck Liddell v. Rashad Evans might determine his next opponent. Dana is asked about whether Fedor would beat Couture in a fight. Dana actually puts Couture over a bit, saying even though he's had a long time enough you could never count that against him because he'd been retired for a year when he beat Sylvia.

Amir is asked if he'd like to come to Fargo to put on a training seminar for aspiring fighters. He responds that he'd love to make appearances, but training comes first, and besides you'll have to talk to my agent about that. A mild "ooooooh" from the crowd. "Yes I have an agent now." Dana: "And I hate him!" The fan says he owns a strip club in Fargo and could get him in the back door for free, which elicits laughter and a suggestion that the training seminar could be held there. Both Dana and Amir crack a grin and laugh.

Dana is asked if he'll bring UFC to Hawaii, he says that would be the plan and it could be their first ever PPV outdoors. The fan offers Dana a lai, which he wears around his neck and fiddles with for the rest of the Q&A. He's asked if he thinks MMA should be an Olympic sport. "I'm hope I'm alive to see it!" DW is asked what fighters pumped him up before he became financially invested in the sport. He says he loved Chuck and for better or for worse Tito. When asked what fights he's waiting for tonight he says he expects big things from Huerta v. Florian, GSP v. Fitch, and that he wants to see how much better Lesnar is now.

White professes hatred for more weight classes and says they're unnecessary. He loves WEC though, and reveals that WEC will be focusing on the lighter weight fighters and merging the heavier weight classes into UFC. When pressed on the point later Dana says that they will honor all of the contracts of current WEC middleweights and up when the divisions are brought together. He's asked if Fitch would defend the title in Indianapolis if he beat GSP and resonds with a typical "Anything's possible."

When asked about Affliction, Dana is quickly dismissive, saying they'll be the next IFL before long. A fan from Canada gives Dana a flag and a big hug, and Dana puts over the Canadian fans as fantastic. He knocks the idea of Ortiz v. Sobral in Affliction, saying "you could pay hard earned money to see two guys Liddell beat the crap out of twice fighting each other." He's asked about a women's division and says there aren't enough good women out there to build one. The fan insists Dana and UFC could scout them out and he bluntly says that in women's boxing one or two tough bitches dominated the few who could even challenge them, and it would be no different in MMA. The fan seems rather upset and Dana quips "I'm always so popular when I answer this question!"

Dana says that Anderson Silva v. Patrick Cote and Thiago Alves v. Diego Sanchez are tentatively scheduled for UFC 90. He also indicated Wanderlei Silva could drop to 185 for a fight - not saying they WILL do it, but that he COULD make the weight and it's something they've considered. White is asked who Gonzaga will fight next and can't remember, but says he'll be fighting soon. A fan compliments Amir on beating CB Dollaway twice. Dana is asked about WAMMA. "I thought they broke up when George Michael left!" Laughter. He's asked about having live bands at UFC, Affliction style. He says that rock concert fans and fight fans are two different things, that mixing the two is stupid, and "AFFLICTION SUCKS!"

The craziest moment of the whole afternoon was when a passionate Tito Ortiz fan stepped to the mic. She started yelling at Dana, saying he shouldn't be talking so much shit about Tito, and that he ought to be respectful and rise above it. Dana says that Tito is washed up, hasn't won a fight in two years, and that the only fight Tito has left anybody would care about is with him! The woman keeps on arguing with him and says Dana talks way too much shit. The crowd starts booing her loudly and she flips everyone in sight double birds before leaving. Real classy.

Amir is asked how hard CB Dollaway hits. "REALLY hard!" Dana is asked why he didn't keep Arlovski in UFC, and Dana says it was impossible because Arlovski wants to box and his UFC contract wouldn't have allowed it. Amir is asked if he would fight CB a third time and says sure, at some point in the future, why not. Dana is asked if Anderson is really the pound for pound best and DW responds that he's so good he could hold title belts in THREE weight classes.

Dana is asked how he feels about Gary Shaw being fired from EliteXC. He says it sucked because he likes Gary Shaw, and he liked making FUN of Gary Shaw. He's asked if Ricardo Arona is coming to UFC and defers saying you'd have to ask Joe Silva. He thinks a title fight between Tyson Griffin and Urijah Faber is a possibility. He also says Chuck Liddell v. Anderson Silva is a MAYBE, with a sly grin. He also says Ultimate Fighter contenders have now been banned from destroying the house and you won't see it any more on the new season. He notes nobody was ever encouraged to destroy shit, it was just "whatever happens happens." Amir notes the destructive behavior was just another challenge to overcome, and he fought to stay mentally focused throughout the competition despite the insanity.

A fan offers Dana a Bud Light and says after dealing with the crazy Tito Ortiz lady he deserves it. Dana cautiously accepts (asking first if there were drugs in it) for laughs. He says the deal to purchase IFL never went through and they'll just go after whichever fighters they want. He's asked about Jay Heiron and says he believes Heiron just signed with someone else. Dana says Lorenzo is working hard on their international expansion. Wanderlei comes up on stage at Dana's invitation and steps on the scale with a smile. Dana is asked if he'd still fight Tito today and says he wouldn't want to train ever again, let along fight anyone, including the crazy Tito lady! He says an Ultimate Fighter tryout in Canada is possible. Amir says his style is too crazy to have any definition. Dana says Yushin Okami is right back in the mix when he comes back from injury.

In closing Dana puts over the idea of an amateur MMA system to bring more kids into the sport safely and bring along the next generation of fighters. He also indicates he'd love to see Faber fight Kid Yamamoto, and he could change one thing in the unified rules of MMA he'd allow knees to the head. Wanderlei says he loves the US and fighting here and Dana says Wandy was blown away by just how loud and crazy the fans are in the States. Wanderlei says he'll fight again in December, "whoever boss wants me to fight." The Q&A wraps up and we're all thanked for coming!