Marina Rodriguez:
It was a very good performance. I knew everything was going to be different, so I had to prepare my mind and come in with a different mindset than usual. I’m pretty happy with the performance. I wish I could have got a knockout, that’s what I came here for. It was still a great win over a great opponent.
She was able to get me down and she has very good top control. I tried to get out, but knew I had won the first three rounds. I knew I had the win in my hands. I just had to make sure I didn’t do anything that would risk the win.
I knew she was going to be very tough. I was able to hit her with some good punches. There was one hook where I thought the referee was going to stop it. She’s very tough. You can’t take that away from her.
I’m looking for a top opponent. There’s Yan Xiaonan versus Carla Esparza coming up. I don’t think it would be the time to do he rematch with Esparza—maybe if one of us gets the title we can do it. If Yan wins, maybe it would be a good fight. Joanna is always a fight I’ve been looking at, because it would be a fun fight. A lot of girls say they want to fight for a title, but if the time comes I’m here and ready.
Alex Morono:
It feels good just putting my literal handiwork out there—boxing, kickboxing and getting knockouts. That’s just been a perpetual life goal. I’ve come so close in so many fights, cracking dudes and dropping dudes. I hadn’t quite found the standing finish. I got it today over a man I admire greatly, more than almost anyone else on the roster. That goal was accomplished. I’m very satisfied.
Cowboy’s iconic. He’s awesome and the fight was awesome. It was an honor.
I wanted to finish and that’s when things get wild. There’s a bit of a fate that exists in MMA in terms of where punches land. Sometimes they’re deflected or your range is just an inch off. I just wanted to find a good shot. I hit him with the right and staggered him. He collected himself a bit and then I hit a big right hook. I’d been working on a lot of clinch uppercuts and just went to that.
I’ve been in the UFC for a while now. I’m just in it for the martial arts lifestyle. Of course, it was a big win for me. Other than Conor, Cowboy is probably the most recognizable fighter in the UFC. To fight him is awesome. To have a win over him is awesome.
Neil Magny:
It was a great fight. Geoff Neal is definitely a tough opponent. That dude’s ranked in the top 10 for a reason. He’s well-rounded and brings power. It feels good to go out there and get the victory against a guy like that.
It felt great. Being able to not get complacent in training played a huge role in this fight. There were times I could have laid back to see where the fight would go, but instead I took the initiative to lead the dance. I feel like that carried me to victory.
The biggest adjustment I had to make was to deal with his offensive wrestling. I didn’t anticipate he’d be shooting or engaging in the clinch at all.
I was completely aware of the fact that I was the underdog. This was my time to shine and prove the doubters wrong.
Once you get over a mountain, there’s another mountain to climb. Geoff Neal was definitely a big mountain to climb, but it’s not the end goal. I definitely have a lot more work to do to get where I want to be. I’m going right back to improving, so I can get to the top of the division.
I think it will be a top-10 opponent next. Vicente Luque is on an impressive win streak right now. He’s ranked close to the top five and would be a great guy to test myself against.
I can’t wait to get home and hold my son. It’s the first Mother’s Day we’re all going to spend as a family. To be able to celebrate with my wife and son, I’m looking forward to it.
Marcos Rogerio de Lima:
I’m very happy. Thank God I’m back to the win column. I had a chance to show my wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, control and ground-and-pound. People think I’m just a striker, but I have those skills too.
Definitely the strategy was to keep the fight on the feet. Once he gave me the window to take him down and put in the ground-and-pound, I just had to adapt in the fight.
I want to fight as soon as possible. I’m going to take some time off to be with my family and kids, but I’m planning to go back to training in a couple weeks. Whatever UFC has, I’m taking.
Gregor Gillespie:
That was a tough one. A couple people have already told me I looked tired—because I was. When people say ‘He’s out of shape,’ those are two different things. Being out of shape means you didn’t prepare correctly and you’re tired as a result. I was tired because of the pace we were doing. I’m not saying that was all me. He stuck with it. I had to really throw that at him and make it the pace of the fight, in the hopes he couldn’t keep doing it and knowing I probably could. I was extremely tired after round one, but I’m OK feeling that way.
I take it personally when someone gets out or reverses me. The way that first round ended—I didn’t love that. I was in a bad spot and getting punched. Had I just been able to stay on top, I would have won that round. My friend called me today and said just create as many scrambles as possible. You may get in some sticky spots, but you’ll always win that fight—and I did.
That’s the fight that took the most character and heart, that’s for damn sure. That one’s definitely the most emotional. I’ve never cried after a fight before. That was a tough one. It felt really good for a number of reasons.
I haven’t won a fight in two years. I’ve only had one fight in two years and it wasn’t one I came in top in. I have pretty thick skin, but I know there’s people out there who have questioned if I would ever fight again. The trolls online asking if I’m retired or still asleep from Kevin Lee. Then the Riddell fight got cancelled. I was like, ‘Am I ever going to get back in there?’ Today I had my fingers crossed nothing silly would happen.
Phil Hawes:
I know I could have done better. I think I got too hyped up to get the knockout, so I started winding up on my shots. Then I made the adjustments in the second and third rounds, and started sticking him with the jab. It’s just another feather in my cap against a tough guy like Kyle Daukaus. He’s only got one loss and he’s a grinder. To grind out a grinder is a big feather in my cap. There were some people saying I can’t go passed two rounds. I’m happy, but have still got to improve on some things.
I don’t pay attention to the pre-fight hype, because these guys are just talking and they know what’s up. He was saying in the second round he was going to finish me. I visualized his corner talking smack, but I grinded him out. He’s got to go home with an L on his record and I’m happy.
I get a couple 18-second knockouts and then I start thinking every fight is going to be an 18-second knockout. Then my last three fights all went three rounds. I’m like, what’s going on? But I’m just blessed to be here. I thank God for the victory and the knowledge. So I’m ready for Izzy. I’m waiting for him. We used to kind of be friends and then he unfollowed me on IG. That hurts. Now I’ve got to make it hurt.
I’m getting back in the gym and waiting for Izzy. There are no days off. I want to give this everything I’ve got and become a world champion.
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