ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk 10-09-08/12:00 P.M
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ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk 10-09-08/12:00 p.m. CT Confirmation # 3993445 Page 1 ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk October 9, 2008 12:00 p.m. CT Operator: Good day, and welcome to the UCH6 Conference Call. As a reminder, today’s conference is being recorded. I’d like to turn the call over to Ms. Jennifer Wenk. Please go ahead, ma’am. Jennifer Wenk: Hi, good morning, everybody, thanks for dialing in this morning and this is the UFC 89 Media Conference Call. So I just wanted to thank you for calling in and I wanted to let you know Michael Bisping and Chris Leben, are both here on the line for you. We’ll go ahead and get started. We’re all obviously really excited about this fight in the U.K. This is a fight that fans have been waiting to see you know ever since they were both on the Ultimate Fighter; and you guys are finally going to see it on October 18th, live from Birmingham U.K. This fight is going to be telecast on Spike TV starting at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific; and it’ll also go live on Setanta Sports One at 8:00 in the U.K. So let's go ahead and open it up for Q&A. Operator: And at this time, if you’d like to ask a question, please press star one. Again, as a reminder, that is star one to ask a question and we’ll pause for a moment. We’ll go ahead with our first question. Male: Nobody's home. ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk 10-09-08/12:00 p.m. CT Confirmation # 3993445 Page 2 Chris Leben: Don’t jump at once. Operator: We’ll take our first question from Ken Pishna, MMA Weekly. Ken Pishna: Hey guys, how’s it going? Chris Leben: Great. Ken Pishna: I guess this question is for both of you, where do you guys feel that you each of you stand respectively in the UFC’s Middle Weight Division, and what are you guy’s chances do you think if you get to the point where you get a title shot against Anderson Silva? Chris Leben: Well, I'll go ahead and start, well I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You know I think this fight is you know really it’s kind of deciding fact you know who’s going to be at that top tier you know in the middle weight division. Who’s going to be in line for a title shot and who’s going fall back down and kind of be you know in the midst of the pack. You know and as far as that goes, I can’t say how I think Michael is going to fight you know how he’s going to perform if he fights Anderson again. I fought him once and obviously, it didn’t go the best, but that was years ago. I’m a much different fighter. The Chris Leben of today wouldn’t do what he did then. Michael Bisping: Yes, pretty much just what Chris said, really you know I think it is case of you know whoever wins this fight moves on onwards and upwards towards the title contention and you know as Chris said, that’s where you kind of fall down toward the middle of the pack if you know for the losers. So you know obviously there’s a lot riding on it. ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk 10-09-08/12:00 p.m. CT Confirmation # 3993445 Page 3 Ken Pishna: Chris, you had you know you were supposed to fight once before over in England against Michael, and you had some issues going on and getting to that fight, has that you know caused any undue stress preparing for this fight? Have you just put that completely behind you and focused, or what have you … Chris Leben: Well you know you know I did a few things preparing this fight. When I was first slated to fight Michael Bisping and it was a huge opportunity for me. It’s a fight that I personally wanted you know and when you know being you know obviously some things came up and you know caused me not to be able to take that fight you know. And it was a huge bummer. It was a giant let down. It was a let down for me. It was a let down for my camp. It was a let down for the fans and you know obviously, Michael as well. Luckily, the UFC came back around. They knew it’s the fight everybody wants to see. They offered it again and I got to tell you, it lit a fire underneath me. I mean you know to have that opportunity pulled away from you like I did you know when I got that second chance you know it's made me that much more focused that much more intense. You know obviously Michael got another great win you know another win in decisive you know fashion. So you know for me it was just all that played into just being one giant motivator for training for this bout. Ken Pishna: Having that fight pulled out from under you the first time, did that kind of motivate you for this fight? Chris Leben: Absolutely, that’s exactly what I just said. ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk 10-09-08/12:00 p.m. CT Confirmation # 3993445 Page 4 Ken Pishna: And what about Michael, does he feel the same way? Michael Bisping: Yes you know I mean, I think because he’s absolutely right you know but when this fight was first scheduled you know it did get you know it makes a lot of sense and you know there was a buzz around it. A lot of fans want to see this fight you know and yes, I was kind of disappointed you know when I couldn’t fight him, obviously. Having the pawns changed at last minute you know isn’t you know exactly what you want. But you know I went out, I fought Jason Day, beat him; and I kind of had the suspicion they would match the fight again and I was right. You know as I said, I think the fight makes sense and, it’s a good a match up you know it should be an exciting fight. So you know it should be a good main event. Operator: Thank you, and as a reminder to our audience, that is star one if you’d like to ask a question. We’ll now take our next question from Neil Davidson, Canadian Press. Neil Davidson: Yes, thank you. Michael, this is what, your third fight at 185. Are you feeling any different now in terms of preparing? Is this where you – are you feeling more natural at this weight, or is it still feeling your way, you don’t seem to be feeling your way in the cage with it? Michael Bisping: Yes, yes like say it’s my third, so, yes, I’m starting to feel pretty natural with this weight now. You know I kind of know what I’m doing regarding making the weight. Obviously, the first time was quite stressful, because you know I didn’t know how easy or hard it was going to be to make that weight. ZUFFA/UFC Moderator: Jennifer Wenk 10-09-08/12:00 p.m. CT Confirmation # 3993445 Page 5 But now you know I’m pretty comfortable with you know with doing that. You know I’m probably going to come in a little bit heavier this time than what happened in the past because you know I know I can cut a little bit. But, yes you know it’s feeling natural for me you know I feel great at this weight you know I mean, I’ve said this a million times, I think middle weight has already been my natural weight class; I was just too stupid to realize it. Neil Davidson: Chris is coming off, I mean you’re both coming off a little winning streak here. Chris is coming off some impressive knock outs. He showed against Terry Martin that he’s dangerous even when he seems like he’s on his last legs. Do you think he’s going to be one of the more difficult fighters to put away that you’ve faced? He’s a hard man to put down. Michael Bisping: Yes, that’s absolutely right. You know I think it’s well documented that you know that the guy can pack a good punch. You know so – you know I mean we’ve both seen it. You know he’s actually a good shot you know. And that's all well and good you know whether it’s the smartest game plan in the world is another thing, but, yes you know Chris is tough you know. I’m not underestimating him whatsoever. As you said you know he’s not easy to put away. He carries a good shot and he lands a good shot himself. So you know it makes for a good match up and obviously you know we’ll see what happens on the night. Neil Davidson: Chris, if I can ask you, you like the match up? Chris Leben: Yes, I love, I mean, I love the match up.