UFC 201 Stars Speak About The Event: Namajunas Without Barry, Lawler On Five Round Wars, More

Several of the big stars of UFC 201 spoke out about being on the show. You can check out quotes from Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, Rose Namajunas, Matt Brown and more.

Rose Namajunas on Pat Barry not being in her corner (via MMA Fighting): “I love him. Any type of assumptions people are making can stop that. He’s set his career aside so much for me, I’m here because of him. It’s important for me to know I can go in there by myself. You shouldn’t rely on anything. Anything else should be extra help, but not a crutch. I did the Ultimate Fighter without him, but this was a collective decision. It’s something we just all decided to try this time. He’s very supportive of me.”

Matt Brown learning from his UFC 198 loss (to MMA Junkie): “It’s frustrating to lose of course, but I woke up on Sunday after that fight content with what I put into the camp, with what I put into the fight, that my mindset in the fight was on point, I was sharp. I just wasn’t good enough that night. I can be content with that in my life. I literally just wasn’t good enough. I got very close to being good enough. Maybe another six weeks in camp and I would have been good enough. Maybe another year, I don’t know. But I just wasn’t there.”

Jake Ellenberger on fighting Matt Brown (via MMA Junkie): “Being honest with myself, there’s times where you’re doing it because you have to, not because you want to. You know, that’s life. I really have been looking forward to training and enjoying it the last four or five months. That’s been a huge momentum boost for me. Especially against a guy like Matt Brown. I couldn’t have got a better fight. He’s a fighter, he moves forward, there’s really no secrets to what he does. For me, it’s been a chill week and relaxing. It’s my coming back and wrecking shop weekend.”

Tyron Woodley on being criticized for waiting on a title shot  (to MMA Junkie): ““I think the UFC, (matchmaker) Joe Silva, read in an article that, if I had the chance to wait, would I wait? And I said that if I had a chance to wait, then yes, I would wait. With so many tough matchups in the welterweight division, it would be silly to go out and risk it when you know you’re going to 100 percent sure get this title shot. I think it was basically misinterpreted that I would not fight. But I don’t sweat the technique. I’m still in the same spot, fighting for a world title whether I told them, ‘Heck, no,’ or it was a misunderstanding. Things happen for a reason, and I just feel like it’s destiny that I was in this position and in this moment.“

Robbie Lawler, when asked if five round fights are taking their toll (on UFC Tonight): “They’re not taking a toll. You just want to get in and out as fast as possible. That’s the goal – to beat someone, not take damage and impose your will on someone. They’re not backing down, they’re fighting for what I have and bringing their A-game.”

Fightful.com will have full, live coverage of UFC 201 tonight, including a post-show podcast.