Thursday, August 18, 2011

UFC on Versus 5 postfight: Lytle wins bonuses, WEC fighters entertain and Hardy keeps his job

MILWAUKEE� -- Some notes from the UFC on Versus 5 post-fight press conference:

-- UFC president Dana White announced the bonuses on Twitter before the press conference. Chris Lytle won both Submission of the Night and Fight of the Night, netting him $130,000 and a Harley-Davidson. Dan Hardy picked up $65,000 for his half of the Fight of the Night performance, and Donald Cerrone won $65,000 for his Knockout of the Night of Charles Oliveira.

-- UFC chairman Lorenzo Fertitta tweeted that he has no plans to cut Hardy, despite his four-fight losing skid. He said, "I like guys that WAR."

"It's a nice vote of confidence from the boss. I love being a part of the organization. If they are going to give me one more fight, I need to come back reinvented," Hardy said.

-- Lytle admitted that he was surprised that Hardy shot in on him during the final minutes of the fight. He said it was an instinct to reach for the guillotine.

"He's one of the toughest guys I've been in there with. I threw a lot of hard shots on him and it didn't stop him," Lytle said of Hardy.

-- Ben Henderson doesn't know where he would rank in the very crowded UFC lightweight title picture.

"It's not my place to say I'm no. 7, no. 21. You guys tell me. What does Dana think? What does Sean Shelby think?" Henderson said.

-- Though his job is safe, Dan Hardy plans to give himself some time away from fights to improve.

"I think my head is elsewhere right now. I think I'm going to step away and clear my mind a bit. I had quickest rise and quickest fall in the UFC," Hardy said.

-- Henderson paid tribute to his teammates by getting on his knees and begging UFC brass to take a look at the other fighters in the gym, a completely selfless act for a fighter who could reasonably be using his post-fight speech to ask for a title shot. Henderson was predictably humble when asked about it.

"We're not alone in that cage. We have training partners who bleed with us. They're our brothers. If not for those guys, I wouldn't be where I'm at. Life like a fighter is life like a starving artist, and I just want them to get a shot. I will stand behind them."

-- Jim Miller had questioned the readiness of WEC fighters when the UFC first merged with the organization. Donald Cerrone and Henderson, both WEC vets, smiled at that fact.

"I think the little brothers just beat up the big brothers!" Cerrone said.

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