Fightful is providing live coverage of the UFC 249 conference call at 5pm EST., which is set to feature Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz.
Highlights from the conference call will be provided below:
- Henry Cejudo says he is on a legacy rampage and that's one of the reasons he is fighting Dominick Cruz.
- Cejudo says he did his job in regards to the flyweight division, but his sole objective right now is Cruz. Cejudo says the UFC has to start putting time into the flyweight division and also sign more fighters for the weight class.
- Cejudo says the coronavirus pandemic didn't affect his training camp, Cruz says he was already training for a return while rehabbing his shoulder injury.
- Cruz compares fighting in an empty arena to training in the gym and fighting on TUF.
- Cejudo says he expects to fight to best version of Cruz, says Cruz has a great mind, but also has a lot of flaws in his game.
- Cejudo tells the other contenders to wait for their chance and to bend the knee.
- Cruz says the bout with Cejudo ranks as another history making fight, says he can make a huge difference in the world right now, says the value of the belts are in how they can make a difference during the pandemic, says Muhammad Ali is a hero.
- Cruz and Cejudo engage in some trash talk during the call, Cruz calls Cejudo short while Cejudo says Cruz won't get past round two.
- Cruz says the win over TJ Dillashaw means more than beating Cejudo because Dillashaw is a true bantamweight.
- Cruz says he is in great shape right now and is ready to go, doesn't focus on past stuff.
- Cejudo says he knows that he will beat Cruz at UFC 249, Cejudo says there is no "Michael Jordan" of MMA.
- Cruz says anybody can get the coronavirus and everybody can't just freeze up when something becomes scary, says everybody needs to take precautions and live their lives.
- Cejudo says he wants to fight Jose Aldo and Alexander Volkanovski after fighting Cruz at UFC 249.
- Cruz talks about how he cleaned out the bantamweight division at one time and was one of the pound for pound best in the sport.
- Gaethje says he had to mentally prepare to fight Ferguson, says extra time gave him the ability to do that after original UFC 249 card was postponed.
- Ferguson says "F*ck Khabib" and is defending his belt for the third time, Gaethje says he and Ferguson are the two best right now since Khabib Nurmagomedov can't fight right now.
- Ferguson says Khabib and Conor McGregor should just retire.
- Gaethje says people love violence, which is what he and Ferguson do best.
- Gaethje says all he wanted was to control his destiny and not get passed over in the lightweight division.
- Gaethje says he didn't agree with the UFC stripping Ferguson of the UFC Interim Lightweight Title.
- Ferguson talks about competing in a world title fight while a pandemic is going on, says people have to face their fears and take chances.
- Ferguson says he told Dana White that he was proud of him for putting on UFC 249.
- Ferguson says he and Gaethje will keep sports alive with UFC 249, Gaethje says this is an opportunity to inspire people and help them ride through the pandemic.
- Ferguson says he and his trainer went through the testing process earlier today, Gaethje says he'll be going through the testing process tomorrow.
- Gaethje says it was impossible to get ready to fight Ferguson on 18 days notice, grateful to have the extra time after the event's date was changed.
- Gaethje and Ferguson both promise a war for UFC 249.
- Gaethje says he has a private gym and the pandemic has not affected his training at all.
