Five featured fighters from the UFC 122 event along with a pair of UFC officials entertained questions from the media at Koenig Pilsener Arena in Germany on Thursday.
Among those taking part were main event participants Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt, along with co-main event fighters Jorge Rivera and Alessio Sakara, and German lightweight Dennis Siver, along with UFC UK president Marshall Zelaznik and German event co-promoter Marek Lieberberg.
Below are excerpts from the fighters and officials about the upcoming event.
Marshall Zelaznik, on the middleweight title picture
"If [Okami] wins Saturday he'll be fighting for the championship next year."
Yushin Okami, on who he'd like to fight for the title
"I'd like to fight against Mr. Anderson Silva."
Yushin Okami, on his desire to rematch Anderson Silva
"Technically speaking I won the fight, but I feel I lost the fight and I admit he's a great fighter. That's the only reason I want to fight against him."
Nate Marquardt, on his motivation
"When I lost to Chael [Sonnen], I kind of realized I had lost a little bit of my desire, my fire to train and just go out and do my best because my dream is to be the champion. And I think that reignited my fire. I got that now and that's how I know I'm going to go out and perform my best."
Jorge Rivera, on his fight with Alessio Sakara
"I promise it won't go the distance, and I promise one of us will get knocked out."
Jorge Rivera, on the growth of MMA
When I first started and I told people I was doing this, they thought I was crazy. I told them I would get in a cage and trade punches with somebody, and they literally thought I was crazy and thought I was a loser in my life for choosing to do this. Thank God for the UFC and Spike TV. Now they don't see us as two animals in a cage but as two human beings with goals and dreams just like everybody else."
Alessio Sakara, on fighting in Germany
"I'm very happy to fight here in Europe. I feels home when I fight in the US because there are a lot of Italian-Americans. As far as I know there are lots of Italians in Germany, too, so I'll feel even more home. I have lots of friends and fans bought tickets to cheer for me so I'm pretty sure I'm s going to have a lot of the crowd cheering for me. But it's more important to fight well than where I fight."
Dennis Siver, on his focus
"I'm only concentrating on my mixed martial arts career. I'm totally devoted to it. Normally my training is around comprehensive sessions once a day but when I'm preparing for a fight it's two times a day. My life centers around mixed martial arts and that's what it is."
Marek Lieberberg, on Germany's reception to the UFC's return
"There was no controversy whatsoever regarding UFC 122, absolutely none. Either politically or elsewhere, there was a deafening silence in that respect. I think they ran out of arguments, quite frankly."
Marshall Zelaznik on the German market
"We know the market likes combat sports. They're prepared to watch one-sided boxing and millions turned out to it. There's no doubt they're going to like what UFC has to offer."
Marek Lieberberg, on media interest
"The interest is substantial, especially from the sports media. That's where we want to be. We don't belong to interpolitics but intersports."
Among those taking part were main event participants Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt, along with co-main event fighters Jorge Rivera and Alessio Sakara, and German lightweight Dennis Siver, along with UFC UK president Marshall Zelaznik and German event co-promoter Marek Lieberberg.
Below are excerpts from the fighters and officials about the upcoming event.
More Coverage: UFC 122 Pictures | UFC 122 Results
Marshall Zelaznik, on the middleweight title picture
"If [Okami] wins Saturday he'll be fighting for the championship next year."
Yushin Okami, on who he'd like to fight for the title
"I'd like to fight against Mr. Anderson Silva."
Yushin Okami, on his desire to rematch Anderson Silva
"Technically speaking I won the fight, but I feel I lost the fight and I admit he's a great fighter. That's the only reason I want to fight against him."
Nate Marquardt, on his motivation
"When I lost to Chael [Sonnen], I kind of realized I had lost a little bit of my desire, my fire to train and just go out and do my best because my dream is to be the champion. And I think that reignited my fire. I got that now and that's how I know I'm going to go out and perform my best."
Jorge Rivera, on his fight with Alessio Sakara
"I promise it won't go the distance, and I promise one of us will get knocked out."
Jorge Rivera, on the growth of MMA
When I first started and I told people I was doing this, they thought I was crazy. I told them I would get in a cage and trade punches with somebody, and they literally thought I was crazy and thought I was a loser in my life for choosing to do this. Thank God for the UFC and Spike TV. Now they don't see us as two animals in a cage but as two human beings with goals and dreams just like everybody else."
Alessio Sakara, on fighting in Germany
"I'm very happy to fight here in Europe. I feels home when I fight in the US because there are a lot of Italian-Americans. As far as I know there are lots of Italians in Germany, too, so I'll feel even more home. I have lots of friends and fans bought tickets to cheer for me so I'm pretty sure I'm s going to have a lot of the crowd cheering for me. But it's more important to fight well than where I fight."
Dennis Siver, on his focus
"I'm only concentrating on my mixed martial arts career. I'm totally devoted to it. Normally my training is around comprehensive sessions once a day but when I'm preparing for a fight it's two times a day. My life centers around mixed martial arts and that's what it is."
Marek Lieberberg, on Germany's reception to the UFC's return
"There was no controversy whatsoever regarding UFC 122, absolutely none. Either politically or elsewhere, there was a deafening silence in that respect. I think they ran out of arguments, quite frankly."
Marshall Zelaznik on the German market
"We know the market likes combat sports. They're prepared to watch one-sided boxing and millions turned out to it. There's no doubt they're going to like what UFC has to offer."
Marek Lieberberg, on media interest
"The interest is substantial, especially from the sports media. That's where we want to be. We don't belong to interpolitics but intersports."