The Weekly Wrap: Nov. 8 - Nov. 14

Quoteworthy

"I've been exactly where Brock's at. I've made that same transition that's he been in for the last three fights. I know the pitfalls, the frustration with not having the striking, not knowing the submissions as well as you want to know them." -- Randy Couture to the Las Vegas Sun.

"Randy's fought big guys, but they don't know how to wrestle. Randy knows that, too. The bigger guys that Randy has fought in Tim (Sylvia) and (Gabriel) Gonzaga aren't half the athletes that I am as a wrestler, or as a fighter I think." -- Brock Lesnar to the Las Vegas Sun.

"I'm a pretty rational person. I've set standards for myself, and I realize at some point I'm not going to be able to meet those standards physically. I don't think we're anywhere close to that yet. I've got a close eye on all that. My body talks to me all the time, and I listen." -- Randy Couture to Sherdog.

“I’m predicting right now, even with this economic crunch, the biggest pay-per-view in UFC history… We’re projecting 1.2 million (pay-per-view buys). I hope I’m wrong and it’s more. We've got mad scientists sitting in a room calculating these things... There's a formula to it and a secret and we finally figured it out... Maybe we'll go a little over, maybe we're a little under, but I guarantee you, we'll be right in that range.” -- UFC President Dana White regarding UFC 91’s buy rate.

“Walking up that first time [at UFC 13] and being overwhelmed by a thousand fans that are screaming and hanging over the fence trying to grab your clothes and smack hands with you, it’s lot different now. Now, I think walking in there Saturday night is going to feel a lot like walking home,” –- Couture to Sherdog on his return to the UFC.

"Brock has gotten ridiculous on the ground. Most of the black belt level guys in our camp are 200-225 pounds and used to roll with Brock and tap him --including me. Forget it now. I highly doubt there will be a submission that ends this fight. But if there is one, don't be surprised if it's Brock tapping out Randy." -- Lesnar training partner Nick Thompson to ESPN The Magazine.

"If anyone asks me what I think the outcome will be, I'm just saying I'm going to wait and watch… I would prefer to fight Lesnar again than face Randy." -- Frank Mir to Fighters Only magazine on Couture vs. Lesnar.

"You're talking about probably the most physically impressive man in mixed martial arts going against probably the most mentally impressive guy in Randy Couture." -- Big John McCarthy on Inside MMA.

"It may not be the most sensible matchup for the UFC's tangled heavyweight title picture -- Lesnar is a piddling 1-1 in the organization -- but it's exactly the kind of guilty-pleasure spectacle that gives fans, for lack of a more masculine term, butterflies. Lesnar is nothing if not imposing, and Couture is nothing if not capable. Bet large on the fight and there's a 50/50 chance you'll be enjoying Top Ramen for a few months." -- Sherdog's Jake Rossen on the UFC 91 main event.

"This Saturday is the UFC's 15th anniversary, and Zuffa has planned a suitable celebration. A Randy Couture-Brock Lesnar showdown is a striking historical synthesis, merging the mythos and revelation of the promotion's nascence with the modern sensibilities that inform UFC blockbusters. Can the jiu-jitsu guy beat the karate guy? Can experience and savvy beat monstrosity and natural ability? What's more effective, striking or grappling? What's more legitimate, the archetype or the prototype?" -- Sherdog's Jordan Breen looking at the fight in a broader context.

"The unity of this effort is unprecedented and the message that is being sent is clear. Absent significant pre-established negotiated terms, do not bid on these contracts unless you are prepared to fight the challenge to their legality. It is our intention to honor our commitment to Pro Elite, but if Pro Elite is not able to perform in accordance with the contractual terms, the fighters should be granted unrestricted free agency with the unfettered ability to enter the marketplace." -- MMA agent Ken Pavia in a joint statement with several other agents about the auction of Pro Elite's assets set for next week.

"Expect the good with the bad. You're an entertainer. The comments are gonna come whether they're good or bad, it's gonna come. No, I'm not embarrassed by it [the performance]. You can't be embarrassed when you're an entertainer. If you're gonna get embarrassed, whether it's fighting, rap, or anything on that level, then you're in the wrong business. Real professionals prepare themselves for the good and the bad." – Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson to Sports Talk 790 “The Ticket” in his first interview since losing to Seth Petruzelli.

“I wouldn't be opposed to it… and if I did do it, it would probably be in the WEC.” – Dana White on MMA Live sounding positive for the first time about promoting a Gina Carano vs. Cristiane Santos fight.

"Originally, as I'm involved in the combat sports business, I got to knowing a lot of mischievous people from way back. When I saw Maeda's The Outsider, I felt I knew some strong delinquents myself and wanted to give them the opportunity to fight." -- I&C Agency executive Hiroyuki Iwasaki to Sherdog on his launching a new Japanese promotion "Grachan," which will draw from delinquents and hooligans for its talent pool.

The Week Ahead

Will Randy Couture do it again? Will the UFC 91 be the company’s biggest event to date? Will the Pro Elite fighters break out? A week of fallout worth following.