The Weekly Wrap: Jan. 16 - Jan. 22

Quoteworthy

“Probably the lowest moment was getting care from Canada. I hate to bash them, but … not to get on the political side of things, but our healthcare system is a little radical, but listen, we’ve got the best doctors in the world here. Our system does need some restructuring, but I don’t believe a total reform is the answer.” -- UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar on his health scare and a trip to a Canadian hospital during a media conference call

“This is more about partisan American politics and bashing American health-care reform, and I’m not particularly interested in getting engaged in that. Canada has lots to be proud of in terms of providing health care for everyone.” -- Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald to the Winnipeg Free Press on Lesnar’s comments

“I’m pretty realistic about my matches, and I’m still learning and working on a bunch of things. I wouldn’t see myself taking a fight like that for at least another year or so.” –Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Eddie Alvarez to Sherdog.com on facing B.J. Penn

“A lot of guys sit back and want to last with B.J. I’d rather get knocked out in the center of the ring and go for it than sit back and try to figure it out. If things aren’t working, I’m going to charge B.J. and try to knock him out. It’s better than just running away and not being able to engage.” -- Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez to Yahoo! Sports on fighting Penn

“Well, by the end of my career, I want to beat every champion in every weight division. I’m not scared of fighting bigger people than me. I’m in this sport to test myself and see how good of a fighter I really am. That’s something that, by the end of my career, I want to achieve, and I know in my heart that that’s possible.” -- Rory MacDonald to MMA Fanhouse

“Of course, I think that part of every fighter’s job is to make sure he entertains the crowd. However, I’m not necessarily doing it for the crowd; I'm actually doing it for myself. It just so happens that it’s entertaining. I get energized from doing back flips, flying knees. It makes me feel more confident in a fight.” -- Dream welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis to USAToday.com

“Make no bones about it; the area we’re looking at is gravel currently. It will be built for a UFC event. It will be dressed in a way that it will feel very special. With the exception of walls and a roof, it will be an arena with raised seating, coliseum-style seating where you have people very close to the action.” -- UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshal Zelaznik to Yahoo! Sports on plans to erect a new arena for UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi

“More power to him for trying it. If he feels it’s something he can do, I wish him … well, not the best, but I think it’s cool he’s trying a new athletic outlet. But the difference between us is that he’s approaching it as a hobby. To me, it’s my job.” -- Greg Nagy, Herschel Walker’s first MMA opponent, to MMAFighting.com

“To be honest, I haven’t watched that many fights. I’ve seen a highlight of her in her Thai boxing career. I couldn’t find that much on the Internet. I really would like to see the fight of her against [Yoko] Takahashi, because I fought Takahashi three times. [Cristiane] ‘Cyborg’ [Santos] couldn’t finish it before the end of three rounds, and I finished her easy three times in the first round. So, to me, that’s a good fight to see, so I can compare what Takahashi did to her and what Takahashi did to me. I cannot find that fight. Nobody can find it.” -- Marloes Coenen to USAToday.com

“I don’t like to see ‘Ultimate Fighting.’ As a martial artist, I find it too violent putting them in a cage. At the end, it’s not fighting anymore. That’s not the martial arts. Martial arts is about respect. When somebody is knocked down, stop. I really respect Sugar Ray Leonard. Come on, [when a guy is down] stop. Don’t fight. That’s not the spirit. When you’re down, I’ll grab you up. Are you OK? Should we continue? That’s the martial arts spirit. That’s what I want.” -- Jackie Chan on MMA

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The Week Ahead

The UFC reveals plans for its event in the United Arab Emirates, and Strikeforce launches the go-home push for its Jan. 30 show in Sunrise, Fla.