Joe Lauzon discussed his upcoming UFC 123 opponent, George Sotiropoulos, on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, specifically questioning (as others have) the Australian's controversial fight attire: "I don't see how you can wear your regular fight shorts, compression shorts under that that go to your knee, then wear knee pads on both sides that go halfway down your leg, then ankle supports that go halfway up your leg and down to your toes," Lauzon said. "I don't know what the deal is with the commission, if he'll be allowed to wear those or not, but we're prepared for him either way." "We'll think about it. I don't know if it will make a huge difference, but at the same time, why give him that advantage? Maybe we'll make a formal request to not let him wear them." "I thought it was a big step up in competition, to go from a Gabe Ruediger, who didn't have the best fight history, to a George Sotiropoulos, who's undefeated in the UFC. ... I was pretty surprised. I was taken back by it a little bit. I figured he'd be fighting for the title real, real soon, and I don't see myself in that same category. To go and be put up against a guy like that, either they really don't like me or they're expecting something good out of me." UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida coverage