TWIQ: MMA Quotes for the Week of June 19 - 25

HE GONE

"He's cut from the UFC, I'm disgusted with him, he has no business fighting in the UFC." - UFC President Dana White, on UFC on Versus 4 main eventer Nate Marquardt, who failed his prefight medicals, forcing the Pennsylvania commission to pull him from the card. (MMA Torch)

"You've got to meet these requirements, and there's no ifs, ands or buts about it. ... He knew about it, and I think he was trying." - Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission Chief Greg Sirb. Trying to what exactly? (Cagewriter)

"Nate was looking forward to making his welterweight debut and is disappointed by this unfortunate turn of events." - Nate Marquardt, who plans on "personally addressing" the issue on Tuesday. (MMA Mania)

"We've got to follow these guidelines with the [HIPAA Act] and blah, blah, blah. Bottom line is, what Nate Marquardt did was bad enough to be cut from the UFC." - White. If we're reading between the lines, I think the only logical conclusions are that Marquardt is pregnant...

"I felt better in practice, I felt better after practice, I felt quicker, better stamina, and this camp even more so. ... I haven't lost any strength, my speed's gone up, my power's gone up, and I feel really good." - Marquardt, ...or is on a heavy PED regimen. (MMA Weekly)

"I don't know [if he can redeem himself]. ... I give a lot of guys chances and know that everybody makes mistakes, and Nate Marquardt has been one of those guys." - White, who currently has Tito Ortiz, Josh Barnett, and Paul Daley under contract.

"So for me to come out and say he's not going to fight in the UFC anymore, it's got to be serious." - White

FROM A GUY WHO ONCE CALLED HIMSELF 'THE CAT SMASHER'

"I'm excited to fight Wanderlei and I'm a little scared at the same time, too." - Chris Leben, on UFC 132 opponent Wanderlei Silva. (MMA Mania)

"I'll be honest. I don't like fighting. I love the training. I love everything else, but the day of the fight, anybody that says they really love it is probably lying to ya.'" - Leben

"There's nothing more motivating than a fear of a coma." - Leben. Just ask Terri Schiavo.

"I'm going to get out there and do what I do because I look my fears and issues in the eye and then I conquer them." - Leben, his two DUI arrest sheets hanging precariously in the background.

TITO ORTIZ: FIGHTING IS HARD

"Dana White and Joe Silva [the UFC's matchmaker] told me they wanted me to retire, but I knew I still had the fight inside me." - Tito Ortiz, who hasn't won a fight since KOing Ken Shamrock in 2006. His current three-fight skid includes losses to Forrest Griffin, Matt Hamill, and Jenna Jameson. (Telegraph UK)

"I pretty much begged for my job." - Ortiz, echoing the sentiments of Bloody Elbow contributor Matt Bishop.

"I was shocked, I thought they were kidding around. I took it as they didn't want to pay me, to give me what I'm worth." - Ortiz, who is worth so much that the UFC decided to keep off the card's poster.

WINNING UGLY

"I won the fight but I was not satisfied." - Alistair Overeem, on his Strikeforce tournament victory over Fabricio Werdum. (MMA Fighting)

"The fight was not good for either of us, but he did not beat me, I lost (on my own)." - Werdum, who flopped more times than a Vegas poker dealer. (Portal do Vale Tudo)

"Of course I expected him to pull guard, but I didn't expect him to do it like 30 times." - Overeem

"Even at striking I did not see the K-1 champion that knocks everyone out show up, he did not show much, he did not throw any strikes meant for knock downs, and as Fight Metrics showed I was able to throw more strikes." - Werdum, in what might be the first time a fighter has referenced FightMetric.

"I’m still trying to figure out what happened to me that night. It wasn't me fighting." - Werdum. Another failing of the state athletic commissions.

WHITE NOISE

"People always say 'monopoly.' The people who say that don't know enough about the sport." - UFC President Dana White, adding, "These morons don't know a thing. RISK is the greatest f***ing board game of all time." (USA Today)

"If you go state to state and called the athletic commission in every state where we're sanctioned and ask them how many MMA events were held there this year and how many times did the UFC come, the answer is going to be once or zero." - White, settling the case forever.

"We're not a monopoly. We're just the best. We do what we do the best." - White, and without any major competitor.

PARTING SHOTS

"I've never considered myself as a legend - just a simple man with heart." - Fedor Emelianenko. In the distance, a group of Russian men huddled together, counting money, and looking suspicious. (SB Nation MMA)

"I like being under the radar. I like being the underdog." - Phil Davis, who added that one day he'll accept his role as an overdog. (SB Nation MMA)

"I don't want to be taking unnecessary blows to the head. I want to come out with a W and maybe take one or two big fights and then I'm done." - Jorge Rivera, whose entire career is one constant stream of unnecessary blows to the head. (Boston Herald)

"My prayers will be going out to Urijah and I hope he does phenomenal, but Dominick Cruz is a tall order for everyone right now." - Jon Jones, when keepin' it real goes wrong. (SB Nation MMA)

"Whoever made the video game, as soon as my character falls down, he dies. Even if I just lay down on my back, he dies." - Pat Barry, who may still be giving the KO death stare as I write this. (Cagewriter)