Jamie Varner's Eyebrow-Raising Post WEC 46 Comments
by Zak Woods on Jan 11, 2010 11:30 AM EST
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Jamie Varner may be a doppelgänger of Urijah Faber. Both are former champions, one well loved and admired by the fans while the other is detested and looked upon with suspicion.
It is in that context that Varner entered the title fight with Ben Henderson and in the aftermath of his submission loss Jamie Varner made some eyebrow-raising remarks.
"I wanted to box, he [Henderson] wanted to kick. S*** happens. I was winning the fight, all he wast doing was throwing body kicks. I got the takedowns, had the control. He didn't want to box--go ahead and boo. I came to fight, Ben came to grapple. Two different things."
Varner may simply be relishing the role of a villain but for a fighter who was already looked upon with distrustful eyes his post-fight comments certainly didn't earn him any new fans or newfound respect within the MMA community.
Couple the post-fight comments with the juxtaposition of Henderson surviving a guillotine choke, and refusing to tap out while Jamie tapped out with lighting quick speed and it becomes clear that Varner may have some serious PR work in front of him.
Update: Jamie Varner elaborated on his feelings in the post-fight press conference.
"I thought I was winning, definitely pushing the pace. I like to go forward. ... I heard Ben got some new boxing coach and all this stuff because we live in the same city. I was expecting him to try and trade punches with me and that wasn't the case. He had a good game plan. He used his kick to keep me away. I guess that's the M.O. on me; use your kicks, keep me away, that way I don't have to touch you."
"A fight is a fight. I definitely came to fight. It seemed like Ben was doing a little bit more running. A little bit more countering and that's game plan. We all have our strategies and his was good."
"I was definitely trying to box. I was trying to punch and when that wasn't working , I figured I'll try and kick his legs out a little bit. Maybe he won't run so much and when that fell through I got caught in a guillotine. ... I started going out. I was trying at first and then it was just done. He had it in."
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I watched the fight but not the post-fight interviews and after reading that, I just can’t understand why anyone would not like Varner…
I honestly believe Jamie was scared to death of fighting Cowboy again, I think he say away out and took it just like last time.
I have no problem with a guy losing but not wanting to fight till the end that I can’t forgive Varner is a quitter and a crybaby i’m very happy he lost.
Benson on the other hand is all class and I look forward to seeing him and Cowboy go to war again for the LW title.
That kind of implies that cerrone was beating the piss out of him in their first match, which he wasn’t. It was close, not a one-sided affair. Having said that, I think either Varner is a moron for his comments about grappling when he spent most of the match pushing Bendo up against the cage and trying to submit him or smart like a fox for getting even more heat. Or both.
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by Cory Braiterman on Jan 11, 2010 9:33 AM EST up reply actions
i really dislike varner, was rooting against him that whole fight. like raker i believe varner took the easy win when he fought cerrone. he lost my respect with that fight and didnt do himself any favors in this fight either. really benson came to grapple??? i do believe that VARNER got choked out because of HIS takedown attempt for petes sake!!! thank god varner didnt try to grapple with him or he mightve got knocked out instead….
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varner is really dellusional on how good he is. the guy should be humbled by having to tap in lightning fast time but nope. really amazing stuff.
i would love to see him vs Njokuani. Njokuani will knock him senseless. maybe that will shut him up for good.
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston
@mikefareri on twitter.
I’m glad Varner cleared that all up. For a minute, I thought Varner was being a jackass. But it’s all good now.
by racebannon on Jan 11, 2010 2:42 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
varner is the perfect example of snatching a defeat from the jaws of victory(in his mind)
i'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. i was building a house, i don't deserve this, deserves have nothing to do with it. bang. "unforgiven"
by wolfmanshowlforever on Jan 11, 2010 6:50 PM EST reply actions
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