UFC 148 press conference video and LIVE updates today (July 3) for 'Silva vs Sonnen 2' in Las Vegas

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will hold a public press conference today (July 3, 2012)in advance of UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2, which will take place this Saturday night (July 7, 2012).

The press conference will begin at 2 p.m. ET and will take place at Lagasse's Stadium Palazzo in Las Vegas, Nevada, the home city of the event. Scheduled to attend will be the headlining fighters of the evening, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen as well as UFC President Dana White.

Silva is the current UFC middleweight champion, having won the title from Rich Franklin back in 2006. Silva is widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. He's still undefeated in the UFC today and will be looking to defend his title for a record 10th time against Sonnen, the only man to truly test him since he began competing in the world's best mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.

Chael Sonnen is a former title challenger, having pushed Anderson Silva to the limit at UFC 117 back in 2010, winning the first 4 1/2 rounds. He's one of the best wrestlers in the sport today and has taken his game to an entirely different level, and has been one of the most dominant fighters since 2009 with his only loss being that late fifth round submission to "The Spider." He's been clamoring for a rematch for a long time and it's finally going to happen.

Judging from what happened the last time these two were in contact with each other, who knows what to expect today.

We'll have live updates and video of the UFC 148 press conference after the jump:

Brian Hemminger here. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET.

2:15 p.m. - Still waiting to get started

2:20 p.m. - We're getting started

Anderson Silva: I'm here to fight whoever they put in front of me and sometimes my opinion doesn't make much of a difference but I'll fight whoever I put in front of me.

Chael Sonnen: I offer zero apologies. I'm like Jon Jones, makes songs like Sean Combs I've got trombone sized stones like John Holmes.

Anderson Silva: Playtime is over. He can say whatever he wants. It's over. Saturday, a lot of things are gonna change. It's gonna be much different after Saturday.

Chael Sonnen: If you knew your funeral was coming up, you'd be morbid as well. It was nice to see the the real Anderson Silva. Anderson will step aside and the man will walk through.

Chael Sonnen: That offer got put out there but yes, it was rescinded. Chael Sonnen's not going anywhere.

Anderson Silva: It doesn't make too much of a difference where this fight is at. I'm going to do my job. The fans have seen the type of work inside the Octagon. Regardless if you're American or wherever country you're from.

Anderson Silva: For him to be able to strike with me standing up, he'll have to be a magician. It's impossible for him to stand up with me.

Chael Sonnen: Anderson has home court advantage. He lives in Beverly Hills. He's closer to Las Vegas than to me. The fight in Brazil would have been neutral territory. You could replace Ed Soares with an app for $9.99

Anderson Silva: If you train 100 percent, the results will be 100 percent. I'm 100 percent trained and the results will be 100 percent.

Chael Sonnen: You have to earn pressure. If I'd just walked into this thing, there'd be nothing expected of me. I'm glad to have earned that pressure.

Anderson Silva: When someone says I'm the greatest, that's not a fact, that's an opinion. I just have to do my best.

Chael Sonnen: The record speaks for itself. He's the champion but I'm the best. I'm a world class athlete. He's a martial artist but I'm a cagefighter.

Chael Sonnen: I don't know what respect is about. There's no point in paying the prices that I have paid for anything less than to set your goals at the top.

Chael Sonnen: He tried to make me wilt like Vitor Belfort, but that's not who I am.

Anderson Silva: Nope (on if he plans to retire soon)

Anderson Silva: I have no words to really explain other than the game is over. The game is over and you guys will see on Saturday night what I'm talking about. I don't have anything else to say other than he's screwed.

Anderson Silva: I don't believe Chael deserves the rematch, but I'm an employee of the UFC. If I have to go out and beat his ass 10 more times, I'll beat his ass 10 more times.

Chael Sonnen: People say this shouldn't be personal, but it is personal. I don't give a damn if it hurt his feelings.

Anderson Silva: All of us athletes are part of an elite group. I believe that the comments he made about my wife, the comments he made about my country are very disrespectful to me, my country and the UFC. We are elite athletes and shouldn't be talking that way to each other. Chael tested positive for steroids, he offended a nation, he was charged with a crime. How can you take anything this guy says for real. This guy is ridiculous.

Anderson Silva: Chael once again, I feel he doesn't deserve. He was in his most dominant position for most of the fight. If I was in the most dominant position for a few seconds, the fight wouldn't have went the way it went. The other fighters I've faced in the UFC was more qualified than Chael. I beat a guy for five rounds in Abu Dhabi and he submitted Chael in seconds in the UFC.

Chael Sonnen: When I win this championship, I will never be a closet champion. The most frustrating thing about this sport is you only defend it three times a year. I beat 8-9 people in one day in wrestling.

Chael Sonnen: I'd rather not make the trip when you're cutting weight but fair is fair. I'd rather not have a long plane ride but I'll fight either way.

Anderson Silva: Yes, I'm here because I love what I do. For the minute I came to the UFC, they have treated me well. You can't forget the statements this guy made against Lance Armstrong, one of the greatest athletes in USA history. Now Chael has the TRT replacement which is the same thing he was complaining about Lance Armstrong doping. I think the people responsible in the UFC and the commissions could take a second look at that.

Chael Sonnen: I'm not proud of it, but if I don't take my medication, I will die. Talk to the commission. There's a number of rules and we'll follow all of the rules.

Anderson Silva: Of course I will show respect after the fight. I respect all my opponents and he falls under the same category. I will respect him because that was the way I was raised.

Chael Sonnen: My weight is on track. It's a bear, it's always a bear but it's a part of it. You agree to do something and it'll get done.

Chael Sonnen: This is about competition and going after what you want. If you've got to break a few eggs to make an omelet, that's fine with me.

Chael Sonnen: All I can tell you is this is gonna be a hard fight. I'm gonna wait for him to throw a kick, put my forehead into his chest and run my first into his head for 25 minutes until he gives up.

Anderson Silva: The way it's gonna go is I'm gonna him him, hit him some more, hit him more, he'll try to grab onto me and then I'll keep hitting him until he gives up.

Anderson Silva: I believe it's gonna end in the first round.

Chael Sonnen: I'm bigger, faster and stronger. All I can tell you that the Chael of today could beat up the Chael of two years ago and the Chael of two years ago stomped this bum.

Chael Sonnen: I will not back down from anyone ever. Bisping was a puzzle for me but I would fight him five time in the same day. When the day comes that I won't fight a man, I'll quit. If I didn't think I could win this fight, I wouldn't have showed up.

Chael Sonnen: The offer was not accepted. The offer was after I fought Brian Stann. I had to sign a contract with Mark Munoz then Michael Bisping. The offer was there.

That's a wrap folks!