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Rampage Jackson: I’m a street fighter, not a martial artist (Video)
by Jesse Holland
21 Feb 2012 at 2:26pm
“I couldn’t give a rat’s ass if I beat Ryan Bader or not, I just want to put on the best show the world has ever seen. I never claimed to be a martial artist or a guy who’s good at everything. I’m a street fighter. There’s a lot of things I don’t care about. I don’t care to know what my opponent’s doing, I don’t care to know his skills or stuff like that, because I’m a brawler. Ya know, a street fight you just walk up to the guy and start a fight. You ain’t got no tape on this guy.”
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson doesn’t care about beating Ryan Bader, can’t be bothered with watching any tape on his opponent and just wants to brawl. He also wants to put on an amazing show for his Japanese fans when he returns to the “Land of the Rising Sun” at UFC 144 this Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012) at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Unfortunately his approach to this fight — and an amazing performance — may be mutually exclusive. Anyone think “Rampage” is just talking it up for the cameras? Or is he really going into his contest against “Darth” with a street fight mentality?
Invicta Fighting Championships announces female featherweight tournament, Mar…by Press Release21 Feb 2012 at 2:24pm
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Feb. 20, 2012) – The term “girl power” is about to take on a whole new meaning
Invicta Fighting Championships, an all-women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series led by longtime MMA industry executive Shannon Knapp, will launch with a stacked, 11-bout fight card headlined by a long-awaited featherweight (145 pounds) rematch between superstar Marloes Coenen (19-5) of The Netherlands and Romy Ruyssen (5-1) of France at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Sat., April 28.
Tickets for the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships event, priced from $35, go on sale Fri., Feb. 24 at Memorial Hall box office (913) 549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.
In the co-main event, two 29-year-old submission specialists – Jessica Penne (8-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. and Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-7) of Lacey, Wash.- will square off with one another at strawweight (105 pounds).
Strikeforce bantamweight (135 pounds) stars Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche (5-2) of San Diego, Calif. and Sarah D’Alelio (4-2) of San Jose, Calif. have also been enlisted for action. Carmouche, a United States Marine who did three tours of duty in The Middle East, will square off with unbeaten prospect Ashleigh Curry (1-0) of Kansas City, Mo. while D’Alelio will face Shana “Rock Solid” Nelson (5-2) of Hibbing, Minn.
“The time has come for a platform dedicated exclusively to building the growing women’s division in our great sport,” said Invicta Fighting Championships Vice President Knapp, who has held positions with the UFC, the IFL and, most recently Strikeforce, where she served as head of fighter relations and a core member of the promotion’s matchmaking team, until shortly after Strikeforce was acquired by the parent company of its top competitor, the UFC. “Invicta is committed to increasing the depth of the women’s field and building female superstars by providing women athletes with the opportunity to compete and hone their skills on a consistent basis throughout the year.
“I am honored to headline Invicta’s first fight card and I am looking forward to earning another win over Romy,” said the 5-foot-9, 30-year-old Coenen, a former champion in Strikeforce’s 135 pound division and the premiere female competitor out of Holland’s famed Team Golden Glory. Coenen submitted Ruyssen with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their first meeting in Basel, Switzerland on Aug. 2, 2008.
Ruyssen is a slick and dangerous 22-year-old grappler who has claimed all five of her career victories by way of submission in the first round of battle. Four of the five wins came via armbar.
“My first fight with Marloes is the only loss of my career so far, and I intend to avenge that loss on April 28″ said Ruyssen. “Marloes is a great fighter, but she doesn’t quite have the ground game that I have. I am going to take her down and finish her.”
Penne, regarded as one of the most promising, up and coming female talents in MMA, was unbeaten through her first seven professional starts before losing a unanimous decision to Zoila Gurgel on Aug. 19, 2010. In her last effort on Nov. 19, 2010, she bounced back, submitting Amy Davis with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their matchup.
Ellis-Ward will look to return to the win column after two straight losses at the hands of Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar, respectively. Prior to the slide, Ellis-Ward had reeled off two consecutive wins – a first round submission (rear-naked choke) of Stephanie Frausto and a unanimous decision over Aisling Daly.
In other main card action, Leslie Smith (3-2) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will face off with Kaitlin Young (7-5) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at bantamweight and Sally Krumdiack (9-4) of Bellingham, Wash. will duke it out with Sarah Schneider (5-5) of Kansas City, Mo. at flyweight (115 pounds).
The 28-year-old Carmouche jumpstarted her career with five straight wins, only one of which went to the judges’ scorecards. She is looking to return to her winning ways after suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of Coenen and another superstar in Sarah Kaufman.
After scoring a first round TKO (punches) on Jessy Forman in her professional debut on June 12, 2010, the 26-year-old Curry will return to the cage for the first time. Curry has been touted for her western boxing skills.
D’Alelio, a 31-year-old, 5-foot-7 grappler, was victorious in her first four career fights – three by submission and one by TKO – but is looking for her first win since losing back-to-back fights against Julie Kedzie and undefeated rising star and Olympic Judo medalist Ronda Rousey.
The 31-year-old, 5-foot-7 Nelson, a hard-hitting striker who competes out of Minnesota Fight Factory, reeled off wins in her first four professional bouts and is coming off a first round TKO (punches) of Lina Eklund on Feb. 18.
In preliminary card action, Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (7-5) of Tulsa, Okla. will take on Amy Davis (2-2) of Idaho Falls, Idaho at strawweight. Sarah Maloy (2-2) of Ada, Okla. will meet Michele Gutierrez (3-2) of Las Vegas, Nev. in a super flyweight (125 pounds) tilt. Mollie Estes (1-0) of Lake Lotawana, Mo. will face Randi Miller (0-0) of Broomfield, Colo. at featherweight. Unbeaten Ashley Cummins (2-0) of St. Louis will battle Sofia Bagherdai (4-1) of Upland, Calif. at flyweight. Jessica Philippus (0-0) of Marshall, Mo. will make her professional debut against Meghan Wright (1-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio in a strawweight matchup.
All bouts have been approved by the Kansas State Athletic Commission.
About Invicta Fighting Championships:
Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.
UFC President Dana White takes the wife and kids backstage to chill with the …by Jesse Holland21 Feb 2012 at 1:53pm
UFC President Dana White takes the wife and kids backstage to chill with the Jabbawockeez at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino last Saturday night (Feb. 18, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Props: Las Vegas Sun
UFC 144: Ben Henderson plans on cornering, cutting off the ring and getting h…by Kevin Haggerty21 Feb 2012 at 12:30pm
If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man.
That is the challenge that lies ahead for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) number one 155-pound contender, Ben Henderson, when he takes on Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 at the Saitama Super Arena this weekend (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in Saitama, Japan.
The elusive Edgar has been a riddle who not many mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters have been able to “Answer,” but “Bendo” believes he has a few tricks up his sleeve that will aid him in solving the puzzle.
During a recent appearance on HDNet’s “Inside MMA,” Henderson elaborated on what his strategy may possibly be:
“We have some new tricks that we might unveil for the fight, as far as holding him on the ground. But holding him there is not our biggest concern; it’s getting him there. He’s fast. He’s light on his feet. He has a lot of movement. He moves around very well. So, first thing’s first and that’s getting our hands on him, cutting off the ring, cornering him to get our hands on him. And then after that, if he pops back up, let him pop back up. If we took him down once, we can take him down again. It’s just a matter of cornering him, cutting off the ring and getting our hands on him.”
Easier said than done.
In a fight with two athletes this fast and dangerous, there is certainly the potential for a quick finish, but there’s also the possibility that the evenness with which they are matched may result in the fight being decided by the judges’ scorecards.
“Smooth” predicts an entertaining bout, but admits that he is a little nervous about thing if it does go to a decision:
“I think it’s gonna be a fun affair. I think it’s gonna be action packed. You’re gonna have a little bit of ‘true MMA,’ with work on the feet and on the ground. It’ll be a little bit of everywhere. You’ll see a little bit of everything. The only thing I’m really too concerned about is losing a round by a couple points here, losing a round by a couple points there and ultimately going to a decision. That’s the only thing I really am concerned about. But, you know. It is what it is. We’ll see how it plays out.”
Styles make fights. We’ve seen that axiom prove to be true time and time again. It’s hard to know exactly what to expect when two high level wrestlers meet in the cage, but Henderson made his best guess.
Anyone for some kickboxing?
“I think it’ll be two very good wrestlers going in there and, because we are two very good wrestlers, it will end up being a stand up fight for the majority of the fight. If that’s the case, I’m ready to do that for 25 minutes and say, ‘Let’s have a kickboxing match for 25 minutes.’ I’m okay with that.”
Henderson went on to describe the experience he’s had so far in Japan. He told Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten (who went to the trouble of recommending where to eat in Japan before he remembered that Henderson is in the process of cutting weight) that he’s enjoying the journey and getting ready for Saturday:
“It’s pretty cool to be here in Japan and to be fighting in Japan and all that. Logistically, getting used to the time difference and all that fun stuff — it is what it is. You gotta deal with it and do the bets you can and you hopefully have your best performance, come fight night.”
Will Henderson be able to get his hands on Edgar? Or will “The Answer” prove to be too quick and elusive to be cornered or cut down?
Predictions, please.
Arnaud Lepont: Preparing for the Fight of his Life at DARE Championship 2/12 …by James Goyder21 Feb 2012 at 11:20am
To anyone on the South East Asian mixed martial arts’ (MMA) scene, Arnaud Lepont is a very familiar face. He has trained at countless camps throughout Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia before settling down at Muayfit in Kuala Lumpur at the start of the year.
His record stands at 7-1 and he is currently preparing for the biggest fight of his career to date against Krzystof Hajtalowicz at DARE Championship 2/12 next month.The Polish fighter has a perfect 2-0 record and has submitted two well-respected opponents.
The stakes are high because the winner will move into the semifinals of the DARE Welterweight Tournament and there is $120,000 in prize money on offer to the eventual winner. Hajtalowicz has been based in Thailand for several years, just like Lepont was, and fight fans there are well aware of his abilities which is why this is such an eagerly anticipated match up.
During the years he spent in Thailand, Lepont trained at multiple camps and is a popular figure who is known for his highly aggressive fighting style. Whereas Hajtalowicz didn’t submit Wiktor Svensson until the second round of a real war in his DARE debut, Lepont stopped Jian Kai Chee in the opening minute of their fight
The charismatic French fighter took time out to answer questions about training and fighting in Asia and his forthcoming fight at DARE 2/12.
Your fight with Hajtalowicz was originally scheduled to take place in January but was postponed. How frustrating was that for you?
I have to be honest, it was really frustrating. You know, when DARE told me i would have to fight Cris for the first quarterfinal of the Million Dollar tournament I was pumped. I respect this guy, as a friend and as a fighter.
I trained myself like I have never done before in my all life. I pushed my body and made a lot of sacrifices, especially with my family. It’s like working for an examination and then when the times comes around you are not able to show the world how good you are. Winning or losing, I don’t care…but I want to put on a show that nobody will ever forget. So yes, it was frustrating. I though that I have done all this for nothing you know…
THE GAME vs KAI – DARE MMA – Bangkok, Thailand (via Darechampionship)
You’ve been preparing for this fight for over three months now, is having such a long training camp a bad thing or a good thing?
I think it’s a bad thing because it’s tough to keep the focus on the fight. Especially with all injuries that you can get during training. I have never been in a fight at 100%. You always have to go through pain and injuries. For this fight in January I was in really good shape for the first time ever but then I had to start all over again. It’s like doing all twice. And this time I already have couple of injuries…but my mind and my will are unbreakable…It will be a tough time for my opponent.
If you win you will be in the semifinals of the welterweight tournament, how much of an incentive for you is that?
I take a fight at a time. I am not really focus about winning the tournament. If i can do it, for sure I will do my best but now, I am just focused on winning the next battle.
You have moved from Vietnam to Thailand to Malaysia in the last few years. How has training in so many different places helped you to improve as a martial artist?
I think to be better, you have to open your mind to others. It didn’t go down so well when i was in Thailand because there is so many “Wars” between the different camps there, but thanks to all of them, I feel that I am way better as mixed martial artist. Teaching and learning fighting skills is not really legal in Vietnam , so it was difficult to improve myself. Moving to Thailand helped me a lot. Striking techniques there, are the best in the world.
How would you describe your style of fighting?
I think I am a well rounded fighter. I don’t focus in only one part of fighting, I want to be good everywhere. My main goal is to be able to always find a way of winning the fight. Once, a close friend told my opponent that I was a opportunist, that I would even make a finger lock to win the fight. Lol.
How often do you train and who do you train with?
I train twice a day, six days a week in cardio, Muay Thai, grappling and MMA. I have couple of good sparring partners at Muayfit in Malaysia who push me like Eric “The Natural” Kelly, Allamurad Karayev and Samir Mrabet. Will Chope and Mark Striegl will join the team next week….You are never better than your sparring and training…so I need guys with good level.
I want to thanks the man behind the team Paul Teo who is the owner of the Muayfit gym. Even if he don’t like publicity and is maybe the most humble guy I met in my life, I really want to show my respect because thanks to him I have the chance be part of a team of pro fighters.
How much has Asian MMA changed since you have been here?
A lot! When I was still in France it was all about Pride FC but since I am in Asia I have heard about all this amazing shows like Road FC, Legend FC, Martial Combat, Dare FC and Dream and now there is ONE FC which is like the UFC in Asia.
Asia is the hometown of martial arts and you really feel the passion of people there. I am nobody here and I meet already people in Malaysia that ask me for a picture. It’s crazy. The two big places for MMA in the next two years are Malaysia and India. Believe me.
Do you dream of fighting in the UFC one day ?
Yes, for sure I am dreaming about a shot at UFC, like every fighter does. If I win my next two fights…I think it would be possible. But that’s not my main goal right now. After this fight in Dare, win or lose, I want a shot at ONE FC. I want to fight in this show. I was there for One FC 2 in Jakarta and I was amazed by this event, and I would love to compete at ONE FC 4 in Kuala Lumpur so I can put on a show for my hometown crowd. Fighting for ONE FC in front of 10,000 people in the city I call home would be a dream come true.
I saw you cornered a couple of team mates at the recent One FC event, how did you enjoy that?
Damn, it was great. The show was amazing. I was really proud of my guys. Raymond Tiew did a good job and put on a good show for the fans. I hope he will recover fast from his injury because he is a young kid with lot of heart who is not scared to step in the cage for a good brawl. I respect that. Give him couple of months, let him work his ground and he will be really dangerous.
I think Peter Davis was a little bit overcome by the occasion and having to get down to 155 lbs took a lot out of him. I know he is way better that what he showed at ONE FC 2, believe me. He has sick striking, he was just a little shy that day. Don’t judge him by that performance. If you sparred with him everyday like me you would know how dangerous his stand up is.
DARE Championship do things a little bit differently, how does it compare to other shows you have fought on in the past?
Dare is a live experience. You cannot feel what Dare FC is if you are not in the crowd and watch it live. I have fought around the world, thank God, and I really love the Dare experience. Jussi, the promoter, is smart, really smart. He put in his show a whole new factor that we never seen before it almost feels like a video game. I hope eventually they move to a bigger venue because with the quality of his show, you can draw way more people to watch it live, especially in Thailand!
You have been living in Asia for a long time now, do people in France still follow your career?
That’s what I am the more surprise about. You know, in France, MMA is still not really legal. Fighters have to go out of the country to fight. It’s tough to practice a sport and have to go out of your country to compete. I bow down to all pro French fighters that work during the day, train at night and go fight in another country during weekend.
So, yes, people still follow my career. That’s why I keep doing daily a video blog in French on my facebook page. They follow me so I try to keep them updated, to respect them. It’s always a pleasure to get some mails from French fans. For me, they are the most important.
Do you have any predictions for your fight with Krzystof Hajtalowicz?
No, I have not because anything can happen in an MMA fight. Even if we pump up the fight, I have a lot of respect for Cris’s skills. And personally, he is a nice guy. I just hope we gonna put a hell of a fight for the crowd. Anything can happen. I am not afraid to go on the ground with him cause I bet he will try to put me on my back. He will try. We both know that this fight will not go to decision…
Do you see your future as a welterweight or would you rather compete at 155?
Are you reading my mind? Yes, the fight with Cris will be my last fight as a welterweight. Next time, Dare or ONE FC, I will fight at 155. I am done with the 170 division. I am usually walking at 78kg now, and i am really small for a welterweight. It’s a whole new world for me and new fight opportunity! I will be in the same division as the main event fighters from the last ONE FC and I can’t wait to test myself. Imagine me against Felipe Enomoto, would be a crazy war.
DARE 2/12 is scheduled to take place at 4:30 pm local time at the Insomnia Night Club in Bangkok, Thailand. It will be available on pay per view for USD $9.99. For more information visit: www.darefightsports.com.
Dana White video blog for UFC 144: ‘Edgar vs Henderson’ (Episode one)by Geno Mrosko21 Feb 2012 at 9:46am
Fight week, blog week!
The world’s largest fight promotion returns to “The Land of the Rising Sun” this coming Sat., Feb. 25, 2012, with UFC 144: “Edgar vs. Henderson” from the Saitiama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
And UFC President Dana White is pumping out blogs to get us ready for it. Highlights from episode one, which centers around backstage goings on from UFC 143, include:
White thought Matt Riddle vs. Henry Martinez was “the worst mismatch in UFC history” when it was made and congratulated both fighters on a job well done after a close contest that went the distance.
Alex Caceres doesn’t even remember hitting Edwin Figueroa in the balls the second time.
Roy Nelson thought he won at least one round and maybe even two. So “Big Country” actually thought he beat Fabricio Werdum.
Nick Diaz felt like he won the first, second and fifth rounds and maybe lost the third and fourth. He also made a conscious decision not to chase Carlos Condit down during the fight. You get to see plenty of Diaz backstage as he passionately describes his view of the action in the cage.
The video ends with UFC poking fun at Nelson as he lays out his case for winning the second and third round against Werdum.
Stay tuned for the next one, Maniacs.
Ghosts of Saitama: Pride FC wastes no time making its debut at Saitama Super …by Sergio Hernandez21 Feb 2012 at 4:45am
The roar of the crowd … the sound of bare feet shuffling against canvas … the unexplainable electricity inside the building. They are all mere echos today as crowds in the tens of thousands have dwindled down to a fraction of that amount. The Saitama Super Arena, host of this Saturday’s (Feb. 25) UFC 144 event, has been home to some of the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) events in the history of the sport. “Ghosts of Saitama” will take a look at some of those moments, forever preserved and never forgotten.
The Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, officially opened its doors on Sept. 1, 2000. Three months later, Pride Fighting Championships (Pride) held its first event in the building. It was the beginning of a near seven-year long relationship, one that would bring fans fights like Wanderlei Silva’s second shellacking of Quinton Jackson and the wild brawl between Don Frye and Yoshihiro Takayama.
And it all started at Pride 12 known in the states as “Cold Fury.”
More than 25,000 fans packed into the Saitama Super Arena to watch the event, which was more than six months removed from the finals of the 2000 grand prix. Pride’s popularity surged in the period right after Mark Coleman became the world’s best heavyweight and events like “Cold Fury” helped continue the momentum the promotion was enjoying.
With ace Kazushi Sakuraba in its corner, there seemed nothing Pride could do to prevent its from being the biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the world. His “Gracie Hunter” moniker came full circle at this event, while a Brazilian and an American went toe-to-toe to help decide who the Japanese legend would face next. Two future and two former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) titleholders fought at the event, helping along the theory that Pride is where champions came to fight.
Let’s take a closer look at the historic event:
UFC 13 tournament winner Guy Mezger was having more trouble across the Pacific than he had inside the Octagon. After losing a split decision to Japanese stalwart Akira Shoji, he entered the 2000 grand prix and faced off against Sakuraba in the opening round. The bout went all 15 minutes and to a judges’ decision. In a fight many felt the Lion’s Den had done enough to win, the scorecard read a “draw.”
One angry Ken Shamrock later and Mezger had forfeited the bout.
A decision win four months later surely helped his confidence, but the devastating knockout loss he suffered to “The Axe Murderer” a few months after didn’t help matters. Nearly a year into his Pride career and Mezger was sitting on a 1-3 record. Mezger helped tilt the numbers more in his favor with a brutal knockout over Alexander Otsuka in less than two minutes.
Future UFC welterweight and heavyweight champions Carlos Newton and Ricco Rodriguez made appearances, each picking up a unanimous decision wins over their opponents, while former middleweight contender Ricardo Almeida made his MMA debut in a winning effort over Shoji. Heath Herring continued his impressive run after a come-from-behind upset win over Tom Erikson a few months before by defeating Enson Inoue.
Pride 2000 grand prix quarterfinal opponents Kazuyuki Fujita and Mark Kerr each stepped inside the ring, but like that evening in Tokyo seven months prior, Fujita come out a winner, while “The Smashing Machine” came up short. “Ol’ Ironhead” bested Gilbert Yvel over 10 minutes, while Kerr fell to Igor Vovchanchyn in 15 minutes. Kerr would, of course, be deeply affected by personal and substance abuse issues in the ensuing years, finding success only twice more in his career before retiring in 2009.
The two big fights on the event would end up being Wanderlei Silva taking on Dan Henderson and the headliner of Kazushi Sakuraba and Ryan Gracie.
At the time, both Silva and “Hendo” were relative newcomers to the sport and had hardly achieved the legendary status each enjoys today. But, both were still exciting scrappers and the match up didn’t disappoint. Unable to get the Brazilian onto his back, Henderson was forced to stand and bang with “The Axe Murderer.” For all his wrestling accolades, “Hendo” did well for himself on his feet and it’d be no surprise if this performance — combined with his brutal knockout of Renzo Gracie three months later — is what gave the Team Quest fighter the confidence he needed in his stand up to become the knockout machine we all know and love today.
The main event saw Sakuraba solidify his “Gracie Hunter” nickname when he defeated his fourth member of the vaunted “first family of MMA.” He nearly snapped Royler’s arm at Pride 8, dominated Royce for 1.5 hours at the grand prix and then made good on his previous threat when he dislocated Renzo’s elbow at Pride 10. His performance against Ryan was more Royce than Royler and Renzo as the Japanese legend was unable to submit the Brazilian, but still had no trouble defeating him. “Saku” didn’t even seem to take the younger Gracie seriously and seemed more interested in entertaining the audience with bits than anything else.
Pride 12 wouldn’t have the same air as future events, but it was a more than fitting beginning to what would become the promotion’s legacy at the Saitama Super Arena.
More from the “Ghosts of Saitama” series:
Ghosts of Saitama: In 2004, the world’s greatest heavyweights descended upon Saitama Super Arena
UFC 148′s Dominick Cruz declares, ‘Urijah Faber doesn’t know how to beat me’by Kevin Haggerty21 Feb 2012 at 4:00am
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz is expected to face number one contender Urijah Faber at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 7, 2012, in a rubber match that will pit the coaches from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 up against each other for a third — and likely final — time.
The 135-pound bout will hopefully bring some closure to the heated rivalry that dates all the way back to March 24, 2007, when the “California Kid” defeated “The Dominator” at World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It was the only loss of Cruz’s bright mixed martial arts (MMA) career. And one that he eventually avenged when he won a five-round decision victory over Faber at UFC 132 on July 2, 2011, and an exciting back-and-forth battle.
In a recent interview with HDNet’s “Inside MMA,” Cruz talked about the upcoming season of TUF and how he plans on approaching being one of the coaches for the upcoming FX reality television series:
“You know, it’s gonna be intense. This format has never been done, so it’s a new thing for everybody; including the guys on the show. When the coaching’s going on, it’s gonna be about the guys, you know? Making sure that their minds stay right. You can’t overwork them during the week because they could be fighting every single week. There’s a mental thing where they’re going 13 weeks, trapped in a house with a bunch of dudes. You see the guys in the past shows, they were there half the time and they went nuts. So, imagine what 13 weeks is gonna be like. So it’s about keeping the guys in check, keeping them focused, not letting their minds wander too much while they’re stuck in there and keeping them on point.“
Just wait till you hear what he has to say about Faber:
“At the end of the show, I get to fight Faber and you know, I’ll always fight him better than he’ll fight me. As much as he wants to talk about being the more dangerous fighter, this and that — the dude was on his heels the entire fight. He didn’t wanna come forward. He was countering the whole time, looking to counter, because he didn’t know when I was gonna come or go. So, there’s a style that he doesn’t understand, the way that I fight him, that he chooses to say negative things about it, because he can’t understand it. What you can’t understand, you choose to talk bad about. He’s not gonna beat me. He doesn’t know how. I’m gonna go in there and have my way with him, just like I did in the last fight. Keep the pace high, put him on his butt and beat him down.”
Ultimately, Cruz believes he is the superior fighter in every way. He is confident that Faber won’t beat him, because, according to Cruz, he can’t beat him in any aspect of the fight game:
“He can’t. He can’t keep me there even if he does get me down. The one time he did get a takedown on me, in the last fight, he got reversed and ended up on his back. I’m gonna win the scrambles on him, even if he does try to take me down. And, you know, on the feet, I own the range. He can’t control the range because I’m taller than him and I have the reach advantage. I use my angles and footwork to keep him offset the whole time. That’s the key in those fights. He had a good gameplan in trying to wait, wait, wait and counter, but the fact that he doesn’t know when I’m coming and going and he can’t control the range, that gives me the edge in striking as well.“
Cruz may not like Faber. He may not even believe he’s capable of beating him. But, he does give him some credit for having a smart gameplan in their last appearance in the cage. He just doesn’t believe it will be enough to get the win:
“I think that his gameplan, in general, is a pretty good one, in that (he says), ‘I’m not gonna chase him.’ The times that people have tried to be extremely forceful and offensive on me and had that ‘bully’ tactic, I usually pick guys apart better that way. So, the fact that he would kinda sit and he waited and tried to pick his shots smart was probably the one thing that was intelligent about him, but in that case, I was able to throw two-to-one on him. That’s gonna be the key is just output and pace and takedowns and landing the bigger shots. Getting the finish.”
The finish. A result that Cruz has not accomplished in more than four years, excluding the injury to Brian Bowles in their fight way back in 2010.
That sounds refreshing. And lofty.
