Issue 139

March 2016

Bellator featherweight king Daniel Straus talks the food that fueled his path to the title.

Q. What are your five must-haves during fight camp?

A. The must haves would be plenty of water, recovery packs, carrots, vegetables and more water.

Q. What do you gorge on?

A. I gorge on carrots and fruit, but mostly pears. I cheat with the closest fast food joint (laughs).

Q. Do you keep anything other than frozen peas in your freezer?

A. I keep a lot of bags of ice in the freezer for recovery.

Q. What’s your signature dish?

A. I make a mean brisket. During fight camp, my favorite meal would probably be that brisket as well as some vegetables and a potato. I look forward to eating something gross and nasty like White Castle or Penn Station after the fight.

Q. What meal do you eat after the weigh-in?

A. It depends on what my nutritionist, Perfecting Athletes, has for me. Each weigh-in is different for me so each meal is different.

Q. Which nationality of food is your favorite?

A. I think I like Mexican food more than anything, and my favorite bottled sauce is Tabasco

Q. Do you keep anything in your house you wouldn’t or shouldn’t eat? 

A. (Laughs) there are a lot of things I shouldn’t eat but mostly the bags of candy I buy.

Q. Whose cooking do you prefer: your significant other’s or your mother’s? 

A. Oh man, I would say that definitely my significant other’s cooking is better. 

LOVES

Tabasco 

A serving of this spicy sauce has zero calories and fat – perfect for adding flavor to dull weight-cut foods.

THE STATS

White Castle’s Chicken and Waffle Slider is the chain’s most calorific sandwich, packing a huge 480.

THE FACTS

Straus has a grueling cut to make 145lb and cut his trademark dreadlocks to hit his mark against Pat Curran at Bellator 112.

THE INFO

Potatoes have received a bad rap, but served naked they’re a sodium and fat-free source of carbohydrates that are a rich in potassium and vitamin C.