Issue 135
November -0001
Crazy KOs, pain for pleasure and the best of WEC. FO asks four fighters for their thoughts
The Fighters
Q: Who will win December’s lightweight title clash: Rafael dos Anjos or Donald Cerrone?
Jimi Manuwa
A: Dos Anjos. I believe he’s too aggressive and he’s got too many skills for ‘Cowboy’. I’m a fan of both but I think dos Anjos has gone up another level.
Ross Pearson
A: I can see it going the same way as the first fight. If dos Anjos turns up the same as he did against Pettis it’ll be another decision win for him.
Ben Rothwell
A: Dos Anjos’ style matches up well to take Cerrone out. Cerrone amazes everybody with how much and how hard he fights, but he’d have to radically change to take the title home.
Chris Fields
A: I’m a Cerrone fan since well before he was in the UFC. I’d love to see him do it but dos Anjos looks great at the moment. I’m going to say Cerrone because I’ve been a fan for so long.”
Q: Do you believe masochism is part of every pro fighter’s genetic makeup?
Jimi Manuwa
A: Some people don’t like being punched in the face, some people don’t mind it and some people welcome it. I don’t mind being punched in the face because I know I can punch them back harder.
Ross Pearson
A: If somebody hits me, I don’t feel it as long as I’m allowed to hit them back. It’s the craziest thing. If you don’t learn how to deal with pain the right way you’ll never be a successful fighter.
Ben Rothwell
A: If somebody hits me, I don’t feel it as long as I’m allowed to hit them back. It’s the craziest thing. If you don’t learn how to deal with pain the right way you’ll never be a successful fighter.
Chris Fields
A: Fighters are from so many different walks of life and backgrounds that I’d say they’re normal guys. Most of them train for a while and then give it a shot, and it kind of goes from there.
Q: What are your favorite WEC memories?
Jimi Manuwa
A: I just remember all the great fighters who came to the UFC: José Aldo, Cowboy, ‘Showtime’ Pettis, Benson Henderson, all those stars in the lighter-weight divisions.
Ross Pearson
A: Dominick Cruz’s battles, José Aldo on the rise, Benson Henderson’s fights and when Urijah Faber broke his hands and had to use elbows – that was pure grit and determination.
Ben Rothwell
A: I appreciate it for what it did for all the lower weight class guys. There was a lot of great guys that had nowhere to go until the WEC started building up the lower divisions.
Chris Fields
A: Donald Cerrone vs. Ben Henderson, where Cerrone was almost ripping his arm off. That was a great fight. Some of the positions where Henderson managed to not get tapped were crazy.
Q: What’s the best KO you’ve ever seen?
Jimi Manuwa
A: That would be my knockout of Luke Blythe at UCMMA 6.
Ross Pearson
A: Martin Kampmann head-kicked this guy at King of the Cage in Sheffield, England. I was sitting right at the front and it sounded like he’d cracked an egg. He put him on a stretcher.
Ben Rothwell
A: One of the coolest was Tim Boetsch when he fought Yushin Okami. He was getting beaten by 10-8 rounds, almost. To come back and win the fight with a knockout was inspiring.
Chris Fields
A: One of my favorites is Pete Sell vs. Scott Smith. Sell landed a body shot, Smith was backing off, curled up, and threw a big overhand and KO’d Sell. That was pretty serious, like a movie moment.
Q: If you weren’t a fighter, what other MMA job would you do?
Jimi Manuwa
A: I’d be in Lorenzo’s (Fertitta) position. I think Dana White works too hard. I’d be the boss sitting back, letting everyone do the work and getting all the money.
Ross Pearson
A: I’d be a very good matchmaker. I see fighters’ styles and I match them up pretty good. I can see how a fight’s going to go. I wouldn’t match me with any wrestlers though!
Ben Rothwell
A: I own a gym, Rothwell MMA. It has a full fight team. I also manage about 60 fighters with my partner. We also throw our own shows, so I’m kind of a jack-of-all-trades.
Chris Fields
A: I’m going to be a coach, that’s been my aim for a long time. I coach a lot of the guys at the moment. You get all the fun of MMA without getting punched in the face. It’s the perfect job!
