Issue 135
December 2015
Former pro wrestling champion Diamond Dallas Page reveals how he’s helped mixed martial artists reach new heights
Down with DDP
Diamond Dallas Page was a three-time WCW Heavyweight Champion. He launched DDP Yoga, which began life as Yoga for Regular Guys, after the discipline helped him to overcome a back injury he suffered in the ring.
Q&A
Q: Why did you start DDP Yoga?
A: If you watch any kind of yoga tape they start with the spiritual mumbo jumbo and that’s a direct turn-off to just about every man on the planet. Then you have everybody who looks like Gumby, twisting themselves into little pretzels. There’s nothing there I can relate to. So I thought I’d do something for regular guys.
Q: A lot of fighters practice DDP Yoga, but who’s your star pupil?
A: Michael Chandler. He’s one of the greatest athletes out there. He was on a hell of a roll, starting out 12-0, but he lost a few close fights. I was there and the first loss (to Eddie Alvarez) was a tough one. He should have won by decision.
Q: Has Chandler got what it takes to claim the Bellator title again?
A: He has all the potential in the world to be champion again. He’s still a young guy. But the champ now (Will Brooks) is awesome too. He’s a stud. When they fought it was just two great fighters getting in there and putting all on the line. I’d have liked to have him in here more, but once fight camp gets going it’s tough. But when you have down time that’s when you can really take this s**t to the next level and kick it into high gear. That’s where I want to challenge him.
Q: Have you always been an MMA fan?
A: Oh yeah. I was hooked back in the day. So many guys come and go so quickly though. I remember Tito Ortiz gave me props a few years back in a Sports Illustrated article. He was looking at a career in pro wrestling and he brought up a conversation we had at a strip club in Las Vegas – I was the champ at the time. All those guys wanted to be us. We were all over TV, we were making money, they weren’t making s**t and they wanted to be us.
Q: Did you talk Tito Ortiz out of quitting MMA for pro wrestling?
A: That’s correct. Props to me. Tito was talking about wanting to make the transition over to pro wrestling, but I told him he could really change the face of his sport. I told him if I was him I wouldn’t go near pro wrestling. It’s all cyclical. We had our run for like four years then it started to tail off around the 2000s. MMA was really starting to build. Tito stayed and the rest is history and, until Brock Lesnar came along, Tito was probably the biggest draw in the UFC.
Q: Who are your favorite fighters?
A: I always liked watching Georges St Pierre and Jon Jones, but I try to catch as many of the fights as I can. I love the aggressiveness. It’s been a shame to see Jones struggle the way he has. I just hope he’s able to come back from it all.
Q: Do you see parallels with MMA and pro wrestling?
A: Absolutely. There’s so much of pro wrestling in the UFC, while it’s also got that extra aggressiveness that comes from true competition. That’s why MMA has been so successful. It’s what’s been missing in live sports.
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