Issue 125
February 2015
Bellator 205lb comeback king Emanuel Newton on how a champion was molded by a divine hand.
Q. What would you say is the defining moment of your MMA career so far?
A. “Of course the spinning back fist victory against ‘King Mo’ (Lawal). Mo is an accomplished fighter and an accomplished wrestler and he is such a trash talker. It’s always good when you can shut the mouth of somebody that runs it as much as he does. I think the fans enjoy that and it’s exciting for them too.”
Q. You have a very unique, and self-described unorthodox and awkward style. How did you develop that style and start to use it to your advantage?
A. “It started after my motorcycle accident. I don’t have the best rotation in my right arm any more. I had to change a lot of things. I was more of a grappler then and I wanted to take you down and ground ‘n’ pound you out. That was my style. After the accident I had to adapt because I can’t hold singles and doubles like I used to.
I had to adapt on my feet. I have a good chin – I’ve never been knocked out before. I’m very athletic for my size, I move really well for my size and I move well in scrambles. It makes it more awkward for my opponents.
“My trainer, my striking coach (Robert Driml) – he’s the tall white guy in my corner when I fight – he has a taekwondo background and one night we were training and he told me to try a number of different things. I did them all and he was like, ‘Whoa. That’s not stuff a guy your size should be able to do.’ It’s just about repetition and practice and it’s really working out for me now.”
Q. After an IFL win you celebrated by buying a motorcycle. Shortly after you were involved in an accident at upwards of 150mph. You had a broken arm, a number of surgeries and developed a staph infection. How did you work through so many obstacles to reach the level you have today?
A. “The accident was really tough. Having to spend all that time in the hospital, all the surgeries and all the antibiotics. It was a time many people wouldn’t be able to make it through. I know God has a plan and I had to go through all that to make me stronger. I was living too fast. I just had the fight in the IFL, I was looking forward to getting to the UFC, I was partying too much. I was doing too much in many different ways.
“The accident was God’s way of telling me to slow down. If I would have never broken my arm I would have gone to the UFC with the same exact style – the takedown and ground ‘n’ pound style. The wrestlers back then weren’t as good as they are now. Eventually these wrestlers would have stuffed my takedowns no problem and then I would have been in a world of hurt having to stay on my feet, having not yet developed my standup game. It was a blessing in disguise because without the accident I would have never had to develop the standup game and different style. It made me strong enough to win these fights now.”
Q. You mentioned that God has a plan for you. Right now you’re at the top of the heap in the light heavyweight division in Bellator. I assume the plan is to stay there for a long time?
A. “Yes. I’m not going anywhere. I will continue climbing and when I continue climbing more and more people will hear my story and then when they listen they’ll ask how I overcame all this stuff. How did this man get through all these tough times and come out on top?
“It’s not so much about religion or a fear of God, it’s more about a love of God and understanding how he wants us to live. We all have different fingerprints. He will work with all of us differently. Something you may go through might break me. Something I go through might break you. You just never know and that’s why we all have different energies.
“There are so many people going through tough times and have nothing to lean on. They can look at my story and see it’s a matter of learning how to live properly under the rules of God and understanding your own path.”
Q. You’ve experienced training at a number of top camps around the country. Can you share a story from behind closed gym doors with us?
A. “I’ve never been dropped in a fight. I was training at Reign one day with (Bellator middleweight) Brett Cooper. Brett hits really hard. We were sparring light and I hit him with some funky kick and he came over the top with something and knocked me down. It was like a flash knockdown.
“I thought I was good. I stood up and started walking sideways. I was so p**sed off that I was rocked. Everybody was just telling me to lay down. It was the first time I was ever dropped in training and of course Brett is the one to do it to me (laughs). Brett hits like a Mack Truck. He hit me once behind the ear and my damn ear was messed up for a week.”
