Issue 126
March 2015
Bellator’s British light heavyweight finishing machine might be terrifying in the cage, but he’s everyone’s friend in the gym
Q. The British Invasion will be at Bellator 133 in February. What are your thoughts on your opponent Emanuel Newton and the other British fighters on the card?
A. “I’m looking forward to the fight. I can’t wait. I’m going to do what I do and do it well. But this whole fight card has fireworks written all over it. They’re all top quality fights. I’m as excited for this event as much as everyone else.”
Q. You’re smack dab in the middle of the event poster as the most important fight on the whole card. How does that feel?
A. “Yeah. It feels good.”
Q. You have one of the most dynamic skill-sets in mixed martial arts today. How did you develop that style of technique, speed, power and violence over the past few years?
A. “My training over the past year has really started to get my style to what you see now. I’m working very hard with my coaches and I’m lucky to have such good training and sparring partners. My team is awesome. I couldn’t ask for anything else. These people are the ones that have helped me get better and better.”
Q. Talk about Renzo Gracie’s influence on you.
A. “Renzo and all the other Gracies that grace the mat give you that confidence you need as a fighter. To know you have all these great people around you – the only thing that can happen to you is greatness. They help your ego, your confidence, it’s all good.”
Q. I’m told you’re the scary guy in the gym on many levels. When you hit the bag in the gym it sounds like gunshots and you’re a monster on the mats. What’s it like being the scary guy?
A. “I’m not the scary guy in the gym – I’m a nice guy! I like to fight. I like to push my training partners. I push them harder than they’ll get pushed in an actual fight. My training is more of a fight than the actual fight itself.”
Q. You’ve come so far in a short period of time. What advice would you give if you could talk to yourself earlier in your journey?
A. “No matter how many times people say you can’t do it: don’t listen to them and just carry on. You can always do anything you want to do.”
Q. What’s your fondest memory from your very first fight?
A. “After I won the fight there was a picture taken of my nose. My nose was bent across my face! I didn’t even realize it until I looked at the picture post-fight!”
Q. What’s the best fight of your career?
A. “I think the Egidijus Valavicius fight. It was the one where I was able to let my hands go and the guy was able to take more than one punch. I don’t know how many times I hit him but every single shot connected. It was nice to be able to showcase my striking – the accuracy and the power.”
Q. If you could fight anyone in any weight class, who would you choose to fight and why?
A. “I don’t really look at things that way. I will fight anybody at the top. It makes no difference who they are. I want to fight whoever I have to fight until I reach number one. If that means fighting the best in the world that’s what I’m going to do.”
Q. Who are the people that inspire you most: personally and professionally?
A. “Training with David Branch has been a big help to me. That guy has the WSOF championship belt around his waist right now. He just defended it against Yushin Okami. We both push each other every day. And the rest of the big names in the gym: we have ‘Sapo’ (Rafael Natal) there, we have Rolles Gracie, we have Igor Gracie, Gregor Gracie – we have a lot of top names in the gym and they all help me.”
Q. Who are your favorite fighters to watch?
A. “I have always liked Anderson Silva. Years ago when Chuck Liddell was in there he was my favorite fighter. I like people that go in there and fight. I like the guys that go in there and have a good tear up.”
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