Issue 122
December 2014
Unbeaten ‘Fury’ fresh from his TKO victory over Takanori Gomi in Japan
Q. WHAT IS THE BEST THING NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT YOU?
A. “My dog’s name is Marshall after Marshall Mathers, aka Eminem.”
Q. BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO A YOUNGER YOU?
A. “Get the right people around you. Figure out what you want and go after your dreams and your goals.”
Q. BEST INSPIRATION TO FIGHT?
A. “My inspiration to fight is to accomplish my goals and make a better life for myself.”
Q. BEST MEMORY FROM YOUR FIRST FIGHT?
A. “I was with a smaller team at the time and we were unknown. I fought this guy who was from Pat Miletich’s gym. I remember beating a good guy from a good team. It was like, ‘Wow, I don’t think that was supposed to happen.’”
Q. BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
A. “My first official win in the UFC. Beating Chris Saunders on The Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale card. That was the number-one moment for me. To be able to say I got a win in the UFC was something very special. I can die a happy man. TKO’ing Takanori Gomi in Japan was special too.”
Q. BEST THING ABOUT MMA COMPARED TO OTHER SPORTS?
A. “The best thing about MMA is that it is so complex, it’s so versatile, and you can spend your whole life doing it and never master it or get tired of doing it. There are so many avenues to go down you can always learn something new.”
Q. WHAT FEELS BEST, A KNOCKOUT OR SUBMISSION VICTORY?
A. “A knockout feels best when the opponent is talking trash, but a good-old submission victory is nice for all other opponents. It’s always nice to TKO or knock someone out if they are talking a lot before the fight.”
Q. BEST OPPONENT?
A. “My toughest opponent was Al Iaquinta on The Ultimate Fighter. I’d never went three rounds before. He was my toughest test at that point in my career.”
Q. BEST WAY TO GET PUMPED BEFORE A FIGHT?
A. “I try to stay calm and focused and alert and in the moment. I don’t want to ever get too crazy or wild or anything like that. I get pumped up internally; not so much externally.”
Q. BEST DINNER GUESTS? THREE PEOPLE, PAST OR PRESENT, WHO WOULD THEY BE?
A. “Eminem, Abraham Lincoln and Mark Cuban.”
Q. BEST CELEBRITY RESEMBLANCE?
A. “I get James Franco a lot. People ask me if I’m related to him (laughs).”
Q. BEST LESSON LIFE HAS HANDED YOU?
A. “Believe in yourself and stay true to yourself and what you want out of life. Stay patient and don’t give up until you get it.” Patience and self-belief.”
