Fighters Only

Issue 111

February 2014

The veteran UFC welterweight talks about ‘The Immortal’ love he has for Jeep Wranglers, heavy metal bands and stimulating TV documentaries.

CARS

We know you have a classic 1940 Pontiac in the garage, so is that the car you drive regularly?

“No, I’ve finally got the car I always wanted, a Jeep Wrangler. It’s lifted on 35s with a bunch of other modifications. That’s my preferred ride right there.

“I also have a supped up pick-up truck too, but I only use that for bouncing around now. That’s not my daily ride any more.”

What finally made it possible to get the Jeep? Was it your last victory, against Mike Pyle?

“Yeah, I have wanted one for a long time and the ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonus from the Pyle fighter finally gave me the opportunity to go out and buy one.”

If you could have one dream vehicle what would it be?

“Like I said, the Wrangler is my dream vehicle, but if you’re talking really high end then maybe a Lotus or a Bugatti Veyron.”

What was your very first car?

“That was a 1962 Thunderbird, although I never actually got to drive it.”

STYLE

I know you’re a low-key, no frills kind of guy so how would you describe style in clothes?

“I just wear whatever is in the closet. I don’t have a style.”

Are you wearing a lot of sponsored stuff at the moment?

“Yeah, 90% of my clothes were free, so I just wear whatever.”

Does your wife have any input into what’s in the wardrobe?

“She buys me clothes sometimes.”

And what about your training gear?

“I always use my Venum gloves and shin pads. I also like RevGear stuff too, like their bag gloves and pads, they make good gear. I get my walkout T-shirts from Cage Fighter, who are my sponsors, so I wear a lot of that stuff and MMA Elite also.”

FLICKS

What is your all-time favorite movie?

“Definitely 300. I love that movie.”

What is your favorite genre?

“When it comes to movies I’m just big on story. I don’t care about the action really. It just has to have a good story. I hate movies with s**tty stories. I like Seven, 12 Monkeys and old westerns. S**t like that.”

Is there a movie we might be surprised to hear that you like?

“I like documentaries more than anything else. The Century of the Self is one I saw recently that was great. It was pretty deep. It talks about how much we’re influenced by advertising and politicians and it gives the background behind all of that.

“The nephew of Sigmund Freud, Edward Bernays, was the first to use psychological techniques in advertising. He’s seen as the father of the public relations industry. It’s on YouTube and I think that is about the only place you can find it.”

MUSIC

I hear that you’re really into metal. Which groups do you like most? What is on heavy rotation right now?

“Black Label Society, Sevendust and stuff like that.

What drew you to metal?

“When I was in junior high school my friend’s older brother was in a metal band. That’s how I first got into it. I heard them play and I’ve liked it ever since.”

If you could walk out to one song for the rest of your career, what would it be?

“Probably the one I have been walking out to: Rise of the Machines by Jedi Mind Tricks.”

So does that mean you like a bit of hip hop too?

“Yeah, I like to listen to it when I’m working out.”

Who else do you like in hip hop/rap?

“I also like Immortal Technique. And I still like Lil Wayne, even though no one else does. I like Nas and Wu Tang. Those, plus Jedi Mind Tricks, are definitely the top ones.”

TRAVEL

You’re a travel bug too we here, spending some time in Cuba recently?

“Yeah that was an amazing experience. Those guys are the best in the world at what they do. It was an awesome experience not only in the martial arts aspect but culturally, too. To see the way they live, it is very different from the American lifestyle. It gave me a whole new perspective on the world and how fortunate we are to be in America.”

TV

What are you into as far as TV? Does the good story telling you like in movies carry over?

“Yeah, I don’t really watch much TV. I’m behind on all my shows. My favorites are Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Spartacus and Dexter, but I’m at least a season behind on every single one of them.”