Issue 120
October 2014
The TUF 17 middleweight riding a seven-fight win streak actually cherishes his losses more than his victories.
Q. You have heavy hands and great striking, as evidenced by your eight wins by KO and a bunch of first-round finishes. But which foe had the heaviest hands?
A. “Heaviest hands? I would say Dylan Andrews. That was the fight where I definitely knew it wasn’t going the distance. I had to be prepared for those heavy shots he throws.”
Q. Who are the people that inspire you most, personally and professionally?
A. “My family. My nieces and nephews. I plan on having kids one day so knowing that motivates me to get out of bed in the morning and go train. I want them to have the future that I wanted as a kid. I wouldn’t change my childhood for anything but I want them to have more. That’s what inspires me in life, my family.”
Q. Who are your favorite fighters to watch and why?
A. “My favorite MMA fighter is Melvin Guillard. He’s exciting, he’s explosive, and he’s fun to watch. It could be a knockout, a flying knee, it could be anything. He comes to fight every time. He never lays down.”
Q. Your currently enjoying the most successful spell of your 14-fight career, but which performance would you urge fans to watch again?
A. “If I could choose one fight for every fan to see it would be me against Douglas Lima (decision loss, 2009). We fought in Atlanta. It was a great fight. It was back and forth. I didn’t win the fight but I think the fans would appreciate that fight. It was what the fans pay for. At the end of the day, we are in it to entertain the fans.”
Q. You were Jon Jones’ number-one pick on season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, what was the UFC light heavyweight champion like as a coach?
A. “Jon Jones is a great, great person and a great champion. He did something he didn’t have to while we were filming the show. It was my birthday and he just came over and asked what I wanted for my birthday. I mean, what do I say to that? Give me an idea of what I can get.
“I said I wanted an iPad and he went out shopping and came back with an iPad. You get to see people that you look up to and realize they are just like everyone else. The only difference is that he is a champion now and we have to figure out the same mental attitude to get to where he is.
“Most of the people in the house could eventually be in the top 10 in the world. You have to find that mental and physical skill-set he has.”
Q. How are you with the quick turnaround time in fights? Would you rather get a full camp in or if healthy would you rather just jump back in the Octagon?
A. “The short turnaround time is fine with me. A full camp is nice but if the styles match up and it makes sense I’m fine with the quick turnaround time.”
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