Fighters Only

Issue 109

December 2013

The top UFC featherweight contender loves to put ‘The Damage’ on ice-cream when he’s not damaging opponents

?What are the five must-haves in your fridge?

“Firstly I need to have yogurt in there because that’s very important. Plus a little bit of Gatorade because I drink at least one a day. And definitely some fruits like cantaloupe, watermelon and pineapples; I’m a big fan of pineapple.”

Do you have a cheat meal for when you’re in training?

“Usually I have my cheat meal on a Saturday because I’ve got the entire day off. I like to switch things up; sometimes I’ll have sushi or a little bit of pasta. I don’t eat a lot of stuff with sugar in it, but I do enjoy sushi and pasta.”

Do you keep anything else in your freezer apart from frozen pizzas?

“Nope, honestly, I just keep ice-packs in there. I also take a lot of ice baths, especially after a workout on a Friday.”

What’s your favorite bottled sauce?

“Ketchup has got to be my favorite, with BBQ sauce coming in at a close second. I like to eat some lean chicken with some BBQ sauce. And I don’t put a little bit of sauce on, I put a lot on it. My wife calls me weird but it’s what I like and that’s all that matters.”

What is your signature dish?

“I’m not much of a cook and truthfully I leave most of the cooking up to her. I’m very lucky that she does all the cooking because I’m pretty lost in the kitchen.”

What’s your favorite meal during fight camp?

“My wife does these little paninis called reuben paninis and I absolutely love them.”

What meal do you eat after the weigh-ins?

“I like to eat some pasta; I like to carb up after the weigh-ins. It can be any kind of pasta. I’m always looking for a pasta restaurant as soon as the weigh-ins are over.”

What’s your least favorite type of food?

“Anything spicy. I don’t go well with spicy food; I just can’t seem to handle anything that’s too hot.”

If you could only have one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

“I’d need to have a little bit of ice cream. Ice cream is my thing, especially when I’m not in camp because it’s my comfort food (laughs).”

THE STATS

Pasta is a great source of carbohydrates and fiber which can help in the battle against type-2 diabetes.

High in omega-3 fatty acids, sushi eaten with fish reduces cholesterol levels and lowers blood pressure.