Issue 104

August 2013

Bellator’s standout Olympian judoka explains how life in the cage is a welcome relief from struggling on the mats.

At what age did you start training judo?

“My father got me started in judo when I was about 12 years old. I grew up in Oregon and there weren’t a lot of quality schools there at the time. Once I got out of high school I made my way to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado to get the best possible instruction.”

You’ve stated previously that you used to watch many of the early UFC events with your father. Did that experience inspire you to do what you are doing today?

“Absolutely. That was the start to my MMA dream. In UFC 1, 2 and 3 Royce Gracie excelled so much with the gi on and I knew that we do the same thing in judo. I thought if he could do it I could make the transition as well. That was the start of my dream. I knew I had a similar background so I wanted to make that crossover. Then it became a long term goal of mine.”

At what point did you realize you wanted to make the transition from judo to mixed martial arts?

“I knew that once my judo career was over that, if I was healthy enough, I would give it a shot. After I retired in 2008 I wanted to try something new. I jumped right into it and I’ve not looked back.”

You’ve said you feel judo takes a toll on your body even greater than the wear and tear MMA puts on it. Can you elaborate on that a bit?

“The torque that’s put on your joints, your shoulders, your elbows, your wrists from all the grip fighting, there is so much torque involved when trying to throw someone and not get thrown yourself. MMA injuries tend to be more external injuries, bruising and that type of thing.”

Can you give all of us average people an idea of what it’s like to compete at the Olympic Games?

“It’s a pretty amazing feeling. It’s actually hard to explain and put into words. It’s the coolest thing, to be able to go there compete and be one of only about 500 athletes to represent your country at the Games is a pretty cool thing. The all-around experience was amazing.”

How happy are you with your progression at this point? Are you still happy with the level of competition Bellator can give you?

“Absolutely. Coming into the sport I didn’t want to be thrown in with the very best competition right away. I wanted to work on my skills and progress as a fighter and be well rounded. I wanted to do it the right way and be smart with the progression and path of my career. In terms of the competition in Bellator, they are finding new competition every day. There is also still a lot of great competition there. There are a lot of tough guys at my weight class right now.”

How cool is it to see what other judo players are doing in MMA, especially Ronda Rousey? When you talk to wrestlers they generally root for other wrestlers. Do you find yourself rooting for other judo players?

“I do, that’s funny. And I was teammates with Ronda and we traveled the world together. We used to live together and train together, so I’m not surprised by her success. She is a high-level athlete. Judo is finally being utilized in MMA and people are seeing how exciting it can be.”

Who are the people that inspire you most, personally or professionally? 

“My former coach, Jimmy Pedro, is one of my biggest inspirations. Being able to train with him and his father, being able to feed off what they had to offer was great. They really inspired me. I don’t think I would be where I am today without their advice and direction.”