Issue 091
November -0001
We asked four different figures from the MMA universe their opinions on the pressing matters of the moment
The Fighters
1 José Aldo fights a somewhat under-the-radar all-rounder, Erik Koch, in Calgary. Can Koch upset the UFC featherweight champion?
Anthony Njokuani
“Koch is just not quite ready for this fight yet. José is very skilled, so well rounded, while Koch still has a lot to learn. This fight has come a little early for him.”
‘King Mo’ Lawal
“I don’t even know who Eric Koch is! So, no, I don’t think so.”
Michael Chandler
“I don’t really know too much about Eric Koch, but I would guess no. Aldo has proved himself to be very tough to beat in that weight class.”
Cody McKenzie
“Koch is a big dude and he’s got good kickboxing, working with Duke Roufus, who really knows his stuff. But Aldo is the champ for a reason. He’s good everywhere and I don’t see him losing his title.”
2 Will Hector Lombard prove to be the real deal against Brian Stann?
Anthony Njokuani
“Hector Lombard is a really good fighter, and I think he’ll beat Brian Stann, too. But there is a lot of good fighters in the middleweight division left for him to fight after that.”
‘King Mo’ Lawal
“If he turns up he can. But Lombard is a beast, and Stann is a beast. I rate them both. This is a great fight, as both these guys like to throw down.”
Michael Chandler
“I like Brian Stann, I like the way he fights and the way he brings it. It’s such a tough fight for Lombard, but he’s the real deal for me. He’s proven himself already and it’s a great fight.”
Cody McKenzie
“I really don’t have any kind of opinion on that fight…”
3 Jake Shields makes his middleweight debut in August. Is 185 better for him than 170lb?
Anthony Njokuani
“Definitely. That extra 15lb is much better for Jake. I actually think he’ll go all the way up at middleweight.”
‘King Mo’ Lawal
“185lb, definitely. When he can focus on his skills and he can eat, lift and stay strong rather than worry about his weight cut, he can be explosive and wrestle much more. At 170lb he’s too depleted.”
Michael Chandler
“He’s definitely been tougher at 185lb. To beat Dan Henderson is a big achievement. For me, he’s not really performed in the UFC at 170lb.”
Cody McKenzie
“I just saw Jake actually, and he looks so much bigger and stronger at 185lb. Sometimes it’s not about what weight you can make, it’s what you feel most confident at. And he looked great.”
4 We have a feature about how fighters deal with the time between weigh-in and walk out this issue. What is the strangest incident or ritual you’ve seen before a fight?
Anthony Njokuani
“There is this one guy that likes to carry around his dirty… Wait, actually, no. No, I’ve never seen anything unusual… No comment!”
‘King Mo’ Lawal
“Jay Silva had me slap him like 40 times, and I mean hard slaps. It was kind of uncomfortable, too. I mean, pimp slaps. He wanted me to slap him hard, for a minute straight. My palms were even hurting me!”
Michael Chandler
“I always like to get a full workout in the morning after weigh-ins. A lot of people don’t do that, they prefer to load up on fluids and food. But if you deprive your body for weeks, then overload it with stuff, how does that not make you feel sluggish?”
Cody McKenzie
“The IV thing seems pretty whacky to me. It’s something I’ve personally never tried, but people say it feels amazing... Yves Edwards eating potato chips and burgers right after weigh-in too, that was pretty unusual.”
5 The UFC now has many champs with only a handful of defeats. Could MMA someday mirror boxing, putting heavy emphasis on undefeated records?
Anthony Njokuani
“I’d like to think MMA is much smarter than boxing, which only focuses on unbeaten records. MMA is more about the actual show and hopefully it continues down that way, and focus on that. It’s all about putting on a good show.”
‘King Mo’ Lawal
“Boxers are like private contractors, they can fight for any promotion. But in MMA you’re attached to one organization or fight league, whatever. I believe boxing actually offers fighters more freedom to compete.”
Michael Chandler
“I don’t think so. In MMA there are a thousand ways to lose. Even dominant people get caught. Boxers often grind out points decisions, but it’s so easy to get clipped or stuck in a submission in the cage that losses are inevitable.”
Cody McKenzie
“I really hope it doesn’t. The fight should always be about the finish. I want to watch two guys trying to lay one another out and, even if a guy gets caught himself, that’s part of fighting.”
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