Issue 090
July 2012
It’s amazing what a come-from-behind TKO victory over the last UFC middleweight number-one contender can do. Just ask the 15-4 ‘Barbarian,’ Tim Boetsch.
Tim Boetsch knows he’s got a little extra work to do now, not only in preparation for the biggest fight of his career against Michael Bisping at UFC 148 in July, but also in order to shave off a few of the delicious meals he devoured during a recent cruise to the Caribbean with wife, Jade.
“I absolutely ate a little too much. My weakness is food,” said Boetsch, of a weeklong vacation he took in mid-March that included stops in Aruba and Curacao.
“I treated myself there, but I realized that I’d have to train it all off.”
Cutting weight now shouldn’t be the problem it once was for the 31-year-old Boetsch, who, despite being a four-time prep wrestling champ while in Maine and collegiate standout at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, has had trouble battling the bulge during his six-year MMA career. But a complete lifestyle change nearly a year ago – based on a strict diet and intense cardio work – has seen the one-time light heavyweight, who was cut by the UFC back in 2009, retool himself into one of the 185lb division’s top contenders.
However, to achieve such a high level of success, Boetsch says he’s discovered a new-found dedication to the sport he started on the whim of college buddy Mike Ciesnolevicz shortly after his wrestling career ended, and eliminated any shortcuts – even if that means working out while on vacation.
“It’s been a constant battle to keep the weight down. Before, when I was fighting at light heavyweight, I’d take a month completely off and kind of get out of shape. Now I have to constantly stay on it,” says Boetsch, who on his cruise got up every morning for treadmill and elliptical sessions.
“I’m doing the sort of things I wouldn’t do before. It’s a complete lifestyle change. I have a team of people I’m working with, including a nutritionist. And I’m just pushing myself a lot harder.”
That drive was clearly evident in February when Boetsch, 15-4, pulled off his biggest win – and one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history – with a third-round TKO of Yushin Okami at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan.
“I’m still getting used to fighting at the lighter weight and I still have some bad habits from being a light heavyweight where I might hang back and not push forward as much just cause I really don’t realize how good my gas tank is yet. I think that might have happened in rounds one and two against Okami. I still wasn’t hitting the gas to the floorboard so to speak,” says Boetsch, who was battered and bloodied by the Japanese superstar whose only losses in 13 previous UFC bouts came from legends Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen and Rich Franklin.
“Going into the third round I really felt great; I wasn’t fatigued at all. I was able to really turn it on, whereas when I was fighting at light heavyweight I was struggling midway through the second round. Just having the ability to go hard for 15 minutes makes a world of difference.”
Indeed, Boetsch’s improved appearance at middleweight, heavy hands, and never-say-die attitude has not been lost on boss Dana White.
The UFC president was so impressed with his come-from-behind win over Okami, that he gave ‘The Barbarian’ a shot at Bisping over other 185lb contenders like Mark Munoz.
“I have so much respect for Tim Boetsch,” White says. “Not only the way that he beat Yushin Okami the way that he did, but Okami was at home. Do you know how hard it is to sleep in Japan? You can’t sleep out there. This guy’s out there training to do all that and he comes out in the third round the way that he did.
“He deserves this fight, he deserves this opportunity. He went out there and made [it] happen. That’s what every guy should do. If you want to know how to advance your career and get noticed, go out and do what Tim Boetsch did.”
But things haven’t always been so positive during Boetsch’s UFC journey. Three years ago, after suffering a unanimous decision loss to Jason Brilz at UFC 96, which dropped his record to 2-2 in the organization, Boetsch was released from his UFC contract.
“I was really disappointed when I got cut the first time. I kind of knew I hadn’t been fighting to my true potential,” Boetsch confesses. “But the thought of quitting never crossed my mind. That wouldn’t have sat well with me if that were the end of my fighting career.
“I knew that I would go win as many fights outside of the UFC that I had to, to get them to give me another shot.”
Heeding the advice of his manager, Monte Cox, Boetsch left the limited training confines of his father-in-law’s basement and his garage in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, for the top-notch facilities of Matt Hume’s American Martial Arts Center (AMC) in Kirkland, Washington.
“Within a couple of weeks of training there, I knew that’s where I was going to call my home base. I really enjoy Matt’s style of coaching. He’s very matter of fact. He doesn’t coddle his fighters,” Boetsch says. “He has very high expectations of you and to me he’s the best coach in the world. He’s just on a whole other level than everybody else.”
The change in scenery, despite the difficulties in Boetsch being separated from his wife and then-young son, Christian, for long periods of time, paid off quickly. Two submissions and a first-round knockout had Boetsch, who wasn’t ready to fall back on his criminal justice degree just yet, back in the big show. Boetsch continued his tear upon returning to the UFC, claiming a unanimous decision over Todd Brown at UFC 117 in August of 2010 – which set up a challenge with Phil Davis. While Boetsch admits his preparation for ‘Mr Wonderful’ went well, he got caught in a unique maneuver he’s never seen before or since and Davis won the UFC 123 bout via a modified kimura as he pinned one of Boetsch’s arms behind him near the cage causing the submission. The special shoulder lock was so impressive and unique it was quickly named after its user – ‘The Mr Wonderful,’ or in some circles even the ‘Wonderbar.’
“I was certain I was going to come out of that fight with a victory. I got caught with that weird submission. But it just forced me to go back to the drawing board,” Boetsch admits.
“I looked at my training camp and everything I’d done to see if I messed up somewhere. Really I hadn’t. I didn’t think I could have changed anything other than changing weight classes.”
So that’s exactly what he did, dropping 20lb down to middleweight. His new slimmed-down physique has been stellar so far as Boetsch recorded unanimous decisions over Kendall Grove and Nick Ring and the big TKO over Okami.
“I feel I’m as strong as I was at light heavyweight. I just think it made more sense to drop to middleweight because I’m just a whole other level of fighter,” Boetsch says. “I’m better here than I was at light heavyweight.”
One more victory could move Boetsch into title-contention conversations, but he’s quick not to dismiss the challenge ‘The Count’ presents for their Fourth of July weekend clash in Las Vegas.
“Bisping is super tough. Obviously he’s one of the top fighters in the world and brings a very good skill-set to the Octagon. Some people could argue that Bisping should be fighting for the title right now,” says Boetsch, of the Brit’s close loss to Chael Sonnen in a number-one contender match in January.
“As it is, me and him are going to be facing off and I think it’s going to be a great fight. I think it’s a very good fight for me. I feel very confident with my power and my takedown ability. I think what I bring to the table is something he hasn’t seen before or had to perhaps deal with before. I’m looking to show the world what I can do.”
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