Issue 074
April 2011
The winner and 11-4 UFC lightweight ‘The Real Deal’ likes his grooves smooth
FO: What iPod have you got?
Ross: “I’ve got the iPod Touch. It’s a cool thing. I’m not really a big technology fan but it’s pretty easy to use; download your music on it. I think I’ve had it over a year. I’ve had loads of MP3 players – all the poor quality stuff. I just end up either breaking them or losing them, but I keep an eye on this one.”
Do you have a particular walkout song that you like?
“The one that I like to come out to is Black Eyed Peas I’ve Got A Feeling. I came out to that in Manchester [England], but for Charlotte, North Carolina, I was going through a time where I needed something a bit different, so I came out to Drake’s Forever. I went back to Black Eyed Peas for my last fight though.”
Does that put you in a specific mindset when you come out?
“Yeah, definitely. I went to Manchester, the MEN Arena, to see the Black Eyed Peas and that was the last song they played. The place went crazy. It just sends shivers down my spine of what a great night Manchester was. I just feel that song and it gets me right in the mood for a fight.”
What kind of music do you listen to when you’re just hanging out?
“When I’m just hanging out, Kanye West, Drake, Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, Eminem. Eminem’s new album Release, that’s a great record. It’s more hip hop and R&B when I’m just chilling out and relaxing.”
Do you like to listen to music when you train?
“Definitely. Music’s very influential to me when I’m training, especially when I’m cutting weight and I need to get on that treadmill but I don’t really want to because I’m tired and I’ve had no carbs. I like upbeat, fast dance music. You just put it on and it gets your body moving. That’s what gets me through a weight cut and when I’m doing sprints and things like that it’s great. You just run as fast as the music beats. It’s weird. When I run I visualize training, I visualize fighting, I visualize my opponent. The music and the beats make my body work. I hate running but it’s one of those things that you have to do, and I do it, but ,like I say, when I’m out running I don’t think about running. I picture what I’m doing in the fight, why I’m running and what shape I’m going to be in after the run.”
THE SHUFFLE CHALLENGE
Hit shuffle on your iPod and name the first five songs that come up. No cheating
1. Kanye West feat. T-Pain – Good Life
“That just reminds me of Vegas, man. Every time I hear that song it puts me in a good place and reminds me of Vegas partying. It reminds me of The Palms.”
2. La Roux – Bulletproof
“It’s a bit different but it’s a catchy song and it’s got some good beats. I like that one. It’s more of a British artist.”
3. Mark Morrison – Return Of The Mack
“That’s old school. That’s a great song. It’s an old classic, but, you know, the old classics are good.”
4. Usher – Oh My God
“It’s one of his newer songs. That’s one of those songs I’d listen to in the car, it’s not something I’d train to or anything like that.”
5. The Fugees – Killing Me Softly
“That’s another good one for when you’re going out running. That’s a running song for me; just the words switch you to getting your mind off the job. I don’t think about running, it’s definitely about taking my mind off the run.”
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