Issue 077
July 2011
The recipient of the first twister submission in the UFC, this featherweight’s iPod library is just as skewed as the spine-bending hold.
FO: What IPod have you got?
Leonard: “It’s an iPod shuffle – a little touch screen one – in silver. I only just got this one actually. I didn’t want to go for the pink. I listen to a bit of ‘80s music so that with a pink iPod, people would kind of think of me wrong [laughs].”
Do you have specific walkout music or do you like to switch it up every time?
“I change it up every time. It just really depends on what songs I’ve listened to during training that really got me pumped up, but I don’t really like gangster rap too much. I feel like I’m a real high-strung person already. If I get something that pumps me up like that then I go out there and make mistakes. So I need something like happy music to calm me down and keep me level so I don’t get caught up.”
Do you listen to music before you come out to fight?
“Sometimes. If I have a certain song that I’m going to walk out to I’ll listen to that song during shadow boxing; different things kind of get the mind-set going. I’ve got certain songs that make me run harder, or do different things. If it’s one of those songs that I really like and is going to get me pumped up, I’ll definitely listen to it.”
Do you have a favorite artist?
“Lil’ Wayne’s pretty cool and I actually like Akon. I like older music too: I listen to Chicago, Journey. Bruno Mars is a cool one, Nelly too.”
SHUFFLE
Hit shuffle and name the first five songs that come up. No cheating
1 Journey: Don’t Stop Believing
“Any songs that will calm me down, keep me mellow and don’t let me get too crazy I go for. Plus it’s just a good song to listen to.”
2 Nicki Minaj: Your Love
“I think my girl put that one on there, but I kind of like that song. I definitely train and run to that. Like I said, even real soft, slow music I can train to it. Just because it keeps my heart rate down and I won’t get overly excited.”
3 Brad Paisley: She’s Everything
“That’s the country part. I listen to a lot of country too. Or course, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone is my roommate and he listens to it. I’ve been to a lot of Brad Paisley concerts and it’s a good song.”
4 Four Non Blondes: What’s up?
“This reminds me of my sister, man. She used to have a 1970 Mustang when I was growing up. She used to take me to school and that’s where I heard the song. I’ve always liked it ever since then. I’m real close to my family and different songs remind me of different things.”
5 Lil’ Wayne feat. Young Money: Bedrock
“Maybe if I’m running I can do that one. If I’m training and it’s playing I’ll get too excited.”
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