Issue 074
April 2011
Best known for dislocating Razak Al-Hassan’s elbow at UFC: Fight for the Troops, Steve ‘The Cure’ Cantwell reveals the tools behind his merciless trade
Finishing the majority of his opponents off by TKOs or submissions, Steve Cantwell is a force on both levels. Holding a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and showcasing equally deadly Muay Thai, the last reigning WEC light heavyweight champion has crafted his arsenal at One Kick’s Gym in Las Vegas. As a UFC light heavyweight, Cantwell reveals what kit can cut it in the UFC’s most demanding division.
UFC Kitbag
“The UFC always gives us a little bag of treats when we go out and fight: bags full of shirts and hats and cards, you know, little gift baskets. It’s a good bag though. It’s lasted me about a year so far. It’s not ripped up or anything so it’s the best quality. I like it.”
Shin Guards
“I use Bad Boy. They’re real light and they give me a lot of protection as well so I can kick fast and kick hard without having to worry about hurting my shins.”
Bad Boy MMA Gloves
“I use Bad Boy MMA gloves as well. They’re padded so you can touch a little bit with them. We use them for ‘shark drill’ days or cage work over at Sergio Penha’s. You can actually go ahead and touch each other yet still grapple at the same time.”
UFC and WEC MMA Gloves
“I keep UFC and WEC gloves around because they’re the gloves I fight in and I’m more used to them. I always have a specific pair for days when I’m training to lend to my partners. I always have a pair or two in my bag for those rainy days. I like them because it keeps it real as a lot of those pairs are actually gloves that I fought in so it brings good karma to the gym.”
Bag Gloves
“I like lace-up gloves because they have more wrist support. You can punch a little harder with lace-ups than traditional Velcro gloves. I have ten to 12oz gloves for my pad work and I have 16oz gloves when I spar.”
Mouth Piece
“It’s a NOKO. It’s these crazy dentist guys who line the jaw and stuff like that. They line the jaw so you can take a better punch and it’s a real nice mouthpiece.”
Wrestling Shoes
“Yeah I use wrestling shoes not so much for jiu-jitsu or even wrestling really, just for boxing to give it a little more grip on the mat. Right now my knee’s a little bummed out so I’ve been focusing on wrestling shoes a lot to give it a little extra grip.”
Knee Sleeves and Elbow Sleeves
“We use those for ‘cage days’ at Sergio Penha’s. We use actual WEC canvas and it’s really rough on the elbow and knees. So I try and cover my elbows and knees on those days so they don’t get chewed up real bad.”
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