Issue 073
March 2011
This 25-year-old Czech, ‘The Terminator’, is bringing blood and guts to the UFC light heavyweight division
FO: Where are you right now?
Karlos: “I’m in London coming home from the gym. I’ve just been training weights, then later I’ve got training at London Shootfighters.”
So how are things down at Shootfighters?
“Great. I’ve been training with John ‘The Hitman’ Hathaway. He’s a good fighter. He’s a bit lighter than me but he definitely helps with my technique.”
You’re from the Czech Republic. Why did you go to the UK?
“I didn’t intend to live in England but I initially came over to see my friends. I used to be a bodybuilder living in St Albans [north of London] before MMA. At my gym they had lots of professional bodybuilders including some of the top guys in the world, such as Eddie Abu and Ricky Welling. I started competing in bodybuilding so I just decided to stay.”
So how did you get into MMA?
“Being big got me a job on the [nightclub] doors and I was getting in lots of fights. From there I met a few cage fighters and went training with them. I started training in December 2007 and made my pro debut at the beginning of 2008.”
In two and a half years you went from your first professional fight to the UFC. That’s a quick rise to the top. What do you credit it to?
“Well, I was steaming through everyone in England within the first round, and I’m talking within the first 30 seconds, so they couldn’t get the competition for me. All my followers were starting to get frustrated because they were paying a lot of money for a very short fight. There was uproar on the Internet with people calling for someone who could challenge me. I knew I needed to step to another level and that’s how my UFC calling came about. Also my wrestling background helped. I was six-time national wrestling champion in the Czech Republic. Thanks to Convict Fightwear for supporting me through my MMA career.”
Would you consider moving to America?
“No, I’m in at a great camp with great fighters. If I need to spar with some Americans, to mix it up, the UFC gets them to fly over to me. For my fight with Seth Petruzelli they got Jeremy Horn to train with me and he improved my groundwork considerably.”
So who’s next in line to fight you?
“I don’t know and I won’t know ‘til January. I’d be very happy fighting on the March 17th card in Dublin. Anyone in the UFC would be a hard fight. I’ll blast through anyone they’ll throw at me.”
How do you feel at light heavyweight?
“I feel much better. I reduced my weight by cutting down on the calories. Even though I was a small heavyweight I had to maintain my size by eating 10,000 calories-plus a day. That’s six solid meals a day with four high calorie shakes. I also gave up on Burger King and Snickers bars [laughs]. I now feel very strong at light heavyweight. I completely overpowered Seth Petruzelli in my most recent fight. You know, pick him up, put him down, throw him there. I now walk around at nearly 224lb.”
That’s a big weight cut then?
“Well, I cut very slowly and do it over a long time, like ten weeks. I mean, you look at Hathaway and he cuts loads in just three days. I wouldn’t want to do that.”
Are you the only Czech fighter in the UFC?
“I am the one and only. It’s an honor. The sport is reasonably small in the Czech Republic but huge in America. It’s the fastest-growing sport in the world – so things can change.”
Had any crazy fans yet?
“No, not yet. No women, as of yet, sending me underwear in the post.”
Maybe one day then
“Hope so! [laughs]”
You’re featured on YouTube smashing up a car with a sledgehammer. Is this normally part of your training routine?
“That was back in my early days when I was turning pro and some company asked me to go mental on this car as an advertisement for a truck. I was starting out and getting paid a few hundred quid so I thought, ‘Why not?’”
You’re a wrestler who’s ended the majority of your professional fights by TKO punches. Wrestlers are known for decision victories. Why go against the grain?
“I came to the cage from street fighting so it’s in my blood to keep it standing and be very aggressive. I also don’t want to do any overtime so I try and get the job done as quickly as possible.”
You’ve starred alongside Alex Reid in the controversial British gangster film Killer B*tch. How was filming?
“I took it because I think British gangster movies are the best movies ever. Foot Soldiers is the best movie ever made. My role was a cage fighter so it wasn’t too hard to act myself. It’s a shame though because the movie turned out to be an absolute joke [laughs].”
