Issue 066

September 2010

George Sotiropoulos has proved he’s more than the UFC’s Aussie ambassador 

It’s the Shooto Champion Carnival in Yokohama, Japan, 2006. George Sotiropoulos is a little-known Australian fighter living and training in the country – plus tonight he’s facing off against future Dream champion Shinya Aoki. The Japanese fighter is already recognized as a standout grappler, and noted for his trademark lurid leg wear. But for now he’s an enigma whose exploits have mostly flown under the radar. A puzzle in long johns, the Aussie is determined to crack Aoki’s code. 

What followed was five minutes of the most squirm-inducing action you are ever likely to see. Aoki grabbed hold of a kick and proceeded to bend, twist, hyperextend and crush Sotiropoulos’ legs for the entire duration of the first round. Sotiropoulos used his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt skills to counter and escape; it looked like a classic grappling match was unfolding. That was until an errant kick to Aoki’s groin, not even five seconds into the second stanza, halted proceedings. The DQ loss left a bad taste in Sotiropoulos’ mouth, and has stuck with him ever since. “It was kind of an anticlimax to that fight – I don’t think I lost and I don’t think he feels like he won it.” 

Four years later in the here and now, Sotiropoulos and Aoki are recognized as two of the best grapplers in MMA. Promotional barriers aside, the UFC lightweight would jump at the chance of a rematch with the Dream champion but promises it would be more than just a grappling match. “There’d be a lot of everything. I would make it a fight where everything takes place – it’d be more exciting than the first. There’s more footage now and we could study each other comprehensively, but I can’t help but think that we would end up grappling.” 

Aoki is as famous for his funky tights as he is his funky submissions, while Sotiropoulos is pioneering the stealth approach to wearing leggings in the Octagon. He dons anklets, kneepads and long shorts, leaving only a few inches of bare flesh on his legs, but don’t accuse him of trying to bend the rules. “You are allowed to wear straps around your ankles and I can run though a list of fighters who use kneepads... But when I’ve worn them to my advantage people raise it as an issue and complain. I wore them against Jason Dent and George Roop and nobody said a thing, then when I beat Joe Stevenson there was a bit of an uproar and people said I cheated. How did I cheat? I used them to protect my ankles against kicks, and my kneepads for my takedowns. They’re well within the rules.” 

Even though he’s extremely well versed in boxing, it’s Sotiropoulos’ grappling that has had fans on the edge of their seats. His dismantling of Joe Stevenson at UFC 111, the first UFC event to take place in Australia and Sotiropoulos’ first fight in his homeland since 2006, marked him out as a fast-rising star in the lightweight division. 

Aoki and Sotiropoulos have both become exponents of Eddie Bravo’s contemporary jiu-jitsu, tying up their opponents with unorthodox attacks straight out of the 10th Planet textbook. A well-known personality in the sport, Bravo was a high-level grappler before becoming known as a teacher and an analyst. His 2003 win over Royler Gracie was one of the most dramatic victories in the history of submission grappling, and his original approach to jiu-jitsu has made Sotiropoulos an acolyte. “His message about fighting is pretty clear. It made sense what he was saying. I made a connection with Eddie back in 2001 when we were both purple belts at the Machados’ academy in LA. 

“He’d show me his techniques, but it was still in the developmental stages. Now I’ve seen his completed system I see where it fits in the equation of MMA and grappling in general. His grappling style complements jiu-jitsu as a whole – it’s the next step. Whereas traditional Brazilian jiu-jitsu relies on the gi, he’s taken it forward to where you don’t need to grab the fabric to apply your jiu-jitsu, you can use clinches. That’s why it’s so effective. He’s taking jiu-jitsu to another level, but he’s got a great understanding and knowledge of MMA. He just knows the game so well.” 

A well-travelled student of the game, Sotiropoulos has been climbing the lightweight ladder the hard way. His 2007 stint as a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter earned him a spot in the UFC. Though he controversially lost to Tommy Speer in the show’s semi-finals, Sotiropoulos racked up back-to-back UFC wins over Billy Miles, Roman Mitichyan, George Roop and Jason Dent. His drubbing of Stevenson was evidence that the hard work he’s put in over the last couple of years is finally paying off. “I’m looking to upgrade every fight,” he says. “I’m addressing problems and issues from my last fights and I’m constantly building on everything I’m doing. It’s all a work in progress.” 

Based in Vancouver, Washington, a small coastal city not ten minutes from Portland, Oregon, Sotiropoulos’ reasons for choosing the sleepy town as his home were simple. “I’ll exhaust every ounce of energy to find the best place to train, and this is where it’s brought me.” Formerly a resident of Las Vegas, Sotiropoulos trained at Xtreme Couture for ten months but would regularly travel to Los Angeles to be educated by Bravo, and Vancouver, where boxing coach Leonard Gabriel would hold the pads. This grueling schedule proved too much, prompting the move to Washington. 

The Greek-Australian’s traveled a long way (see above box) but relocating to the US was a necessity. Back home, Sotiropoulos simply couldn’t get the training he needed to function at the highest level. That’s why he was ecstatic when the UFC announced their event in Sydney, his first fight in front of his family in four years. “It was a great feeling. I had an entire country behind me. It was almost like a soccer match, the audience erupted – it was honestly one of the loudest crowds I’ve ever heard in my life.” 

The Aussie public, voracious fans of numerous full-contact sports, loved the event – a spectacular card on which Sotiropoulos received third-highest billing after fights featuring former Pride champions Wanderlei Silva and ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira. The inaugural event faced a predictable backlash from local conservative media, but the general reaction was overwhelmingly positive and Sotiropoulos says MMA in the country has benefitted tremendously as a result. “It’s on the rise; there are a couple of events bringing in international competition. There’s a way to go, but the footprint the UFC left in Australia has helped raise the sport’s profile so much.”

As with any fighter the belt is Sotiropoulos’ aim, but the 33-year-old’s plans go much further than simply becoming a champion. “The title’s one of my goals but it’s not my last stop. I want to do more than just get a title, I want to go as far as I can in the sport. There is more you can do than just fight for a title – you can defend it, you can have an extended career. Look at Randy Couture – he’s 47 and still fighting. He’s as dangerous as every guy in the division. He’s a Hall of Famer. He’s pioneered this sport. I love this sport so much, this is all I see myself doing for as long as I can. I want to reach the same heights as people like Couture and still be there when I’m 47.” 

One of Sotiropoulos’ possible plans for the future includes a return home to help pass on the skills that have taken him around the world. “I can see myself doing that, returning to Australia and setting up a gym. Right now I’m so focused on climbing that ladder and shining in the sport, everything else is on hold. You can’t bark and bite at the same time, and right now I’m focusing on my bite.”