Issue 072
November -0001
This month, Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male weigh in on MMA’s hot issues.
The Fighters
Q1 How will the UFC’s bigger cage affect WEC fighters?
A: Mendes
“I don’t think it’s going to matter. Cage size isn’t huge. I think getting in there and fighting with great matchups is what’s going to matter, not the size of the cage.”
A: Faber
“I don’t think it’s too much bigger. It’s a couple of feet bigger. I think it’s just going to be more of the same: the best fights on the planet from the lighter-weight fighters.”
A: Benavidez
“I don’t think it’s going to change the excitement. We’re just going to have a bigger canvas to do our work on. It’s just a few feet, and I really don’t think it’s going to matter.”
Q2 What underrated WEC fighters do you think will become stars in the post-merger UFC?
A: Mendes
“I’d say one of my teammates, but most people know who those guys are. We have some great up-and-comers, though. Maybe TJ Ferguson, who’s not even in the WEC yet. He’s a tough up-and-comer who can definitely make a splash in the UFC.”
A: Faber
“I have to go with my boys Joseph Benavidez and Chad Mendes, but outside of my teammates I would say both Anthony Pettis and Erik Koch. Those are two really young guys that have a great coach in Duke Roufus.”
A: Benavidez
“I think Chad Mendes is up there, but he is getting some publicity. Michael McDonald is just 19 years old, and he could be up there. I also think Demetrious Johnson has a great fighting style, and Erik Koch looks to be a very tough up-and-comer.”
Q3 Carlos Condit is a former WEC champion. Does he also have the tools to become a UFC champion?
A: Mendes
“Carlos is tough. I know Carlos, and he’s a cool guy. He’s a hard-worker and he loves the sport. I definitely think he can be a future champ, and I wish him the best.”
A: Faber
“I think he does. Carlos is a guy who fights with a lot of emotion. He’s also well rounded and constantly learning. As long as you give him an opportunity, he’s going to take it and win – and those are the guys that can stand out and be champions.”
A: Benavidez
“I definitely think he does. Carlos is young, and he has a lot of fights in the sport. I think he’s still getting better, and I think he did what he had to do by moving back to New Mexico. He’s looked great since then, and I think he can definitely be a champ – when Georges St-Pierre retires.”
Q4 Who do you favor in the upcoming UFC heavyweight championship fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos?
A: Mendes
“I like them both. I think that’s going to be a great fight. Both of them are quick. They’re big guys and they both have decent stand-up and great ground-games. It’s hard to pick, but I’m going to have to go with Cain just because he’s the better wrestler. It’s definitely going to be a great fight.”
A: Faber
“Out of all the contenders, I think that’s the one guy that can give Cain some trouble. Dos Santos might be the only guy that’s as agile and in the kind of shape that can match Cain, but Cain still has the wrestling advantage. You have to go with the wrestling advantage.”
A: Benavidez
“I like Cain in that fight. He’s like a 135lb’er trapped in a heavyweight’s body. He has great wrestling, great intensity. He’s focused, and he has the strength of a heavyweight with the speed of a bantamweight. That’s a dangerous combination.”
Q5 UFC veteran Chris Lytle is still a full-time firefighter. When was the last time you held down a full-time job outside of fighting?
A: Mendes
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a full-time job. I had some part-time jobs working through college and high school. The day after graduation, I moved into fighting, so I really haven’t taken any time off. I just jumped right into it.”
A: Faber
“I never did. I’m one of the few people that jumped in this sport headfirst and was just scratching by. I was bussing tables and coaching kids on the side and working for the university, but fighting has basically been a full-time gig since I finished college.”
A: Benavidez
“Since I turned pro I haven’t worked full-time. When I was still in New Mexico I was a screen-printer, and I would ride my bike to the gym afterward. Back then [fighting] was still a hobby. When I moved to California to become a pro, I was lucky [to work] at the gym.”
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