Fighters Only

Issue 072

February 2011

One of the most touted MMA prospects in the world, cucumber-cool 8-0-1 welterweight Gunnar Nelson snagged his Renzo Gracie BJJ black belt inside only four years. The Icelandic 22-year-old also thoroughly enjoys a game of Ping-Pong. Be afraid.

FO: You only started Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2005 but you’ve already become an accomplished grappler and fighter. You’ve won golds and silvers at grappling tournaments worldwide and took fourth place at open weight in 2009 at the ADCC. How come you’ve taken to BJJ so well?

Gunnar: “To be completely honest I wouldn’t really know, and I don’t think anyone knows… I think it’s my instinct and how well I’m able to focus on the sport… Just being in a roll and not being worried about anything that’s outside. I just think I enjoy it more than most other people.”

You’re a prospect highly ranked by much of the MMA media. How does it feel to be recognized outside Europe for your ability?

“It’s good. It gives you opportunities for people to see what you’re doing. Further than that I don’t think it matters too much. I know myself better than anyone. I know what I’m capable of and it doesn’t really matter if I’m on a ranking list.”

At ADCC in 2009 you fought and beat Jeff Monson on points. It’s a great achievement because he’s fought for the UFC heavyweight title, has been grappling decades and he outweighed you by easily 50lb. What do you remember about that fight?

“What I remember is that he was big [laughs]. Mainly I was thinking before the match that I needed to work speed, of course. And that I might have to use certain things that would work against a bigger guy. You can’t play the same game against a small guy and a bigger guy; it just doesn’t work, it’s not efficient, it’s not practical.”

What’s the MMA scene like in Iceland?

“The MMA scene here is small because it’s not exactly legal. Professional boxing only got legalized a few years ago so there’s no MMA, no competitions. It’s rapidly growing and it’s getting bigger. There are two major clubs now and a few little ones. There is some law that says all types of boxing except Olympic boxing is illegal. So MMA would count, or some part of it. But we haven’t really tried to legalize it yet. We’re going to wait for better conditions.”

How did you become interested in MMA?

“I was doing karate and one of my friends had been following MMA and doing MMA for a while. One karate session he started showing me some grappling moves. Then he showed me some highlight videos of Sakuraba and all these old-school guys. We just started getting more and more into it… Gradually we stopped training karate and started only doing MMA and grappling. At the time it was only a few people who didn’t really know much – like many guys from small countries and small towns. We would just watch videos or read books, squeeze each other’s heads, punch each other in the nose, you know?”

Do you have any hobbies outside of MMA?

“I like going camping, I like being with my family and friends, basic things. Lately I’ve been playing a little Ping-Pong; that’s fun. Simple things I guess. I don’t have any major hobbies outside the sport. I like going out in nature. That’s huge for me.”

You’re a black belt under Renzo Gracie. What’s it been like working with him and how did your relationship come about?

“He came to Iceland two or three years ago to do a seminar at our club. He invited me to come to New York to train with him so I did. I went there a few times and I still go every now and then, and train there for like two months, three months… Renzo is an amazing coach, so experienced in the world of grappling and MMA as well. He’s fought some the best. BJ Penn to name one.”

John Danaher teaches at Renzo’s gym as well. He’s just been coaching GSP’s team on The Ultimate Fighter. How’s training with him?

“John Danaher is probably the best jiu-jitsu coach I’ve ever worked with, or has the most knowledge of jiu-jitsu that I’ve ever been around. He’s a scientist when it comes to grappling. He just knows how to move the body, how to break the body down. It’s all efficiency and he’s just on another level of understanding the way of jiu-jitsu basically… I’m pretty sure I’m right when I say he has a doctorate degree in philosophy as well. He’s one of a kind.”

Do you have a goal that you want to attain?

“I wouldn’t say so. My goals are very short term. Like my goal now after this interview is to make a smoothie [laughs]. So that’s how my goals usually are. I don’t have any long-term targets. I have ambitions of what might happen in the future but these aren’t goals. You could call them dreams but not in the sense of really wanting it to happen but in the sense of picturing it. But usually I just focus on what I’m doing right now. It feels more enjoyable for me and more stress-free. It’s always been more natural to me to look that way.”