Issue 044
December 2008
The UFC heavyweight title has never been an easy crown to wear. One of the most unpredictable divisions in the entire sport, champions come and go with alarming regularity, doubtlessly causing no end of headaches for those in charge.
How best to solve this problem and restore order to an eventful and often controversial weight class? Easy – take the four most talked about and worthy contenders and make them fight in a multi-event tournament to decide who shall hold the coveted heavyweight belt.
The remarkable thing about this tournament is that of the four men who compete for the title, any of them could walk away eventual winner. So who will be crowned king of the heavyweights? Will it be the 44-year-old elder statesman with a habit of proving doubters wrong? Will it be the monstrous young buck, the freak athlete who rose to title contender after only two fights? Or will the jiu-jitsu black belt and former Pride heavyweight champion prove his interim title is anything but a fill-in? He’ll need to get past the precocious talent of the American submissions expert first, the fighter with a talent as big as his ego.
Read on for how they view their prospective opponents and why each man believes himself be the one to walk away the top heavyweight fighter in the UFC.
Randy Couture
A living legend and loved by fans, Couture is a consummate champion. But he will face one of his toughest tests to date when meets Brock Lesnar, the young upstart that has most of the heavyweight division terrified.
You’re noted as a very cerebral fighter and a great analyst of the game. What challenges does Brock pose as an opponent, and how do you feel approaching the fight?
Obviously, the biggest challenges Brock poses are his size and athleticism. He is still fairly new to the sport, but his physical tools make him a major threat, particularly his quickness for a man his size. He is also a very accomplished collegiate wrestler, which is another challenge given that wrestling is one of my biggest strengths. I feel confident my experience and training will allow me to find the weaknesses in Brock’s armour.
Brock is something of a beast, and about as freakish an athlete as you will find. How do you prepare for such a unique challenge?
I’ve put in a gruelling training camp to prepare for Brock. I have worked intensively with my strength and conditioning coach, Jake Bonacci, to make sure that my conditioning is where it needs to be. I have also spent hours on the mat with 250lb to 300lb opponents to acclimatise to moving around such a large body.
Your training takes place at your gym Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Are the days of Randy Couture travelling to seek out the right training over?
One of my main goals in opening Xtreme Couture was to cut out the need to travel. So far, that has proven to be a success, so my days of travelling to find training are pretty much over.
Many fighters opt to go to a fight camp, often in an isolated location away from outside influences and the distractions of day-to-day life, to prepare for important bouts. How do you balance your obligations and the enterprises you manage with your ‘day job’?
I just have to make sure that I prioritise those obligations and only focus on the ones that are absolutely necessary. With the help of my staff, particularly my assistant, Valerie, who manages my schedule, everything still gets done and I’m able to free up more of my time to focus on training.
Xtreme Couture is described as having a family atmosphere, but you have taken that literally one step further by working with your wife Kim and employing your son Ryan.
We actually just brought on my daughter, Aimee, as well to manage the front desk and the pro shop at the gym. It’s great to have the family around the gym. I know I can trust them to always look out for me and for the best interest of the company. It also ensures that we get to see each other regularly, which otherwise wouldn’t be easy with my hectic schedule.
Xtreme Couture the gym has a reputation for being the place for fighters to visit in Vegas. Have you installed revolving doors yet?
Haha, no, not yet.
Seriously though, with the gym a successful commercial enterprise in its own right and so many people coming and going, does that affect the work that goes on there at all? What about visitors maybe spying on preparations – is this a problem you’ve ever encountered in the gym?
We close the gym off to the public for two hours every afternoon so that the pros are guaranteed a good hard training session free of interruptions. As far as people spying on preparations, that’s not something I’ve ever really worried about. We actually stream video of pro training over our website every day. In my opinion, if I’m doing my job right, I should be able to tell you in advance what I’m going to do to you and then still be able to do it anyway.
Being back on good terms with the UFC must be something of a relief after all the time out, but do you feel the fight with Brock is their way of repaying you for the time spent in court?
You would have to ask them if they see it that way. I see the fight with Brock as another challenge that I’m eager to face.
Finally, we’ve seen Randy Couture the athlete, the actor, the commentator, the businessman… Is there a challenge out there you wouldn’t take on?
I haven’t found one yet.
You’ve said that the one fighter you want to meet before you retire is Fedor. Realistically, could this happen before you may hang up your gloves?
I would never say never, but it will definitely be an uphill battle to make that fight happen. Right now, I’m just focused on beating Brock Lesnar.
Randy Couture's greatest moments
December 1997: Randy wins the UFC heavyweight title, defeating Maurice Smith in Japan.
November 2000: Randy returns to the UFC and takes back his title from the ferocious Kevin Randleman.
June 2003: Couture returns at light heavyweight and destroys the then-unstoppable Chuck Liddell.
March 2007: At age 43 out-points the giant Tim Sylvia to once again become champion.
Brock Lesnar
He’s big – really big – and he will enter the biggest fight of his short MMA career when he clashes with the legendary Randy Couture. With only three fights under his belt Lesnar could make history should he capture the UFC heavyweight title, but the media-shy wrestler from Minnesota says he isn’t fazed and wants nothing more than to be the best.
From UFC debutant to title contender in less than one year – was it a shock or all part of the plan?
I didn’t expect to fight for the title so fast but then I didn’t expect that I’d ever get the chance of fighting Randy Couture. It is funny, I was thinking about how me and Randy would match up – us both being wrestlers – after the Heath Herring fight. Then the UFC call me and tell me they want me to fight November 15th, which kinda sucked for me because all I wanted to do was grab my wife and go ride my bike for a few months. But then they say “UFC title – Randy Couture” and I do a 180 and I am in. I came here because I want to be the UFC heavyweight champion. I didn’t come here to hang-out and get back on TV.
You’ve been an athlete all your life. From amateur and professional wrestling to football and MMA. I suppose the only question is, what took you so long to get here? We’ve been waiting for you, you know!
I’ve competed all my life, I like competing. I want to be the best in everything I am competing at. I thought about MMA after winning the NCAA championships in 2000, but it wasn’t at the level it is now. And WWE came at me with a ton of money and, well, I was broke.
Many fans see you as the proverbial Goliath going up against Randy’s David. What kind of slingshot do you think Randy will be bringing into this fight?
He’s good at coming up with strategies to beat different guys so it will be real interesting to see what he has come up with for this fight. They say he’s never had an easy time with big guys, and I am very big, so we will see.
As a young man with the potential of a long future in the sport ahead of him, how does it feel to be squaring off with someone of Randy’s status?
I said right away it is an honour to fight someone like Randy Couture. He’s been there, he’s done it, he’s beaten big names over a number of years, and I get the chance to fight him in a big, big fight myself. It is an honour.
No doubt you’ll have considered your approach to this fight quite carefully – can you give us an insight into what your preparation consisted of?
I am just working my ass off in the gym, working on improving in every aspect of the sport of MMA. I think I am bringing a unique set of attributes to this fight and I am coming to win the UFC title.
You prefer the quiet life away from public attention. Many fighters have to take themselves away from their ‘normal’ life to go to a fight camp – is this something you also do?
Not really. I don’t like travelling too much and when I grew up I couldn’t even get to town to train in the big gyms, I trained on the farm with whatever stuff I could find. I am lucky that I got some of the top people in MMA right on my doorstep.
You’ve been pretty vocal about a certain Russian heavyweight getting lots of attention. Should you emerge winner of this UFC heavyweight tournament, would you look to silence critics and the press by beating up Fedor too?
Listen, Fedor isn’t even in the UFC and who knows if he ever will be. What’s the point of even talking about him? I am in the UFC, Randy Couture is in the UFC, Frank Mir is in the UFC, Nogueira is in the UFC; all the best guys are in the UFC. Where is Fedor?
A snapshot of Lesnar's brief MMA career
June 2007: Makes his MMA debut against hapless Korean fighter Min Soo Kim on the K-1 HERO’s event in Los Angeles. Kim was 2-5-0 going into the fight, and Lesnar took him down and pounded him into submission in just 69 seconds.
February 2008: Having signed with the UFC, Lesnar stepped into the Octagon with the talented Frank Mir. Lesnar started well, taking Mir down and punishing him with some ferocious ground ‘n pound, but Mir was able to use his jiu-jitsu to pull off a crafty leglock that forced Lesnar to submit 1.30 into the fight. Mir later remarked that fighting Lesnar felt like being in a car crash.
August 2008: Lesnar showed his true capabilities by completely dominating the veteran Heath Herring over three rounds. The Texan had over 40 MMA fights compared to Lesnar’s two, but could do little against the bigger, stronger wrestler. Lesnar even showed a hint of his power by literally sending Herring flying off his feet with the very first punch of the fight.
Antonio 'Minotauro' Nogueira
One of the greatest submission fighters of all time, Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira holds the UFC interim heavyweight title.
Interim Champion since February 2008, Nogueira joined the UFC in 2007 following the death of Japanese organisation Pride, FC, in which he had spent the majority of his career. His status as one of the top heavyweight fighters in the world was secured in the five years he spent as one of their top draws, with only Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett defeating him in that period.
Nabbing the belt that was created during the UFC’s protracted legal conflict with Randy Couture, Nogueira is keen to prove his belt is no paper title, yet to establish himself as rightful champion he must first tackle former champ Frank Mir, rival coach on The Ultimate Fighter 8. With both men known for their submission game, their December clash is highly anticipated, and the winner will go on to face either Randy Couture or Brock Lesnar.
Submission artist against submission artist – which country’s jiu-jitsu will prevail, America or Brazil?
I think that the Brazilians are still in the lead, even though American jiu-jitsu has evolved a lot. Jiu-jitsu is very common in Brazil.
When you were crowned UFC champion, it was as interim champ. Are you glad Randy is back on the scene so that you have the opportunity of becoming undisputed heavyweight champion?
I am very happy that Randy is back in the UFC, I want to fight him, and I am going to start training for that fight right after my fight against Frank Mir.
If you beat Frank Mir, you will face the winner of Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture. Should Brock win, you’ll be fighting a huge man, and not for the first time. Did you think your days of fighting giants were over when you left Japan?
Those days aren’t over.
You have had two tough fights in the UFC. As a former Pride champion, did you expect it to be so difficult in America?
I expect it to be difficult anywhere. Since the UFC is a big event, they have great opponents.
You were a massive star in Japan and would get stopped in the streets for photographs. How are things now you are fighting in the USA? Do you still get stopped in the street or are things very different?
There was more popularity in Japan, but the UFC is very big now and has a lot of fans. People will know the fighters, the fans already talk about my fights and it’s great to get that respect.
You live in Brazil but recently opened a school in Florida with your friend Anderson Silva. Would you consider moving to America like your friends, or will you stay in Brazil?
I have a house in Miami, so I am dividing my time between the US and Brazil.
They say that when a man teaches a student, two people will learn. What did you take from your time as a team coach on The Ultimate Fighter?
I really improved as a coach and got experience from coaching all the fights. I learned a lot from teaching and I got to train very hard too. It was really great, I enjoyed the experience.
Once upon a time, Brazilian fighters were seen as the greatest in the world. With many top Brazilians now fighting in the UFC, do you think that one day people will believe this again?
Brazil has a lot of tradition in fighting, it’s where Vale Tudo comes from. Brazilians like it a lot and have a lot of technique; Brazilians are very good at it, and we are very strong and competitive.
Nogueira by the numbers
31: The number of career wins Nogueira has racked up since his MMA debut in 1999.
19: Amount of fights he has won by submission.
0: Number of times the Brazilian has lost by TKO or stoppage. He has never been stopped – all four of Minotauro’s losses are by way of decision.
10: The age he was run over by a truck, the accident that was responsible for the large scar on his back.
43:52: 43 minutes 52 seconds - total time he has spent fighting Fedor Emelianenko. Two of their three fights he lost via decision, with one deemed a no contest due to Fedor sustaining a cut from an accidental headbutt.
Frank Mir
Las Vegas-based Frank Mir was always known as the cocky and arrogant jiu-jitsu specialist with prodigious talent and devastating submissions.
In only three years of fighting he had captured the UFC heavyweight title, yet was forced to relinquish it after a horrific motorcycle accident. His return to the Octagon was shaky – two wins, two losses – and questions were raised whether he could ever channel the potential he had once shown. Now a mature and focussed 29-year-old, Mir promises he is all business, and has set out to take back what he never truly lost.
You’ve already held the UFC heavyweight title once before, how good are your chances of becoming champ once again?
I believe I will be the champ again. Of course, Nogueira is more than a formidable opponent – he is one of the best the sport has ever seen.
You reached the top of the MMA ladder when you beat Tim Sylvia, but slid down a big snake when you had your motorbike crash. How hard was it coming back from something like that?
It was pretty difficult. Not that there is any good time to have a motorcycle accident, or break your leg in half, or lose a world title belt – but it is life and you have to persevere.
You’ve always had a great relationship with the UFC, and have spent almost your entire career with them – did you lobby them for the position as TUF coach or did they call you?
My manager and I set out a list of things that we would like to do inside and outside of the cage – one of those things was to be a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. When it came time for a new season and to pick new coaches, I guess I was a top pick – I gladly accepted the position when they called.
Coaching seemed to come pretty natural to you – one fighter even thanked you immediately after he won, saying ‘great coaching’! Is this something you did before going on the show?
No, I don’t have a team or anything like that, but I do like to teach and coach, particularly in a small group or one on one. Coaching the guys on the show was fun and with the group of coaches that I brought on the show in Ken Hahn, Robert Drysdale, Demian Maia and James Horne, I hope the fighters took away some valuable insight.
Without wanting to cause offence, you’re probably one of the most talented guys in the UFC, yet you’ve drawn criticism from fans, reporters and even your old coach for not living up to your potential. Are the days of the Frank Mir coasting by on pure talent over?
Thanks for the compliment about being one of the talented guys in the UFC – people have a right to criticise, but it doesn’t mean it is always correct does it? How is winning the world title in the UFC coasting on pure talent? How is finishing fights with devastating submissions not living up to potential? I have a fight or two that I am not proud of, but there are extenuating circumstances – not excuses – that lead to the situation. I didn’t lose my title in a fight in the UFC. I lost it in an accident.
You’re the up-and-coming American jiu-jitsu ace – Minotauro is the veteran champ with slick submission skills of his own. Are you going to show him who’s boss on the mat?
The heavyweight division is loaded with guys who are some of the best jiu-jitsu guys in the world – Fabricio Werdum is a world champ, Gabriel Gonzaga is a world champ, Randy went the distance in a match against Jacare, and Minotauro has a jiu-jitsu style that is outstanding for MMA. The division is absolutely stacked with excellent jiu-jitsu guys, we each have a certain style that works for us. I have been working on all aspects of my game – I enter a fight to win it.
The highs and lows of Frank Mir
HIGH: Making his MMA debut at 22 years of age, Mir won his first four fights with ease, two of those in the UFC. His fourth career win (over Pete Williams) was by way of an unusual submission from guard, now known by many as the Mir-lock.
LOW: Mir’s first loss came in 2002 when Ian Freeman bludgeoned him into defeat inside one round. The first time Mir had faced a fighter with effective ground ‘n pound, his jiu-jitsu was for the large part negated and he sustained heavy punishment in the fight.
HIGH: After wins over Tank Abbott and Wes Sims, Mir defeated Tim Sylvia for the vacant heavyweight title in 2004, breaking the 6’8” fighter’s arm in the first minute of the first round.
LOW: His motorbike crash in September 2004 saw him out of action for a period of 17 months. Returning to the Octagon against Marcio Cruz, Mir was defeated by a first-round TKO.
HIGH: February 2nd, 2008 saw Mir triumph over Brock Lesnar, surviving an early onslaught and catching the former pro wrestler in a leglock in the first round.
