Issue 040
August 2008
The next 30 days is crammed full of MMA goodness – we asked four very different people their thoughts on what is to come.
The Fighter
Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett, the feisty featherweight from London.
The Writer
Andrew Garvey, FO regular and one of our top experts on MMA.
The Fan
Gary Brelsford, from Burnley, Lancashire, a steel fixer & MMA fan.
The Insider
Ken Pavia, agent and manager to many top MMA fighters.
Q1. What fight in the next month are you looking forward to most?
A: Pickett
My team mate Jason Young fighting for the lightweight title on Cage Rage.
A: Garvey
The semi-finals and finals of the DREAM lightweight Grand Prix. Aoki, Uno, Kawajiri, Alvarez; fantastic stuff.
A: Brelsford
Rampage and Forrest – I think Rampage is the most exciting fighter about at the minute.
A: Pavia
I’m a little partial to our fighters, so I look forward to Gilbert Melendez versus Josh Thompson in the main event of Strikeforce.
Q2. Tim or Fedor - who takes it?
A: Pickett
Fedor – he’s just a bad man.
A: Garvey
Tim, by height, reach, awkwardness, spoiling tactics and simply being the best heavyweight Fedor has faced in years.
A: Brelsford
I’ve watched loads of Fedor, I think he’ll walk straight through him, I don’t think he has much chance at all.
A: Pavia
I think Fedor, I kind of root for Tim, but I think Fedor will handle him pretty quickly.
Q3. Will Affliction’s MMA event go boom or bust?
A: Pickett
Honestly, I’d like to see it succeed but I think they’re spending too much money – they’ve got to get TV deals.
A: Garvey
Massive payroll + UFC live special on Spike + no TV exposure + reliance on pay-per-view = BUST.
A: Brelsford
The UFC are planning to do an event on the same night, but I think they’ll do quite well.
A: Pavia
I would have said boom, but the UFC having an event on the same night will steal some of the thunder.
Q4. Board shorts or tighty whites?
A: Pickett
Board shorts, not fucking boxer shorts! At weekends I’ll wear the boxers! (Laughs)
A: Garvey
Neither. Everyone should just wear Shinya Aoki style tights in ludicrous colours.
A: Brelsford
Board shorts!
A: Pavia
Board shorts look better, but tighties are more practical. From a male perspective, board shorts!
Q5. Reckon we’ll ever see the IFL again?
A: Pickett
Maybe someone else will try and do it again, but not as the IFL.
A: Garvey
No chance. The IFL is deader than dinosaurs.
A: Brelsford
I’m not up on the IFL, they couldn’t have been too prominent cos I’ve never really heard of them!
A: Pavia
Rooting for them, but doubt it.
