Issue 046
February 2009
WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown has competed in professional MMA for over seven years.
Mike recently unseated former 145lb kingpin Urijah Faber in under three minutes – an incredible performance which speaks volumes about his training with the highly respected American Top Team.
Shorts
“I wear TapouT shorts,” Brown said enthusiastically. “They sponsor me, but I kind of chose them. I had a few offers for sponsorship, but I chose them because I like their gear. I had similar money offers with different sponsors, but I prefer their style. They’re stretchy, I don’t know what kind of material it is, but it’s like a rubbery, stretchy material and they look cool.”
Gumshield
“I got mine from a place called ‘Jawzz’. They make custom mouthguards and you can get anything you want: multi-colours, writing, images, anything you want. For me, it’s black and red and it’s got a little ATT emblem on the inside of it.”
Not only does it look good, but it does the job, as he explained. “You have to actually pull it out of your mouth, it won’t just fall out. It’s good, because when you get hit hard in the head, you don’t fumble for your mouthguard. It’s definitely important for taking a good shot.”
Shin pads
Brown is more than happy with his trusty old Fairtex shin pads. “I was given a pair a few years ago and I still have them. They are solid, I’ve had them a couple of years and they’re still going strong! You can do take downs, but you can’t really use them to grapple and pass guard. I guess they are a little too chunky.”
Boxing and MMA gloves
An advocate of hard sparring, the WEC champ takes no risks when he steps on the mat. “When you want to bang hard and punch a guy as hard as you can, you’ve got to wear 16oz gloves. I had a pair of Ringside that I really liked, they lasted me seven years. I just got a pair of new Title ones, I like they way that they look and they are working out good.”
This need for extra padding also extends to his MMA gloves. “I have a pair of Combat International that I really like, they are a little bulky, but it means you’re able to punch your opponent a little bit harder and not worry about hurting them.” The WEC champ was keen to share a quick tip for anyone who trains in MMA gloves. “The Velcro on MMA gloves can cause abrasions, so it’s important to always tape your wrists or you’ll have a huge two-inch scratch down your face.”
Head gear
“I have the Reyes headgear that I’ve worn for years. I like it. I don’t have to worry about getting a glove to the eyeball causing a corneal scratch on the eye. It’s a pain in the ass when things like that happen, so I always use my headgear. With the headgear, I can punch as hard as I can, and my opponent can too. I think it’s important that I’m swinging for the fences, trying to knock my opponent out, so it’s important to wear 16oz gloves and headgear.”
Nutrition
Choosing a sports drink over food when in the gym, Brown goes with Revsport from Champion Nutrition. “It’s tasty. I won’t drink it unless it tastes good. It doesn’t do miracles but, if you’re hungry and you need some calories before or during training, it does the trick without slowing you down.”
