Fighters Only

Issue 102

June 2013

FO chills out with the UFC bantamweight whose fighting career was spawned from manga and hip-hop.

MUSIC

What kind of music are you into, Vaughan?

“I like reggae music best, like Bob Marley and Damian Marley, that kind of stuff.”

What kind of music do you listen to whilst training?

“If I’m training jiu-jitsu then I listen to reggae, I listen to Bob Marley. Stand-up then it’s mostly hip-hop and stuff. Something with a bit more of a bite and aggression to it.”

Has your musical taste changed much over the years?

“Yes, I used to be a big hip-hop fan when I was a kid. A big Tupac and Eminem fan, but I’ve kind of drifted away from that stuff now. I think I have enough craziness going on in training, with fighting full-time. I no longer need aggression in my music, so I much prefer to listen to reggae music.

“I certainly relate more to the music I listen to now compared to what I used to listen to also.”

What was the last concert you went to?

“It was actually Live 8 in Hyde Park in London, way back in July 2005 – I guess that shows how much of a music fan I really am. But it was great, and I got to see Snoop Dogg, which was amazing.”

There were like a hundred acts on or something that day. Who else do you remember?

“(Laughs) I don’t actually remember anybody else, to be honest… I just remember Snoop because he wasn’t meant to swear and he walked straight out onto the stage and sang, ‘What’s my m**her f**king name?’ It was brilliant.”

What music is your guilty pleasure?

“Michael Jackson’s You Rock My World.”

CARS

What was the first car you owned, and how much did it cost?

“It was a Ford Fiesta and it cost £50 off my mate.”

What do you drive now?

“I don’t even own a car, my missus drives me around.”

If you could own any car in the world right now, what would it be?

“An Aston Martin, the new James Bond car, the DB9, rather than the old Bond DB5 for sure.”

If you were going to pimp out your girlfriend’s car what would it be with?

“I’d have an entire door made of glass – kind of like the Popemobile, although I’m not entirely sure why.”

TV

Do you get to watch much TV, or do you prefer box-sets?

“I don’t really watch any TV shows, I just can’t find the time. I did get Netflix recently but I don’t watch TV series like most people, I just watch movies and documentaries.”

But you’re into watching anime and reading manga, right?

“Oh yes, especially growing up. I’ve always been a huge fan of Japanese animated shows and movies. I literally grew up watching violent cartoons – so much so that I even started studying the Japanese language to better help me understand them, but it was bloody hard!”

What’s your favourite anime show then?

“I loved 3x3 Eyes, Fist of the North Star, which was a real classic old one and definitely one of my favourites. And also Crying Freeman, which was probably my favourite of all.”

FLICKS

What was the last movie you watched?

“I really enjoyed Django Unchained recently and it went straight up to the top of my favourite movie list. I even downloaded the song 100 Black Coffins by Rick Ross because when it comes on the in the film… wow, it’s just amazing.”

Are you into Quentin Tarantino movies then?

“Oh yes, I’m into all of his movies. I’m a big fan of them all, but I think Django is my new favourite. It’s a real ‘I wanna be that guy’ movie.”

Are action movies your favourite?

“I actually love sci-fi movies to be honest – that’s my favourite type of movie. I’m actually getting into quantum physics right now…”

So you’re like one of these Trekkie types?

“I wouldn’t say quite that bad, but I’m into stuff like Total Recall and Prometheus, movies that really mess with your mind and go pretty deep.”

If you could punch any actor in the face who would it be and why?

“Ben Affleck for sure. He just plays the same geezer in every film he’s in. He just plays Ben Affleck with longer or shorter hair; he’s terrible. Get him off my screen, please!”

Last movie that made you cry?

“Time Traveller’s Wife, really good movie.”

STYLE

You stay loyal and like to rock the Bad Boy leisurewear in and out the Octagon, but do you ever dress up?

“Special occasions of course I get suited up – and I don’t always wear sneakers, just most of the time – but I will get into a suit for birthdays, christenings, special occasions like that.”

What pair of trainers are your favourite?

“Actually my favourite footwear are my slippers (laughs). I try to wear them everywhere I go.”

You’ve obviously got a lot of body art. When did you first get into tattoos?

“When I was a kid I had the box-set of Crying Freeman, who was a manga character who had a dragon up his front, and up his back, and I thought, ‘Man, I would love to get a tattoo like that.’ And I also had the whole Tupac idol thing going on too, so between them I guess they brainwashed me into getting them really.”

Are any of your tattoos sentimental with special meaning?

“Not really. I just wanted them, so I designed them and got them. Luckily some of my tattoos I’m told, some of the images, have got really strong reasons behind them. But to be honest I won’t ever get any more, and I might even get some taken off