Issue 102
We asked four different fighters from the MMA universe their opinions on the pressing matters of the moment
1. A win over Junior Dos Santos would give ‘Super Samoan’ Mark Hunt a shot at fighting for the UFC’s heavyweight title, but do you think he has a chance against JDS?
Anthony Pettis
“I really like Mark Hunt a lot, he’s a really great striker, tough to beat, and he’s as technical as they come in that weight class. I wouldn’t count him out, but Dos Santos is a great boxer.”
Pat Barry
“Mark Hunt is the right guy to beat Junior. As the former champion, Junior’s got great skills, but Mark Hunt is extremely durable, extremely seasoned, and he’s such a bad ass, all he needs to do is land one punch. He’s the one.”
Jason Young
“JDS is a stand-up fighter who’s going to trade with Mark Hunt, and only been knocked out once in MMA. If the fight stays standing, then I think Hunt has got a chance.”
Ben Askren
“Now I’m no striking expert but when I listen to Duke Roufus, who is a striking expert, he definitely gives Mark Hunt a shot. When you’re wearing 4oz gloves and you hit as hard as him you always have a shot.”
2. Some of boxing’s biggest fights have come along because of draws, however, we rarely see them in MMA. Would you like to see more 10-10 and 10-8 rounds on scorecards?
Anthony Pettis
“Not at all. I don’t like draws or decisions. For me, I don’t event want to go to a decision. I’m not a fan of draws or it going to the judges.”
Pat Barry
“I’d like to see more 10-8 rounds, definitely, but I’d hate to see more draws. This is a fight, and every fight needs to have a winner. If it’s a draw then you should just keep fighting, it’s that simple.”
Jason Young
“Yeah, I’d definitely like to see more 10-10 and 10-8 rounds in MMA. Not everything is a 10-9.”
Ben Askren
“In boxing at times you can get like a 10-7, and in extreme circumstances you can get a 10-6. In MMA, you rarely ever see a 10-8, so I definitely think the judges should be a little more liberal.”
3. People are now starting to speak up and suggest fighting with no gloves would be less dangerous than fighting with the 4oz gloves. What would you prefer for fighting?
Anthony Pettis
“I don’t want to break my hands, so you’ve got to use gloves. The human body is not made to punch or to be punched, so any little support we can get is better I think.”
Pat Barry
“If there were no gloves everybody would fight too cautiously. You take the gloves away, you will see less action. Think of the NFL with no equipment, you wouldn’t see anywhere near the same type of hits we see today.”
Jason Young
“I’d rather fight with gloves; they protect your hands more. Not having gloves would just be ridiculous; you’d break your hands more often.”
Ben Askren
“I’ve never actually thought about it, so I can’t give you a good answer (laughs).”
4. Bruce Buffer is the cover star for this issue. What were your first memories of Bruce announcing you into the Octagon?
Anthony Pettis
“I’ve had the pleasure of Bruce introducing me a couple of times. When he announces you and he makes eye contact with you, it’s an amazing feeling. It lets you know you’re in the big show.”
Pat Barry
“Bruce Buffer calling my name out in the UFC was one of the most frightening moments of my career so far. He called my name and I was thinking, ‘Come on, man. Any name but my name.’ It was incredible.”
Jason Young
“I walked up to him in Sweden and said when he announces my name it gives me goosebumps. He said, ‘Besides from the paycheque and the fans, when people say that it makes me feel good.’ That was awesome.”
Ben Askren
“The last time I cornered Anthony Pettis when he hammered Cerrone (UFC on Fox 6), I sat next to Bruce Buffer and he was playing Words With Friends while the fight was going on. That took me off guard a little (laughs).”
5. Perennial welterweight contenders Carlos Condit and Rory MacDonald remain on a collision course, who do you think wins the rematch?
Anthony Pettis
“I like the way Rory looked in his last fight, and I was excited to see how he looked on this last card. I’m going to have to go with Rory; he’s a young guy like myself and he’s part of the next generation of fighters.”
Pat Barry
“Carlos Condit is the man. He’s one of my favourite fighters to watch. He’s all action and has suffered at the hands of the scoring system. Why a takedown supersedes a great jab and leg-wobbling high kicks is beyond me!”
Jason Young
“Rory wins. I think he’s like a young GSP. If they weren’t training partners I think he’d be fighting GSP right now. He’s going to be due for a title shot soon. He’s exciting, got good stand-up. He’s the whole package.”
Ben Askren
“I’ll go with Condit.”
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