Issue 129

Despite having well over 100 pro fights in the tank, the Nebraskan Tony Reid reveals why he still loves a scrap.

Q: You are the only fighter to ever submit Chuck Liddell, you hold three victories over Chael Sonnen and have had over 100 professional fights in over 10 different countries, so if you could choose one fight from your career every MMA fan should see, which fight would it be?

A: That’s a hard question to answer because I don’t think I have really ever fought as well as I think I’m capable of. I guess if I had to pick one I would say my fight with Forrest Griffin (IFC: Global Domination, Colorado, September 2003).

Q: The stories of extreme training programs at Miletich Fighting Systems are legendary. What was the most memorable moment from any training session you’ve been involved in?

A: One night we were running a nearby hill for some conditioning after practice. I’m truly a horrible runner and so I was at the bottom puking in the grass. Then a cop car rolls over and stops to ask what was going on, thinking I was a drunk.

Q: You were once quoted as saying you like to fight more than you like to win. Did you mean that?

A: I just like to fight. I certainly like to win too but fighting to me is its own reward. To say I like it more than winning is a bit misleading though. If I never won I don’t think I would fight for very long. Think of it this way: I love to fight so if in order to do so I have to put up with a loss here and there, that’s a fair trade to me.

Q: A lack of motivation crippled you throughout your career, does it haunt you that you might not have reached your full potential?

A: For sure. I deal with issues like that every day.”

Q: If you weren’t a professional mixed martial artist or involved in MMA in any capacity what would you be doing for a living right now?

A: I’d probably be working manual labor. I did some construction work prior to fighting.

Q: Who are your favorite fighters to watch today, and conversely, who do you least like to watch?

A: I always favor the fighters who use more skill than physical abilities. Some of my favorites are Nick Diaz and BJ Penn. I don’t care for fighters who try to ride on their attitude or physical abilities. Guys who claim they want to, ‘Stand and bang,’ when they clearly mean, ‘I want to close my eyes and swing hard and hope this guy has no skill and wants to do the same.'

Q: What is the most amazing thing you’ve seen in MMA since the beginning of your career?

A: Just the growth of the sport itself. When I first started anyone wearing MMA gear was someone I knew personally. Now I see little kids wearing gear at Walmart.

Q: You competed in some of the earliest UFC events: UFC 17, UFC 19, UFC Brazil, etc. How do you reflect on your achievements and what do you think of the promotion today?

A: That’s a hard one to answer... The sport has changed so much it’s hard to think it’s even the same sport.

Q: What is your fondest memory of your time spent in the UFC? And are there any negative memories?

A: The fighting was always the fun part – and the weight cutting, that always sucked the most (laughs).

As of November 2019 MMA veteran Jeremy 'Gumby' Horn has a win-loss record of 91-22, winning 11 of his last 15 fights.