Issue 173

December 2018

Future direction of the UFC; its greatest fighter; favorite moments as fan and fighter and most amazing aspect of UFC’s growth from four top pros.

The Pro's


Wes Sims 6’8” UFC Heavyweight veteran, famous for his many rivalries

Jason Lambert Ex-UFC Light Heavyweight competitor who has also fought for Bellator

Dante Rivera Retired ex-UFC fighter, who now runs a BJJ academy in New Jersey

Jeremy Horn Vastly experienced fighter who has had two stints in the UFC

1. The UFC is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Looking into your crystal ball, where do you see the organization heading in the future?

Wes Sims

  • I believe, as Terry Funk said years ago, the line between UFC and WWE will blur and we will see guys crossing over more often. Who’s to tell what the effect of that will be?

Jason Lambert

  • I see the future UFC having more weight classes. Also, the younger guys are becoming more dynamic because of the hard work that was laid out by the pioneers of this sport.

Dante Rivera

  • I think the UFC, in upcoming years, will only get bigger. Now that it’s expanding worldwide and the market of fighters is getting bigger and better, the sky is the limit for them.

Jeremy Horn

  • I’m not really sure where the UFC is headed in the future. It’s trying to straddle the line between organized sport and entertainment like wrestling. It’s hard to say which direction it’s going to go or if it’s going to continue to try to walk that line.

2. With the organization being around so long there have been so many great fighters. Who is your all-time favorite UFC fighter?

Wes Sims

  • Tough question. I’ve had the privilege to train with and become best friends with one of my all-time favorites in Mark Coleman. Also, I’d say Randy Couture. He is definitely one of the GOATs.

Jason Lambert

  • Picking an all-time favorite is very difficult, only because I have personal relationships with a lot of guys. BJ Penn has always been so exciting to watch.

Dante Rivera

  • I might be biased because we are teammates but I’d say Frankie Edgar. He is a real life Rocky movie. He is relentless, fights with all heart and is skilled in every aspect of the fight game Everyone respects him, whether fan or fighter and that’s hard to do.

Jeremy Horn

  • There are several fighters that I am big fans of. It’s hard to just pick one. I’m a huge fan of Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Wanderlei Silva, the list goes on.

3. What has been your favorite UFC moment as a fan?

Wes Sims

  • As a fan, one of my favorite moments in UFC history was the tournaments. Those were great! Also, Joe Son getting his nuts aligned was pretty funny, too.

Jason Lambert

  • It has to be when Gabriel Gonzaga knocked out CroCop! I was in England sitting with Matt Serra. It was so loud and everyone’s jaw just dropped. Seriously.... they just dropped!

Dante Rivera

  • My favorite moment as a fan was watching the fights live in New York at Madison Square Garden when it was finally sanctioned in NYC. I was born in New York and raised between NY and NJ, so to watch the fights at the mecca of sports arenas was amazing.

Jeremy Horn

  • I don’t know if I could pick one moment. I’m a fan of the fighters more than the organization that carries those fighters.

4. What has been your favorite moment as a fighter?

Wes Sims

  • Favorite moment as a fighter, personally, was stomping on Frank Mir’s head.

Jason Lambert

  • My favorite moment was giving thanks to Jesus after my underdog win against Babalu.

Dante Rivera

  • My favorite moment as a fighter had to be my first fight after The Ultimate Fighter in the UFC. To come out and see the large crowd – it’s a feeling that’s pretty much indescribable.

Jeremy Horn

  • Kind of hard to answer this one as well. My entire life has been filled with one favorite moment after another. I’ve gotten to travel the world, meet some amazing people, and participate in some awesome events. I’m pretty lucky.

5. What’s been the most amazing aspect of the UFC’s growth over these last 25 years?

Wes Sims

  • The most amazing aspect is the determination by Dana White to push and do whatever it takes to get the UFC into mainstream media. What incredible growth in 25 years!

Jason Lambert

  • I think the most amazing aspect of the UFC’s growth is giving hardworking people (fighters) a way to chase their dreams and support their families at the same time!

Dante Rivera

  • I think the most amazing aspect of the UFC growth is that every year it only gets better and more competitive. It never gets stale. There is always a bigger and more entertaining superstar emerging and that makes it truly exciting.

Jeremy Horn

  • I think one of the most amazing things about the UFC’s growth is that it has, for the most part, been able to hold of any corruption of the kind we see in boxing today.


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