Issue 162
November -0001
The Pros
What’s your favorite part of training?
LESLIE SMITH:
Feeling my body get more efficient as I get more dialed in and closer to a fight. When I don’t have a fight scheduled, I love how much fun it is to be on the mats and to try new things.
BRIAN FOSTER:
The moments I discover something new in my game that someone teaches or shows me that’s literally been in front of me the entire time.
GILBERT BURNS:
I like the sparring days. Sparring days are the best.
JACK MARSHMAN:
Probably wrestling now, which is probably a shock to most people because it’s what I usually suck at. I’m growing to love it because I’m getting better at it.
Would you have any interest in having some boxing fights?
LESLIE SMITH:
I am very interested in a boxing fight, I would like to train for one.
BRIAN FOSTER:
Sure, why not? I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to good money to just throw hands and dance around in bright clothes making funny faces at one another!
GILBERT BURNS:
For sure I want to do it. I was trying to do it before, but my MMA career was kind of quick. I would love to do kickboxing first because we do a lot of kickboxing in the gym.
JACK MARSHMAN:
Definitely. I’d love to box. I boxed at a pretty high level as an amateur. I'm not overly interested now because I’m 27 now, but if it’s a one-off fight I’d definitely love to do it.
What’s the worst weight-cut you’ve had?
LESLIE SMITH:
My worst was to 125 for a title at Invicta. I didn’t even want to live for a minute with that one. I had to picture puppies and stuff to distract my mind from how crappy it was.
BRIAN FOSTER:
Against Justin Gaethje. You have to make 155lb on the dot for championship fights. Before that, all my fights were non-title bouts, so I only had to make 156. That extra pound sucked.
GILBERT BURNS:
It was my fight against Cowboy. I was maybe 185 during fight week. I cut to 155 and then went back to 185 again.
JACK MARSHMAN:
When I fought Che Mills, I missed weight by 2lb. It was early in my career when I was serving full-time (as a paratrooper) and it was real hard to keep on top of it.
What’s the stupidest question you get asked as a fighter?
LESLIE SMITH:
Dumbest question has to be are you ready? for the entire two months leading up to the fight.
BRIAN FOSTER:
Would I fight Brock Lesnar? I mean, come on, of course I would!
GILBERT BURNS:
I get asked if I’m ready on the week of the fight. Cutting weight, relaxing, and then they ask, are you ready?
JACK MARSHMAN:
Are you going to win? Well, I’m definitely going to try! That’s the name of the game!
What do you want for Christmas?
LESLIE SMITH:
I want a new president.
BRIAN FOSTER:
To put a smile on everyone’s face when I step back into the cage and take the Pro Fight League season by storm.
GILBERT BURNS:
I want another fight in December. That would be great.
JACK MARSHMAN:
I want to buy a house this year, so that’ll be my Christmas present to myself.
