Rick Hawn Talks Recent Signing with Bellator and the Olympic Experience

Rick Hawn Talks Recent Signing with Bellator and the Olympic Experience

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering, but fighting well.”—Pierre de Coubertin

Nothing can take the place of sacrifice and hard work.

For some, it becomes the perfect recipe for fulfilling an Olympic dream.

Rick Hawn, has an incredibly impressive judo resume, which includes participation in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece. Over 200 countries (201 to be exact) and 10,000+ athletes from around the world were honoured to represent their home countries at these games, having competed in over 28 different sporting events.

What made these Olympics even more special was the fact that it was also the first time since 1896 that the Olympics were held back in Greece.

A truly historical event.

At this time, Hawn is an unbeaten welterweight (8-0-0) who has just recently signed a 3-year contract with the Bellator Fighting Championships.

Hawn currently trains his striking at Sityodtong, which is a highly reputable Muay Thai training academy from the Boston area, and he also holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, where he studies under Renzo Gracie.

If you don’t already know the name Rick Hawn, you had better get it memorized. This former Olympic Judoka is the absolute “real deal,” and he raises the bar against anyone that would dare to compete with him.

MMA fans constantly crave mainstream credibility and acceptance.

Well, it just doesn’t get any better than this.

Please enjoy my interview.

James Ryan: Hi Rick, thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

Rick Hawn: My pleasure, James.

James Ryan: To begin with, let me start by offering my congratulations on your recent signing with Bellator.

Rick Hawn: Thank you very much. I’m very excited.

James Ryan: So how does that work exactly? Have you been signed specifically for an upcoming tournament?

Rick Hawn: Actually, I believe that my first fight is going to be on the 30th of September, and then win, lose or draw, I’m still going to fight in a tournament that starts in January.

James Ryan: Who you will be fighting on the 30th?

Rick Hawn: They told me a kid named, LeVon Maynard. He’s been around a little bit, but I haven’t really looked him up too much yet.

James Ryan: How has the training been going then? Any problems preparing for this fight on such short notice?

Rick Hawn: Not really. I had already started training because I was expecting to fight on the 17th down in Rhode Island, so I was preparing for that fight anyway. Unfortunately, I had to cancel that fight due to my new obligations with Bellator.

James Ryan: Were those Promoters disappointed or upset with you for cancelling out?

Rick Hawn: I’m sure they were. I didn’t really speak with them though—my manager did, but I couldn’t really pass up the opportunity to fight for Bellator.

James Ryan: Well, in this business, everyone is trying to make it to that next level and make it big. I’m sure cancellations in the smaller organizations happen a lot, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

Rick Hawn: Yes, exactly.

James Ryan: When did you officially start training in mixed martial arts?

Rick Hawn: I first started training MMA in January of 2009.

James Ryan: So, fairly recently then.

Rick—I have to confess something. When I was first presented with the idea of interviewing you, I was very excited, obviously because you are a former Olympic athlete, and anyone who knows me, knows that I have mad respect for that.

But then I thought about what questions I was going to ask you and I convinced myself that I didn’t want to specifically ask you about your Olympic experiences because I just figured that maybe those were something that you’ve already been asked to death about, and I didn’t want to focus too much on your past instead of your future in MMA.

Rick Hawn: [Laughs] No worries. Ask me anything you want.

James Ryan: Well, I’m really glad that you feel that way because the more that I thought about it, the more I was starting to feel like maybe I was giving up on a once in a lifetime opportunity to talk to the real deal—an athlete who had actually been to the Olympics and is now fighting professionally in mixed martial arts.

I have always been very interested in the Olympics. What sticks out in your mind the most about the whole experience?

Rick Hawn: The coolest part about the Olympics that I went to was that it was the ‘04 Olympics, so it was back in Greece, which is where they all originated, of course. So just to be back there and to be able to sightsee and to be a tourist—to see the ruins of all of the places was just incredible. It was amazing. I don’t have any other words to describe it—it was just a great experience.

And being a part of the whole Olympic experience—you really can’t imagine how big it is until you’re there. It’s just incredible.

James Ryan: What was it like staying in the Olympic Village?

Rick Hawn: Basically, the Village was like they built an entire city just for the athletes while we were all there. I believe the Olympic Village Cafeteria alone could hold up to five or ten thousand people.

James Ryan: Wow, that’s massive. What about the competition part of it? Was it a pretty intense schedule? Did they have you going here and there, and all over the place?

Was it tough to prepare mentally?

Rick Hawn: Not really. The events were spread out over approximately three and a half weeks, and lucky for us the judo competition started on the first day—the day after opening ceremonies, which was kinda cool because then we got the chance to hang out for the whole time afterwards.

I felt kinda bad for some of the other sports that didn’t compete until the last week. They couldn’t really enjoy the whole experience as much I think because they had to stay so focused.

Before the opening ceremonies, we were running around a lot. We got there about a week early to get acclimated with training and all that, and everything was on a schedule. They took care of us, shipped us in buses, had lots of security at that time, but overall, it was crazy.

James Ryan: Sounds like an awesome experience?

What advice could you give to young kids with Olympic dreams?

Rick Hawn: Well, it’s tough in judo. I would tell them just to keep training hard, stay positive no matter what goes on in their lives, and basically that’s what it takes. Just hard work and staying positive, and being confident in your abilities.

James Ryan: Do you feel like you had to sacrifice a lot of your life in order to fulfill your Olympic dream? How tough was it to get to that stage?

Rick Hawn: It was definitely hard. You do have to sacrifice everything. After high school, I moved out to the Olympic Training Centre in Colorado Springs, and I was there for about eight years. Basically, all you do there is train. That’s your life. There’s no time for a social life, so you really miss out on that type of thing.

In that aspect, you’re sacrificing a lot. If you don’t make those types of sacrifices, then you might not make it.

James Ryan: Was there a real emphasis on education while you were out there training?

Rick Hawn: There was.

The way it works—you’re given a scholarship and the Olympic Training Centre is like a big city in itself. I basically lived in a dorm room for eight years with free room and board, and everything was paid for. My training—everything was on site right there. You wake up, go downstairs in the cafeteria and eat, and then go down another couple hundred yards and train. It’s pretty cool. Literally, anything that you need is there.

James Ryan: Wow, that’s wild. Thanks Rick. Much appreciated.

How did you get into judo?

Rick Hawn: My father used to train back when he was younger, before I was born, and he thought it was a great sport for kids to get into. When I was 12, I had the opportunity to do it, so he started me in my first judo class. He even got back into it himself after I started. He’s still doing it today, which is kinda cool.

All of my brothers and sisters trained in judo at one point in their life.

James Ryan: That’s cool—something for the whole family. So, how does your judo background help you now in MMA?

Rick Hawn: Well, it has definitely helped me a lot. Judo has gotten me to the point where I’m at now—there’s not that many people in MMA that actually practice judo, and if they have, it hasn’t really been up to the level that I have been doing it.

I’ve been doing judo a long time, so I definitely bring something to the MMA game that not a lot of people have seen. It has definitely helped me.

James Ryan: How much difference is there between judo and jiu-jitsu? Is there a pretty close relationship between the two?

Rick Hawn: You could say that. Definitely on the ground there are similarities. Judo is mostly standing—big throws, take downs, armbars, and chokes.

James Ryan: What form of striking are you currently training in?

Rick Hawn: Right now, I’m training in Muay Thai, but I’m also working on my boxing skills as well.

James Ryan: Do you feel that your stand-up is what really makes you stand out above the rest? What happened in your last fight against Shonie Carter?

Rick Hawn: I knocked him out in the second round with a head kick.

I’m not really known for doing that. [Laughs] Most people just think that I’m going to be the ‘grappling guy,’ but I’ve really been working hard on my striking to add balance. That way, I’m not so one dimensional.

Shonie was a really tough opponent for me, so it was a good win.

James Ryan: Another Judoka, Karo Parisyan, recently re-signed with the UFC. Are you guys friends at all?

Rick Hawn: We actually don’t like each other.

James Ryan: [Laughs] Really?

Rick Hawn: He read an article that I did a while back and the writer created a headline that said ‘Rick doesn’t like Karo,’ so he came back and said some things about me to a mutual friend. I don’t like him—he doesn’t like me, and maybe one day we’ll end up fighting each other, which would be interesting.

He’s really managed to build a name for himself in this sport, and I’m obviously trying to do the same thing as well, but I really don’t think that his background in judo is anywhere near the same as mine.

Athleticism wise—he’s not the most athletic kid, and from what I’ve heard, he doesn’t train very hard for MMA. And you can kinda see it in his fights. He’s not the most ‘fit’ person, but he’s definitely a good fighter—I’ll give him that.

My goal is to surpass what he has done in MMA, and I believe that I can with the right training and the right experience. Right now, he’s definitely the biggest judo name out there in MMA.

James Ryan: Well by the sounds of it, the two of you would make for an interesting match-up.

What can the fans expect from you, Rick? Why should they tune in to watch you fight?

Rick Hawn: Because my style is quite rare in the MMA community. Not a lot of fighters have my background, so that makes me unique, and even more so, just by having the background that I do have with the Olympics, I have been a professional athlete for a long time. I do things a little bit differently than the average fighter would.

I’m not saying that I’m any better or that I train any harder, but I definitely bring something different to the table that most people wouldn’t see in the average fighter.

James Ryan: Well, I certainly look forward to watching your next fight.

Any special thanks?

Rick Hawn: I have really good sponsors and a lot of good friends that have been sponsoring me as well. It’s all on my website. I’m obviously looking for more sponsors now that I’m going to be on television.

I would also like to give a special thanks to my manager, Jimmy Pedro. He’s the best American judo fighter that we’ve ever had compete in the Olympics.

James Ryan: Fantastic interview, Rick. Thank you very much and best of luck.

Rick Hawn: Thanks James.

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MMA Crypt's Prediction Contest 20 : UFC 119 Mir Vs. CroCop

MMA Crypt's Prediction Contest 20 : UFC 119 Mir Vs. CroCop

UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop

Main Card:

Heavyweight Bout:
Frank Mir (13-5-0) vs. Mirko Cro Cop (27-7-2, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Bout:
Ryan Bader (11-0-0) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-3-0)

Welterweight Bout:
Chris Lytle (29-17-5) vs. Matt Serra (11-6-0)

Lightweight Bout:
Evan Dunham (11-0-0) vs. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)

Lightweight Bout:
Melvin Guillard (24-8-2, 1 NC) vs. Jeremy Stephens (18-5-0)

Spike TV Card:

Heavyweight Bout:
Joey Beltran (12-3-0) vs. Matt Mitrione (2-0-0)

Middleweight Bout:
C.B. Dollaway (10-2-0) vs. Joe Doerksen (46-12-0)

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Bout:
T.J. Grant (2-2-0) vs. Julio Paulino (17-3-0)

Heavyweight Bout:
Mark Hunt (5-6-0) vs. Sean McCorkle

Lightweight Bout:
Pat Audinwood vs. Thiago Tavares (14-3-0)

Lightweight Bout:
Steve Lopez (12-2-1) vs. Waylon Lowe (8-3-0)

This "Fantasy MMA Challenge" contest requires that you pick the winning fighters offered in the events, the method in which they will win and when they will win.

Here is how it works:

4 points to pick the winner.
3 points to pick the style of win : decision, sub or KO
3 points to pick when the fight is over if you get the winner right.

Method :

KO (votes as TKO and KO count as the same)
Decision (split and unanimous count as the same)
Submissions (all count as the same)

Most points wins

If there is a tie, the poster with the most posts on MMACrypt.com wins the tie breaker.

* Prizes :

1st Place : 20,000
2nd Place : 10,000
3rd Place : 5,000

Fight picks must be entered in this thread by September 25, 2010 no later than 6:00 pm East Coast Time.

Click Here To Enter Your Picks!

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Vbookie: UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop

Vbookie: UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop

Main Card:

Heavyweight Bout:
Frank Mir (13-5-0) vs. Mirko Cro Cop (27-7-2, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Bout:
Ryan Bader (11-0-0) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-3-0)

Welterweight Bout:
Chris Lytle (29-17-5) vs. Matt Serra (11-6-0)

Lightweight Bout:
Evan Dunham (11-0-0) vs. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)

Lightweight Bout:
Melvin Guillard (24-8-2, 1 NC) vs. Jeremy Stephens (18-5-0)

Spike TV Card:

Heavyweight Bout:
Joey Beltran (12-3-0) vs. Matt Mitrione (2-0-0)

Middleweight Bout:
C.B. Dollaway (10-2-0) vs. Joe Doerksen (46-12-0)

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Bout:
T.J. Grant (2-2-0) vs. Julio Paulino (17-3-0)

Heavyweight Bout:
Mark Hunt (5-6-0) vs. Sean McCorkle

Lightweight Bout:
Pat Audinwood vs. Thiago Tavares (14-3-0)

Lightweight Bout:
Steve Lopez (12-2-1) vs. Waylon Lowe (8-3-0)

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. Out on Bail for Grand Larceny Charges

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Out on Bail for Grand Larceny Charges

(Look up "shit-eating grin" in the dictionary and you'll find this photo.)
I'm sure most of us have gone back to an ex-girlfriend's apartment after a break-up to retrieve a few things. A pair of shoes, the Pixies CD that mysteriously went missing from your car or the $100 you leant her so she could get her hair streaked -- whatever it was, you paid for it and you wanted it back; so much so, that were willing to stomach having to see your replacement sitting shirtless on her sofa and resist the urge to head-kick his smug smile out the window as you waited to get your shit back.

The difference between most of us -- okay, all of us -- and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is that he made more in his last fight than all of CP's readers combined will likely make this year and that all of the items most of us would swallow our pride to get back, he could replace with the money he has in the ashtray of one of his 20 cars.

In spite of that fact, he managed to get thrown in jail for stealing his ex's $500 iPhone.
After posting $3,000 bail today, Mayweather was released from Clark County jail in Las Vegas where he turned himself in earlier in the day for grand larceny charges stemming from an incident earlier in the week with one of his baby mama. According to police reports, the 33-year-old boxing champ is alleged to have hit his ex-girlfriend and mother of three of his children, Josie Harris, before taking her iPhone and leaving her residence.

Mayweather was not charged with domestic assault, which is no surprise since he didn't land anything of note and just danced around Harris for 1/2 an hour.

Luckily, Mayweather has his pal, 50 Cent, to rep him in the court of public opinion.
Here's Curtis Jackson's take on the situation, as tweeted by the rapper as news that police issued a warrant for Floyd's arrest began to spread yesterday.

“Another case of angry baby momma wanting momma. Police are looking for @FloydMayweather, I just got off the phone with him...she's claiming he hit her but has no brusies. Floyd went to see his kids last night, if a fighter of Floyd caliber hits you, you would be bruised…I talked to him before and after the situation, he wasn't even upset. He said he asked her why the house was so dirty and she started trippin…”

Translation:
"Floyd went to his ex's house to see three of his kids and she got pissed when he said, 'Bitch, clean up this dump,' so he took her iPhone to teach her a lesson about respect."

Here's "Fity's" Twitter explanation of why Mayweather was pissed off with Harris in the first place:
“She has a girlfriend that stays in the guest house that Floyd is paying for her as child support that is helping fuel the situation…Floyd said he feels like her girlfriend is using her and pushing her in the wrong direction…This is crazy to me. I performed at Club Pure on NYE in Vegas. I remember Floyd showing me a ring he bought her for $1 mill. Who can you trust.”

Translation:
"Floyd's sick of paying the bills for his ex when she's letting some ho live in the pool house. She should listen to him since he bought her a big diamond with the interest he made off the Mosley fight."

Grand larceny charges in Las Vegas carry a minimum penalty of 18 months probation and or a $5,000 fine and maximum of 10 years in prison.

It's unlikely that Mayweather will go to jail, considering the circumstances and the fact that he likely bought and pays the bill on the phone he allegedly took. Besides that, he probably has $5,000 wedged between his couch cushions, so I can understand why he doesn't seem too worried in his mugshot.

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Rumor: Fedor Emelianenko could be on his way to the UFC?

Rumor: Fedor Emelianenko could be on his way to the UFC?

Posted By Anton_Gurevich UFC News

Well, it looks like the Fedor-Strikeforce saga continues. According to various sources, "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko could be on his way to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, after his management renewed the negotiations with Dana White's promotion. The identity of Fedor Emelianenko's last opponent on his Strikeforce contract remains unknown, which is thought to be a cataclyst for the renewal of talks with the UFC.

Only a few days ago, Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem was also involved in an internet rumor regarding his future in the San Jose-based promotion. "The Demolition Man" was heavily linked with a move to the UFC after his Strikeforce contract expires, which was quickly labeled by Overeem himself as "not true".

Alistair Overeem recently declined Fedor Emelianenko's official challenge due to his K-1 WGP obligations, before stating on one of the Dutch MMA forums that he is willing to fight "The Last Emperor" after his quest for the K-1 title. Considering recovery time and preparations process, Overeem could be ready for February-March of 2011, relatively at the same time of Fabricio Werdum's forecasted return.

Fedor Emelianenko's last fight was on June 26th against Fabricio Werdum, who managed to defeat the iconic "Last Emperor" via a perfectly executed Armbar/Triangle Choke combination. Since then, fighters such as Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Sergei Kharitonov, Alistair Overeem, Dan Henderson and even King Mo had their names involved in speculations to square off against the 32-2 Emelianenko.

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Sam Jones Interview: Meet the Prototype for all Future MMA Athletes

Sam Jones Interview: Meet the Prototype for all Future MMA Athletes

“Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.”—Roy L. Smith

Whenever I interview an athlete for the very first time, I never know what to expect.

We, as fans, like to think that we know a lot about these men and women who risk themselves for our greater entertainment, but often times, the personality isn’t always what we would expect it to be.

Take Sam “the Rebel” Jones for instance.

Sam is an undefeated mixed martial arts fighter with a deceiving professional record of 2-0-0, and he represents the Tallahassee Combat Center in Florida, under his trainer/manager, Tami Carswell. When I arranged to speak with Sam, I had very few expectations of what I thought he might be like, as I knew very little about the man personally, or as it turned out—professionally.

So, what was my impression of Mr. Jones?

Simple—this young man is the absolute prototype of what we can all expect in the future with regards to athletic ability and attitude, in modern MMA.

Enjoy the interview, everyone—I know I did.

James Ryan: Hey there Sam, how are you doing today?

Sam Jones: Doing wonderful, James. How about yourself?

James Ryan: Always great! Thanks for agreeing to speak with me—I’ve heard a lot great things about you and I’m eager to learn even more.

For starters, I know that you are quite the athlete, so I’m guessing that you were a very active child—what sports did you compete in the most when you were growing up?

Sam Jones: Growing up I did three sports pretty consistently. I did gymnastics, judo, and swimming.

I stuck with those for a long time. I got into gymnastics when I was about two or three years old, and I got into judo at around five. I started swimming at around age six and I basically managed to stick with all of them all the way until high school.

James Ryan: Wow, it’s always great to hear about kids who are physically active. Not enough of that these days. Plus, that’s quite the combination—pretty amazing actually.

I can see right away how each of those would benefit you and contribute to what is no doubt, a very unique level of athleticism.

You must have had quite the busy schedule though.

Sam Jones: Definitely. The judo was occasionally on and off, but it was much more on than not. I was very active as a kid and I loved all of those sports equally.

According to my manager Tami Carswell, that’s what makes me a good fighter now—the discipline, the training, the cardio, the explosiveness from gymnastics, the grappling from judo, and then from my wrestling in high school. I really think that I have a very good background for fighting in MMA, and I don’t doubt that all of those advantages come into play.

That’s what I did growing up. I truly believe that kind of background gave me the opportunity to become a successful fighter.

James Ryan: Absolutely, and you’re right, it’s more than just the athleticism—it’s the work ethic and the discipline that comes from training in competitive sports your whole life.

I’m impressed.

What happened when you got to high school? Why did you stop?

Sam Jones: When I got to high school, I let those other sports go so that I could compete in wrestling—that was the sport that meant the most to me. I also did other stuff too, like football, track, competitive weight-lifting—I enjoyed those other sports, but nothing really got me going like wrestling.

Back then, I refused to put anything else before wrestling—that was definitely my sport. That’s where I really excelled and I even made the State Finals for three years.

James Ryan: That’s great! Did you pursue wrestling later in College?

Sam Jones: After high school, I seriously considered taking advantage of a scholarship opportunity at a smaller school, but a friend of mine—he actually died cutting weight—he was taking a lot of Creatine and was really trying to lose a lot of weight, and then…he died.

Oh man... [Pause] Billy Saylor.

James Ryan: Sorry, Sam.

Sam Jones: That’s okay. I was pretty affected by his death at the time. The more I thought about it, the more I didn’t want to go and do competitive wrestling anymore.

I was very lucky that I didn’t really have to cut weight in high school because the school that I went to didn’t have a whole lot of team members. In my first year of wrestling, I think we had like three guys on the wrestling team—that was it.

So basically, I had the luxury of going into any weight class that I felt comfortable with. My coach always felt confident that no matter what weight class I went into, I would be ready and I would be in excellent shape. I eventually learned about really pushing my conditioning, and pushing myself in ways that I didn’t know that I could as a competitive wrestler.

I still think that wrestling is a great sport.

James Ryan: I would agree with you on that. Wrestling has really started to stand out as a very necessary tool for success in MMA. It’s tragic about your friend though.

So did you choose not to go to College at all, or just not to wrestle in College?

Sam Jones: After I graduated from high school, and after my friend died, I was just really leery about competing in College after that, so I ended up staying here—went to FSU, but basically let my wrestling skills rest for a while.

James Ryan: So then, what inspired you to make the transition into mixed martial arts?

Sam Jones: One day, I just happened to go into the gym with my buddy and I ran across Tami—she got me into boxing, which I trained for a couple of months before doing an amateur boxing match. I won by split decision and I immediately loved it.

I loved competing again and I loved feeling supremely fit again, so I stuck with it.

James Ryan: Other than the boxing , have you been training in any other forms of combat or martial arts?

Sam Jones: Yes, I started learning jiu-jitsu. I got into the gym and I saw these guys rolling around on the ground and I was like ‘hey, it’s kinda like wrestling,’ but then the first time that I got submitted, it was like a revelation. I thought ‘oh my God!’ [Laughs]

I mean the ground is where I felt like I was in the most control and this guy just literally won the fight. I was in awe of jiu-jitsu after that. Since then, I’ve really put in a lot of time learning how to do submissions and learning how to defend submissions, and I love the ground game—all around.

I love striking also, but that revelation of ‘wow, wrestling isn’t the end-all, be-all of the ground’ was kind of a shock to me. After that, I dove right into it whole-heartedly and I’ve been listening to Tami’s advice and my other trainers—I love it.

I also train in Muay Thai. I love throwing multiple combinations of kicks and punches in concert, which I find to be much more devastating.

James Ryan: Cool. So Sam, what really separates you from other fighters?

Sam Jones: One of the things about me is that I love training. I love to just go out there and do hardcore training—push myself to the limit. That’s my enjoyment during the day. Everything else—work, school—I sometimes find it hard to be focused or motivated with those, but with training—I just show up and get excited and do it, even when it’s hellishly difficult. [Laughs]

With Tami, I found a person that was really willing to invest in me. She really believed in me and what I could do after seeing me for a very short period of time. She’s been with me all the way as someone that I can rely on for good advice. And not just with the technical aspect of fighting, but just in general. She really knows the ins and outs of this sport as an enterprise, as well as, a business.

James Ryan: Lucky guy, a good manager is hard to find. Were you nervous going into your first fight?

Sam Jones: My very first opponent was 17-2 as an amateur fighter. That was my first time stepping into a cage. [Laughs]

James Ryan: What?! [Laughs] Are you joking?!

Sam Jones: [Laughs] Unfortunately I got a draw in that fight. I came out of there with absolutely no damage though, and he was definitely banged up. I thought I won the fight actually, but they deducted a point during the fight for what they said was an illegal head-butt—so frustrating. I went back and looked at the tape and I was like ‘nope, that was a shoulder strike.’

It was a definite learning experience though. That first fight really gave me a yearning to prove that I could do better and that I could do more than that. It turned out to be a really good thing to fight someone with that much experience because he really pushed me and motivated me moving forward.

Soon after that fight, we were going to do a re-match, but instead he decided to go professional and had his next match on Strikeforce. Oh well, in my very next fight with that promotion, I ended up winning the 145-lb belt anyway.

James Ryan: Wow!

Sam Jones: Next, I went down to Miami Beach and won my very first professional fight and won. I controlled him, I dropped him twice, and then this past weekend, I won my second pro fight. In less than two minutes into the first round, I was able to catch my opponent with an uppercut, and that was that.

So much adrenaline and excitement—I love that MMA is so challenging. There’s not very much in this life worth doing, that is easy. I love the challenge. I feed on it.

James Ryan: So let me get this straight…you only had two amateur fights before going pro?

Sam Jones: Correct.

James Ryan: Wow! And I can’t believe that your very first fight was against a guy who was 17-2!

So what’s next?

Sam Jones: Right now, I have a fight lined up with Global Cage Fighting on September 18th in Jacksonville, Florida. I’ll be going up in weight for that one and fighting at 155.

James Ryan: Why the move up?

Sam Jones: You always have to be willing to test yourself—I’m very confident in my abilities and I think that I can win. I’ll be going in there with the mindset to finish this fight, just like I did in my last one.

Anytime I fight in Florida, it’s great! Pretty much all up and down the State, I have friends and fans.

James Ryan: Any interest in fighting for Bellator?

Sam Jones: [Without hesitation] Absolutely! I would be very pleased to fight on Bellator. I think they’re great. I like the tournament format and I would be honoured to fight for them. They have some great fighters.

James Ryan: Why did you make the decision to fight professionally so soon?

Sam Jones: After watching the competitors on television and seeing the level of fitness that they were at, and the quality of strikers and grapplers—I mean these guys are crazy well-rounded—most of the guys that you see around, I really felt like I could...I didn’t feel like I was at that level—I still don’t know if I’m already at that level—it’s hard to really know until you get put in that situation, but I feel like I have the potential to be, and I felt very confident that I was ready.

I wasn’t trying to rush—I just felt like I was ready.

So far, it seems to have been a good decision. I plan on continuing to work hard to prove that I deserve to be on that stage—the bigger the stage, the bigger the cage—the better.

James Ryan: What are your thoughts on the current UFC Lightweight Champion, Frankie Edgar?

Sam Jones: Oh my gosh! I am a ‘huge’ Frankie Edgar fan—HUGE!

I mean—just his pace, his conditioning—when he shoots in for a shot—it took him maybe three re-shoots because he went through three different hip motions and drops before he finally finished the take-down on BJ Penn, but he got him down.

And that’s so impressive to me that he can go from one to the next to the next, shoot, hip in, slide the hips out around, take him in the other direction—I mean, just an amazing, amazing grappler.

And to still be able to strike with one of the best strikers in all of MMA, and be successful, and get the better of that situation—imagine the dedication and training that guy has been through.

I want to be able to push myself that way. I want to be the best.

James Ryan: Who is your next opponent?

Sam Jones: Derek Hare. He’s a lot bigger than me, so I’m expecting three five-minute rounds of intensity. I’m training to go the distance, but if it ends sooner—great. I’m ready to go in there and go wherever the fight goes.

I plan to have more energy, more cardio, and more ability to keep going than anyone else that they can put in the cage with me.

James Ryan: Sounds like a recipe for success. Any sponsors that you would like to mention?

Sam Jones: Definitely. In this last fight, I was fortunate enough to be sponsored by Primal Instinct Wear, they came through with great gear, and they were totally supportive. When they said that they were going to do something—they did it on time. I think they are an excellent, dependable fight wear company. Fighters—if you can get your hands on some Primal Instinct Wear—it’s good stuff. I love their rash guards, I love the warm-ups…the shirts are awesome!

In addition to Primal Instinct Wear, I was also sponsored by PEABY Productions, a local business here in town. I talked to the leading lady for that business and she was nice enough and kind enough to sponsor me. She put her logo right across the butt of my shorts [Laughs] and I think it showed up great. I hope she got some great business out of that.

I really think that it’s something that a lot of companies should take advantage of. it’s not just fight wear companies that can take advantage of this—when crowds see guys go in there fighting with so-and-so’s pool cleaning or whatever, you realize that these companies are supporting something that you love, and when you think about the next time that you may need whatever service it is that these companies provide—the fans are going to remember that.

It’s a very valuable marketing tool, and I wish more companies would go out and sponsor fighters because frankly, this isn’t boxing. MMA doesn’t pay the same way that boxing does. It’s tough—you really have to be on your P’s and Q’s when it comes to sponsors.

Also, WFighter is awesome! They are a website dedicated to women in MMA, but they don’t by far ignore the men. We have more of a relationship than just a sponsor-fighter. I love working with Tami, with WFighter, and with the other writers that work with the site.

Frankly, I think it’s my favourite MMA site around right now. It’s the only one I go to consistently. Anybody who gives a damn what Sam Jones thinks, go check out WFighter.com [Laughs]

James Ryan: [Laughs] Very well said Sam—I hope that a lot potential sponsors out there understand what you have just explained. It’s smart marketing.

Thank you very much for such a great interview, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know you.

Sam Jones: Thank you, James. I am honoured to have been interviewed by you. It’s been a pleasure.

via mmacrypt.com

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Evan Tanner Two Years Gone

Evan Tanner Two Years Gone

Evan Tanner Two Years Gone

by Kid Nate on Sep 8, 2010 1:12 PM EDT in MMA History

It's been two years since the body of Evan Tanner was found in a California desert and I didn't want to let the day pass without remembering the man.
Brian Mayes has an excellent piece at Head Kick Legend:

But how will history remember Evan Tanner? We already know certain fighters places in history. Fighters like Fedor, Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre will be remembered as dominant champions. Randy Couture will be remembered as a man who won belts in multiple weight divisions at an age when most fighters had long since retired. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will be remembered for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat time and again. But where does Evan Tanner fit into the historical discussion? Sadly, MMA fans remember fighters for their accomplishments in the cage and little else. They don't remember fighters for what kind of person they were outside of the cage. 20 years from now, the children of today's MMA fans will come across Evan Tanner's MMA record and most likely dismiss it out of hand. And honestly, there's nothing about it that really stands out. He was a really good fighter who beat some other good fighters of his era, and he put on some wonderful fights in that time.
But there is so much more to Evan Tanner than that, and I'm afraid that's what history will miss. How do you explain to someone 20 years from now what a unique and special person Evan Tanner was? If you weren't around to read Evan's blogs, to go through his day to day life with him, it's hard to really understand. Just look at how people can't grasp what certain fights meant when they took place, simply because they weren't following the sport when they happened. I know lots of people who think Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia is just a boring 5 round fight, because they're watching it 3 years later. They weren't around for the lead up to that fight, where everyone was convinced that Randy Couture was going to be taken out of the cage on a stretcher. Watching Randy beat up Tim Sylvia at the time was absolutely thrilling to watch. In much the same way, if I tell you how wonderful Evan Tanner was, and all you do is go check out his fight record, you really aren't getting the whole story.

I also wanted to be sure everyone reads this Men's Journal piece on Evan and his death by Matthew Teague:

Throughout his life Tanner had faced challenges - he called them "adventures," others called them demons - and triumphed in remarkable ways. He lived with extraordinary purpose, rising from the dust of Amarillo, Texas, into the glow of Las Vegas, and along the way he helped build an empire called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. But he differed from his peers in significant ways; he studied philosophy, for one, and he felt he had a message to share with the world, something bigger than himself, bigger than men fighting for sport.
...
As he grew his physical prowess became undeniable. He excelled at pole vaulting, cycling, football, snowboarding, surfing, and even bowled a good game. He ran home from school each day, five miles. Midway through high school he took up wrestling, and in his junior and senior years he won back-to-back state championships. He appeared out of nowhere, the finest wrestler in the state of Texas.
...
In 1997 he passed back through his hometown, Amarillo, to do some work climbing telephone poles, and he attended a fight of the sort that would eventually be called mixed martial arts. Tanner didn't particularly care for fighting as entertainment. But he did love the sense of battle. What could be more existential than two men grappling in a cage?
People in town still remembered Tanner for his wrestling as a kid, and a fight promoter approached him about climbing into the ring again. He gave it a try - and swiftly dispatched every hard-swinging hoodlum in sight. He fought three times in one night, winning a hometown tournament.
Encouraged, Tanner bought a videotape about grappling that featured the famous Gracie family of Brazilian jujitsu masters. He lived alone in a cabin in a Texas wasteland at the time, so remote that he powered his VCR with a generator. People laughed - what sort of rube teaches himself to fight by mail order? - but Tanner absorbed the leverage, the pressure, the physics of it all, just by seeing it done. Then he proceeded to lay waste to anyone who stepped up to meet him, working his way in one year from Amarillo to Japan, where he manhandled the Japanese in something called the Neo Blood Tournament.
He only needed one thing as a fighter: better opponents.
...
Tanner had one particular idea that he wanted to convey to the world, which he called "the power of one." It's the notion of small kindnesses, or as he later explained: "Your words and actions resonate out eternally, in a sense. It reaches one person, then two people, then four, and it expands out exponentially."

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