Global Gossip

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAMPION NUTRITION SIGNS JAKE SHIELDS PROFESSIONAL MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST AS SPONSORED ATHLETE

Shields is added to growing MMA athletes representing TapouT Sports Nutrition

Sunrise, FL (September 8, 2009) – Champion Nutrition a pioneer in the sports nutrition industry has been the brand bodybuilders, Olympic and professional athletes have known and loved for years, today announces the signing of Strikeforce fighter Jake Shields to represent their new TapouT Sports Nutrition brand.

Jake Shields is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting at 170 lb. He is the Rumble on the Rock 175 lb Champion. He is the first & last Elite XC Welterweight Champion. He is also the former Shooto World Champion. He has trained extensively with Cesar Gracie. He is currently on a 12-fight winning streak, finishing 6 of his last 7 opponents in the first round. Jake has been ranked in the Top 10 since 2004. In his last Strikeforce fight Shields defeated Lawler via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:02 of round 1.

Jake has his own gym the Jake Shields’ Gracie Fighter Berkeley Academy in California. The gym is a branch of The Gracie Fighter family tree, which holds one of the richest traditions of excellence and success in The Martial Arts and Mixed Martial Arts community.

Champion Nutrition’s President Mark Post commented, “Jake is very unique fighter and person. He is a terrific example for young athletes in mixed martial arts that if you work hard, follow good values in your life and respect your instructors you will develop good character and winning skills.” Post added that, “Jake is an awesome member of our growing TapouT Sports Nutrition athlete team with a tremendous fan following. He is striving to fight whoever can get him the title fight so he can reach his goal of being ranked number one in the world. Our goal at Champion Nutrition will be to help him become World Champion.”

About Champion Nutrition

Champion Nutrition is a Sunrise, FL based designer, marketer and manufacturer of performance-based sports nutrition products. Champion maintains its own 135,000 square foot GMP-certified manufacturing facility. Currently in their 26th year, Champion’s attention to product formulation for athletic performance is legendary and makes them one of the most well-respected sports nutrition companies in the industry. Champion Nutrition signed a licensing agreement last April with TapouT®, the premier mixed martial arts apparel and lifestyle brand to offer sports enthusiasts TapouT Sports Nutrition products. Under this relationship, Champion Nutrition will develop and market the Tapout Sports Nutrition brand for the US and Internationally. The brand has already been accepted for distribution in October at retailers GNC, Stop & Shop, Fred Meyer and on line retailers Body Building.com, Amazon.com, MMA Warehouse.com and TapouT.com. Champion Nutrition is the official sports nutrition company of American Top Team. American Top Team is one of the largest and most active Mixed Martial Arts (“MMA”) teams in the world.

For more info, visit: www.championnutrition.com
or
www.tapoutsn.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Champion Nutrition
Attn: Greg Henry
1301 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway
Sunrise, FL 33323
954-233-3300 ext. 1207
gregh@champusa.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAMPION NUTRITION SIGNS HECTOR “SHANGO” LOMBARD PROFESSIONAL MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST AS SPONSORED ATHLETE

Lombard will support TapouT Sports Nutrition brand in marketing campaign.  

Sunrise, FL (September 8, 2009) – Champion Nutrition a pioneer in the sports nutrition industry has been the brand bodybuilders, Olympic and professional athletes have known and loved for years, today announces the signing of Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector “Shango” Lombard.

Hector “Shango” Lombard is a native Cuban, and an Australian citizen fighting in the United States. Lombard is a black belt in judo and is a Pride veteran. He currently fights as a middleweight for the Bellator Fighting Championships. His nickname “Shango” is a fictional supernatural and immortal created by DC Comics. Hector is a former Olympic Judo competitor from Cuba and made the switch from Judo to MMA after the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Hector is currently training with Ricardo Liborio at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Hector defeated Jared Hess via doctor stoppage in the fourth round to win the Bellator middleweight title. The win improves Lombard’s record to 21-2-1.

“I have been using Champion Nutrition products for the past year and they have made a huge difference in my training. Their products are terrific for helping me get stronger and train hard every day.” comments Lombard. “Champion is the nutrition sponsor for my gym ATT and many of our best fighters train using Champion products, so I trust them a lot.” adds Lombard.
Mark Post, President of Champion Nutrition, stated, “Team Champion welcomes Hector to be a member of our TapouT Sports Nutrition athlete team. Hector will help us introduce our new brand to many Spanish speaking MMA fans and to all of his fans in the many countries where he is very famous. His name might be new to a lot of US fans but internationally he is a star and he is truly a rising star in US MMA.”

About Champion Nutrition

Champion Nutrition is a Sunrise, FL based designer, marketer and manufacturer of performance-based sports nutrition products. Champion maintains its own 135,000 square foot GMP-certified manufacturing facility. Currently in their 26th year, Champion’s attention to product formulation for athletic performance is legendary and makes them one of the most well-respected sports nutrition companies in the industry. Champion Nutrition recently announced a licensing agreement with TapouT, the premier mixed-martial arts apparel, gear and lifestyle brand to offer sports enthusiasts TapouT Sports Nutrition products. Champion will design, distribute and market the Tapout Sports Nutrition brand to all retailers in the United States and abroad.
For more info, visit: www.championnutrition.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Champion Nutrition
Attn: Greg Henry
1301 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway
Sunrise, FL 33323
954-233-3300 ext. 1207
gregh@champusa.com

Please join myself and Bodybuilding.com in wishing Monique Minton (aka MOMO) a very Happy Birthday. MOMO is celebrating the big TWO FIVE today, and it seems that this is gonna be quite the year for this young rising superstar.

MOMO has just recently earned her IFBB Pro Bikini Card and has been kickin’ some serious A$$ in the world of MMA recently tearing it up during the NAGA tournament this past weekend. She already has a very impressive list of accomplishments and she is just gettin started.

MMAFrenzy.com

A new DREAM middleweight champion failed to be crowned on Tuesday at DREAM 9, as Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza fought to a no contest in their headliner for the vacant title at the Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa, Japan.

Early in the bout, Miller connected with a kick to the top of Souza’s head while his opponent was on the ground, opening up a cut that would ultimately force the bout to come to a premature conclusion. The kick was deemed unintentional, but when the bout was eventually halted the fight was declared a no contest.

In other DREAM 9 action upsets were plentiful, as Joe Warren topped Norifumi “Kid Yamamoto by split decision in the second round of the featherweight grand prix, Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante suffered a unanimous decision loss to Tatsuya Kawajiri in a lightweight title eliminator, and Bob Sapp was submitted by Ikuhisa Minowa just over one-minute into their Super Hulk tournament matchup.

The official results for DREAM 9 were:

Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza — No Contest#
DREAM Middleweight Championship (vacant)
Joe Warren def. Norifumi “Kid Yamamoto via split decision^
Bibiano Fernandes def. Masakazu Iminari via unanimous decision^
Hiroyuki Takaya def. Yoshiro Maeda via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 9:40^
Hideo Tokoro def. Abel Cullum via submission (rear naked choke) — Round 2, 1:37^
Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante via unanimous decision+
Gegard Mousasi def. Mark Hunt via submission (arm bar) — Round 1, 1:19*
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou def. Jan Nortje via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 2:29*
Hong Man Choi def. Jose Canseco via submission (strikes) — Round 1, 1:17*
Ikuhisa Minowa def. Bob Sapp via submission (heel hook) — Round 1, 1:14*

Well the rumors are out already, about the next Affliction Event!

It is said to be that the next Affliction Fight will be sometime in August and most likely taking place at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Here are the fights that have been talked about possibly being on the card so far.

Fedor Emelianenko vs Josh Barnett
Tim Sylvia vs Paul Buentello
Jay Hieron vs unknown
Gegard Mousasi vs unknown

Check Back later for more updates and information on this event.

Covergirl Monique Minton Wins NAGA Grappling Tournament

Monique Minton is currently on the cover of FLEX magazine and was recently on Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines. As if being a NPC competitor and model weren’t challenging enough, Monique has taken up Mixed Martial Arts training. Monique entered her first competition in the world of MMA and let with first place at the North American Grappling Association’s Grappling tournament. She tells me she had eight matches over the course of the day and left with a medal and “cool sword”.

Congrats MOMO!

FIRE Extreme Fighting!

May 30th
Doors open at 6:30pm and Fights start at 8pm
Kankakee County Fair Grounds Expo Center

Fire Extreme Ring girls!

Also come meet UFC Champ Rich Franklin!

Strikeforce: Nick Diaz vs. Scott Smith added to June 6!
MMAjunkie.com

While Strikeforce took a recent hit with the loss of Renato "Babalu" Sobral for its June 6 event in St. Louis, the organization has rebounded in style with the addition of a 180-pound catchweight bout between Nick Diaz (19-7) and Scott Smith (15-5).

Both Diaz and Smith were victorious at Strikeforce’s April 11 event in San Jose, Calif.

Headlined by a 182-pound contest between Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields, Strikeforce’s June 6 event from the Scottrade Center will be broadcast on Showtime.

The signing of the bout was first reported by Sports 1140 KHTK-AM in Sacramento, Calif., and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) was able to confirm the addition to the card with Strikeforce Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz.

Diaz is currently riding a four-fight win streak, including a second-round TKO of MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock at Strikeforce’s April 11 event. While Diaz is one of only three Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu black belts, his current streak has been built on the strength of four TKO wins.

While looking forward to the contest, Diaz stated in an official release from the organization that he’s upset that he’ll be forced to hurt Smith in the presence of his children.

"I think this is a great fight for me, but I really hate that [Smith] brings his kids to every one of his fights because now I’m going to be made out to be the bad guy or some sort of villain after I beat him up," Diaz stated.

Smith is currently riding a two-fight win streak of his own. Both victories were earned under the Strikeforce banner, including a stunning, come-from-behind win over Benji Radach at the April 11 event.

"Diaz is a great fighter," Smith stated. "He’s going to come in there and out-grapple me and out-strike me so what I have to do is go in there and beat him up.  I actually think this is more of a dangerous fight for him than it is for me."

While Smith typically fights as a middleweight, "Hands of Steel" has admitted in the past that he believes he could compete below the 185-pound weight class. Thirteen of the California native’s 15 wins have come via knockout or TKO.

While the original report from KHTK-AM stated that Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem was set to return to action in a title defense against undefeated challenger Brett Rogers, Afromowitz said that report was simply untrue.

"We’re looking at a lot of options for both Overeem and Rogers right now," Afromowitz said. "Nothing has been signed for either of them."

Afromowitz said that a bout between the two heavyweight sluggers was certainly a possibility but that neither fighter was currently guaranteed to appear at the event. Overeem hasn’t fought for Strikeforce since winning the title in October 2007.

Mousasi, Sokoudjou, Sapp and Jose Canseco set for DREAM.9 tourney
By: Dann Stupp on Apr 30, 2009 at 9:15 am ET, mmajunkie.com

The Japanese-based DREAM organization today announced an open-weight tournament that features, among others, UFC veteran Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, K-1 star Bob Sapp and former Major League Baseball player Jose Canseco.

The eight-man tournament kicks off at DREAM.9.

The event, which also features the second round of the organization’s featherweight grand prix and a middleweight title fight between Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Jason "Mayhem" Miller, takes place May 26 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.

The open-weight tournament, roughly translated as the "World Superman Championship," will continue later this summer with a semifinal round and a grand finale.

Other participants and opening-round match-ups include Sapp vs. Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa, Jan Nortje vs. Sokoudjou, Gegard Mousasi vs. Mark Hunt, and Hong Man Choi vs. Canseco.

Mousasi, who will vacate his DREAM middleweight championship, will be the tournament’s smallest competitor. Although he recently stated he wanted to move up a weight class to light heavyweight, Mousasi will still be giving up more than 100 pounds to fighters such as Nortje, Sapp and Choi. He’ll give up approximately 60 pounds to Hunt, his opening-round opponent.

Canseco, meanwhile, makes his MMA debut after an MLB career that concluded with a tell-all book about steroid use in baseball (and a subsequent cold shoulder from the industry). Canseco, who claims to be a decorated martial artist, has been competing in exhibition boxing matches as of late. Former NFL player Vai Sikahema recently defeated Canseco via knockout, and former child actor Danny Bonaduce recently fought him to a majority draw.

The full card includes:

    * Gesias "JZ" Cavalvante vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
    * Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller (for vacant middleweight title)
    * Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Joe Warren*
    * Bibiano Fernandes vs. Masakazu Imanari*
    * Yoshiro Maeda vs. Hiroyuki Takaya*
    * Abel Cullum vs. Hideo Tokoro*
    * Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa vs. Bob Sapp+
    * Jan Nortje vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou+
    * Mark Hunt vs. Gegard Mousasi+
    * Jose Canseco vs. Hong Man Choi+

Champion Nutrition & TapouT Announce Licensing Agreement

I have a feeling you’ll be seeing more supplement companies looking to tap into the success of the MMA world. Champion Nutrition takes a bold step by teaming up with TapouT, one which no other supplement line has done to date. Good move? Only time will tell but if you were going to partner with a successful brand in MMA, TapouT is a logical choice. You’re sure to see a TapouT shirt or hat at any bodybuilding/fitness event and go to a MMA event you can’t blink without seeing the logo.

Check out the whole article here.

Thursday, April 23, 2009, Sherdog.com

In MMA’s pound-for-pound world, there’s Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Fedor Emelianenko. Then there’s everybody else.

Unfortunately for those seeking clarity as to who MMA’s greatest fighter is, UFC 97 did very little to resolve debate. Incumbent pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva added to his resume with his unanimous decision over Thales Leites, but his reputation soured some among fans and pundits alike.

Still, after another dominant victory over a top-10 fighter, Silva remains the sport’s pound-for-pound alpha dog. The contents of his performance were hardly those that the world has come to expect from the often offensively brilliant Silva, who has been less than thrilling in his last two middleweight title defenses. Whether he’ll continue to hold the pound-for-pound mantle as St. Pierre and Emelianenko head into potential high-stakes summer affairs remains to be seen.

1. Anderson Silva (24-4)
There is not much more to be said for Silva’s victory over Thales Leites. objectively, however, the victory adds yet another top-10 middleweight to Silva’s resume. The decision over Leites gave him his 10th win in a row — a streak that includes the likes of perennial standouts Rich Franklin, Nate Marquardt and Dan Henderson. Silva’s last two performances will continue to engender debate over his enthusiasm for the sport. Fortunately, his standing means that whether it’s at 185 or 205, his next bout will be against elite-level opposition.

2. Georges St. Pierre (18-2)
Given the debate over the sport’s preeminent pound-for-pounder created by Anderson Silva’s performance against Thales Leites, St. Pierre’s pound-for-pound clash with Thiago Alves looms large for UFC 100 on July 11. Though the specter of his loss to Matt Serra still remains in pound-for-pound arguments, a victory over the outstanding Alves would cast serious doubt over whether any 170-pounder in the world can challenge GSP.

3. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1, 1 NC)
No MMA fighter has enjoyed the long-running success that Emelianenko has had. The only thing preventing him from topping this list is that over the last three years, he has not faced many of his most outstanding contemporaries. This trend has been changing, though, as the last year has seen Emelianenko flatten two former UFC champions in Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski. The summer should provide another strong opponent for Emelianenko — perhaps Josh Barnett — should Affliction stage its third event

4. Miguel Torres (37-1)
Few fighters have done more for themselves in the last 18 months. As the star of MMA’s emerging bantamweight class, Torres has shown championship poise and all the traits that are associated with the sport’s 135-pounders. After taking a thrilling five-round decision over top-five opponent Takeya Mizugaki on April 5, Torres’ focus now turns to his next WEC bantamweight title defense, likely against undefeated Georgia native Brian Bowles come August.

5. B.J. Penn (13-5-1)
Penn has long been thought of as arguably the sport’s most talented competitor. However, with this tag, he has sought many fruitless challenges above the 155-pound division where it seemed he could always reign. Penn will finally make the second defense of his UFC lightweight title on Aug. 8, when he squares off with red-hot challenger Kenny Florian in the marquee bout of UFC 101.

6. Rashad Evans (13-0-1)
Evans has continued to be scrutinized by fans and pundits alike who wonder if the Greg Jackson disciple is in fact the sport’s top 205-pounder and a legitimate pound-for-pound entrant. Fortunately for him, Evans’ pound-for-pound fate is in his own hands: He’ll take on undefeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 on May 23. A victory over the seemingly untouchable Machida would not only bolster Evans’ resume but also set up a high-profile clash with former UFC champion Quinton Jackson later this year.

7. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
“Rampage” added yet another top-10 notch to his belt by earning a hard-fought decision in March over Keith Jardine. With a win over nemesis Wanderlei Silva as well, Jackson’s loss to Forrest Griffin last July seems ages ago. However, Jackson’s path back to the top of the light heavyweight division will run through an undefeated fighter, as he awaits the winner of the May 23 clash between Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans.

8. Mike Thomas Brown (21-4)
Three years ago, the idea of an unassuming Brown emerging as a pound-for-pound entrant would have seemed bizarre if not laughable. The powerhouse featherweight’s massive improvement has shown in the cage, though, as he’s wiped out three consecutive top-10 featherweights with increasing dominance. On June 7, Brown could cement himself atop the 145-pound division if he replicates his first victory over divisional poster boy Urijah Faber when the two rematch at WEC 41.

9. Forrest Griffin (16-5)
After winning the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter," few would have pegged Griffin for pound-for-pound success. However, Griffin’s improvement led him to the top of the 205-pound division, taking pound-for-pound quality victories over Mauricio ‘Shogun" Rua and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Coming off his loss to Rashad Evans in December, Griffin’s road back to the top will run through once-beaten Brazilian Thiago Silva, whom Griffin meets at UFC 101 on Aug. 8.

10. Thiago Alves (16-3)
Few if any fighters had a more successful 2008 than Alves. In a sport where a single top-10 win can rapidly propel a fighter, he strung together three in a row, besting Karo Parisyan, Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck. Alves’ sensational run has earned him a massive pound-for-pound matchup when he faces UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100 on July 11.

Charles Lewis Jr. or as most would know him "Mask" has died in a horrific car crash.

Mask was reportedly racing another individual driving a Porsche, when his very rare $300,000 Ferrari hit a curb and was torn in half by a light pole.

There are also reports of a female passenger who has been taken to a local hospital. She was ejected from the car and is said to be in pretty bad shape.

By: Jason Probst, Sherdog.com

Former boxing heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman is coming to MMA sometime this year, according to the fighter’s agent.

Rahman, who knocked out Lennox Lewis in 2001 to win the linear heavyweight title, has his heart set on a mixed marital arts career, said Sandro Gelke, who represents him. Now living in Las Vegas, Rahman, 45-7 (36 KO), is coming off a one-sided, Dec. 13 seventh-round stoppage at the hands of IBF/WBO champ Wladimir Klitschko.

In news sure to perk up the ears of both boxing and MMA fans alike, “The Rock,” whose boxing career was defined by some of the strangest twists of fate this side of Riddick Bowe, wants to step into the new sport. And fast.

Gelke said that the 36-year-old Rahman is “quite serious about fighting in MMA” and they are currently in negotiations with several promotions, hoping to line up a debut fight sometime in the next 2-3 months. The ex-champ — whose boxing career went south after losing a rematch to Lennox Lewis — built a reputation on a big right hand in the sweet science, though he was also inconsistent and at times seemed to lack the impetus to get in shape.

“He thought it would be an interesting thing. He’s seen Kimbo Slice fight on TV, and he’s like, ‘I’d like to fight some of these guys,’” said Gelke.

Rahman was not initially available for comment.

Rahman, who has zero grappling background, last scored a takedown while scuffling with Lewis on the ESPN set while promoting their November 2001 rematch. Gelke said that his client plans to keep his boxing career going as well, but has yet to locate an MMA-based gym. But they’re looking around, he added.

“He hasn’t wrestled. He was actually quite a streetfighter (in Baltimore) so people said he should box,” Gelke said of Rahman, who took up boxing at the relatively late age of 20. “He’s like Quinton (Jackson) and Kimbo in that sense. We’re talking to quite a few different organizations, from small promotions up to the big ones. We’re looking to fight name fighters like Kimbo, Butterbean [Eric Esch], James Thompson, someone to bring a name to the table.”

There’s no long-term plan in place, Gelke added, as Rahman gets his feet wet in MMA — they’re not making noise about challenging the top dogs just yet.

“We’re just taking it one fight at a time and see what comes to us,” he said. “We want to get a few smaller fights under our belts before we take on a Lesnar or Fedor or someone like that. There’s nothing solid right now. But we’re already talking with promoters about shows in April or May.”

Gelke said that he knows how vexing the transition will be given the added combative aspects of MMA. Other boxers such as Butterbean and Ray Mercer found out the hard way, along with a spate of early-day MMA competitors; but those were far less accomplished boxers than Rahman. The question long-asked by fans of both sports could get at least a quasi-relevant answer with Rahman’s journey that those other entries never really supplied — what would happen if a world-class boxer with MMA training entered the sport? Shannon Briggs’ flirtation with it never materialized, but the reports out of American Top Team were certainly encouraging. It’s still a question that elicits heated debate from virtually any combat sports fan you ask.

“I understand how difficult it is,” Gelke said. “That’s why I’m looking to not put him in with any big grapplers at first. I don’t think Rock really understands how hard it will be to fight these guys with a grappling and wrestling background. So I’m looking to put him in with someone like Tank Abbott, or James Thompson.”

Rahman’s weight fluctuated greatly during the latter half of his boxing career. Best suited in the mid 230-pound range, he ballooned up in the 250s during a tour of tune-ups in recent years, and was a lackluster 253.5 prior to being dismantled by Klitschko in December.

“I’m talking to a Strikeforce, [a] lot of big promotions,” he said. “Some in Japan, like Sengoku and Dream. Hasim would love to fight over in Japan. Also some smaller promotions, like Wargods. I’m trying to get him into an MMA gym, work with some top trainers, there are some great gyms out here in Vegas. So that’s still kind of a work in progress. I think he’s waiting to see that I have a fight set. Then he can focus on training.”

Along with Marcus Davis, Chris Lytle is one of the most accomplished MMA fighters with a pro boxing career under his belt, going 13-7-1 (7 KO) in the squared circle. Better known in MMA as a UFC regular, Lytle gave his take on what Rahman will face.

Leonard Garcia on His WEC Title Fight And Attracting Hispanic Fans to MMA
by: Michael David Smith, mma.fanhouse.com

Leonard Garcia will fight for the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title on Sunday night, and in an interview on Monday night he said the opportunity to fight champion Mike Brown “excites the s**t out of me.”

The 29-year-old Garcia also talked about his desire to fight nothing but the best opponents — including former featherweight champ Urijah Faber and current bantamweight champ Miguel Torres — and explained why he thinks MMA is about to blow up among Mexican fans. The full interview is below.

Michael David Smith: You had three lightweight fights in the UFC in 2007 and then moved down to featherweight and had two WEC fights in 2008. Was it a tough decision to leave the UFC and lose 10 pounds to fight in the WEC?
Leonard Garcia: At the time it wasn’t because the way it was sold to me was by coach [Greg] Jackson. He was pretty upset that I was weighing in at 149 or 150 for my UFC fights, where the limit was 155, and he said fighting bigger guys was a problem. The way he sold it to me was, “It’s not a step down in competition. You’ve got Urijah Faber, you’ve got Hiroyuki Takaya, you’ve got Jens Pulver. There’s plenty of tough fights down there, and there’s going to be tougher guys coming in.”

That was the main thing for me. I wanted to fight tough fights, and I wanted to push myself. You need that as a fighter. You need somebody you’re kind of afraid of to make you get better. If you don’t have fear of anything you won’t get better. You won’t get better if you think you’re good enough. And that was one of the things I was afraid of, was that moving down in weight I wouldn’t have that punch, but it’s been proven now that I’ve had some great fights in that weight class.

I’ve talked to a lot of fighters who rave about Greg Jackson. What is it about Greg Jackson that makes him such a good trainer?
Greg’s the kind of guy who gets in there. He doesn’t sit on the outskirts, and he doesn’t act like he knows something when he doesn’t. If he doesn’t know the answer, he’ll ask, and if he’s got something to tell you he’ll tell you. He’s just a straightforward person. And here at Jackson’s, we’re more like a family. It’s a different feel at the gym, where we’re not competing against each other, we’re competing for each other. Everyone listens to Greg. There’s not one person who Greg tells to do something and they won’t do it.

Which fighters do you work with at Jackson’s gym?
Everybody. The whole team, we’re all here for each other. Georges St Pierre, Keith Jardine, Rashad Evans, Joey Villasenor, that’s our heavier guys. And then we have smaller guys like me and Cowboy (Donald Cerrone), Duane Ludwig, we’re the lighter team. We all train together, and then every now and then the big guys will come in and work with the little guys, just try to push us. We all work together as a team, and everybody works together. We’ve got guys who weigh 125 and roll with Rashad Evans, who’s the champion at 205.

[At this point, Garcia put down the phone and talked to someone for a moment.]

Who were you were talking to?
Cowboy. He always does that, he talks to me during every interview. Me and Cowboy, we’re like family. We’re like brothers for real. We do everything together. We chase girls together, anything there is to do, we’re like the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin. Of course, I’m Batman and he’s Robin.

Do you always call him “Cowboy”? You never call him “Donald”?
I never call him Donald. Cowboy’s his name, really. We’re trying to get him to put it on his credit cards, but I don’t know if that’ll fly.

Would you ever fight a good friend like Cowboy?
I wouldn’t fight Cowboy. We always said we wouldn’t. I wouldn’t fight one of my friends like that. Had we met because we were fighting each other, and then became good friends, like Roger Huerta, then I could fight them. Roger and I met each other because we fought at UFC 69. Now, we’re great friends. We’ve trained together, I’ve stayed at his house, he’s stayed at my house. I would still fight Roger today. I’d have no problem fighting him because I met him fighting. With Cowboy, we’ve been friends before, so it would be hard to fight him.

Speaking of Roger, is he going to fight again, or is he going into modeling and acting?
I don’t know. He’s got a modeling career and an acting career. I know he’s got one more fight on his contract, and I would love to fight him one more time. Just because it’s a fight that I think both of us would like to have back. He’d like to see what it’s like fighting me if I was in great shape [Garcia took the fight against Huerta, which Huerta won by unanimous decision, on short notice] and I would like to see what it’s like to fight him if I was in great shape. If he’s going to go into acting, why not let him go out on a good fight? But, of course, right now, the only thing I’m worrying about is fighting Mike Brown for the title. But that’s something I’d think about afterward.

Since moving down to featherweight you’re 2-0, and it took you less than three minutes, combined, to knock out your two opponents. Do you feel like you’re just bigger and stronger than the other guys at 145 pounds?
Yeah, definitely. I definitely feel bigger. I’ve got a good height and reach advantage. There’s a couple guys who might be stronger than I am, but as far as punching power and explosiveness I think I have an edge on them. This is my natural weight class and where my body reacts the best. I feel stronger at 145 than I did at 155. I don’t know how that works, but that’s the way it is.

Do you have any trouble making weight at 145?
No, not at all. I could have made 145 the whole time I was in the UFC. It’s just that 155, in the UFC, was where the tough fights were, so that’s where I wanted to be. But now the WEC is showcasing the lighter fighters, and every fight at 145 is a dangerous fight, so I’m happy and glad to be a part of it.

What kind of fight are you expecting from Mike Brown?
I think it’s no secret that Mike wants to try to take me down and control me on the ground. I know he comes from a very good camp where submissions are a real big deal. I think Mike will try to push me around, try to push me against the cage, take me down and hold me there. But I think I’m one of the bigger, stronger guys, so I don’t think he’s going to be able to move me around, so once he figures out that’s not the way it’s going to go, he’s going to have no choice but to stand up with me.

Have you watched much tape of Mike Brown to get ready?
Yeah, I’ve watched pretty much all his fights. He’s good enough in stand-up to stay on his feet with anybody. He’s a well rounded guy. But I think what it comes down to is I can push the pace, take it head on, and that’s the only way I know how to fight. I’m hoping his muscles start to deteriorate after a few rounds and his oxygen levels will be lower than mine. I think, for sure, my conditioning will be better.

That sounds to me a lot like what Georges St. Pierre said about fighting B.J. Penn: He wanted to tire Penn out, and force him to have a lactic acid buildup in his shoulders. Is wearing out your opponent something you guys work on with Greg Jackson?
Definitely. We get worn out every day, having these techniques used on us in the gym, and as Jackson fighters we invite that pain. We want that lactic acid build-up. Most camps and most other fighters are afraid of that feeling, when they’re feeling that worn-out feeling, that’s when they’re done. We get that feeling and that’s where we get going. Coach is a big believer in that. You don’t start the fight when you’re fresh, you start the fight when you’re getting tired.In our gym, that’s when we start looking for how we’re going to finish. I hope Mike got ready like that, because I did.

If you win would you expect your first title defense to come against Urijah Faber?
Yeah, definitely. There’s not another fight than I wanted more than Urijah, other than if someone beat him, which Mike Brown did. I definitely know Urijah would be next for me after this fight.

Are you expecting to have the home crowd on your side in Texas?
Yes. The pressure of fighting in your home state is that they’re expecting you to win. I have to win this fight. There’s no other option for me but to win. Regardless of how the fight goes, It has to end with me winning. I know Mike’s going to bring it. You asked me about watching his fights — there hasn’t been one fight that I’ve seen Mike not come after somebody. I know what I’m up against, and that pressure is what makes me fight.

I know the UFC and the WEC are trying to attract more Mexican and Mexican-American fans. How do you think they’re doing reaching that audience?
I think we’re doing great. I think I’ve done more Spanish interviews than English interviews. I’m supposed to be going to Mexico City after this fight and helping to promote the WEC down there. I think promoting us in Mexico is one of the best ideas the WEC and the UFC has ever had. If you watch boxing, many of the greatest fighters are Hispanic fighters, and they have Hispanic fans who follow them everywhere and buy every pay-per-view. I think we’re doing a great job of letting Hispanic people know about our sport, and I’m glad to be a part of it. I think within the next few years, the main attraction is going to be smaller weight class fighters with a Hispanic following, just like Oscar De La Hoya.

If you win the featherweight title, the two marquee champions in the WEC will be you and Miguel Torres, both Mexican-Americans. That seems perfect for reaching the Mexican-American audience.
Exactly. I think so, too. And you know what? Me and Miguel, we’re both Hispanic guys, and we’re pretty close in weight. We might have a mega-fight. It would be interesting. I’m always looking for a big fight. Those are the fights I want. Like this fight with Brown is going to be huge. I’m always wondering, “How would I do against this guy? How would I do against that guy?”

For Hispanic people, to watch two guys that they know are going to go out there and fight with all their hearts like me and Miguel would, that would be great.

What weight do you think you’d fight Miguel at?
I don’t know. It would probably have to be a catch weight. Maybe we’d meet at 140 or something. Me and Miguel are really good friends, I think he’s coming down for this fight just to see me fight for the title. He’s a furious fighter, and that’s part of his Mexican heritage, and that’s how I fight too. It would be crazy for us to mix it up.

He’s such a well-rounded fighter, he can do so many different things. I’m sure you and Greg would have an interesting time trying to come up with a game plan for him.
Yeah, he’s so well rounded, it would be tough. The way I see it, I just want the greatest fights out there. Pound-for-pound, he’s one of the greatest fighters out there, and that’s the kind of fights I like.

It sounds like what motivates you is the challenge of finding the toughest opponents.
For sure. I’m extremely competitive. Like I said, me and Cowboy, we’re at each other’s throats daily with competitions. Even things like, we bought a hunting bow the other day and we’re shooting apples, trying to talk people into putting the apples on their heads. Both of us are driven the same way. We want to be better than everybody at everything. I just love the thought of tough fights. I like that feeling. I hate going into easy fights. I fought Allen Berubie in the UFC and it was hard for me to get up and train for that fight because I knew I had better skills than him, and it didn’t excite me.

Mike Brown excites the s**t out of me. He’s such a tough fighter, he’s a great athlete, he comes after people. There’s nothing scarier than a guy who’s going to come after you. So to come in a gym, and prepare for a guy like that, is what does it for me every day.

What would it mean to you to have that belt around your waist on Sunday night?
For me, just to have the opportunity to fight for it is a dream come true. To actually have that belt would be something hard to put into words. I’ve always said I’m not going to be that guy who cries on TV, but even when I talk about it and think about it, I get choked up. This is something I’m looking forward to.

Aldo: “I’m the number one pound-for-pound fighter”.
By Frank Curreri, UFC.com

No, you’re not imagining things. Jose “Junior” Aldo is back again. The 22-year-old phenom is Texas-bound for his fourth WEC fight in the past eight months. The Brazilian is set to lock horns with an extremely

powerful and aggressive Iraqi war veteran named Chris Mickle (31-11-2), who doesn’t seem to care that the 13-1 Aldo has been manhandling opponents and skyrocketing up the featherweight contender ladder in the process.

In this interview, Aldo discusses his upcoming test in the cage, why he might be toning down his victory dances and celebrations in the future, why he would consider dropping to 135 pounds to fight and whether he views himself as one of the 10 best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. You do not want to miss this compelling conversation, which was translated from Portuguese to English by John Tabor.

WEC: First of all, Jose, congratulations on your most recent victory over Rolando Perez — very impressive. You ran out of the cage and into the stands immediately after winning. In the past you have backflipped off the cage after winning. Do you think soccer (futbol in Brazil) has influenced your celebrations? I say that because in futbol (just as in American football with a touchdown), whenever a goal is scored, players have all kinds of cool celebrations. Also, what kind of feedback/reaction did your friends (Thales Leites, Andre Pederneiras, etc.) and other fighters offer you about your most recent impromptu celebration, running into the stands after beating Perez?
Aldo: Thank you, Frank, I appreciate the congratulations. As for the celebrations, I do believe soccer influences the way I celebrate. Since my first dream was to be a soccer player, I guess that carries through to this day; maybe it’s a way for me to live out that first dream. Managing to knock someone out is the same feeling as scoring a goal. You see everyone excited, jumping and shouting and you pick up on the moment. The problem was that my cornermen didn’t get in the mood of the celebrations — they were furious. Whenever the subject comes up they curse me.

WEC: Tell me about the thrill of knocking out an opponent? Describe that feeling. What goes through your mind?
Aldo: The thrill of knocking out an opponent is one of the best things in the world, your work is done.

WEC: You’re fighting yet again on March 1. That will be four fights in 8 months, which is a very busy pace for a WEC fighter. Are there any drawbacks or negatives to fighting so frequently? Does it interfere with your ability to peak for fights? Ideally, how many times a year would you like to fight and why?
Aldo: Of course there could be a drawback to fighting so frequently, but in my case there has not been so far. As I left my last three fights without serious injury, there has been nothing to hinder me. It actually helps me peak, as I’m always at or near fighting shape. Of course I have to bring the pace up or down depending on how I feel and the proximity to the fight. I guess ideally I would fight four or five times a year, depending on my condition leaving my fights.

WEC: Rank the best fighters in the world at 145 pounds, including yourself.
Aldo: At this point I won’t put myself as number one because I have no title, and I haven’t fought any of the people I put at the top of my list, even though I believe I can beat all of them once I get that opportunity to fight the top guys and hold the title. As for my ranking, I’ll put Mike Thomas Brown at the top, Leonard Garcia at number two, Urijah Faber at three, Wagnney Fabiano at four, and my teammate, King of Pancrase Marlon Sandro, at five.

WEC: Now let’s alter the question just a little bit. Do you believe you’re one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound?
Aldo: I do believe I’m one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I’m the number one pound-for-pound fighter just above Georges St. Pierre. I consider myself so because the way I see it is that I have the three prerequisites: I’m great standing, with my takedowns, and on the ground, with Jiu-Jitsu.

WEC: You’ve been annihilating and destroying opponents in spectacular fashion. What is the secret to your success?
Aldo: My secret to my success so far is putting in hard work in training, believing and having the great team and great coach that I have.

WEC: What is the best advice that your coach, Andre Pederneiras, has ever given to you as a fighter? What is the best advice he has ever give you for life?
Aldo: I guess the best advice Dede (Andre Pederneiras) gave me was just telling me to train hard, put in the effort and the day will come when I’ll be the best in the world. I guess that goes for life advice too, since the effort you put in is fundamental in achieving your goals, hard work pays off. More than advice, though, Dede is an invaluable asset to me for the support he provides me in life every day, the confidence he gives me.

WEC: Have you signed a new deal/extension with the WEC? If so, how many more fights are you under contract for?
Aldo: My upcoming fight will be the first of five fights in my five-fight contract extension.

WEC: I heard a rumor that you are considering dropping to the 135-pound weight class? Is that true? Are you definitely going to drop to 135 pounds? If so, do you think this fight against Chris Mickle will be your last at 145 pounds?
Aldo: We did think of my dropping to 135 pounds, but I’d only do that were it to fight for the title. I’m definitively in the 145 weight class and my objective is to win the title.

WEC: If you are dropping to 135 pounds, then why? You have been so dominant at 145 pounds, after all, and it seems that you believe you could beat anyone at the weight class. Wagnney Fabiano, another elite fighter, is one of your training partners. Are you dropping because you guys are friends and do not want to fight each other, or are there other reasons?
Aldo: Wagnney is my buddy but avoiding facing him was not the reason we considered my dropping in weight. The reason for there being talk of my dropping categories is that Miguel Torres has been so dominant in the 135-pound weight class and we have a bit of a past. I think he’s a great fighter and would love to fight him. But there is also the story of how we were supposed to face each other years ago in Brazil, when his master, my master’s master, Carlson issued a challenge to any bantamweight fighter in Brazil, saying Miguel was the best. My master, Andre, accepted and offered me as an opponent, but it never ended up happening.

WEC: What weight do you normally walk around at when you’re in shape? Do you have to cut weight and starve yourself on fight days to make weight or is it an "easy cut"?
Aldo: When I don’t have a fight lined up and am just waiting I’ll get up to 162 pounds. When I’m active and know I’ll be fighting, I generally stay at around 158 pounds or so. Making weight is horrible.

I hate having to diet, limit what I eat. I like to eat well.

WEC: Have you ever fought at 135 pounds? Do you think it will be difficult for you to lose the weight and might it compromise your cardiovascular endurance, strength and performance?
Aldo: I used to only fight at 135 pounds. All the first Shootos I fought at were as a bantamweight.

WEC: Forgive my forwardness, but the scar on the left side of your face, how did you acquire it?
Aldo: I don’t mind explaining where I got the scar. I was just a baby and my mom wasn’t paying attention for a moment when my sisters rolled me onto the barbecue pit being used for a 1986 World Cup party.

WEC: Your opponent on March 1 is a guy named Chris Mickle. He’s an American who has over 40 fights on his record and a whole bunch of other unsanctioned fights under his belt. Have you been able to see any video on him? What do you know about Chris Mickle and his fighting style? Is it important to you to know as much as possible about him?
Aldo: I have seen a highlight video of him; he’s obviously a great fighter with a lot of experience. I haven’t managed to find much footage on him, but he seems to be really aggressive and is well-rounded, fighting both on the ground, with lots of submissions, and is good standing, with some knockouts. It is certainly important to know as much about my opponents as possible but that is best left to Dede to find out. Dede comes up with the strategies, I just execute them.

WEC: Even though you destroyed Rolando Perez last fight, did you uncover any flaws in your performance that you are trying to fix?
Aldo: I’m always looking to improve but, if I find a weakness in my performance, I’ll keep it a secret. I’m always trying to improve though.