When you’re young and into sports, you envision yourself competing at the highest level.
The game of street hockey with your friends isn’t taking place on Caledonia Avenue; you’re playing at Joe Louis Arena, for the Red Wings, in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The basketball court up at the park transforms into the Staples Center, and you’re the new Kobe, doing your thing on the way to another championship ring.
No matter what sport you’re playing, the roar of the home crowd is so real in your head that you swear you can hear it on the wind. The silent play-by-play recited with each step, each move, and each shot becomes audible as you rise up to stroke the winning jumper.
From the time he decided to become a professional fighter, Mike Ricci envisioned himself fighting at home in Montreal, before a ravenous packed house at the Bell Centre, walking towards the Octagon for a bout in the UFC lightweight division as part of a massive pay-per-view fight card.
Over his first 11 fights, the 26-year-old product of the renowned Tristar Gym has experienced different pieces of that dream independent from one another. He’s fought at the home of Les Habitants on a number of occasions, and always in front of passionate, partisan crowds. Last December, he made his first official appearance inside the Octagon at welterweight, losing to Colton Smith in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter.
Saturday night, Ricci will get to live out his dream exactly the way he’s always envisioned it.
“This is what I got started in this sport for, right – to be in the UFC, as a lightweight?” Ricci asked rhetorically. “The hand I was dealt played me into being a welterweight, being on TUF, and going through all of that – which was a great experience. I learned a lot, and improved a lot, but now is what I’ve always dreamed of: fighting in the UFC, at lightweight, at home, on pay-per-view in front of 20,000 people.
“I couldn’t really ask for much more; I get to live out my dream. Even though it’s just the beginning of my career, I get to do what I’ve been wanting to do for the last six years that one night. I can’t really describe (how it feels). I can explain the specifics, but the feeling I can’t really speak on; it’s hard to describe.”
While the feelings that fill Ricci as he thinks about stepping into the cage with Colin “Freakshow” Fletcher to kick off the pay-per-view portion of Saturday night’s UFC 158 fight card are ineffable, the engaging Canadian competitor is not at a loss for words when it comes to his motivation heading into this fight.
After making it to the finals on Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter as a welterweight, Ricci had no answers for Smith in the finals, losing a unanimous decision to the active-duty member of the United States Army in a fight that can best be described as bland.
Advancing to the finals while fighting up in weight bought the now 8-3 fighter another kick at the can back down at his natural weight of 155 pounds, where he’ll meet Fletcher, who missed out on his chance to join the fraternity of Ultimate Fighter winners when he lost to Norman Parke in the lightweight finals on “The Smashes” the same night Ricci was controlled by Smith.
It’s an evening the long and lean lightweight has regrets about, not for his performance, but for his preparation, and he has actively worked to change the elements of that fight camp in order to avoid experiencing those same distractions and frustrations this time around.
“This fight has been completely about me,” Ricci stated flatly. “I have not focused on any social media; I’ve barely done any interviews. I’m done with everything else. I was so caught up with what everyone else was saying, what websites I was on, what interviews I was doing, and I fought that night in the TUF Finale for everybody else.
“I tore my (lateral cruciate ligament) about a month and a half before the fight, and in all honesty, I was sitting on the bench for four weeks. I probably shouldn’t have taken that fight, but I fought for everybody else. I was in the finale, the first Canadian, I was with a new management company, I was with the UFC, so I had to make them happy.
“I was so caught up in everybody else,” he continued, his frustration with the experience evident in his voice. “I was fighting for everybody else, worried about what everybody else was saying, and I kind of forgot where I came from, and how hard I worked to get to where I am. That has been the best part of this training camp for me, and now on fight night I get to go out there and do what I do best.
“I literally went over to The Ultimate Fighter thinking, `I need to stand up and knock these dudes out. If I do take them down, I have to be very cautious about how I use my energy.’ Now that I’m here at ’55, I can use all my tools – my jiu-jitsu, my wrestling, my striking – and I look forward to showing everyone and reminding everyone that I’m a lightweight.”
When this fight was announced as the opening act for this weekend’s main card, the MMA community questioned the decision. Here were two fighters making their post-TUF debuts, each having lost their last fight, being included on the pay-per-view portion of the show, while more experienced fighters with greater track records were relegated to the prelims.
Ricci understands the pushback, but is confident that no one will be complaining about his inclusion on the main card once he’s done sharing the cage with Fletcher on Saturday night.
“I understand that I came off a loss my last fight, but I think the UFC was happy with my performance on TUF as a whole,” posited Ricci, who will be fighting in his hometown for the eighth time in his career. “I understand that you’re only as good as your last fight, but as a whole for the show, I think they really appreciated what I did. The fact that I’m coming back down a weight class, I think my stock will naturally go up (as a result).
“I moved down, I’m from Montreal, I have a big fan base over here, and I think my fight is going to make a lot of noise, and a lot of people are going to show up to watch that fight,” he continued. “I understand how some people would question `Why is he on pay-per-view? He just lost,’ but I think if you look at the matchup stylistically, it’s very hard to see this fight being anything other than fireworks.
“Colin is a durable fighter; he’s always down to smash, always moving forward. We’re both tall, long lightweights, and my style – I could knock anyone out. He’s super-durable, he’s got great jiu-jitsu, great submissions, and so I don’t see how this fight could be relaxed for even two seconds.”
There is a chip on Ricci’s shoulder; a distinct pissed off tone to the things he says. Nearly three months later, his performance against Smith in the TUF Finale still irritates him, a feeling that is exacerbated by the fact that he’s watched it “over and over again,” as he puts it.
Saturday’s fight is partially about turning his dream into reality, but it’s also about erasing the real-life nightmare from December 15, 2012 from everyone’s memory, including his own.
“When I walked out on the TUF Finale – I’ve watched it over and over again – I don’t even recognize myself. I was barely into it. I got in there, and I just wanted to get it over with. I did damage control the entire fight. I went there just to get it over with.
“My whole camp, I was exhausted from the show, and living in Vegas, and every training session was, `Okay, let me get this over with,’ so come fight night, I was exhausted. All week leading up to the fight I kept saying to (teammate and best friend) Rory (MacDonald), `I just want to get this over with. I just want to get this over with.’ It wasn’t my fight. It wasn’t my fight to win. Colton came prepared with the right strategy, and he implemented it.
“I think that when it comes to March 16, people are going to see a difference. They’re not going to recognize me, just like I didn’t recognize myself on the TUF Finale. I’m going to show up to fight and to win. I’m showing up to win this fight no matter what it takes. I’m not showing up just to get this over with.
“I don’t care whether it takes one minute to beat Colin or 15 minutes – the entire time I’m going to be attacking.”
When you’re young and into sports, you envision yourself competing at the highest level.
The game of street hockey with your friends isn’t taking place on Caledonia Avenue; you’re playing at Joe Louis Arena, for the Red Wings, in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The basketball court up at the park transforms into the Staples Center, and you’re the new Kobe, doing your thing on the way to another championship ring.
No matter what sport you’re playing, the roar of the home crowd is so real in your head that you swear you can hear it on the wind. The silent play-by-play recited with each step, each move, and each shot becomes audible as you rise up to stroke the winning jumper.
From the time he decided to become a professional fighter, Mike Ricci envisioned himself fighting at home in Montreal, before a ravenous packed house at the Bell Centre, walking towards the Octagon for a bout in the UFC lightweight division as part of a massive pay-per-view fight card.
Over his first 11 fights, the 26-year-old product of the renowned Tristar Gym has experienced different pieces of that dream independent from one another. He’s fought at the home of Les Habitants on a number of occasions, and always in front of passionate, partisan crowds. Last December, he made his first official appearance inside the Octagon at welterweight, losing to Colton Smith in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter.
Saturday night, Ricci will get to live out his dream exactly the way he’s always envisioned it.
“This is what I got started in this sport for, right – to be in the UFC, as a lightweight?” Ricci asked rhetorically. “The hand I was dealt played me into being a welterweight, being on TUF, and going through all of that – which was a great experience. I learned a lot, and improved a lot, but now is what I’ve always dreamed of: fighting in the UFC, at lightweight, at home, on pay-per-view in front of 20,000 people.
“I couldn’t really ask for much more; I get to live out my dream. Even though it’s just the beginning of my career, I get to do what I’ve been wanting to do for the last six years that one night. I can’t really describe (how it feels). I can explain the specifics, but the feeling I can’t really speak on; it’s hard to describe.”
While the feelings that fill Ricci as he thinks about stepping into the cage with Colin “Freakshow” Fletcher to kick off the pay-per-view portion of Saturday night’s UFC 158 fight card are ineffable, the engaging Canadian competitor is not at a loss for words when it comes to his motivation heading into this fight.
After making it to the finals on Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter as a welterweight, Ricci had no answers for Smith in the finals, losing a unanimous decision to the active-duty member of the United States Army in a fight that can best be described as bland.
Advancing to the finals while fighting up in weight bought the now 8-3 fighter another kick at the can back down at his natural weight of 155 pounds, where he’ll meet Fletcher, who missed out on his chance to join the fraternity of Ultimate Fighter winners when he lost to Norman Parke in the lightweight finals on “The Smashes” the same night Ricci was controlled by Smith.
It’s an evening the long and lean lightweight has regrets about, not for his performance, but for his preparation, and he has actively worked to change the elements of that fight camp in order to avoid experiencing those same distractions and frustrations this time around.
“This fight has been completely about me,” Ricci stated flatly. “I have not focused on any social media; I’ve barely done any interviews. I’m done with everything else. I was so caught up with what everyone else was saying, what websites I was on, what interviews I was doing, and I fought that night in the TUF Finale for everybody else.
“I tore my (lateral cruciate ligament) about a month and a half before the fight, and in all honesty, I was sitting on the bench for four weeks. I probably shouldn’t have taken that fight, but I fought for everybody else. I was in the finale, the first Canadian, I was with a new management company, I was with the UFC, so I had to make them happy.
“I was so caught up in everybody else,” he continued, his frustration with the experience evident in his voice. “I was fighting for everybody else, worried about what everybody else was saying, and I kind of forgot where I came from, and how hard I worked to get to where I am. That has been the best part of this training camp for me, and now on fight night I get to go out there and do what I do best.
“I literally went over to The Ultimate Fighter thinking, `I need to stand up and knock these dudes out. If I do take them down, I have to be very cautious about how I use my energy.’ Now that I’m here at ’55, I can use all my tools – my jiu-jitsu, my wrestling, my striking – and I look forward to showing everyone and reminding everyone that I’m a lightweight.”
When this fight was announced as the opening act for this weekend’s main card, the MMA community questioned the decision. Here were two fighters making their post-TUF debuts, each having lost their last fight, being included on the pay-per-view portion of the show, while more experienced fighters with greater track records were relegated to the prelims.
Ricci understands the pushback, but is confident that no one will be complaining about his inclusion on the main card once he’s done sharing the cage with Fletcher on Saturday night.
“I understand that I came off a loss my last fight, but I think the UFC was happy with my performance on TUF as a whole,” posited Ricci, who will be fighting in his hometown for the eighth time in his career. “I understand that you’re only as good as your last fight, but as a whole for the show, I think they really appreciated what I did. The fact that I’m coming back down a weight class, I think my stock will naturally go up (as a result).
“I moved down, I’m from Montreal, I have a big fan base over here, and I think my fight is going to make a lot of noise, and a lot of people are going to show up to watch that fight,” he continued. “I understand how some people would question `Why is he on pay-per-view? He just lost,’ but I think if you look at the matchup stylistically, it’s very hard to see this fight being anything other than fireworks.
“Colin is a durable fighter; he’s always down to smash, always moving forward. We’re both tall, long lightweights, and my style – I could knock anyone out. He’s super-durable, he’s got great jiu-jitsu, great submissions, and so I don’t see how this fight could be relaxed for even two seconds.”
There is a chip on Ricci’s shoulder; a distinct pissed off tone to the things he says. Nearly three months later, his performance against Smith in the TUF Finale still irritates him, a feeling that is exacerbated by the fact that he’s watched it “over and over again,” as he puts it.
Saturday’s fight is partially about turning his dream into reality, but it’s also about erasing the real-life nightmare from December 15, 2012 from everyone’s memory, including his own.
“When I walked out on the TUF Finale – I’ve watched it over and over again – I don’t even recognize myself. I was barely into it. I got in there, and I just wanted to get it over with. I did damage control the entire fight. I went there just to get it over with.
“My whole camp, I was exhausted from the show, and living in Vegas, and every training session was, `Okay, let me get this over with,’ so come fight night, I was exhausted. All week leading up to the fight I kept saying to (teammate and best friend) Rory (MacDonald), `I just want to get this over with. I just want to get this over with.’ It wasn’t my fight. It wasn’t my fight to win. Colton came prepared with the right strategy, and he implemented it.
“I think that when it comes to March 16, people are going to see a difference. They’re not going to recognize me, just like I didn’t recognize myself on the TUF Finale. I’m going to show up to fight and to win. I’m showing up to win this fight no matter what it takes. I’m not showing up just to get this over with.
“I don’t care whether it takes one minute to beat Colin or 15 minutes – the entire time I’m going to be attacking.”
Fighting in Montreal is becoming a regular occurrence for Antonio Carvalho.
This weekend, the 33-year-old veteran will make his second consecutive trip to Canada’s second largest city to face off with Darren Elkins at the Bell Centre as part of the televised preliminary card for UFC 158. Four months earlier, the Canadian featherweight earned his second consecutive victory in the UFC in the same building, taking the nod in a hard-fought three rounder with Rodrigo Damm at UFC 154.
Like many Canadian fighters, Carvalho made trips to Montreal in the early stages of his career as well, earning the third and fourth wins of his career. Eventually, he would depart for Japan, and go on to establish himself as one of the top featherweights in the world while facing off with the likes of “Lion” Takeshi Inoue, Jeff Curran, Rumina Sato, and Hatsu Hioki.
But between his early appearances and his two most recent visits came arguably his most important fight in the City of Montreal.
After back-to-back losses to Hiroyuki Takeya and Yuji Hoshino in Japan, injuries and overall exhaustion led the Ontario native to hang up his gloves and walk away from the sport. Less than two years after the loss to Hoshimo, he was back in the cage and back in Montreal, ready to make one last go of things.
Three years later, Carvalho is once again in Montreal, but instead of taking on Eddie Fyvie at the Pierre Charbonneau Centre, he’s stepping into the Octagon on the biggest stage in the sport, squaring off with an opponent on a four-fight winning streak.
“The goal when I came back was to make it to the UFC, and we accomplished that,” said Carvalho, who trains and teaches at Bruckmann Martial Arts in Oshawa, Ontario. “I’m very happy I’ve gotten to this point – I’ve surpassed everything I ever thought I was going to accomplish in this sport – so I’m trying to do my best to enjoy myself. Sometimes I’m a bit hard on myself, but I have to remember this is what I love to do. I have to constantly be reminded of why I’m doing this in the first place, and it’s because I love to compete and I love to fight.”
While many view making it to the big leagues as a sign that “you’ve made it,” the Canadian pioneer who made a name for himself under the Shooto banner sees it a little differently.
“Most people think you make it to the UFC, all of a sudden you’ve made it, but you’ve got to make it in the UFC as well. That’s what I’m finding out now, and it’s a lot of hard work.
“It’s hard to distinguish yourself in an organization with hundreds of fighters – great fighters; the best on the planet – and you’re just trying to find your spot in there,” continued the engaging 15-5 featherweight competitor. “I still think I’m trying to find my spot in the UFC. I go from losing my first fight to having a great second fight, and then I had a fairly lackluster third fight. Next thing you know, people forget or they don’t care anymore, and that’s just the way it is. You’ve got to keep impressing people, and that’s difficult. It’s hard to be consistent.”
In his eyes, that has been the one thing that has been missing throughout his career: consistency.
After coming up short in his UFC debut about Felipe Arantes, Carvalho collected the first UFC win of his career in exciting fashion, knocking out Daniel Pineda in just 71 seconds at UFC 149 in Calgary. He says he pressed too hard at UFC 154, trying to replicate that performance when he faced Damm last year in Montreal, and came up short, although he did come away with the win.
“(Finding that consistency) is hard. The truth is, if I were capable of doing that consistently – and I go back to that word consistency – I would be higher up. I think it’s what makes the difference between the guys who are champions and the guys who aren’t.”
Carvalho will once again look to bring his best efforts to the cage at UFC 158 when he squares off with Elkins, an underrated and “under the radar” competitor who has quietly amassed four straight wins since dropping down to featherweight.
With the featherweight division gaining increasing exposure with each card, and the landscape of the division shifting as more fighters from the lightweight division move south on the scale, the man known as “Pato” knows that this is a pivotal fight in his push to establish himself as a potential contender in the increasingly deep and dangerous 145-pound ranks.
“When his name came up,” began Carvalho, “I said yes right away for two reasons: (1) I think he’s a quality opponent, and (2) he is on a winning streak, and I knew that. I follow all the other guys in the division, so I know exactly what’s going on, and who’s who, and for me, I think he’s going to be a huge test. This is the kind of fighter that I believe I have to be able to perform against in order to move forward, and I think it’s the same for him. I need to do something impressive, and so does he.
“I guess you could call us both “dark horses” in the division, and we’re both trying to find that one moment to impress people in order to move forward. I was a little surprised they offered him to me in a sense because he is on a four-fight winning streak, and I feel he’s a bit further ahead than I am in that sense.
“I know he’s the favorite over me at this point in time,” added Carvalho. “I also know what kind of fighter and person Darren Elkins is and that he doesn’t take anybody lightly. He’s been under the radar, beating very good quality opponents unexpectedly. He faltered out of the gate, but he learned from it, and has put together a win streak, so I think he’s definitely not taking me lightly either. It’s going to be a difficult fight.”
At this level, though, every fight is difficult, which makes little things like getting to compete on Canadian soil for a third consecutive event a nice bonus and added motivation for the Canadian veteran.
“I’m happy the UFC is booking me in Canada. I wasn’t expecting them to book me in Canada again, and they booked me for a third time, which hopefully means I’m doing something right,” laughed Carvalho, who has gone 10-0 for his career fighting in his home country.
“It’s very helpful for me in general. I don’t have to deal with taxes or travelling too far. I’m five minutes from the VIA Rail, and then four hours later I’m in Montreal, right next to the venue, right next to the hotel. It facilitates things for me, and everyone can come out and enjoy UFC week, so I’m very grateful for that for sure.
“I never thought I would get this many chances to perform in front of my friends and family, so I enjoy it because I feel like everyone is a part of it. At the end of the day – win, lose, or draw – they’re always there for me, and I’m glad that we’re all taking this ride together.”
More than 10 years after his career started, and nearly three years since he stepped back into the cage in Montreal after his brief retirement, Carvalho is right back where he’s always been – competing alongside the best featherweights in the world.
“It’s funny because it has been three years, but some days it feels a lot longer,” said Carvalho in closing. “Like I told you earlier, I’ve surpassed every expectation I’ve ever had for myself. I’m sometimes still shocked that I’m amongst the best fighters in the world. I’m still star-struck when I see certain people, but I really am amongst them. I do feel like I belong.”
He does belong. He always has.
Fighting in Montreal is becoming a regular occurrence for Antonio Carvalho.
This weekend, the 33-year-old veteran will make his second consecutive trip to Canada’s second largest city to face off with Darren Elkins at the Bell Centre as part of the televised preliminary card for UFC 158. Four months earlier, the Canadian featherweight earned his second consecutive victory in the UFC in the same building, taking the nod in a hard-fought three rounder with Rodrigo Damm at UFC 154.
Like many Canadian fighters, Carvalho made trips to Montreal in the early stages of his career as well, earning the third and fourth wins of his career. Eventually, he would depart for Japan, and go on to establish himself as one of the top featherweights in the world while facing off with the likes of “Lion” Takeshi Inoue, Jeff Curran, Rumina Sato, and Hatsu Hioki.
But between his early appearances and his two most recent visits came arguably his most important fight in the City of Montreal.
After back-to-back losses to Hiroyuki Takeya and Yuji Hoshino in Japan, injuries and overall exhaustion led the Ontario native to hang up his gloves and walk away from the sport. Less than two years after the loss to Hoshimo, he was back in the cage and back in Montreal, ready to make one last go of things.
Three years later, Carvalho is once again in Montreal, but instead of taking on Eddie Fyvie at the Pierre Charbonneau Centre, he’s stepping into the Octagon on the biggest stage in the sport, squaring off with an opponent on a four-fight winning streak.
“The goal when I came back was to make it to the UFC, and we accomplished that,” said Carvalho, who trains and teaches at Bruckmann Martial Arts in Oshawa, Ontario. “I’m very happy I’ve gotten to this point – I’ve surpassed everything I ever thought I was going to accomplish in this sport – so I’m trying to do my best to enjoy myself. Sometimes I’m a bit hard on myself, but I have to remember this is what I love to do. I have to constantly be reminded of why I’m doing this in the first place, and it’s because I love to compete and I love to fight.”
While many view making it to the big leagues as a sign that “you’ve made it,” the Canadian pioneer who made a name for himself under the Shooto banner sees it a little differently.
“Most people think you make it to the UFC, all of a sudden you’ve made it, but you’ve got to make it in the UFC as well. That’s what I’m finding out now, and it’s a lot of hard work.
“It’s hard to distinguish yourself in an organization with hundreds of fighters – great fighters; the best on the planet – and you’re just trying to find your spot in there,” continued the engaging 15-5 featherweight competitor. “I still think I’m trying to find my spot in the UFC. I go from losing my first fight to having a great second fight, and then I had a fairly lackluster third fight. Next thing you know, people forget or they don’t care anymore, and that’s just the way it is. You’ve got to keep impressing people, and that’s difficult. It’s hard to be consistent.”
In his eyes, that has been the one thing that has been missing throughout his career: consistency.
After coming up short in his UFC debut about Felipe Arantes, Carvalho collected the first UFC win of his career in exciting fashion, knocking out Daniel Pineda in just 71 seconds at UFC 149 in Calgary. He says he pressed too hard at UFC 154, trying to replicate that performance when he faced Damm last year in Montreal, and came up short, although he did come away with the win.
“(Finding that consistency) is hard. The truth is, if I were capable of doing that consistently – and I go back to that word consistency – I would be higher up. I think it’s what makes the difference between the guys who are champions and the guys who aren’t.”
Carvalho will once again look to bring his best efforts to the cage at UFC 158 when he squares off with Elkins, an underrated and “under the radar” competitor who has quietly amassed four straight wins since dropping down to featherweight.
With the featherweight division gaining increasing exposure with each card, and the landscape of the division shifting as more fighters from the lightweight division move south on the scale, the man known as “Pato” knows that this is a pivotal fight in his push to establish himself as a potential contender in the increasingly deep and dangerous 145-pound ranks.
“When his name came up,” began Carvalho, “I said yes right away for two reasons: (1) I think he’s a quality opponent, and (2) he is on a winning streak, and I knew that. I follow all the other guys in the division, so I know exactly what’s going on, and who’s who, and for me, I think he’s going to be a huge test. This is the kind of fighter that I believe I have to be able to perform against in order to move forward, and I think it’s the same for him. I need to do something impressive, and so does he.
“I guess you could call us both “dark horses” in the division, and we’re both trying to find that one moment to impress people in order to move forward. I was a little surprised they offered him to me in a sense because he is on a four-fight winning streak, and I feel he’s a bit further ahead than I am in that sense.
“I know he’s the favorite over me at this point in time,” added Carvalho. “I also know what kind of fighter and person Darren Elkins is and that he doesn’t take anybody lightly. He’s been under the radar, beating very good quality opponents unexpectedly. He faltered out of the gate, but he learned from it, and has put together a win streak, so I think he’s definitely not taking me lightly either. It’s going to be a difficult fight.”
At this level, though, every fight is difficult, which makes little things like getting to compete on Canadian soil for a third consecutive event a nice bonus and added motivation for the Canadian veteran.
“I’m happy the UFC is booking me in Canada. I wasn’t expecting them to book me in Canada again, and they booked me for a third time, which hopefully means I’m doing something right,” laughed Carvalho, who has gone 10-0 for his career fighting in his home country.
“It’s very helpful for me in general. I don’t have to deal with taxes or travelling too far. I’m five minutes from the VIA Rail, and then four hours later I’m in Montreal, right next to the venue, right next to the hotel. It facilitates things for me, and everyone can come out and enjoy UFC week, so I’m very grateful for that for sure.
“I never thought I would get this many chances to perform in front of my friends and family, so I enjoy it because I feel like everyone is a part of it. At the end of the day – win, lose, or draw – they’re always there for me, and I’m glad that we’re all taking this ride together.”
More than 10 years after his career started, and nearly three years since he stepped back into the cage in Montreal after his brief retirement, Carvalho is right back where he’s always been – competing alongside the best featherweights in the world.
“It’s funny because it has been three years, but some days it feels a lot longer,” said Carvalho in closing. “Like I told you earlier, I’ve surpassed every expectation I’ve ever had for myself. I’m sometimes still shocked that I’m amongst the best fighters in the world. I’m still star-struck when I see certain people, but I really am amongst them. I do feel like I belong.”
As the days drop off the calendar, and fight night draws closer, some fighters retreat into themselves and shut out the world around them. They steal themselves away, intensely focused on their upcoming fight, their hotel room in the host city transforming into “The Land Where Jokes Go to Die.”
Fighting is serious business, and the task at hand is treated accordingly.
If you’re one of the more than 12,000 people who follow the 27-year-old Wayne, Michigan native on Twitter (@Cruickshank155), you know this to be true. From training camp photos after the latest “Funk Fitness” class to far too many “Here’s me in the bathroom” pictures than any one person should take, the former Ultimate Fighter contestant keeps it light and easy every day of the week, even during fight week.
“I have fun with every part of the sport: getting ready for the fight, interacting with everybody on Facebook and Twitter, and the fans in general; not being so serious all the time,” explained the fast-talking lightweight who returns to the Octagon next Saturday night opposite John Makdessi in a dark horse Fight of the Night contender.
“I’m not that guy that gets an adrenaline rush before his fight, and is mean-mugging everybody. I’m the guy that’s smiling, having a good time, and cracking jokes in the back. The thing is that you’ve got to be comfortable and you’ve got to be relaxed, and the way I do that is I have fun with it.”
Don’t let his laid back, “let’s have some fun” approach give you the wrong impression though: Cruickshank is no joke when he steps into the cage.
After amassing a 10-2 record on the regional circuit and winning his way onto the cast of The Ultimate Fighter Live, Cruickshank worked through a gritty grappling match with Team Cruz antagonist Chris Tickle on the show’s finale, adding his first UFC win to his resume. While the bout with Tickle was a grind, Cruickshank put his striking skills on full display in his sophomore appearance in the UFC cage last December in Seattle, and put everyone in the division on notice in the process.
Squaring off with hard-nosed Team Jackson-Winkeljohn fighter Henry Martinez on 2012’s final UFC on FOX card in “The Emerald City,” the tae kwon do black belt showed off his standup game, including a wide array of quick and powerful kicks. He seasoned up Martinez with heavy shots to the legs and body in the opening round, and after more of the same early in the second, Cruickshank went upstarts, planting his shin on the side of Martinez’ head with a thud that was audible on press row at the KeyArena.
As his opponent dropped, Cruickshank raised his hands – his showing in Seattle netting him a second consecutive UFC win, while pushing his overall winning streak to six and raising his profile within the division and the MMA community.
“Yeah – it was a great fight for my career, and the performance kind of skyrocketed me a little bit,” he said of the victory over Martinez, proud of the performance, but clearly focused on the future.
The future arrives a week from today in the form of Makdessi, a Nova Scotia native now based out of the renowned Tristar Gym in Montreal. Through his first five appearances in the UFC, “The Bull” has garnered three wins, including a unanimous decision victory over fellow Canadian Sam Stout when the UFC returned to the Bell Centre last November.
Like Cruickshank, Makdessi is a black belt in tae kwon do, and a sharp, technical striker who will look to work angles and keep his opponents off balance with an assortment of attacks.
“I’ve never met the guy – I’ve never even seen him fight – but when (the UFC) sent me his name, at the bottom of the text message it said, `This could possibly be Fight of the Night,’ and I basically agreed right there before I even looked him up,” Cruickshank admitted about how the bout came together. “That’s what I want, that’s what I’m looking for, so let’s go ahead and do it.
“Obviously I’ve been working on some of his strengths and the way he fights – he’s very lead leg, lead foot dominant, so I’ve been doing a lot of counters for that, but the ultimate goal is to put on a good show, and to go out there, give it everything I got. The best feeling in the world is knocking someone out, so that’s what I plan on doing.”
The energetic and engaging Michigan native also anticipates playing the “bad guy” role next weekend. UFC 158 will be Cruickshank’s second trip to the Bell Centre, and his second time fighting a “local boy” under the bright lights, having defeated fellow UFC 158 competitor – and Makdessi’s Tristar teammate – Mike Ricci inside the home of Les Habitants back in October 2011.
“Silence is bad,” laughed Cruickshank. “I love going out there, and really, being booed when you go to another place is almost like being cheered; you’ve just got to flip it around. There’s always a good guy, there’s always a bad guy, and I like playing that bad guy role.”
Truthfully, there are very true “bad guys” in this sport, and Cruickshank is certainly not one of them. After all, it’s hard not to like a fighter who manages to find the silver lining in a recent bout of gastro-intestinal issues.
“This is the best weight cut I’ve ever had, but that’s probably because I got food poisoning a couple weeks ago, and I dropped all the weight I could,” he deadpanned. “It’s a blessing in disguise. You go through a lot of toilet paper, but it’s all good.”
Just as he’s settled into his light-hearted routine around training camp and fight week, Cruickshank is also starting to get comfortable with the rigors of fight week. After having gone through the longest season in Ultimate Fighter history and having to prepare for his official promotional debut at a neutral site in Las Vegas, prepping for UFC 158 in familiar confines has “The Detroit Superstar” ready to put on a show next Saturday night.
“Being on The Ultimate Fighter, that was way different than normal, way different than getting ready with your own camp, your own support system, and things like that,” admitted Cruickshank in closing. “That was a little difficult, but I got through it, and now I’m at home. I’m doing everything that I want to do, I have all my people backing me up, and it’s just going to produce even better results.
“It keeps the stress level down. Everything is falling into place, and the more fights I get, the more experience I get, the easier this job becomes.
“(As for UFC 158), it all depends on who shows up, and I’m looking to show up for this fight. I want to go out there, put on a good show, and hopefully I perform.”
As the days drop off the calendar, and fight night draws closer, some fighters retreat into themselves and shut out the world around them. They steal themselves away, intensely focused on their upcoming fight, their hotel room in the host city transforming into “The Land Where Jokes Go to Die.”
Fighting is serious business, and the task at hand is treated accordingly.
If you’re one of the more than 12,000 people who follow the 27-year-old Wayne, Michigan native on Twitter (@Cruickshank155), you know this to be true. From training camp photos after the latest “Funk Fitness” class to far too many “Here’s me in the bathroom” pictures than any one person should take, the former Ultimate Fighter contestant keeps it light and easy every day of the week, even during fight week.
“I have fun with every part of the sport: getting ready for the fight, interacting with everybody on Facebook and Twitter, and the fans in general; not being so serious all the time,” explained the fast-talking lightweight who returns to the Octagon next Saturday night opposite John Makdessi in a dark horse Fight of the Night contender.
“I’m not that guy that gets an adrenaline rush before his fight, and is mean-mugging everybody. I’m the guy that’s smiling, having a good time, and cracking jokes in the back. The thing is that you’ve got to be comfortable and you’ve got to be relaxed, and the way I do that is I have fun with it.”
Don’t let his laid back, “let’s have some fun” approach give you the wrong impression though: Cruickshank is no joke when he steps into the cage.
After amassing a 10-2 record on the regional circuit and winning his way onto the cast of The Ultimate Fighter Live, Cruickshank worked through a gritty grappling match with Team Cruz antagonist Chris Tickle on the show’s finale, adding his first UFC win to his resume. While the bout with Tickle was a grind, Cruickshank put his striking skills on full display in his sophomore appearance in the UFC cage last December in Seattle, and put everyone in the division on notice in the process.
Squaring off with hard-nosed Team Jackson-Winkeljohn fighter Henry Martinez on 2012’s final UFC on FOX card in “The Emerald City,” the tae kwon do black belt showed off his standup game, including a wide array of quick and powerful kicks. He seasoned up Martinez with heavy shots to the legs and body in the opening round, and after more of the same early in the second, Cruickshank went upstarts, planting his shin on the side of Martinez’ head with a thud that was audible on press row at the KeyArena.
As his opponent dropped, Cruickshank raised his hands – his showing in Seattle netting him a second consecutive UFC win, while pushing his overall winning streak to six and raising his profile within the division and the MMA community.
“Yeah – it was a great fight for my career, and the performance kind of skyrocketed me a little bit,” he said of the victory over Martinez, proud of the performance, but clearly focused on the future.
The future arrives a week from today in the form of Makdessi, a Nova Scotia native now based out of the renowned Tristar Gym in Montreal. Through his first five appearances in the UFC, “The Bull” has garnered three wins, including a unanimous decision victory over fellow Canadian Sam Stout when the UFC returned to the Bell Centre last November.
Like Cruickshank, Makdessi is a black belt in tae kwon do, and a sharp, technical striker who will look to work angles and keep his opponents off balance with an assortment of attacks.
“I’ve never met the guy – I’ve never even seen him fight – but when (the UFC) sent me his name, at the bottom of the text message it said, `This could possibly be Fight of the Night,’ and I basically agreed right there before I even looked him up,” Cruickshank admitted about how the bout came together. “That’s what I want, that’s what I’m looking for, so let’s go ahead and do it.
“Obviously I’ve been working on some of his strengths and the way he fights – he’s very lead leg, lead foot dominant, so I’ve been doing a lot of counters for that, but the ultimate goal is to put on a good show, and to go out there, give it everything I got. The best feeling in the world is knocking someone out, so that’s what I plan on doing.”
The energetic and engaging Michigan native also anticipates playing the “bad guy” role next weekend. UFC 158 will be Cruickshank’s second trip to the Bell Centre, and his second time fighting a “local boy” under the bright lights, having defeated fellow UFC 158 competitor – and Makdessi’s Tristar teammate – Mike Ricci inside the home of Les Habitants back in October 2011.
“Silence is bad,” laughed Cruickshank. “I love going out there, and really, being booed when you go to another place is almost like being cheered; you’ve just got to flip it around. There’s always a good guy, there’s always a bad guy, and I like playing that bad guy role.”
Truthfully, there are very true “bad guys” in this sport, and Cruickshank is certainly not one of them. After all, it’s hard not to like a fighter who manages to find the silver lining in a recent bout of gastro-intestinal issues.
“This is the best weight cut I’ve ever had, but that’s probably because I got food poisoning a couple weeks ago, and I dropped all the weight I could,” he deadpanned. “It’s a blessing in disguise. You go through a lot of toilet paper, but it’s all good.”
Just as he’s settled into his light-hearted routine around training camp and fight week, Cruickshank is also starting to get comfortable with the rigors of fight week. After having gone through the longest season in Ultimate Fighter history and having to prepare for his official promotional debut at a neutral site in Las Vegas, prepping for UFC 158 in familiar confines has “The Detroit Superstar” ready to put on a show next Saturday night.
“Being on The Ultimate Fighter, that was way different than normal, way different than getting ready with your own camp, your own support system, and things like that,” admitted Cruickshank in closing. “That was a little difficult, but I got through it, and now I’m at home. I’m doing everything that I want to do, I have all my people backing me up, and it’s just going to produce even better results.
“It keeps the stress level down. Everything is falling into place, and the more fights I get, the more experience I get, the easier this job becomes.
“(As for UFC 158), it all depends on who shows up, and I’m looking to show up for this fight. I want to go out there, put on a good show, and hopefully I perform.”
In a sport where experience and age are the two metrics used when determining if a fighter can be deemed a “prospect” or not, Jordan Mein makes the task a little more complicated than usual.
On one hand, the Lethbridge, Alberta native is just 23 years old, well within the acceptable age range for wearing the popular descriptor. On the other, one look at his resume shows that the UFC newcomer isn’t short on experience, having racked up 26 wins and 34 fights since beginning his career with a first-round loss to Rory MacDonald in June 2006.
Next Saturday night at UFC 158 in Montreal, the talented young welterweight will make his first trip into the Octagon to face off with Dan Miller. It’s a moment every fighter begins their career hoping to experience, and one that will mark the successful end of a well-executed plan concocted by Mein and head coach, manager, and father Lee.
“It’s super, super-exciting,” said the soft-spoken fighter on the verge of making his UFC debut. “The time is finally here, and I think I’ve fought the right people, and put in the right work, so it’s all paying off. All my goals are kind of manifesting themselves and I’m super-excited.”
Over the last few years, Mein has announced himself as someone to watch in the 170-pound ranks by repeatedly stepping into the cage with established veterans and recognizable names.
A six-fight winning streak that included wins over UFC veterans Joe Riggs and Josh Burkman, and former DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis earned him the opportunity to compete in Strikeforce. In his debut, the creative Canadian striker earned an impressive stoppage victory over former title challenger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, finishing the menacing Brazilian with a barrage of standing elbows in the third round.
After coming out on the wrong side of a split decision against Tyron Woodley, Mein rebounded with a decision win over Tyler Stinson before defeating another UFC veteran, Forrest Petz, in a fight under the Score Fighting Series banner in November.
“I think it has come together really nicely, and I’ve gotten to fight some top guys,” Mein said of his steady climb towards his first fight inside the Octagon. “I’m not one of those guys that hasn’t really fought anybody, and then I get in the UFC and I’m fighting Dan Miller. If I hadn’t really fought top guys or trained with top guys — I think that gets people in trouble, but I don’t think I’m in that position. I think I’m ready for the best in the organization.
“Fighting those guys really puts that extra thing in your mind where you know you can beat the top guys, and how good you feel when you’re fighting them or if you’re finishing them. That really gives you some confidence, rather than knowing you fought guys that are 1-0 or 0-1, and you have an undefeated record. I think that really helps in the long run.
“Some guys do it and still go to the top – they still win – so I think it’s to each their own, but for myself, personally, it has really been key to my career.”
Not only has the amount of in-ring experience Mein has been able to accrue over his already seven-plus-year-long career been of great benefit to him, but his opportunity to headline a number of events in Canada and go through the rigors associated with being the biggest name on the marquee have also prepared him for life on the UFC roster.
While welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre made up half of the headlining act for the first UFC event in Ontario when he faced Jake Shields at UFC 129, Mein earned top billing on the first event held within Canada’s most populous province, defeating Burkman at the aptly named “MMA 1: The Reckoning” event in Orillia, Ontario on April 2, 2011.
“I think that is going to be a big advantage for me,” Mein suggested of his level of comfort with the media obligations, increased attention, and new situations that come with fight week. “Having been on that stage, having been on TV across America, and across Canada as well with the Score Fighting Series, having all that media exposure – if you’ve never done it before, it can take a toll on you.
“It’s given me experience, and it’s really put me in the right frame of mind, and the right attitude. I still have so much to learn when I go to the UFC and experience those new things as well, but I think it has done nothing but help.”
All of that experience has him uniquely prepared for the next chapter of his career, which starts in full next Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal when he steps into the cage the elder half of New Jersey’s version of “The Fighting Miller Brothers” in the middle of the televised portion of the preliminary card.
Not many 23-year-olds get to walk into the UFC and make their debut against someone as seasoned and established as Miller, a fact that is not lost on the promising Canadian prospect.
“He’s fought 11 times in the UFC, and he’s fought a bunch of the top guys, so I’m super-excited to compete with a guy like that. Getting a win over a guy like that really catapults me into the UFC, and helps me start building a good name for myself.
“I think we’re on Sportsnet too,” added Mein, referencing the sports network that is home to UFC programming in Canada. “People know who Dan Miller is. Not too many people know who I am yet, but fighting someone that has a name is important; it’s much better than fighting someone no one knows who is just as dangerous.
“He’s a tough opponent, and I’m glad I got a tough opponent with a name. Everybody in the UFC is solid and not going to be easy to beat, so facing someone with good credentials in the organization is super-important.”
In the wake of the recent cuts that purged the roster of more than a dozen fighters, there has been increased discussion about the need for competitors to entertain when they’re in the cage. Luckily for Mein, that has never been a problem.
His striking repertoire includes an array of elbow strikes, and spinning attacks along with the standard compliment of punches and kicks, and 21 of his 26 career wins have come by way of stoppage. The Canadian Martial Arts Centre representative is ultra-aggressive inside the cage, willing to stand in the pocket and trade shots, confident he’ll get the better of the exchanges in the end, without being careless.
“There’s a fine line between going all out and being reckless or doing something stupid,” laughed Mein, addressing his offensive approach and the added pressure to deliver a fan-friendly fight that continues to mount.
“People want to see entertaining fights – you want to win, and you want to be entertaining – but at the same time, there is that really thin line between running in at someone with your hands down trying to be exciting or going out of your element, rather than sticking to your own game plan; being a smart fighter rather than trying to be crazy the entire time.
“Finding that line and just stepping over it is what brings those entertaining fights together. That’s the tough thing about the fight game – those mental battles and those physical battles – and that’s why winning feels so good; overcoming all those things.”
After having proven his mettle on the regional circuit and made his way to the big leagues, Mein is intent on following in the footsteps of his fellow Strikeforce graduates this weekend by delivering an action-packed performance in his debut, and establishing himself as someone fans look forward to seeing through what the Canadian newcomer hopes will be a busy year.
“I think the fans can expect entertainment when we get in there next weekend. I think I bring entertainment to the fight game and a new face in the UFC. I can’t wait to be on a ton of UFC cards, and have a great 2013.”
In a sport where experience and age are the two metrics used when determining if a fighter can be deemed a “prospect” or not, Jordan Mein makes the task a little more complicated than usual.
On one hand, the Lethbridge, Alberta native is just 23 years old, well within the acceptable age range for wearing the popular descriptor. On the other, one look at his resume shows that the UFC newcomer isn’t short on experience, having racked up 26 wins and 34 fights since beginning his career with a first-round loss to Rory MacDonald in June 2006.
Next Saturday night at UFC 158 in Montreal, the talented young welterweight will make his first trip into the Octagon to face off with Dan Miller. It’s a moment every fighter begins their career hoping to experience, and one that will mark the successful end of a well-executed plan concocted by Mein and head coach, manager, and father Lee.
“It’s super, super-exciting,” said the soft-spoken fighter on the verge of making his UFC debut. “The time is finally here, and I think I’ve fought the right people, and put in the right work, so it’s all paying off. All my goals are kind of manifesting themselves and I’m super-excited.”
Over the last few years, Mein has announced himself as someone to watch in the 170-pound ranks by repeatedly stepping into the cage with established veterans and recognizable names.
A six-fight winning streak that included wins over UFC veterans Joe Riggs and Josh Burkman, and former DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis earned him the opportunity to compete in Strikeforce. In his debut, the creative Canadian striker earned an impressive stoppage victory over former title challenger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, finishing the menacing Brazilian with a barrage of standing elbows in the third round.
After coming out on the wrong side of a split decision against Tyron Woodley, Mein rebounded with a decision win over Tyler Stinson before defeating another UFC veteran, Forrest Petz, in a fight under the Score Fighting Series banner in November.
“I think it has come together really nicely, and I’ve gotten to fight some top guys,” Mein said of his steady climb towards his first fight inside the Octagon. “I’m not one of those guys that hasn’t really fought anybody, and then I get in the UFC and I’m fighting Dan Miller. If I hadn’t really fought top guys or trained with top guys — I think that gets people in trouble, but I don’t think I’m in that position. I think I’m ready for the best in the organization.
“Fighting those guys really puts that extra thing in your mind where you know you can beat the top guys, and how good you feel when you’re fighting them or if you’re finishing them. That really gives you some confidence, rather than knowing you fought guys that are 1-0 or 0-1, and you have an undefeated record. I think that really helps in the long run.
“Some guys do it and still go to the top – they still win – so I think it’s to each their own, but for myself, personally, it has really been key to my career.”
Not only has the amount of in-ring experience Mein has been able to accrue over his already seven-plus-year-long career been of great benefit to him, but his opportunity to headline a number of events in Canada and go through the rigors associated with being the biggest name on the marquee have also prepared him for life on the UFC roster.
While welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre made up half of the headlining act for the first UFC event in Ontario when he faced Jake Shields at UFC 129, Mein earned top billing on the first event held within Canada’s most populous province, defeating Burkman at the aptly named “MMA 1: The Reckoning” event in Orillia, Ontario on April 2, 2011.
“I think that is going to be a big advantage for me,” Mein suggested of his level of comfort with the media obligations, increased attention, and new situations that come with fight week. “Having been on that stage, having been on TV across America, and across Canada as well with the Score Fighting Series, having all that media exposure – if you’ve never done it before, it can take a toll on you.
“It’s given me experience, and it’s really put me in the right frame of mind, and the right attitude. I still have so much to learn when I go to the UFC and experience those new things as well, but I think it has done nothing but help.”
All of that experience has him uniquely prepared for the next chapter of his career, which starts in full next Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal when he steps into the cage the elder half of New Jersey’s version of “The Fighting Miller Brothers” in the middle of the televised portion of the preliminary card.
Not many 23-year-olds get to walk into the UFC and make their debut against someone as seasoned and established as Miller, a fact that is not lost on the promising Canadian prospect.
“He’s fought 11 times in the UFC, and he’s fought a bunch of the top guys, so I’m super-excited to compete with a guy like that. Getting a win over a guy like that really catapults me into the UFC, and helps me start building a good name for myself.
“I think we’re on Sportsnet too,” added Mein, referencing the sports network that is home to UFC programming in Canada. “People know who Dan Miller is. Not too many people know who I am yet, but fighting someone that has a name is important; it’s much better than fighting someone no one knows who is just as dangerous.
“He’s a tough opponent, and I’m glad I got a tough opponent with a name. Everybody in the UFC is solid and not going to be easy to beat, so facing someone with good credentials in the organization is super-important.”
In the wake of the recent cuts that purged the roster of more than a dozen fighters, there has been increased discussion about the need for competitors to entertain when they’re in the cage. Luckily for Mein, that has never been a problem.
His striking repertoire includes an array of elbow strikes, and spinning attacks along with the standard compliment of punches and kicks, and 21 of his 26 career wins have come by way of stoppage. The Canadian Martial Arts Centre representative is ultra-aggressive inside the cage, willing to stand in the pocket and trade shots, confident he’ll get the better of the exchanges in the end, without being careless.
“There’s a fine line between going all out and being reckless or doing something stupid,” laughed Mein, addressing his offensive approach and the added pressure to deliver a fan-friendly fight that continues to mount.
“People want to see entertaining fights – you want to win, and you want to be entertaining – but at the same time, there is that really thin line between running in at someone with your hands down trying to be exciting or going out of your element, rather than sticking to your own game plan; being a smart fighter rather than trying to be crazy the entire time.
“Finding that line and just stepping over it is what brings those entertaining fights together. That’s the tough thing about the fight game – those mental battles and those physical battles – and that’s why winning feels so good; overcoming all those things.”
After having proven his mettle on the regional circuit and made his way to the big leagues, Mein is intent on following in the footsteps of his fellow Strikeforce graduates this weekend by delivering an action-packed performance in his debut, and establishing himself as someone fans look forward to seeing through what the Canadian newcomer hopes will be a busy year.
“I think the fans can expect entertainment when we get in there next weekend. I think I bring entertainment to the fight game and a new face in the UFC. I can’t wait to be on a ton of UFC cards, and have a great 2013.”
Four years ago, tucked away on the preliminary portion of UFC 95, a 21-year-old Dutch kickboxer made his UFC debut against a heavyweight named Junior dos Santos.
In his previous appearance, his first in the UFC, the Brazilian known as “Cigano” had introduced himself to the MMA world with a stunning first-round knockout victory over Fabricio Werdum. After starching a perennial contender in his debut effort, dos Santos became a dark horse contender himself – someone to keep tabs on as he made his way up the heavyweight ranks.
It took less than 60 seconds for dos Santos to earn his second consecutive first-round knockout victory under the UFC banner, another thunderous right hand felling the baby-faced opponent who shared the cage with him that night at the O2 Arena in London, England.
This weekend, that tall, skinny kid from Beverwijk, Netherlands whose UFC career started with a 54-second loss to the former heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the 13th time. He’s now 25, with a 29-5 record that includes a 9-3 mark in the UFC, and riding a four-fight winning streak into a co-main event showdown with former PRIDE star Mark Hunt in the UFC’s return to the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Once a boy amongst men, Stefan Struve has come a long way in the last four years, and the best is still to come.
“The losses? I don’t care about them anymore,” Struve says of the UFC losses he suffered at the hands of dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and Travis Browne. “The UFC is really the best place for a young guy to learn. You may not become champ right away, but what do you expect from a 21-year-old kid coming into the UFC heavyweight division? You think he’s going to run straight to a title shot? That’s not going to happen.
“In the UFC is where you learn the most, and like I said, those losses – I’m happy those losses happened. I put myself in a position for those guys to hit me the way they did, and that doesn’t happen anymore. We learned from that. We trained so many different things to get my standup better, use my reach more, keep my distance; that’s really starting to play out now.”
Beginning with his initial appearance in the Octagon opposite dos Santos, fans and critics have been waiting for the seven-foot tall Struve to make use of his exceptional length inside the cage.
Early on, the aptly nicknamed “Skyscraper” was too willing to go toe-to-toe with the opposition, who often made their way inside with little resistance. Over his last four fights, however, Struve has showed continued improvement, playing to his strengths, using his height and length to his advantage in wins over Pat Barry, Dave Herman, Lavar Johnson, and Stipe Miocic.
It has all been a learning process for the heavyweight, who has been developing his skills and honing his craft on the biggest stage in the sport.
“The losses made me really look at myself and my fighting, and what needed to be improved the most to go high up in the ranks and keep winning fights,” explains Struve. “I’ve been training with (head coach) Bob (Schreiber) for over 10 years now, and he’s really made me as a fighter. The other trainers just added their qualities, and showed me other things to help me improve even more.
“I’ve been working with Mousid Akhamrane, who is one of the best kickboxing coaches in the world. He’s a multiple time world champion himself, and he’s got a ton of students who he’s turned into world champions. I’m working with Remco Pardoel, who is a UFC veteran, and a pioneer in Europe for MMA. Both my standup and my ground game have improved immensely. I just feel really fit and fresh, and really I’m looking forward to the fight. I’m feeling really good, really confident. I can’t wait to get my fifth win in a row.”
In order to extend his winning streak to five, Struve will need to get through the resurgent Hunt.
Since losing his UFC debut to Sean McCorkle in September 2010, the wildly popular “Super Samoan” has collected three consecutive wins of his own, the most recent of which came last year in the same arena where he’ll face Struve on Saturday night.
At UFC 144, Hunt delighted the Japanese crowd with a first-round knockout win over perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Cheick Kongo. Not bad for a 38-year-old fighter who was expected to happily take a buyout from the UFC several years earlier when they acquired his contract following their purchase of the PRIDE Fighting Championships organization.
“I know what Mark Hunt is going to do,” Struve says confidently. “He’s not going to bring me down; he’s going to come in, close the distance, and make it a brawl; try to land bombs. But when I keep my distance, I’m fine, and when he tries to close the distance, it’s going to be easier for me to take him down, because he needs to come in to hit me. I don’t need to chase him; I can already hit him from a mile away.
“He’s probably one of the hardest punchers in the UFC, but if you look at me, if I fight my fight the way I should, use the game plan we’ve laid out – use my reach, keep my distance – then those punches are no problem because he’s not touching me.
“That’s pretty simple for me, and it’s how I prepare for all my opponents. If I fight my own fight, I keep my distance, and don’t let them come close – even if they take me down, I’m fine on my back. They’re going to have to fight in my guard.”
In a division known for its knockout artists, the long and flexible Struve is just as comfortable fighting off his back as he is standing and striking. Of his 29 career wins, 16 have come by way of submission, including four of his nine UFC victories. It’s another weapon in his arsenal, and another way that the always-entertaining Struve can finish a fight, something he’s done in all but one of his Octagon victories.
“It still bothers me that I have a decision,” laughs Struve, who came away with a majority draw when he went to the scorecards with veteran Paul Buentello at UFC 107. “It’s annoying. I took it on short notice, so I’m going to use that as an excuse.”
Between the two of them, Hunt and Struve aren’t accustomed to seeing the scorecards. That shared penchant for finishing fights and delivering entertaining action inside the cage is one of the reasons so many people are looking forward to Saturday’s contest, Struve included.
“If you look at our records, you don’t expect a decision. I don’t expect a decision. I trained really hard for this fight; I worked on a bunch of new stuff, and I can’t wait to show it. I can’t wait to show the crowd in Japan and the entire MMA world that I truly am one of the best heavyweights in the world.”
Four years ago, Stefan Struve stepped into the Octagon for the first time, lasting just 54 seconds opposite a man who would go on to become heavyweight champion. He could have easily faded into the ether, another in the line of one-and-done competitors or fighters who enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big show but never managed to stick.
Instead, he continued to work hard after every fight, gained experience, and filled out his seven-foot frame, all with an eye on the future, confident that eventually, he would put it all together.
He has.
“If I hit someone with my jab right now, they’re really going to feel it. If you compare that to when I entered the UFC when I was 21 years old, there wasn’t nearly as much power in my shots as there is now.
“I’m not a boy among men anymore, you know? Now I’m a 265-pound, seven-foot monster.”
Four years ago, tucked away on the preliminary portion of UFC 95, a 21-year-old Dutch kickboxer made his UFC debut against a heavyweight named Junior dos Santos.
In his previous appearance, his first in the UFC, the Brazilian known as “Cigano” had introduced himself to the MMA world with a stunning first-round knockout victory over Fabricio Werdum. After starching a perennial contender in his debut effort, dos Santos became a dark horse contender himself – someone to keep tabs on as he made his way up the heavyweight ranks.
It took less than 60 seconds for dos Santos to earn his second consecutive first-round knockout victory under the UFC banner, another thunderous right hand felling the baby-faced opponent who shared the cage with him that night at the O2 Arena in London, England.
This weekend, that tall, skinny kid from Beverwijk, Netherlands whose UFC career started with a 54-second loss to the former heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the 13th time. He’s now 25, with a 29-5 record that includes a 9-3 mark in the UFC, and riding a four-fight winning streak into a co-main event showdown with former PRIDE star Mark Hunt in the UFC’s return to the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Once a boy amongst men, Stefan Struve has come a long way in the last four years, and the best is still to come.
“The losses? I don’t care about them anymore,” Struve says of the UFC losses he suffered at the hands of dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and Travis Browne. “The UFC is really the best place for a young guy to learn. You may not become champ right away, but what do you expect from a 21-year-old kid coming into the UFC heavyweight division? You think he’s going to run straight to a title shot? That’s not going to happen.
“In the UFC is where you learn the most, and like I said, those losses – I’m happy those losses happened. I put myself in a position for those guys to hit me the way they did, and that doesn’t happen anymore. We learned from that. We trained so many different things to get my standup better, use my reach more, keep my distance; that’s really starting to play out now.”
Beginning with his initial appearance in the Octagon opposite dos Santos, fans and critics have been waiting for the seven-foot tall Struve to make use of his exceptional length inside the cage.
Early on, the aptly nicknamed “Skyscraper” was too willing to go toe-to-toe with the opposition, who often made their way inside with little resistance. Over his last four fights, however, Struve has showed continued improvement, playing to his strengths, using his height and length to his advantage in wins over Pat Barry, Dave Herman, Lavar Johnson, and Stipe Miocic.
It has all been a learning process for the heavyweight, who has been developing his skills and honing his craft on the biggest stage in the sport.
“The losses made me really look at myself and my fighting, and what needed to be improved the most to go high up in the ranks and keep winning fights,” explains Struve. “I’ve been training with (head coach) Bob (Schreiber) for over 10 years now, and he’s really made me as a fighter. The other trainers just added their qualities, and showed me other things to help me improve even more.
“I’ve been working with Mousid Akhamrane, who is one of the best kickboxing coaches in the world. He’s a multiple time world champion himself, and he’s got a ton of students who he’s turned into world champions. I’m working with Remco Pardoel, who is a UFC veteran, and a pioneer in Europe for MMA. Both my standup and my ground game have improved immensely. I just feel really fit and fresh, and really I’m looking forward to the fight. I’m feeling really good, really confident. I can’t wait to get my fifth win in a row.”
In order to extend his winning streak to five, Struve will need to get through the resurgent Hunt.
Since losing his UFC debut to Sean McCorkle in September 2010, the wildly popular “Super Samoan” has collected three consecutive wins of his own, the most recent of which came last year in the same arena where he’ll face Struve on Saturday night.
At UFC 144, Hunt delighted the Japanese crowd with a first-round knockout win over perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Cheick Kongo. Not bad for a 38-year-old fighter who was expected to happily take a buyout from the UFC several years earlier when they acquired his contract following their purchase of the PRIDE Fighting Championships organization.
“I know what Mark Hunt is going to do,” Struve says confidently. “He’s not going to bring me down; he’s going to come in, close the distance, and make it a brawl; try to land bombs. But when I keep my distance, I’m fine, and when he tries to close the distance, it’s going to be easier for me to take him down, because he needs to come in to hit me. I don’t need to chase him; I can already hit him from a mile away.
“He’s probably one of the hardest punchers in the UFC, but if you look at me, if I fight my fight the way I should, use the game plan we’ve laid out – use my reach, keep my distance – then those punches are no problem because he’s not touching me.
“That’s pretty simple for me, and it’s how I prepare for all my opponents. If I fight my own fight, I keep my distance, and don’t let them come close – even if they take me down, I’m fine on my back. They’re going to have to fight in my guard.”
In a division known for its knockout artists, the long and flexible Struve is just as comfortable fighting off his back as he is standing and striking. Of his 29 career wins, 16 have come by way of submission, including four of his nine UFC victories. It’s another weapon in his arsenal, and another way that the always-entertaining Struve can finish a fight, something he’s done in all but one of his Octagon victories.
“It still bothers me that I have a decision,” laughs Struve, who came away with a majority draw when he went to the scorecards with veteran Paul Buentello at UFC 107. “It’s annoying. I took it on short notice, so I’m going to use that as an excuse.”
Between the two of them, Hunt and Struve aren’t accustomed to seeing the scorecards. That shared penchant for finishing fights and delivering entertaining action inside the cage is one of the reasons so many people are looking forward to Saturday’s contest, Struve included.
“If you look at our records, you don’t expect a decision. I don’t expect a decision. I trained really hard for this fight; I worked on a bunch of new stuff, and I can’t wait to show it. I can’t wait to show the crowd in Japan and the entire MMA world that I truly am one of the best heavyweights in the world.”
Four years ago, Stefan Struve stepped into the Octagon for the first time, lasting just 54 seconds opposite a man who would go on to become heavyweight champion. He could have easily faded into the ether, another in the line of one-and-done competitors or fighters who enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big show but never managed to stick.
Instead, he continued to work hard after every fight, gained experience, and filled out his seven-foot frame, all with an eye on the future, confident that eventually, he would put it all together.
He has.
“If I hit someone with my jab right now, they’re really going to feel it. If you compare that to when I entered the UFC when I was 21 years old, there wasn’t nearly as much power in my shots as there is now.
“I’m not a boy among men anymore, you know? Now I’m a 265-pound, seven-foot monster.”
Four years ago, tucked away on the preliminary portion of UFC 95, a 21-year-old Dutch kickboxer made his UFC debut against a heavyweight named Junior dos Santos.
In his previous appearance, his first in the UFC, the Brazilian known as “Cigano” had introduced himself to the MMA world with a stunning first-round knockout victory over Fabricio Werdum. After starching a perennial contender in his debut effort, dos Santos became a dark horse contender himself – someone to keep tabs on as he made his way up the heavyweight ranks.
It took less than 60 seconds for dos Santos to earn his second consecutive first-round knockout victory under the UFC banner, another thunderous right hand felling the baby-faced opponent who shared the cage with him that night at the O2 Arena in London, England.
This weekend, that tall, skinny kid from Beverwijk, Netherlands whose UFC career started with a 54-second loss to the former heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the 13th time. He’s now 25, with a 29-5 record that includes a 9-3 mark in the UFC, and riding a four-fight winning streak into a co-main event showdown with former PRIDE star Mark Hunt in the UFC’s return to the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Once a boy amongst men, Stefan Struve has come a long way in the last four years, and the best is still to come.
“The losses? I don’t care about them anymore,” Struve says of the UFC losses he suffered at the hands of dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and Travis Browne. “The UFC is really the best place for a young guy to learn. You may not become champ right away, but what do you expect from a 21-year-old kid coming into the UFC heavyweight division? You think he’s going to run straight to a title shot? That’s not going to happen.
“In the UFC is where you learn the most, and like I said, those losses – I’m happy those losses happened. I put myself in a position for those guys to hit me the way they did, and that doesn’t happen anymore. We learned from that. We trained so many different things to get my standup better, use my reach more, keep my distance; that’s really starting to play out now.”
Beginning with his initial appearance in the Octagon opposite dos Santos, fans and critics have been waiting for the seven-foot tall Struve to make use of his exceptional length inside the cage.
Early on, the aptly nicknamed “Skyscraper” was too willing to go toe-to-toe with the opposition, who often made their way inside with little resistance. Over his last four fights, however, Struve has showed continued improvement, playing to his strengths, using his height and length to his advantage in wins over Pat Barry, Dave Herman, Lavar Johnson, and Stipe Miocic.
It has all been a learning process for the heavyweight, who has been developing his skills and honing his craft on the biggest stage in the sport.
“The losses made me really look at myself and my fighting, and what needed to be improved the most to go high up in the ranks and keep winning fights,” explains Struve. “I’ve been training with (head coach) Bob (Schreiber) for over 10 years now, and he’s really made me as a fighter. The other trainers just added their qualities, and showed me other things to help me improve even more.
“I’ve been working with Mousid Akhamrane, who is one of the best kickboxing coaches in the world. He’s a multiple time world champion himself, and he’s got a ton of students who he’s turned into world champions. I’m working with Remco Pardoel, who is a UFC veteran, and a pioneer in Europe for MMA. Both my standup and my ground game have improved immensely. I just feel really fit and fresh, and really I’m looking forward to the fight. I’m feeling really good, really confident. I can’t wait to get my fifth win in a row.”
In order to extend his winning streak to five, Struve will need to get through the resurgent Hunt.
Since losing his UFC debut to Sean McCorkle in September 2010, the wildly popular “Super Samoan” has collected three consecutive wins of his own, the most recent of which came last year in the same arena where he’ll face Struve on Saturday night.
At UFC 144, Hunt delighted the Japanese crowd with a first-round knockout win over perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Cheick Kongo. Not bad for a 38-year-old fighter who was expected to happily take a buyout from the UFC several years earlier when they acquired his contract following their purchase of the PRIDE Fighting Championships organization.
“I know what Mark Hunt is going to do,” Struve says confidently. “He’s not going to bring me down; he’s going to come in, close the distance, and make it a brawl; try to land bombs. But when I keep my distance, I’m fine, and when he tries to close the distance, it’s going to be easier for me to take him down, because he needs to come in to hit me. I don’t need to chase him; I can already hit him from a mile away.
“He’s probably one of the hardest punchers in the UFC, but if you look at me, if I fight my fight the way I should, use the game plan we’ve laid out – use my reach, keep my distance – then those punches are no problem because he’s not touching me.
“That’s pretty simple for me, and it’s how I prepare for all my opponents. If I fight my own fight, I keep my distance, and don’t let them come close – even if they take me down, I’m fine on my back. They’re going to have to fight in my guard.”
In a division known for its knockout artists, the long and flexible Struve is just as comfortable fighting off his back as he is standing and striking. Of his 29 career wins, 16 have come by way of submission, including four of his nine UFC victories. It’s another weapon in his arsenal, and another way that the always-entertaining Struve can finish a fight, something he’s done in all but one of his Octagon victories.
“It still bothers me that I have a decision,” laughs Struve, who came away with a majority draw when he went to the scorecards with veteran Paul Buentello at UFC 107. “It’s annoying. I took it on short notice, so I’m going to use that as an excuse.”
Between the two of them, Hunt and Struve aren’t accustomed to seeing the scorecards. That shared penchant for finishing fights and delivering entertaining action inside the cage is one of the reasons so many people are looking forward to Saturday’s contest, Struve included.
“If you look at our records, you don’t expect a decision. I don’t expect a decision. I trained really hard for this fight; I worked on a bunch of new stuff, and I can’t wait to show it. I can’t wait to show the crowd in Japan and the entire MMA world that I truly am one of the best heavyweights in the world.”
Four years ago, Stefan Struve stepped into the Octagon for the first time, lasting just 54 seconds opposite a man who would go on to become heavyweight champion. He could have easily faded into the ether, another in the line of one-and-done competitors or fighters who enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big show but never managed to stick.
Instead, he continued to work hard after every fight, gained experience, and filled out his seven-foot frame, all with an eye on the future, confident that eventually, he would put it all together.
He has.
“If I hit someone with my jab right now, they’re really going to feel it. If you compare that to when I entered the UFC when I was 21 years old, there wasn’t nearly as much power in my shots as there is now.
“I’m not a boy among men anymore, you know? Now I’m a 265-pound, seven-foot monster.”
Four years ago, tucked away on the preliminary portion of UFC 95, a 21-year-old Dutch kickboxer made his UFC debut against a heavyweight named Junior dos Santos.
In his previous appearance, his first in the UFC, the Brazilian known as “Cigano” had introduced himself to the MMA world with a stunning first-round knockout victory over Fabricio Werdum. After starching a perennial contender in his debut effort, dos Santos became a dark horse contender himself – someone to keep tabs on as he made his way up the heavyweight ranks.
It took less than 60 seconds for dos Santos to earn his second consecutive first-round knockout victory under the UFC banner, another thunderous right hand felling the baby-faced opponent who shared the cage with him that night at the O2 Arena in London, England.
This weekend, that tall, skinny kid from Beverwijk, Netherlands whose UFC career started with a 54-second loss to the former heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the 13th time. He’s now 25, with a 29-5 record that includes a 9-3 mark in the UFC, and riding a four-fight winning streak into a co-main event showdown with former PRIDE star Mark Hunt in the UFC’s return to the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
Once a boy amongst men, Stefan Struve has come a long way in the last four years, and the best is still to come.
“The losses? I don’t care about them anymore,” Struve says of the UFC losses he suffered at the hands of dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and Travis Browne. “The UFC is really the best place for a young guy to learn. You may not become champ right away, but what do you expect from a 21-year-old kid coming into the UFC heavyweight division? You think he’s going to run straight to a title shot? That’s not going to happen.
“In the UFC is where you learn the most, and like I said, those losses – I’m happy those losses happened. I put myself in a position for those guys to hit me the way they did, and that doesn’t happen anymore. We learned from that. We trained so many different things to get my standup better, use my reach more, keep my distance; that’s really starting to play out now.”
Beginning with his initial appearance in the Octagon opposite dos Santos, fans and critics have been waiting for the seven-foot tall Struve to make use of his exceptional length inside the cage.
Early on, the aptly nicknamed “Skyscraper” was too willing to go toe-to-toe with the opposition, who often made their way inside with little resistance. Over his last four fights, however, Struve has showed continued improvement, playing to his strengths, using his height and length to his advantage in wins over Pat Barry, Dave Herman, Lavar Johnson, and Stipe Miocic.
It has all been a learning process for the heavyweight, who has been developing his skills and honing his craft on the biggest stage in the sport.
“The losses made me really look at myself and my fighting, and what needed to be improved the most to go high up in the ranks and keep winning fights,” explains Struve. “I’ve been training with (head coach) Bob (Schreiber) for over 10 years now, and he’s really made me as a fighter. The other trainers just added their qualities, and showed me other things to help me improve even more.
“I’ve been working with Mousid Akhamrane, who is one of the best kickboxing coaches in the world. He’s a multiple time world champion himself, and he’s got a ton of students who he’s turned into world champions. I’m working with Remco Pardoel, who is a UFC veteran, and a pioneer in Europe for MMA. Both my standup and my ground game have improved immensely. I just feel really fit and fresh, and really I’m looking forward to the fight. I’m feeling really good, really confident. I can’t wait to get my fifth win in a row.”
In order to extend his winning streak to five, Struve will need to get through the resurgent Hunt.
Since losing his UFC debut to Sean McCorkle in September 2010, the wildly popular “Super Samoan” has collected three consecutive wins of his own, the most recent of which came last year in the same arena where he’ll face Struve on Saturday night.
At UFC 144, Hunt delighted the Japanese crowd with a first-round knockout win over perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Cheick Kongo. Not bad for a 38-year-old fighter who was expected to happily take a buyout from the UFC several years earlier when they acquired his contract following their purchase of the PRIDE Fighting Championships organization.
“I know what Mark Hunt is going to do,” Struve says confidently. “He’s not going to bring me down; he’s going to come in, close the distance, and make it a brawl; try to land bombs. But when I keep my distance, I’m fine, and when he tries to close the distance, it’s going to be easier for me to take him down, because he needs to come in to hit me. I don’t need to chase him; I can already hit him from a mile away.
“He’s probably one of the hardest punchers in the UFC, but if you look at me, if I fight my fight the way I should, use the game plan we’ve laid out – use my reach, keep my distance – then those punches are no problem because he’s not touching me.
“That’s pretty simple for me, and it’s how I prepare for all my opponents. If I fight my own fight, I keep my distance, and don’t let them come close – even if they take me down, I’m fine on my back. They’re going to have to fight in my guard.”
In a division known for its knockout artists, the long and flexible Struve is just as comfortable fighting off his back as he is standing and striking. Of his 29 career wins, 16 have come by way of submission, including four of his nine UFC victories. It’s another weapon in his arsenal, and another way that the always-entertaining Struve can finish a fight, something he’s done in all but one of his Octagon victories.
“It still bothers me that I have a decision,” laughs Struve, who came away with a majority draw when he went to the scorecards with veteran Paul Buentello at UFC 107. “It’s annoying. I took it on short notice, so I’m going to use that as an excuse.”
Between the two of them, Hunt and Struve aren’t accustomed to seeing the scorecards. That shared penchant for finishing fights and delivering entertaining action inside the cage is one of the reasons so many people are looking forward to Saturday’s contest, Struve included.
“If you look at our records, you don’t expect a decision. I don’t expect a decision. I trained really hard for this fight; I worked on a bunch of new stuff, and I can’t wait to show it. I can’t wait to show the crowd in Japan and the entire MMA world that I truly am one of the best heavyweights in the world.”
Four years ago, Stefan Struve stepped into the Octagon for the first time, lasting just 54 seconds opposite a man who would go on to become heavyweight champion. He could have easily faded into the ether, another in the line of one-and-done competitors or fighters who enjoyed a cup of coffee in the big show but never managed to stick.
Instead, he continued to work hard after every fight, gained experience, and filled out his seven-foot frame, all with an eye on the future, confident that eventually, he would put it all together.
He has.
“If I hit someone with my jab right now, they’re really going to feel it. If you compare that to when I entered the UFC when I was 21 years old, there wasn’t nearly as much power in my shots as there is now.
“I’m not a boy among men anymore, you know? Now I’m a 265-pound, seven-foot monster.”
When you’re young and into sports, you envision yourself competing at the highest level.
