Author: By Frank Curreri

Urijah Faber and the Art of Instinctive Eating

“Man, this is good!” Urijah Faber raved, shaking his head in bliss, after a bite of his lunchtime creation.

The ensuing 2 pm feast at a Las Vegas grocery store was enough to make a medieval king jealous.

Watching Faber — who battles Renan Barao (30-1, 1 NC) for the UFC interim bantamweight title at UFC 149 this Saturday — build his own salad from scratch reveals a diet as dynamic as he is charismatic. On this afternoon, his table is engulfed with a $28 lunch, standard for him. There is a massive salad (maybe triple the size of a normal salad), a bag of chips, a large container of salsa and a 16-ounce smoothie to wash it all down.

“Traditionally I’ve always eaten a lot of salads,” the 32-year-old said, “because growing up we always ate a lot of salads … While I was in the womb, before I can even remember, I was conditioned to enjoy a healthy diet.”

As they say in the fight game, Faber “walks” most of the year in the neighborhood of 156 pounds. Before his fights, the former Division I wrestler cuts down to 135 or 136 pounds, then rehydrates immediately following his weigh-in. Over a 30-minute lunch, the sport’s most popular bantamweight offered his unique philosophies on food and nutrition. The picture he painted is one of a man who doesn’t deprive himself — but instead eats mostly whatever he wants, mindful of always seeking out the highest quality ingredients.

He has sipped Pepsi and Coke a time or two, but has otherwise shunned conventional soda pop. He draws parallels between his own views on food and the ‘everything is the devil’ hang-ups of The Water Boy, Bobby Boucher. Spontaneity and impulse are central themes to the Faber “diet.” This is a man who always listens to his gut. Here is a compelling sit-down interview with Urijah Faber on the art of Instinctive Eating:

What are some of the ‘Don’t’s on your eating list?

“There are a lot of things I don’t like. It’s like the Water Boy, Bobby Boucher and his mom saying that ‘Everything is the devil.’ I had that growing up. Like, I’ve never had a soda pop or a Pepsi. I’ve tasted it a couple times but never really drank one. It’s like, you know, ‘It’s the devil!’ (chuckles). I’ve had root beer …and I’m not a complete weirdo when it comes to stuff like that, but I don’t ever drink soda. I try to avoid candy but sometimes I crave it and I’ll have a little. I don’t eat red meat very often; I just don’t like the way I feel when I eat it. On occasion I’ll have a good steak or In N’ Out burger if I feel like it. I don’t like milk very much … I’ll drink goat milk, I think it’s better for your body and easier to digest. I’ll try to get it as close as ‘out of the goat’ as possible without sucking on the nipple of the goat (chuckles).

“I don’t avoid milk in all cases. I actually like Egg Nog at Christmas time. But milk, in general, I feel like it makes a lot of mucous for me and I think there can be a lot of hormones in milk that I don’t like. It’s just another one of those things that mom raised me to be anti against since I was young.

With your team on The Ultimate Fighter, do you simply stick to teaching techniques, instilling confidence, etc… Do you actually go over dietary considerations with them as well?

“If I see there is a problem with someone, I’ll definitely step up and say something about their diet, at least make them aware. Because a lot of times people don’t even know that they’re not eating right. For example, this is a salad. Is a salad from McDonald’s the same thing? Because they have ‘em with iceberg lettuce, cheese, croutons and tomatoes … so it sounds great.

“We had this guy on our team from Hawaii and he was having the hardest time making weight. He’s like, ‘All I had last night was salad, blah, blah, blah. So he had this family get-together and invited the whole team over. They had three types of salad: One was a fruit salad with marshmallow mix. Another salad had fried bacon bits, wonton sticks, iceberg lettuce and chicken. And then they had like an iceberg lettuce salad. They all were salads, but they were all super unhealthy! So I started thinking, ‘Yeah, he just had salad but it had a bunch of ranch dressing or something on it.’

The Dominick Cruz diet vs. Urijah Faber diet. Who wins?

“I’ve talked to Dominick and spent some time with him and it sounds like his diet is horrible. He was kind of making fun of himself about it. It’s a testament to his mentality. He’s pretty tough mentally from the crap he puts into his body. So he does pretty well.

“So, hands down, first round KO, Faber wins the diet contest.”

Tell the fans reading this about your lunch today and why you chose it.

“Traditionally I’ve always eaten a lot of salads because growing up we always ate a lot of salads. Like this salad here has chicken in it, some cheese, a lot of olive oil and garlic, apple cider, some dark green lettuce, couscous, some Israeli couscous – which I don’t even think I’ve eaten that before – but it looked good so I threw it in there.

“There are a lot of complex carbohydrates in here, a lot of saturated and unsaturated fats, fiber, protein and a whole lot of flavor. Protein is important. Protein isn’t necessarily an energy source but it’s for rebuilding your muscles and you utilize the creatine that you get from meat. The first three to seven seconds of explosive activity you use creatine. Some people take creatine supplements … Everybody has creatine naturally and some people have high levels naturally, but you can also get it from meat.

“So this is a high calorie meal; I don’t count calories but I know there are a lot in here. I need a lot of energy and this will satisfy me. I’ve got a smoothie for sugar (16 ounce mix of blueberries, strawberries, banana, low-fat yogurt and orange juice). I also love chips and salsa. It’s something that I crave. I’ve seen people go on diets where they try to avoid a bunch of things. I’m not like that. I’m more of an instinctive eater. I’m craving chips probably because my body is telling I need some salt and carbohydrates – and probably because it just tastes good. You want to enjoy what you’re eating … Man, this is so good.”

What figures, people or sources have most shaped your philosophies on eating healthy?

“First and foremost, my family, my mom and dad and how they raised us and what they taught us to like. If we were watching movies we had popcorn and smoothies. My mom would cook with olive oil instead of butter, honey instead of sugar, and all those kind of things. So I learned a lot and created a regimen through them.

“I also had a lot of influences when I was in college at UC-Davis (University of California-Davis). I took classes, did research and educated myself as to what’s behind good food and what makes it healthy. My third big influence was the wrestling world. Cutting weight is so important in our sport and I’ve had a lot of good coaches who built knowledge through trial and error. So I’ve learned a lot from them.

How much of your diet is based on upbringing, how much on what you have learned from others and by studying nutrition, and how much on instinct?

“While I was in the womb, before I can even remember, I was conditioned to enjoy a healthy diet. After that I started learning more when I was an athlete. I learned a lot through trial and error as an athlete. I learned what you should and shouldn’t put into your body, especially at certain times of the day (what Nutrition expert Dr. John Ivy of the University of Texas calls “Nutrient Timing”). The scientific part of my diet is things like … I don’t want to eat a steak an hour before a workout. Steak takes like six to eight hours to digest so you can’t utilize that energy for a long time. A piece of bread trickles into your system and you can use it over a couple of hours, it’s steady energy. Sugar (holds up his smoothie) is a right away energy source, in 15 to 45 minutes I’ll feel the effects of this sugar.

“Sometimes it’s good for me to have simple carbohydrates, like white rice. I come down 21 pounds from my walk-around weight (roughly 156 pounds) to make 135 pounds. So when I get down to about 10 pounds over (145) it makes sense to have high energy dense food. So it’s fine to eat white rice on an occasion like that, but for the most part I like complex carbohydrates – beans, rice, vegetables, couscous, all those grains, nuts, they are complex carbohydrates.

“Simple carbohydrates have been refined and they’ve taken away a bunch of stuff and just leave the energy part. That’s what America has too much of. If you’re working out a ton, and you need some simple carbohydrates, then do it. But if you’re not working out at all, and all you eat is simple carbohydrates, then you’ll be storing fat. And that’s a lot of white rice, a lot of breakfast cereals that are processed, and a lot of processed foods.

Tell us the difference between weight cutting for wrestling versus a UFC fight?

 “You can imagine, if you weigh in for a wrestling match and you have to compete in an hour, you’re not going to cut as much in that final week. You have to come down gradually and be able to function right after you make weight. It may mean, for example, if I were to make weight for wrestling, I don’t want a full meal. I want something that is going to give me some energy quick: a bagel, power bar, fruit, some sort of recovery drink with electrolytes and sodium to get myself hydrated. Just enough to get me through my seven minute competition. You need to be able to function for seven minutes at the highest rate possible.

“I’ve had twenty something title fights, so when I’m making weight I have a whole day to recover. So I can be a little more dramatic with my weight loss and deplete my body more during the week of competition, (and after weighing in) then get that rebuilding, rest and completely rehydrate. But I have a lot more resources to get ready for a 25 minute battle, versus seven minutes in wrestling. If I had to make weight in MMA the way I did in wrestling, and compete for 25 minutes, I would be in some serious trouble.”

Do you cook? What are some of your go-to dishes?

“I’m a really good cook. I can cook everything my mom cooks – just not as well. I think that comes with time. Growing up we had to make a lot of food for ourselves. My mom would make us cook dinner once a week during high school, so my brother and I would have to make dinner. My parents also worked their butts off so I was always cooking stuff for myself. I make smoothies, salads, Italian dishes, I know how to steam vegetables … I do it all.”

For more info on the Faber diet you can log onto Faber’s Web site at http://urijahfaber.com/category/eat-like-a-champ/.

Tune in to UFC.com every Thursday for more nutritional tips from UFC superstars…

Former UFC champ, UFC 12 Heavyweight tournament winner, ADCC bronze medalist. When it comes to amassing prestigious titles and honors in the martial arts, Vitor Belfort has few equals. Roughly 16 years into his illustrious pro career, the Carlson Gracie protégé is still going strong, still owner of some of the speediest and most feared hands in the game. While Belfort has been sidelined by a broken hand that scratched him from the long-anticipated rematch with Wanderlei Silva, I caught up with the Las Vegas transplant for insights into the food that has fueled his career, as well questions about what the future holds for “The Phenom.”

UFC: Since moving to America do you eat a lot of the same foods or has your diet changed?
Belfort: I moved to Los Angeles when I was 17 (18 years ago!). I struggled (financially) when I first came to America so I had to eat whatever I could afford. I used to eat a lot of Italian food because there was a restaurant close to the gym and I love Italian. I would eat a lot of pasta and meatballs. I became friends with the people at the restaurant and they really helped me, like, ‘Come here tomorrow and we’ll give you lunch.’

What persuaded you to move to America in the first place?
There was a Brazilian guy who was willing to open a gym for Carlson (Gracie). I said, ‘Let’s go. I’ll become the UFC champion pretty soon and if we want our name to be recognized then we’ve got to be there fighting in UFC. Fighting Vale Tudo in Brazil is not going to take you anywhere.’ I had that vision so he followed and said, ‘Ok.’ When we came it was really powerful.

Were there ever days that you went hungry?
I had no money, no anything. It was hard. But I always had a way to eat. I never starved because I worked my a— off. I traded meals for (teaching) class. ‘You pay for my lunch and I’ll teach you.’ We’d go to the Italian restaurant and I’d eat a salad, pasta and meatballs. I had a lot of good friends and people to help me. It was the American Dream.

You have fought and thrived in three different weight classes: At heavyweight, light heavyweight and now middleweight.
I fought at heavyweight before because back in the day we didn’t have weight classes, you know? When they started having weight classes I went to 205. Then eventually I said to myself, ‘Man, I think I can drop to 185 and get the belt.’ I won a (tournament) title at heavyweight, I won the belt at light heavyweight, and now I want the belt at 185. I’m working hard and would love another shot (at Anderson Silva).

How heavy were you when you fought at heavyweight?
215. That was the maximum I’ve ever weighed. Today I still weigh 215 (chuckles)! I’ve never weighed more than that. I have changed my diet a little, especially when I start getting close to a fight I start eating clean. I love coffee. I drink coconut water and green tea, too. Everything I cook I use coconut water or peanut oil because it doesn’t break down into fat. I eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, oats, chicken, fish, quinoa, cashews and almonds. I drink a lot of water each day – maybe two gallons a day. The week of the fight I cut like 20 pounds, so …

Do you drink alkalized water, or water with electrolytes, or just regular spring water?
Regular water. I drink about 2 gallons of water a day.

Have you ever worked with a nutritionist?
Yes, I’ve worked with Mike Dolce for my diet and nutritionists in Brazil. I’m always asking the experts what are the best things I can do, you know? I don’t do things on my own, it’s not healthy. A guy at my level cannot make mistakes.

Mike (Dolce) works with me before every fight and he’s helped me a lot. I eat five meals a day. He doesn’t let me eat pizza, pasta and all that stuff. I’m a professional; I only eat what he tells me to put me in my mouth.

I read somewhere you stating that you would eventually like to return and fight at light heavyweight. Is that true?
Yeah, eventually. But I want to keep fighting and try to have one more chance at Anderson’s belt. I’m out to accomplish goals and I have that goal set in my mind.
When you get older your metabolism is not the same. Age catches up to each one of us. You just have to be mature, disciplined, focused and committed and you’ve got to accept it. You know, life is made up of seasons: Summer, winter, spring and fall. I am getting older and I accept that. I don’t suffer as I get older. I like to see my kids growing up and getting older. I like to see the fighters getting better than myself. I like seeing the sport grow and get to the place that I always dreamed. I like to see that I became an inspiration for a lot of these kids … and when I see them I’m not ashamed to tell them, ‘Man, I’m a big fan of yours.’

Do you take supplements? Whey protein? Branch chain aminos, glutamine?
Not a lot. I’m a big vitamin guy. I used to be but now I’m into eating food instead of supplements. Mike Dolce got me into that, eating what comes from the earth – the fish, the chicken, the meat. That’s what he wants me to eat right after my workouts.

How often do you get to eat Brazilian food now?
Every day! I’m a Brazilian guy and Brazilian food is very simple to make… but not very often during camp because you must stick to the diet. But right now as we’re talking I am headed to the Churrascaria. I’m going to get the steak, filet mignon … it’s going to be good, buddy.

Brazilians love their Acai and it’s become popular here in the U.S. and praised as a Superfood. Acai has to be in your diet, right?
Bony Acai is the best Acai. I only drink that kind because it’s organic and it has no sugar, no nothing. It’s completely natural. So I can drink that during my camp.

What did you grow up eating in Brazil?
I was always competing so I had a lot of good friends that helped me to stay out of trouble. I was always at a friend’s house or doing sports.

The foods in Brazil are so rich with all kinds of vegetables. I always ate a lot of vegetables and fruits. My mom made a lot of soups for me. We used to climb trees to get coconuts. It was pretty cool. It’s hard to climb those trees but it’s good for fighters.
 
You have publicly said that you only want to fight guys that bring you closer to a title shot. Implication: A fight with Wanderlei Silva – even though fans are craving to see a rematch – might not accomplish that. You’d rather fight a bigger name.
If Wanderlei would have won that fight then … but he really got dominated by Rich (Franklin), who hadn’t fought in a year and is not even the top contender. Of course Wanderlei and I did the reality show, and it sucks that I got injured, but a lot of things change, you know?

I think everybody can tell that I am the guy who can give Anderson a good fight. And I think the fight that we had was too quick. Of course he won, and did great, but I think I can do good against him. Of course age is starting to catch up with me but I think I deserve one more chance to go for the belt. I think I’ve done great; my last eight fights I’ve only lost once. So my next opponent I want to be somebody else who is on a roll. You have guys in the division like Mark Munoz, who, if he wins against Chris Weidman, will have his third straight win. I’ve won seven of my last eight, so I think I am one of the top contenders. So I’m looking for someone who will give me the opportunity to get another title shot.

So is it important for you to fight Wanderlei again before both you and he leave the game?
For me, fighting just to fight is not my thing. I’m the type of fighter who has a mission, like fighting for belts. I had a chance to fight Wanderlei before but got injured. But I’m looking for big fights – fights that will take me to the belt. I’m there to fight and I’m there to win the belt. That’s my goal.

You have fought Alistair Overeem twice. If he winds up fighting Junior dos Santos, who do you like in that matchup?
Alistair is well-positioned in that division. He has a lot of good skills and he’s very dangerous. But at the same time, Junior dos Santos is a strong guy – he’s sooo powerful and fights with a lot of conviction and discipline. It can go either way. It’s two champions fighting each other. If Dos Santos puts the pressure with his boxing, then he can end the fight pretty quick. But I’m curious to see how Alistair presents himself. But Junior dos Santos first has a big challenge in front of him in Cain Velasquez.

 

SAN JOSE, July 11 – Karma was in full effect on Wednesday’s UFC on FUEL TV card at the HP Pavilion, as unbeaten Andrew Craig survived THREE knockdowns and repeated showboating from Rafael Natal before turning the tables on the cocky Brazilian with a spectacular highlight reel high kick that produced one of the most dramatic knockouts of the year.

While the tough-as-nails Texan was deserving of kudos for his never-say-die determination, referee Marcos Rosales also did a fantastic job by not stopping the fight earlier in the second when Natal had rocked Craig with punches.

“The guy hits really hard. He hit me with a few bombs … that was the first time I been on wobbly street,” said Craig, who improved to 8-0 overall, 2-0 in the Octagon.

Bleeding from his left eye, Craig seemed irked by the chronic shows of disrespect from Natal (14-4-1), a BJJ black belt who got the better of the standup early and repeatedly taunted Craig by sticking his chin out and holding his hands by his side. While those types of audacious antics worked for, say, boxer Roy Jones, Jr., in his heyday, that kind of overconfidence proved reckless for Natal as the second round wound down.

Almost foreboding what was to come, Craig dared his tormenter, “Well, stop me this round!” Not too long thereafter came the high kick that wowed and stopped the collective breath of everyone inside the arena. As Natal fell to the canvas, Craig landed two hard shots for good measure, putting Natal out cold at 4:52 of the second stanza.

Undefeated Craig talks after his comeback win

DAMACIO PAGE VS. ALEX CACERES

It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, Damacio Page was regarded as a premier bantamweight. But the New Mexico native hasn’t won a pro fight in roughly 20 months and his downward spiral continued Wednesday as Alex Caceres became the latest prospect to dim Page’s star. Dealt his fourth straight loss, the 29-year-old Page again succumbed to a submission. Brazilian jiu-jitsu has been the glaring glitch in the brave brawler’s game and he had no answer for Caceres on the ground as the Miamian trapped Page in three triangle chokes, finally earning the tap at 1:10 of the second round.

Page (15-8) had scored takedowns in both the first and second stanzas but inflicted little damage on top.

“I did feel him rushing a bit so I kind of waited for my opportunity,” said the 24-year-old Caceres, who improved to 7-5 and has won two of his past three UFC bouts. “I said to myself (during the fight) ‘If he keeps grounding and pounding like that I’m going to catch him. My coaches kept telling me, ‘You’re going to catch him, don’t worry.’”

“Bruce Leeroy” talks about his Submission of the Night victory

CHRIS CARIASO VS. JOSH FERGUSON

Finally, Chris Cariaso got to fight someone his own size inside the cage. The result was a unanimous decision triumph over fellow flyweight Josh Ferguson that saw Cariaso (14-3) land the heavier shots on their feet and top it off with takedowns and ground and pound. Fighting close to home, San Francisco’s Cariaso stunned Ferguson (7-5) with a straight left early and then wobbled the Kentucky native with a hard left. Hard elbows and punches from Cariaso busted Ferguson’s mouth and opened a cut over his left eye. Ferguson was competitive throughout, however, landing a nice high kick and some hard shots of his own that caused a sizable lump on Cariaso’s forehead.

Trailing on the judges’ scorecards, Ferguson managed to make it interesting down the stretch. Cariaso scored a takedown and controlled on top, but Ferguson eventually threatened with a kimura and parlayed that into taking Cariaso’s back. Cariaso fought the hands well to preserve his victory by scores of 30-27 across the board.

“I feel like this is my weight class,” Cariaso said. “I’m really excited to be fighting guys my size.”

Watch Cariaso’s post-fight interview

DAN STITTGEN VS. MARCELO GUIMARAES

Guimaraes, a past champion of Jungle Fights in Brazil and an unbeaten welterweight prospect, failed to impress in his UFC debut, yet walked away with a split decision victory over Dan Stittgen. It was a curious verdict – met with boos from many at HP Pavilion – considering that Stittgen was never taken down in the final two rounds and landed much more frequently with strikes and kicks, even briefly putting the Brazilian on the deck in the second frame.

Though not a particularly exciting bout, it nevertheless offered a few comedic moments as Guimaraes (8-0-1) repeatedly grunted and groaned while landing punches in the clinch and fighting for inside position. The audible and odd grunts (and intense facial expressions that accompanied them) were reminiscent of the loud grunts Monica Seles popularized during the 1990s on the professional tennis circuit. Seles, however, was a frequent champion and one of the finest players of her era. Guimaraes, meanwhile, has a long road ahead of him if he is ever going to progress to the pinnacle of MMA. Drained by his first-ever weight cut to welterweight, he spent a lot of time in the clinch Wednesday evening, forcing Stittgen’s back to the cage, not his own. Judges scored it 29-28 across the board.

Post-fight interview from Guimaraes

RAPHAEL ASSUNCAO VS. ISSEI TAMURA

Known more as a grinding, impose-your-will kind of fighter for much of his career, Raphael Assuncao demonstrated newfound patience and artistry in notching his second straight win since reinventing himself at 135 pounds. When opportunity knocked, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt seized the moment with an explosive second-round TKO over the very dangerous and heavy-handed Issei Tamura.

Assuncao (17-4) controlled the action throughout the skirmish, methodically whacking his Japanese adversary with a wide variety of kicks in the first round, including a kick that grazed Tamura’s head and a spinning kick to the midsection that knocked Tamura back a few feet.

Noteworthy was the fact that Tamura only threw one punch for the bout’s opening three and a half minutes – indicating his desire to time Assuncao for counterpunching opportunities.

Tamura turned aggressive early in the second stanza, charging forward with punches after evading an Assuncao high kick. A potent left hook by Assuncao stunned the Tokyo product, and Assuncao immediately unleashed a barrage of punches that forced a referee stoppage just 25 seconds in.

“I’m just trying to improve,” Assuncao said. “Not just grinding but working on concepts and trying to get better.”

Hear what Assuncao had to say post-win

SAN JOSE, July 11 – Chris Weidman’s meteoric rise in the UFC continued Wednesday at the HP Pavilion, as the New Yorker thoroughly dismantled and stopped top contender Mark Munoz in the main event of UFC on FUEL TV 4 – announcing afterward that he wants to be next in line for a crack at UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva.

“I want Anderson Silva,” the 28-year-old wunderkind told UFC announcer Jon Anik inside the Octagon. “Give me a full training camp and I’d love a shot at ‘The Man,’ Anderson Silva. I really think I’d do very good against him.”

Before tonight’s bout, Weidman’s “calling out” the best fighter in MMA history might have sounded like hyperbole, especially since he has only been fighting professionally for three years. Heck, the former assistant wrestling coach at Hofstra University only started fighting in the UFC in March 2011. But he has quietly fashioned a perfect 5-0 in the world’s premier MMA league, including back-to-back wins over stalwarts Demian Maia and Munoz, feats that are certain to raise eyebrows and elevate his name power.

In fact, the Weidman (9-0) who showed up tonight left a lot of people with the impression that the sky might be the limit for him, mainly because he tornadoed through Munoz and somehow made it look easy. While both fighters were top wrestlers during their college days, Munoz won an NCAA national title; Weidman was a two-time All-American. Yet during their clash Weidman dominated the wrestling with two speedy takedowns, then owned Munoz on the mat, threatening with chokes and knees from the front headlock position.

The end came early in round two when Munoz (12-3) lunged forward to punch and Weidman countered with a perfectly placed elbow that sliced and gashed Munoz’s forehead. “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” fell to the canvas, bleeding considerably, and Weidman unleashed a hail of punches on his face-first foe until referee Josh Rosenthal halted the action at 1:37 of round two.

“I’ve just been playing around with some elbows. I got the long reach for it. Jon Jones pretty much gave the blueprint for how to use ‘em and thank God it landed,” said Weidman, who got emotional as he spoke of his wife and the recent birth of their second child.

Munoz, meanwhile, was humble and gracious in defeat.

“He caught me with that elbow coming in. He’s a great competitor. Props go to him,” said Munoz, who also thanked his fans and promised them “I’ll be back.”

JOEY BELTRAN VS. JAMES TE HUNA

Whenever Joey Beltran steps into the cage, non-stop action is a given and a Fight of the Night honor is highly probable. The Mexicutioner’s granite chin and penchant for toe-to-toe wars once again produced a barnburner against James Te Huna, who repeatedly cracked the southern Californian with hard shots for much of the bout, even dropping Beltran in the first frame and punishing him with vicious ground and pound, only to watch a blooded and battered Beltran remarkably recover and survive until the final horn.

The bout marked Beltran’s first foray into the light heavyweight division, with the slimmed down version of him tough as ever but still lacking the well-roundedness and potent punching power that might have sparked a come-from-behind victory. Beltran (14-8) wobbled Te Huna (17-5) late in round two and had his moments with combinations, but there was no doubt about the victor as judges awarded the Australian the verdict by scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27.

Hear what Te Huna had to say about his Fight of the Night performance

AARON SIMPSON VS. KENNY ROBERTSON

A back-and-forth slugfest erupted in round one between Aaron Simpson and Kenny Robertson, but the bout soon morphed into a one-sided grind over the final 10 minutes as Simpson’s wrestling prowess and ground and pound arsenal wore down Robertson, giving “A-Train” a unanimous decision win in his welterweight debut.

Making his first drop to 171 pounds in over 15 years, Simpson’s gas tank held up rather well. The Arizona State University graduate imposed his will in the clinch, scored takedowns and maintained top control to tame a very crafty Robertson (11-2), another former Division I wrestler. The 37-year-old pounded on Robertson with punches down the stretch but had to settle for a decision.

Simpson, 11-3, noted plenty of room for improvement in his game.

“It’s my first cut to 171 pounds,” Simpson said. “I‘ve got to get used to it. I’m not used to this speed. I’ve got to finish the way I start, that’s what this business is built on. I want to be one of those kinds of athletes and that’s what I want to work on. I want to be a little better out there.”

Both fighters were cut during fistic exchanges in the first round. Robertson, in particular, seemed to enjoy the damage. When the horn signaled the end of round one he grinned at Simpson and stuck his tongue out, not to taunt but as if to say, ‘Are you enjoying this as much as I am?’

Watch post-fight interview with Carmont

KARLOS VEMOLA VS. FRANCIS CARMONT

With UFC champ Georges St-Pierre barking instructions to him in French, Montreal’s Francis Carmont turned a nip-and-tuck affair into victory by choking out Karlos Vemola at 1:39 of round two.

Carmont (19-7) landed a kick to the face early in the second, following it up with a knee to the face. He then threatened the Czech Republic fighter with a guillotine choke, prompting a scramble that culminated with Carmont trapping Vemola in a crucifix of sorts on the mat, then transitioning to a modified rear naked choke for the tap out.

Vemola (10-3), a six-time national wrestling champ in his homeland, locked Carmont in two guillotine chokes but could not seal the deal.

Hear from Simpson after his win

T.J. DILLASHAW VS. VAUGHAN LEE

T.J. Dillashaw, a finalist on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, notched his second straight win inside the Octagon with a speedy choke out of England’s Vaughan Lee. The 26-year-old Dillashaw (a former Division I college wrestler) put his takedown skills to good use early, beautifully countering a Lee high kick with a hard slam to the canvas. Noticeably poised and loose, the Team Alpha Male bantamweight smoothly transitioned to Lee’s back and clamped on a wicked tight rear naked choke, earning the tap at 2:33 of the opening round.

Dillashaw, now 7-1 as a pro, credited his victory to an emphasis on staying calmer and waiting for the right opportunity.

Hear from Dillashaw following his victory

ANTHONY NJOKUANI VS. RAFAEL DOS ANJOS

Each fighter’s resume suggested that this would be the classic striker versus grappler matchup, with Rafael Dos Anjos (a BJJ black belt) preferring the mat and Anthony Njokuani (a Muay Thai specialist) favoring a standup affair. As it turned out, the lightweights split time in each realm, but the difference proved to be Dos Anjos’ ability to hold his own and avoid harm on the feet while scoring six takedowns and smothering Njokuani at every chance. Add it all up and Dos Anjos (17-6) walked away with the unanimous decision nod by score of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. The triumph marked the Brazilian’s sixth win in his past eight fights.

Njokuani, meanwhile, was active with punches and kicks but was never able to fully capitalize on his superior speed and reach advantage while upright. The Las Vegas transplant was seen shaking his hand or arm afterward, suggesting he may have injured his hand or wrist at some point during the scrap. On a positive note, the Nigerian-born fighter showed much-improved takedown defense at times, as well as progress at popping back to his feet and preventing submissions. Ultimately, however, Njokuani (17-6) failed to consistently keep Dos Anjos off his hips; the ensuing slams were the difference on the night.

Hear from Dos Anjos post-win

SAN JOSE, July 11 – Chris Weidman’s meteoric rise in the UFC continued Wednesday at the HP Pavilion, as the New Yorker thoroughly dismantled and stopped top contender Mark Munoz in the main event of UFC on FUEL TV 4 – announcing afterward that he wants to be next in line for a crack at UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva.

“I want Anderson Silva,” the 28-year-old wunderkind told UFC announcer Jon Anik inside the Octagon. “Give me a full training camp and I’d love a shot at ‘The Man,’ Anderson Silva. I really think I’d do very good against him.”

Before tonight’s bout, Weidman’s “calling out” the best fighter in MMA history might have sounded like hyperbole, especially since he has only been fighting professionally for three years. Heck, the former assistant wrestling coach at Hofstra University only started fighting in the UFC in March 2011. But he has quietly fashioned a perfect 5-0 in the world’s premier MMA league, including back-to-back wins over stalwarts Demian Maia and Munoz, feats that are certain to raise eyebrows and elevate his name power.

In fact, the Weidman (9-0) who showed up tonight left a lot of people with the impression that the sky might be the limit for him, mainly because he tornadoed through Munoz and somehow made it look easy. While both fighters were top wrestlers during their college days, Munoz won an NCAA national title; Weidman was a two-time All-American. Yet during their clash Weidman dominated the wrestling with two speedy takedowns, then owned Munoz on the mat, threatening with chokes and knees from the front headlock position.

The end came early in round two when Munoz (12-3) lunged forward to punch and Weidman countered with a perfectly placed elbow that sliced and gashed Munoz’s forehead. “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” fell to the canvas, bleeding considerably, and Weidman unleashed a hail of punches on his face-first foe until referee Josh Rosenthal halted the action at 1:37 of round two.

“I’ve just been playing around with some elbows. I got the long reach for it. Jon Jones pretty much gave the blueprint for how to use ‘em and thank God it landed,” said Weidman, who got emotional as he spoke of his wife and the recent birth of their second child.

Munoz, meanwhile, was humble and gracious in defeat.

“He caught me with that elbow coming in. He’s a great competitor. Props go to him,” said Munoz, who also thanked his fans and promised them “I’ll be back.”

JOEY BELTRAN VS. JAMES TE HUNA

Whenever Joey Beltran steps into the cage, non-stop action is a given and a Fight of the Night honor is highly probable. The Mexicutioner’s granite chin and penchant for toe-to-toe wars once again produced a barnburner against James Te Huna, who repeatedly cracked the southern Californian with hard shots for much of the bout, even dropping Beltran in the first frame and punishing him with vicious ground and pound, only to watch a blooded and battered Beltran remarkably recover and survive until the final horn.

The bout marked Beltran’s first foray into the light heavyweight division, with the slimmed down version of him tough as ever but still lacking the well-roundedness and potent punching power that might have sparked a come-from-behind victory. Beltran (14-8) wobbled Te Huna (17-5) late in round two and had his moments with combinations, but there was no doubt about the victor as judges awarded the Australian the verdict by scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27.

Hear what Te Huna had to say about his Fight of the Night performance

AARON SIMPSON VS. KENNY ROBERTSON

A back-and-forth slugfest erupted in round one between Aaron Simpson and Kenny Robertson, but the bout soon morphed into a one-sided grind over the final 10 minutes as Simpson’s wrestling prowess and ground and pound arsenal wore down Robertson, giving “A-Train” a unanimous decision win in his welterweight debut.

Making his first drop to 171 pounds in over 15 years, Simpson’s gas tank held up rather well. The Arizona State University graduate imposed his will in the clinch, scored takedowns and maintained top control to tame a very crafty Robertson (11-2), another former Division I wrestler. The 37-year-old pounded on Robertson with punches down the stretch but had to settle for a decision.

Simpson, 11-3, noted plenty of room for improvement in his game.

“It’s my first cut to 171 pounds,” Simpson said. “I‘ve got to get used to it. I’m not used to this speed. I’ve got to finish the way I start, that’s what this business is built on. I want to be one of those kinds of athletes and that’s what I want to work on. I want to be a little better out there.”

Both fighters were cut during fistic exchanges in the first round. Robertson, in particular, seemed to enjoy the damage. When the horn signaled the end of round one he grinned at Simpson and stuck his tongue out, not to taunt but as if to say, ‘Are you enjoying this as much as I am?’

Watch post-fight interview with Carmont

KARLOS VEMOLA VS. FRANCIS CARMONT

With UFC champ Georges St-Pierre barking instructions to him in French, Montreal’s Francis Carmont turned a nip-and-tuck affair into victory by choking out Karlos Vemola at 1:39 of round two.

Carmont (19-7) landed a kick to the face early in the second, following it up with a knee to the face. He then threatened the Czech Republic fighter with a guillotine choke, prompting a scramble that culminated with Carmont trapping Vemola in a crucifix of sorts on the mat, then transitioning to a modified rear naked choke for the tap out.

Vemola (10-3), a six-time national wrestling champ in his homeland, locked Carmont in two guillotine chokes but could not seal the deal.

Hear from Simpson after his win

T.J. DILLASHAW VS. VAUGHAN LEE

T.J. Dillashaw, a finalist on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, notched his second straight win inside the Octagon with a speedy choke out of England’s Vaughan Lee. The 26-year-old Dillashaw (a former Division I college wrestler) put his takedown skills to good use early, beautifully countering a Lee high kick with a hard slam to the canvas. Noticeably poised and loose, the Team Alpha Male bantamweight smoothly transitioned to Lee’s back and clamped on a wicked tight rear naked choke, earning the tap at 2:33 of the opening round.

Dillashaw, now 7-1 as a pro, credited his victory to an emphasis on staying calmer and waiting for the right opportunity.

Hear from Dillashaw following his victory

ANTHONY NJOKUANI VS. RAFAEL DOS ANJOS

Each fighter’s resume suggested that this would be the classic striker versus grappler matchup, with Rafael Dos Anjos (a BJJ black belt) preferring the mat and Anthony Njokuani (a Muay Thai specialist) favoring a standup affair. As it turned out, the lightweights split time in each realm, but the difference proved to be Dos Anjos’ ability to hold his own and avoid harm on the feet while scoring six takedowns and smothering Njokuani at every chance. Add it all up and Dos Anjos (17-6) walked away with the unanimous decision nod by score of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. The triumph marked the Brazilian’s sixth win in his past eight fights.

Njokuani, meanwhile, was active with punches and kicks but was never able to fully capitalize on his superior speed and reach advantage while upright. The Las Vegas transplant was seen shaking his hand or arm afterward, suggesting he may have injured his hand or wrist at some point during the scrap. On a positive note, the Nigerian-born fighter showed much-improved takedown defense at times, as well as progress at popping back to his feet and preventing submissions. Ultimately, however, Njokuani (17-6) failed to consistently keep Dos Anjos off his hips; the ensuing slams were the difference on the night.

Hear from Dos Anjos post-win

Pass the pizza and the pasta; Matt Serra is in the house. The 38-year-old former UFC champ has been living the good life of late, taking two years away from the Octagon to enjoy family life and teaching at his Brazilian jiu-jitsu academies in the Empire State. I caught up with the affable fighter for a chat about diet, the word “retirement,” his new “Fight Camp Insider” blog on UFC.com, and what struck him most during a candid visit with Chael Sonnen leading up to UFC 148.
 
UFC: Tell me about growing up in the Serra family and the kind of meals you were raised on.
Serra: Well, I’m one of five siblings. My father was a New York City police officer and my mom was a stay-at-home mom. We basically grew up on pasta, sometimes steak or pork chops … pizza was always there, too. We ate pasta and everything in the pasta family – tortellini, ravioli, lasagna, all of it. That was just the way it was and it was delicious.

Did you grow up wanting to be a police officer?
I mean, what do you do when you’re a young, gung-ho kid and you think you’re tough? You go into the military. I thought of being a cop and I thought about going into the Marines but then an incident happened where I couldn’t go into the Marines. And then thank God I found Renzo Gracie and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Your mentor is the great Renzo Gracie. Has he ever shared the Gracie Diet with you or advised you to try it?
(Laughs). I think there is a Gracie Diet and then there’s The Renzo Gracie Diet?! I don’t think they’re the same thing! (laughs uncontrollably). No Renzo does the right thing when he has to. Me and Renzo have broken bread before!

You showed up at the Team Quest gym in Portland to interview Chael Sonnen with coffee. Are you a big coffee drinker?
Yeah, I love coffee. Now you’ve got me thinking about it so I’ve got to stop off at a 7-Eleven to get coffee. When I’m training I’ll drink a coffee or an espresso. When I’m teaching I’ll take a little espresso or a coffee … You never want an instructor without enthusiasm. I don’t want to be dragging. 

Heaviest weight you’ve ever been?
I don’t know, man, a little bit over 200.

Now you get playfully ribbed a little here and there about packing on a little weight, especially by Dana White.
Dana is a character. I think sometimes he battles it (the bulge), too (laughs). He’s taller than me so it holds it well. The one Dana uses every time, ‘You look like you ate Matt Serra!’ That’s his favorite one. He uses it every time.

You did get to visit Chael Sonnen leading up to his mega-fight with Anderson this Saturday. What stood out about that experience for you?
What stood out was that I saw the guy behind the guy. It was less for the cameras and I saw a different side of him and that wasn’t a bad thing to see. A lot of people just see the guy that is doing the old shtick, you know what I mean? I’ve heard him say things about guys that I respect and admire – the Nogueira brothers, Wanderlei Silva – and I don’t blame those guys for wanting to kill him. But at the same time, personally dealing with him he was nothing but a gentleman.

We see a lot of fighters nowadays who are becoming super-conscientious about what they eat? Where do you fall on that spectrum?
(Laughs). Man, well, it depends on what you’re talking about. If I have a fight coming up … Especially now; I don’t know when I’m fighting again or if I’m fighting again. But if I’m fighting I’ll have brown rice, quinoa, chicken, turkey … I eat clean, man. I will measure out my food every three hours and I eat five times a day.

But if I’m chilling out and hanging with family and barbequing – that’s a whole ‘nother menu.

What does the I-don’t-have-a-fight-coming-up Matt Serra eat?
 I might start the day off with some maple brown oatmeal with some Grapenuts in it. I’m not a big breakfast guy. I might grab a protein bar and I don’t normally eat a lot during the day because I’m teaching at my school and I don’t want to feel bloated. So I’ll eat a protein bar or have a shake here and there. But at night is where I get in trouble. I’ll either have a turkey or a veggie burger, or my wife will make pasta or pizza. I can be that guy as well, for sure.

Your wife is Italian as well, right?
Yeah, my wife is Italian as well. I got a throwback with that, I’m lucky. Her father, Ciro, is right off the boat. He came over here when he was 21. He was one of 10 so it’s a big family. So they tend to do it up with the food every holiday. Do you know what gnocchi is? It’s delicious! But it’s heavy as hell! They make that homemade gnocchi. Even when they barbeque they take the bread and soak it in the olive oil and wine. They put that on the barbeque, man, it’s nuts.

Your favorite, go-to-dish is … If you’re stuck on an island what’s the one food you must have?
Something really healthy like broccoli! Are we really doing the stuck-on-an-island thing?! No, I’m going to say pizza, to be honest with you.

You interviewed Chael Sonnen recently for a UFC.com blog and hit his pizzeria, “Mean Street Pizzeria.”
I mean, it’s not a New York pizza, but it was good.

Have you ever thought about opening up a pizzeria?
When I was 17, for a couple of years I delivered pizzas. So I saw what it takes and it’s not something I really want to do. But it was cool. I can hang out at a pizzeria all day but I don’t feel like running a joint.

So you got free pizzas all the time as a teenager?
Oh yeah, all the time. When I was 18 I fought in a Toughman contest and they introduced me as “A Weightlifting Pizza Boy.” I’m not sure what that means …

How did you do in the Toughman competition?
Yeah I fought three times in an hour and I knocked the first two guys out. Mr. T was actually the referee. It was at The Palladium in Manhattan. They showed a clip of it on the nightly news. I took a beating in my last fight. I didn’t have any headgear on … I weighed about 175 pounds and fought at 175 and above, so that was kind of crazy.

With the exception of the flyweight (125 pounds) and bantamweight (135) divisions, there aren’t many short and stocky fighters ruling weight classes in the UFC. Yet you’re a former UFC champ. We don’t see a lot of smaller guys able to win a title at 170 pounds. How did you make your frame work for you?
With my body type, people always say I have to watch out because the other guy has long limbs. But it could be a disadvantage for me if the other guy uses his range the right way. But if I work my way in, say, using my triple jab on the way in, and then work on going to the body and then upstairs to the head … then I’m OK. And you have to remember that my opponents are punching down on me. So when I work my way in, unless they’re throwing uppercuts or a knee – even if I get hit on top of the head – it’s hard to get my chin because it’s tucked. It’s kind of like a turtle in a shell. And I can be devastating because I have power.

I’ve been smart – I’ve waited until the end of my career to get into (slugfests). So my chin is still intact and I’ll be leaving the sport with my chin.

You’re 38. Where are you at this point in your career and who would you really like to fight before calling it a career?
Man, my thought right now, I really enjoy 1) spending time with my 2 kids and family and 2) teaching classes at my school. To come out and say you’re going to retire is so official. Now, if MMA became legal in New York next month, and I’m still able then I would love to fight on that UFC card. That would excite me. But I don’t just feeling like jumping in there and fighting just anybody because I’ve got other things to do. I don’t want to do it just to do it. I want to have that passion for it. As of right now I have nothing on the radar, and there’s nothing planned, and I’m fine with that. But if I could choose my last fight it would be against Matt Hughes at Madison Square Garden. That would be a beautiful thing. He (Hughes) has expressed interest in that fight on Twitter so I was like, ‘Let’s do this.’

I’ve had the belt already so everything else is just gravy, you know? You don’t want to be greedy … I had a meeting with Dana (White) and we talked about things. He was saying, just knowing that if I make it official and I’m done, and I’ll never have that feeling again of stepping into the Octagon again, never have that high of being in the Octagon … He said, ‘It’s like telling a woman that she’ll never have another baby again. I get it.’ We had a nice talk but I can’t give a definite answer. As of right now I’m fine just doing what I’m doing.

BJ Penn has said before, ‘When I’m done fighting I’m going to teach BJJ, not MMA.’ Are you of a similar mindset? Why do you prefer teaching BJJ as opposed to MMA?
You know I’m glad you brought that up. I had cards made up that said ‘Serra MMA.’ But jiu-jitsu changed my life. I love jiu-jitsu. It’s my therapy, it’s in my blood. I love all martial arts. I mean, I have more knockouts than I have submissions in the UFC and I’ve done damage on my feet with some very good fighters. But if I can get a few rounds of sparring in versus a few rounds of rolling, I’ll choose the rolling. I’ve seen jiu-jitsu change lives. It can help a crowd of kids getting bullied, or kids that never had confidence, or women … The truth is that I like teaching average people even more than teaching guys that are fighters.