Author: By Frank Curreri

If the UFC ever hosts an eating contest, Mark Munoz could well emerge as a frontrunner. No joke. Especially if sushi or Filipino cuisine is on the menu. Born and raised by Filipino parents who both excel at cooking, it’s no wonder that Munoz himself can throw down inside of the kitchen and make a mean Chicken Adobo, along with a wide array of other dishes. Though he fights at 185 pounds, Munoz said he can pack away massive amounts of food in a single session and could easily walk around at 230 pounds if he wasn’t training for a fight. But much of the Oklahoma State University graduate’s preferred grub will have to wait until after his July 11 main event (UFC on FUEL TV 4) against unbeaten Chris Weidman (8-0). In a recent interview, Munoz breaks down some of his favorite Filipino dishes and the diet that helps the former 205er make the tight cut to middleweight.

Curreri: You were born in Japan and both of your parents were from the Philippines.
Munoz: I was in Japan for two years and then moved to Vallejo, California and I’ve been eating Filipino food my entire life.

Curreri: What are some of the staples of Filipino food?
Munoz: Our main staple is white rice; that’s what we have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then we have curries, stew, stir fried noodles, fried food and barbequed. You name it, man, we got it. It’s so good and so rich. I love it, man, but during fight camp I can only eat the stews because they’re healthy. All of the other food I eat after my fights.

Curreri: Growing up, were both of your parents good cooks?
Munoz: Both parents. My mom predominantly cooked inside of the house. My dad would cook us breakfast and prepare our lunches. My mom is the chef in the house. She would make unbelievable meals.

Curreri: Given that pedigree, are you a capable cook?
Munoz: Yes, I love cooking and I can cook a lot of stuff. I cook nilagang, chicken adobo, pork adobo, lumpia, which is kind of fried egg rolls. I cook rice all the time; we have a rice cooker at the house. I also cook a breakfast sausage.

My parents owned a restaurant and I cooked for the restaurant in Pittsburgh, California; it was named “Rudy’s” after my dad’s first name. I worked there mostly on weekends and during the summers. We owned it for a good six years, so part of my life I spent at the restaurant cooking breakfast foods and helping prepare Filipino food.

Curreri: The native tongue for Philippines is Tagalog. Do you speak it?
Munoz: Yes, I do now. My parents always spoke to me in Tagalog growing up so I always understood the language, but they always wanted me to respond back in English so that I wouldn’t be confused in school. Now when I go to the Philippines I respond back in English and they go, ‘You don’t speak Tagalog?’ I’d say I don’t speak it but I understand it. But I’ve been practicing it and I can speak it now. But three years ago I had a hard time.

Curreri: I would be remiss if I interviewed you and did not ask you, a die-hard Manny Pacquaio fan, about your thoughts on that crazy, unjust decision a few weeks ago against Timothy Bradley.
Munoz: I did watch it and I was tweeting the results round by round. I scored that fight 117 to 111 (for Pacquiao). I couldn’t believe it. That was just robbery, thievery.

Curreri: Diet is obviously instrumental for an elite fighter, especially one who was previously a 205er and now fights at 185.
Munoz: I’ve been dieting ever since cutting down to 185 in April 2009. I decided to make a healthy change and my diet has been great ever since. I still eat Filipino foods but only in moderation. That’s the key.

Curreri: Is your wife of Filipino descent as well?
Munoz: She’s German, Irish and Polish.

Curreri: So if you want to eat the good stuff you have to cook it yourself, huh?
Munoz: Yeah, or my mom will come over and cook the good stuff. Or my aunts and uncles. My uncle came over the other day and brought me some Filipino food.

Curreri: I was a humongous eater in my younger days and, I don’t know why, but I almost have the sixth sense for detecting other humongous eaters and you strike me as someone who fits the bill, someone who can really put away astonishing amounts of food.
Munoz: (laughs). Yeah, you’re right dude, I can put it down! People say that about me all the time. We go to all-you-can-eat Sushi restaurants and people are like, ‘Dang, Munoz! I’d kick you out if I was the owner of this place!’ I mean, I eat like three party trays of the stuff.

Curreri: So the restaurant loses when they invite you to all-you-can-eat?
Munoz: That’s right. They invite me to all-you-can-eat – I will eat me plus five!

Curreri: Now, we hear so much about how brown rice, quinoa and whole grains are the ideal carbs for us, especially athletes. But white rice is so embedded in Filipino cuisine. What is your position on that?
Munoz: I eat white rice periodically, not all of the time now. I grew up on it and after researching different articles and journals I feel that brown rice and quinoa and brown rice noodles are more digestible and readily absorbed in the body than white rice. White rice is actually stored as glycogen or fat, whereas brown rice and the other grains enter the bloodstream and are used quickly. So I usually eat brown rice, brown noodles and quinoa.

But when I eat Filipino food, I go all the way, man! I eat white rice. But again, moderation is the key. You can’t eat that every night.

Curreri: It does seem that white rice accentuates the taste of the rest of the meal better …
Munoz: Yeah, you’re right. So I can’t have Filipino any other way. I can’t have brown rice with my adobo or other dishes. I can’t have that.

Curreri: So take us through a typical day of eating for you, starting with your earliest meal.
Munoz: For my earliest meal of the day I’ll have two whole eggs and four egg whites. Then a bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds and flaxseed. I’ll also have Vitamin C, a multi-vitamin and some branch chain amino acids.

Then after my first workout I’ll have a recovery protein shake with whey protein isolate, glutamine, branch chain amino acids and some electrolytes.

After that I’ll have a six-ounce chicken breast with quinoa, spinach or asparagus, some different colored peppers, broccoli or green beans.

Another meal will be similar to that.

I’ll have another protein shake after my later workout and another meal with carbohydrates at the end of the night.

Curreri: So 185 is a hard cut for you?
Munoz: I have to be very strategic for my cut to 185.

Curreri: How heavy would you be if you didn’t have a fight coming up, if you were just training
Munoz: I’d be 225, 230.

Curreri: You consume BCAA’s not only after your workouts, but before them. Why?
Munoz: Branch chain aminos are the building blocks of protein. I’m getting ready to workout with my meal and my muscles are going to need those BCAA’s. So I go before and after. I also take them at night for recovery.

Curreri: You mentioned the Filipino stews that you consume even during training camp. What makes them so healthy?
Munoz: So … Manny Pacquaio eats this stew called … tinola … It has cabbage in it, chicken, leaves, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic … so a lot of anti-oxidants  are in the stew. You boil the vegetables and then you drink the sauce. It’s a very good meal for you.

Curreri: How frequently are you able to eat those stews?
Munoz: I probably eat it once or twice a week.

Curreri: After you make weight what meals do you try to rehydrate with?
Munoz: After my fight I like to take in coconut water. I’m an island guy so coconuts go well with my diet. I wish I could have seen (the coconut water) craze because it’s going crazy. I’ll drink a lot of water as well and as many electrolytes as I can because making weight kind of dehydrates your body. Then I’ll eat the same things I’ve been eating for the past six to eight weeks. I don’t want to switch up my diet until after my fight. I will enjoy the occasional pizza or In & Out burger or Filipino food, and a lot of sushi. I eat that stuff after my fights. But I’ve been doing all the same things for this fight. I feel I have all the tools and resources to win this fight (against Chris Weidman).

You know you’re talking to The Cody McKenzie when you call him and two minutes into the conversation he says, ‘Uh, Frank, I gotta’ go now. I got a cop in my rear view mirror.’ Being the consummate professional that he is, the shaggy-haired crowd favorite called me back later and spoke at length about his evolution as a fighter, particularly a light bulb moment that occurred when he journeyed to train with the Diaz brothers (Nate and Nick) a few months ago. McKenzie noted how meticulous and disciplined the Diazes were with their diets and how it prompted the Washington state Wildman to rethink his anything-goes indulgences at mealtime. While admittedly still a work-in-progress, the 24-year-old McKenzie’s newfound consciousness could be coming at just the right time as he is dropping to the 145-pound weight class to battle Chad Mendes on the UFC’s July 7 mega-card.

Curreri: Have you ever trained with Mike Chiesa, recent winner of season 15 of The Ultimate Fighter??

McKenzie: Yeah, he lives with me in Spokane. He (Chiesa) is actually out running amok right now celebrating winning the show and getting out of that house, so right now I’ve got Lyle Beerbohm and some of his fighters, lots of guys from Spokane training together. (TUF 15 alum) Sam Sicilia was here the other day and we have a few others who deserve to be in the UFC but just haven’t been discovered yet.

Curreri: You and Chiesa look like twins! I mean, if you ever make it big in Hollywood and needed a stunt double you could always get Chiesa. Is that just like the look up there in Spokane or something?

McKenzie: (laughs) I don’t know, man, me and Chiesa are a lot alike. We have similar tastes in everything.

Curreri: So one of you is not copying the other?

McKenzie: Nah, nah, he’s a little older than me. We actually didn’t like each other when we first met.

Curreri: That’s what happens sometimes when you initially meet someone that’s so much like you!

McKenzie: Yeah, but we get along now.

Curreri: So when I last saw you on Las Vegas soil two months back, we were at Whole Foods and you sat next to me with a big old plate of salad … and you were talking about how you went and trained in Stockton with the Diaz brothers and they helped you see the light about eating healthier. How is the dietary reform working out for you?

McKenzie: My diet is great. I’m obsessed with nutrition now. I never really dieted right or ate right before. I was just brainwashed like everybody else – eating cheeseburgers, pizza, dairy, bacon and ham and believing all these meats were good for you. I’ve learned that meat is fine for you, but I eat a lot of fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables … things that people have been eating for a long time. I drink a lot of clean water now and stopped drinking that crap water. I gave up pops (soda). I take probiotics and enzymes now. I still drink a little alcohol and wine, whatever, but moderation I guess is the word for that.

Curreri: When you were training with the Diaz brothers this past spring, what made the light bulb go off and inspired you to change how you eat?

McKenzie: The Diazes were just real healthy. It wasn’t just one thing. It was people explaining to me why it’s better for you and what it does for your body. Nathan (Nate Diaz) and his roommate, Dave Humphries, helped me out a lot. They definitely opened my eyes. They were eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. It was very basic, eating stuff that’s been around for hundreds of years. They taught me a lot about diet and once I started eating right I felt a lot better mentally and physically.

Curreri: You spent a lot of your childhood in Alaska, renowned for its seafood. What did you grow up eating?

McKenzie: I ate a lot of seafood because we were commercial fishermen. We would catch halibut, shrimp, crab, salmon. I ate a lot of rock fish and sea bass. We would pull it right out of the ocean and it was so fresh. You could eat it right there if you wanted; just cut it open and grill it right there if you are sport fishing. If you are commercial fishing then usually you wait until the end of the day and then pick a real good one and eat it. Anytime you put something in the freezer you change the taste of it. But I also ate a lot of junk food, you know? Just like anywhere else, there were stores with junk food and I ate it. I love ice cream and eat junk food all the time.

I’ll always eat seafood because it’s so good for you. But I believe in it because I grew up on it.

Curreri: You’re also an avid hunter.

McKenzie: Yeah, I like to hunt a lot. I eat a lot of wild game like venison, duck, geese and birds.

Curreri: How often do you get to hunt these days?

McKenzie: I don’t get to hunt nearly as much as I’d like to. Fighting keeps me so busy, I don’t get to get out to the country as much anymore. Fighting is a full-time job and I’m trying to make a living at it.

Curreri: What is it about hunting that appeals to you? What do you enjoy about the process of hunting?

McKenzie: The appeal to hunting? It’s not really ‘appeal,’ it’s just what I grew up doing, you know? A lot of people in California are like, ‘Oh my goodness, you hunt?’ People have been hunting for hundreds and hundreds of years … for a million years. It’s in our nature to hunt and somebody’s got to go and kill the animal. You know, I’d rather go and kill an animal that has been living its whole life out in the wild and eat that than one that’s been cooped up on a farm and shoved next to a bunch of other animals and slaughtered.

Curreri: But there must be something you enjoy about the process …

McKenzie: It’s real nice being in the woods and away from everyone. Now that I’ve moved into the city I still have to get out every once in a while, otherwise I go crazy. I’m definitely a country boy; I like the country a lot more than the city. But the city has its pluses, too. You can’t go to a club with a bunch of pretty girls in the country (chuckles).

Curreri: What’s the most time in a day that you’ve spent hunting?

McKenzie: That all depends on what you’re hunting. Me and a buddy went and caught a mountain goat one time and that was a 14-hour hike and hunt. But if you’re just going out to hunt some birds, ducks or something you could hunt for just an hour or two.

Curreri: Do you have any venison, deer, or duck in your freezer at home right now?

McKenzie: I wish. No, I don’t have any venison or deer in the fridge right now. I just have a lot of halibut and Copper River Red Salmon from my parents.

I want to go get a moose this summer and get some moose in my freezer, but that depends on my next fight and whether I can make it to Alaska this summer or not.

Curreri (Stupid question time): How does moose taste?

McKenzie: Moose is delicious. All wild game is so much tastier.

Curreri: You’re dropping to 145 to fight Chad Mendes. Is this your first time fighting at that weight?

McKenzie: No, I’ve been to 145 three different times and made weight just fine. I’ll make weight this time just fine, too. I’m 3-0 at 145 (pounds).

Curreri: What weight do you normally walk at?

McKenzie: It depends on what you mean by “normal.” If I don’t have a fight coming up I can get up to 190 pretty easily. But for a fight at 145 pounds I’ll walk around at about 160.

Curreri: So was dropping to 145 your idea or did the UFC approach you about fighting there?

McKenzie: I approached the UFC and asked for a fight as soon as possible and then going to 145 came up. I’ll fight at whatever weight class.

Curreri: Now you are what, 6 feet 1?

McKenzie: No, I’m 5’11”. I don’t enjoy it. I have to diet my a— three weeks before the fight and lose a little bit of muscle and a lot of fight. It’s not enjoyable but I’ll do it.

Curreri: What do you have to eat and drink to make that weight?

McKenzie: My weight is down to about 158. Now I’ve got to start cutting more. I eat berries, fruits, a lot of water, a couple of eggs in the morning. I’m eating a lot of salmon lately. I bake it and maybe add a little seasoning. I eat Copper River Red Salmon, which is the best salmon in the world. It’s real expensive but all of my family fishes it so they ship it to me. They put it in a wet lock box, freeze a bunch of ‘em and then ship ‘em to me. They stay frozen while they’re being shipped down.

Curreri: What do you do for carbohydrates?

McKenzie: Just the vegetables I eat and a little bit of rice. Brown is better for you, they say, but I eat white rice, too. I haven’t noticed a big difference.

Curreri: What was the worst weight cut of your life?

McKenzie: Shoot, I used to weigh 215 pounds or so back when I was wrestling in high school. So fresh out of high school I moved and started training with Team Quest in Portland, Oregon and was getting ready for a grappling tournament. The weight class was 160 and under and 160 and over. I weighed like 175 pounds at the time, so I quit drinking water three days before the tournament and was eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches – thinking those were healthy for me. I had no clue how to cut weight. I got down to 161 and I was toast. I was so dehydrated … for all I know I could have almost died. I went through so much pain trying to lose that one last pound.

It was some dumb grappling tournament and I almost killed myself trying to make weight. Finally I made weight at the weigh-in and had a day to recover before competing.

Curreri: How did you do in the tournament?

McKenzie: I did good. There were like 25 people in my bracket and I took third. I lost by points. I went against a college wrestler and he kept hitting a fireman’s carry on me and just holding me down. I subbed everyone else that I went against. I’m a finisher, you know, I don’t do that decision crap. I don’t like decisions.

Curreri: So even when you were just eating whatever you almost made weight?

McKenzie: Oh yeah, that’s the professional thing to do. I could almost make weight. If I had to quit eating some foods then I quit eating them. I’m tough, I’ve just never been too smart! (laughs). But I’m learning little by little.

Curreri: So for this particular upcoming fight with Chad Mendes, when did you actually start eating “clean”?

McKenzie: Probably two weeks before my last fight (on May 15, UFC on Fuel TV, a submission win over Marcus LeVesseur). I went off the diet right after that fight and started eating junk food and ice cream. I still go off my diet a lot, I don’t stick to it all the time. But it does make my weight cut a lot easier when I eat cleaner.

Curreri: Have you noticed any improvement in your cardio or strength since the dietary upgrade?

McKenzie: I’ve always had crap cardio, man, I’ve gassed in a couple of fights. My cardio has always been known for being crap because I’ve partied and stuff. But it’s getting there now, for sure. I’m figuring it out. I just got into a rhythm where I didn’t believe cardio had anything to do with a fight, but I’m learning it obviously does have a lot to do with it.

Curreri: Stupid question: You seem like a very flexible guy. Have you ever eaten anything that you think helped your flexibility?

McKenzie: I used to be naturally flexible until my injuries started to rack up. Now I stretch all the time in the sauna. Bikram yoga – I definitely endorse that stuff, even though I don’t do it because it’s too hard, haha! The girls can tear it up at Bikram Yoga, but it kills me (laughs).

Curreri: So you were a skeptic with regards to diet. I’m sure a lot of people around you were always harping on you to eat better …

McKenzie: Oh yeah, people were always telling me what to do but I was always like, ‘Why, I can beat you up!” (laughs). So why would I listen to your diet idea when I’m in better shape than you? Why would I listen when my health teacher in high school was 200 pounds overweight and I’m eating pizza and cheeseburgers everyday (and in better shape than him). So you can never listen to everybody else. You’ve got to figure it out for yourself. That’s what I have always believed.

I started trying things and finding things that work for me.

Have 4-ounce Gloves, Will Travel.

That would be a fitting slogan for Brian Ebersole, likely among the most well-traveled pro fighters in MMA. Packing 65 fights into a 12-year career, the small-town Illinois native has entertained fans in cities such as Johannesburg, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tijuana, Las Vegas and San Francisco. For most of the past five years, the 31-year-old welterweight has lived in Australia, while also training in the U.S. and Thailand. Best known for his win over Chris Lytle and for having never been knocked out, the super-durable fighter sat down with me recently to discuss his diet, his training camp for a June 22 fight against T.J. Waldburger in Atlantic City (UFC on FX 4) and how being a citizen of the world has taught him to perfect the art of “eating on the fly.”

Curreri: You have traveled the world for training and fighting. Talk about different diets you embraced in countries where you have lived and trained.

Ebersole: In Thailand they’re into eating a lot more insects and odd animals like frog and stuff. They have some weird stuff that comes out of their ocean, too. They eat so much more rice because everything they make is a curry over there. I had a hard time finding brown rice at restaurants, as you know, there aren’t Whole Foods stores over in Thailand. But that said, I could have stir fried vegetables with every meal without the rice.

Curreri: More and more people are advocating eating organic food, but I wonder if that label even exists over in Thailand?

Ebersole: I don’t think they’re using pesticides very much over in Thailand, I really don’t. I don’t think Monsanto has taken over there yet. So I feel I eat a bit cleaner when I’m over there, but I’m not the bodybuilder type where I eat certain set meals at certain times of the day and my body gets used to it. And I wake up at different times, too. I kind of eat on the fly but try to eat every three or four hours. So I’ve got the concept down but I don’t have it regimented perfectly.

In Thailand, the island of Phuket where I am, they really cater to tourists. So there are Italian places, Western restaurants with steak and that sort of thing. It’s an island, so obviously seafood is really big there. I try to keep it simple. One place over there that I like, they give you a soup broth and you can order off the menu whatever you want to chuck in … So I might throw in a mushroom plate, a veggie plate, and thin cut meat. I like the way they sauce over there. They use a lot of natural types of sauces and chilis, whereas here (in the U.S.) we use a lot of creamy and buttery sauces. I like the Thai sauces; I’ve got a spicy inclination.

Curreri: Thailand produces a ton of coconuts and coconut water is becoming quite the craze among athletes and health-minded people. Are you a big drinker of coconut water?

Ebersole: I didn’t really like coconut water the first time I tried it. I think it’s a bit of an acquired taste. But it’s something I’ll start trying. I might have to get it really cold. Nobody likes warm beer either, you know?

Curreri: How long have you been visiting and training Muay Thai in Thailand?

Ebersole: The first time I went, I was offered a free place to stay and it was an around-the-world tour, anyway. That was my last stop before returning to Australia. So I stayed in Thailand for a month, and enjoyed it, but it took me around a year and a half to get back there because I was busy coaching and fighting in Australia. But I’ve trained in Thailand for my last three fight camps. I usually spend about a month there. Then I’d return home to Melbourne, Australia and train for like seven weeks there. But for this camp, spent four weeks in Thailand and came to America for training.

Curreri: Is the world-class Muay Thai instruction your main reason for journeying there?

Ebersole: That and the weather and the lifestyle. It’s a perfect way to break away from domestic life and business dealings and other stuff. I just cut all my ties and disappear almost. Facebook and emails are my only ties to the rest of the world. I don’t make phone calls when I’m there. The weather is hot, so it’s perfect. When you’re working out you’re warm before you even get on the mat. I don’t have to do anything domestic – no cooking, no cleaning, no laundry. It’s affordable enough to have someone else do it for you.

Curreri: When did you first set up shop in Australia? I mean, we don’t have a ton of American fighters who have actually lived there.

Ebersole: Through a sponsor and Frank Shamrock, I had some Internet communication with a guy who is now my manager. He put me up and I slept in his gym for about two months and fought twice over there. They offered me a job in real estate to go back so I was like, ‘Cool, I’ll go back.’

The visa was a bit hard to come by so I ended up taking a fight and while I was over in that city for a fight I got offered a job as a coach. And being a wrestling and MMA coach was a much easier visa application to fill out because 1) it was my true skill set and 2) it’s a skill set that they didn’t have much of in Australia. So it helps your visa application if there’s not someone in Australia that can already do that job. That was about 2007. Of the past five years I’ve probably spent three over in Australia. I’ve met a lot of good people in Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland.

Curreri: Do you have a gym over there now?

Ebersole: No, not my own. I just travel around and do seminars.

Curreri: Do you have residence over there?

Ebersole: No but I’m dating an Australian now. She sold her home and she’s travelling with me now for this fight camp. So I’m in full gypsy mode. But we’ll go back to Australia for Christmas and stuff. But I took a job in Thailand for 2013, so I’ll spend six months in Thailand. If I have a fight in America I may spend three or four weeks in America just to get used to the time zone and get some really good training. Then I’ll see my family for a few weeks and head back to Thailand.

Curreri: How is eating in Australia different from eating here in the states?

Ebersole: Australia is very similar to the U.S. The only thing is, they have a little more of a California feel to it. It is a very affluent country on the whole and they’re closer to the Eastern knowledge and Asian influence. People either go one way or the other: They’re either into ‘going green’ and eating organic, or you get the other side where you have guys that are gung ho about eating steak and mashed potatoes and all that.

They do eat big breakfasts, like we do here, but theirs is a little more English flavored with toast, sausage links, baked beans on the side, or they will cut a tomato in half and grill it and put it on the side. So it’s a little different. They don’t do biscuits and gravy, though. That’s the one thing that freaks Australians out when they come here. They just think that’s a pile of slop.

Curreri: What kinds of supplements do you take?

Ebersole: I have a sponsor in Australia that gives me a pre-workout formula, an intra-workout formula that is mineral and electrolyte-based, and post-workout which is protein-based. I like the intra-workout formula especially because you’re going to lose eight or nine pounds in a workout so it’s important to kick those minerals and electrolytes back into me during the workout instead of afterwards. I don’t like being dizzy after a workout, it’s never fun.

Curreri: What are the staples of your diet?

Ebersole: I’m a big salad guy. A HUGE salad guy. And I also try to have beans at least twice a day, even if it means going into a Mexican restaurant and having beans and a taco. It just has to be done. And guacamole is a life-saver, avocado. I just love the texture of guacamole. When you make proper guacamole, if you start throwing salt, onions, tomatoes and a bit of lime juice in there I’m in love. I love salt, but I try to use natural salt, sea salt and Himalayan salt.

Curreri: You had mentioned “Cheat Days” during fight camp and that having some value. You also mentioned that you do eat meat, but only on occasion.

Ebersole: I know that during fight camp that the easiest way to keep my energy high is to avoid burdening my system. I don’t really think we’re meant to be full-time meat eaters. You look back at primitive times, how many times did we catch (animals and eat them)? We probably didn’t catch them that often. Our primary diet was what was easy to get: nuts, berries and things like that. So that’s kind of what we were meant to live on as our staples. So given that philosophy, just because there’s chicken at the restaurant and you can get it for five bucks doesn’t mean I should. It weighs you down … just look at how long it takes to pass food. It shouldn’t take you a day or two to pass a meal. But with meat it does. So I feel a lot cleaner when I put something in and seven or eight hours later it comes out. That’s when I feel optimal and happy.

During fight week I really limit my intake to just fibrous veggies, salads and raw fruits. It’s about keeping our pipes clean. If you clog anywhere it’s going to be a problem.

Curreri: Once you make weight for a fight, what do you typically eat to replenish your body?

Ebersole: It’s truly spontaneous; it depends on the city that I’m fighting in. Like in Philadelphia, right off the scale I had Pedialyte, water and a Philly cheesesteak. I didn’t eat half of the bread. And the next day I had crab for breakfast.

Curreri: And you won that fight in Philadelphia, beating Dennis Hallman, who was sporting the skimpiest shorts to ever grace the Octagon.

Ebersole: Thankfully I won earlier because maybe the Philly cheesesteak would have clogged my system up and I would have gassed early.

Curreri: Speaking of the Philly cheesesteak, what is your opinion of them? Are they over-rated or overhyped?

Ebersole: When they’re made right they’re amazing!

Curreri: You fight at welterweight. What is your walk-around weight?

Ebersole: Around 190. I’ve been up to 200 right after I fought Lytle but I took a lot of time off. Usually it’s not a taxing weight cut. It’s just the same thing: salt load, water load, empty the bowels and eat real light the last day.

Curreri: 65 fights over how many years?

Ebersole: 12 years.

Curreri: What was your diet like when you were a young fighter?

Ebersole: I was in college when I first started and, I’m not going to lie, even though I took a nutrition class in college I wasn’t the most enlightened as far as nutrition. I fell into a lot of misinformation. You know, ‘Bread is OK.’ You know, the FDA approves all of this stuff and it’s out there so it’s OK. You know, a lot of stuff that we eat is processed and preserved so I fell into that. I tried to eat OK. I ate a lot of Subway sandwiches, that type of stuff. I would go home and cook my own steak and throw some sautéed onions on it. I would have lasagna, meat loaf and all that. Maybe my fat content was a little high … I never had a six-pack (abs) unless I was wrestling in the middle of the season. But that was from hard work more than diet. I was doing it the dummy’s way.

Now that I’ve gotten older I’ve tried to cut out a bunch of stuff. When I moved to California in 2003 is when I really started to shift. Four years out there caused me to change my diet. There was just a lot more affluence in the area where I lived, as opposed to where I lived previously, so people just had access to better information and were a bit more open-minded.

Curreri: What sorts of things did you start incorporating into your diet?

Ebersole: I definitely got back into veggies – way more. I tried to eat a lot more raw fruits. I started phasing out milk. I didn’t really see why we were drinking milk from an adult cow, you know what I mean? We’re not baby cows so I thought that was a bit weird. I tried to stay away from preserved and processed foods. I tried to find restaurants that had the best quality food, not just the cheapest. I would try to go to the Mexican restaurant that used fresh beans out of a bag instead of a can, that sort of a thing. I just developed more of a standard.

I still eat a ton. I went vegetarian for two years when I was in Australia. I used to wake up at 170 pounds (without cutting any weight). So I went down to lightweight (155 pounds) for about a year. I felt good and I was really lean. I looked a little different, (that small) but with a big neck and a big head. I liked it. But once you fall off the wagon it’s hard to get it back. I was a vegetarian for like a year before my metabolism really kicked in. But it’s been hard ever since to get on a really, really good diet for a whole year and I think that’s because I do so much travelling. When I was at my best with diet I was settled in Australia, living in a home and cooking my own meals. But with all the travel I have had to eat things I maybe wouldn’t eat if I were at home. You know, if you’re on an airplane you eat what they give you.

I’d like to get back to a really good diet and avoid really big blowouts (weight gain after fights). So after this fight I will try to stay really lean. I’ll try to keep my weight at 185 pounds and even have a chance to drop down to lightweight again and see if I can pull that off.

Imagine this: It’s 2 a.m. and Joe Silva is wide awake reading a book in the basement of his home. Suddenly an epiphany strikes, causing the UFC matchmaker to instantly thrust aside his book, and begin scribbling intensely on a nearby notepad.

Silva writes: “Jon Fitch vs. Aaron Simpson … Vegetarian vs. Vegetarian. First time in history two vegetarians have collided inside the Octagon! (I love it!!!).”

Pulse racing, he calls Dana White to tell him the news.

Ok, ok, so that’s not really how the Battle of the Veggenites came to be. After all, what does Silva care that neither Fitch nor Simpson has eaten a burger in years? But the author of UFC.com’s nutrition stories sure as heck cares about it. Which is why I darn near shed a tear when Fitch was scratched from the UFC on Fuel TV 4 card (July 11), spoiling one of the more original angles for this column. But alas, I was able to catch up with Aaron “A-Train” Simpson to at least have the 37-year-old Arizonan discuss the new diet he has enacted as he drops to the 170-pound category for the first time since high school. The former Division I All-American wrestler also talks about how he transformed from hamburger lover to outspoken vegetarian and animal rights advocate.

Curreri: What was the turning point for you to convert to vegetarian?
Simpson: The turning point was me and my wife having kids four years ago. My wife has been vegetarian for almost 10 years now and we had discussed raising them vegetarian or vegan. That was big because I wanted to raise them to have a passionate upbringing to where they will value all life. So I couldn’t justify being different around the house. Because of how I feel about animal rights and the cruelty that is done to animals out there every day, I felt like it was up to me to be a role model to my kids. I just had to decide who I wanted to be for my kids.

Curreri: So the last time you ate meat was over four years ago …
Simpson: The last thing I gave up was chicken because everyone kept saying that ‘as an athlete you need animal protein in you’ and all that stuff. We hardly had red meat around my house, so for three years I chicken was really the only meat I ate. Then one day I just woke up and said, ‘I don’t think I can eat chicken anymore.’ I had seen some documentaries and read some books about the way they are abused, the way they are bred and it disturbed me. So I moved away from that.

Curreri: If we were to peek inside of your fridge or pantry right now, what would we see?
Simpson: Lots of fruits and vegetables. We’ve got hummus in there, tofu, veggie burgers, beans, rice, cucumbers, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers and kale. We do a lot of shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. I have to stay away from carrots, peas and corns for (my weight cut) because they’re higher in starch and might interfere with my weight cut.

For this camp I’m moving more toward the vegan lifestyle. I’ve omitted Kefir, which is more of a dairy-based yogurt. You have to understand: Growing up I was a hamburger and French fries kid. I was real picky. I didn’t like anything on my hamburger … So these last couple of years I can’t believe some of the stuff that I enjoy eating. I never in a million years thought I would eat like this. But now, every morning when I wake up, that’s what I do. I drink a shake with Vegan protein from Brendan Brazier’s – he’s an Ironman Triathlete and vegan who has a line of products called Vega Sport. I use a lot of his stuff in my training. I put some bananas, apples, berries in with the protein, along with a green superfood and some granola. That’s close to 400 to 500 calories right there, and then I’ll head to training.

Curreri: You mentioned earlier that you are working with highly-regarded nutritionist George Lockhart for this camp (Lockhart, best known for engineering Kenny Florian’s weight cut to 145 pounds).
Simpson: The diet he gave me, a big part of it is what I do pre- and post-workout – where my glycogen levels are and making sure those are replenished immediately after the workout. And making sure my electrolytes are replenished during the workout. I’ve been drinking a lot more water than I ever thought I needed; I’m making myself drink two gallons of water a day. As a wrestler, I didn’t think about how important it is to drink that much water. I was probably lucky to get ¾ of a gallon a day. I wasn’t monitoring how much I drank. I would drink because I felt thirsty, but they say that if you wait until you feel thirsty it’s too late.

I’ll be drinking 2 gallons of water a day right up until the week of weigh-ins. I’ll be drinking a maybe a gallon-a-day five days out. I’m waking up at 188 pounds right now and I was between 196 and 200 maybe five weeks ago. I feel healthier and stronger and I’m not deprived in any way.

Curreri: Are you noticing any shift in attitudes toward vegans and vegetarians in the sport?
Simpson: Yeah, definitely. Even at my own gym. A lot of the macho stuff is out the door now, a lot of the ‘you gotta have meat on your plate stuff.’ You’re seeing people like Gray Maynard, Jon Fitch and Mac Danzig, and people like me, eating this way that are very successful at what they do. So obviously it’s not harming performance. It’s spreading knowledge out there: ‘As a high-level athlete you don’t have to eat animal protein.’

Curreri: We haven’t had a UFC champ who is vegan or vegetarian. If the day ever comes when a UFC champ is a vegan or vegetarian, what impact might that have on perceptions?
Simpson: It would help shed even more light on things and more exposure on people with beliefs like mine. But it’s not just MMA. More and more you’re seeing other athletes take on this kind of lifestyle. It would be nice to see someone break through that is well spoken and will make it known. For me it’s not just the diet. There are so many other things going on and it’s important to really spread the word and put that out there. It’s the way we’re farming the animals. The way they’re being pumped full of steroids and growth hormone and antibiotics. It’s not healthy for this society and not healthy for the planet.

Curreri: You are fairly outspoken about the beliefs that underlie your diet, and your advocacy against cruel and inhumane treatment of animals. What is fueling that outspokenness?
Simpson: Ummm… Anger (chuckles)! And maybe it angers other people that I talk like this. It bothers me when dolphins and whales are killed for big dollars. And there’s a huge Alaskan seal hunt … it just baffles me. Stuff like that angers me. And when I tweet it, I’ve been told that maybe I should calm down on tweeting that because it angers people… A lot of people want to bury their head in the sand and act like some of this stuff doesn’t go on. But everything is not great out there. And the more we’re able to put it out in the public then people will realize that it does happen.

But I’m not afraid to voice that. You know, a lot of people are very anti-PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). You know, PETA is very extreme in what they do, but in a way they have to be. If you’re going to stand for something, you can’t half-ass it … so I feel like I’m making a small difference.

Curreri: You’re 37 years old and still competing at a high level. Have you given any thought as to how much longer you would like to fight? Are you gonna ‘ride it ‘til the wheels fall off’ or leave while you’re on top of your game?
Simpson: I think about it all the time, especially when you get home from a workout and your body is a little sore and beat up. But I’ve always taken care of my body and I’ve never really stopped training at a high level. I’ve trained and competed at a high level since I was 12 years old. So I hear that kind of talk from people that are my age or older … and they say, ‘Oh, he’s so old.’ It’s because they let themselves go. If they felt like I felt, if they were driven and hungry like I am, then they would understand. But they don’t see it through my eyes.

I just read a book by Dara Torres. Here she is, 45 years old and going for her fifth Olympics. At the end of the month she’s swimming in the Olympic Trials and she’ll probably make the Olympic Team, which is unheard of, especially at 45 years old. So I’m still hungry to do this, I’m still able to compete at a high level. And now that I’m cutting to welterweight – I probably should have done it years ago – I feel like I can beat any of those guys in the weight class. It’s just a matter of going out there and having great training camps. Now I’ve got a great coach in Tom Vaughn and a great situation and everything is really clicking right now. I was excited for the Jon Fitch fight, but I’m still excited about the fight with Kenny Robertson. Regardless of who I’m fighting, it’s a chance for me to showcase what I can do at 170 pounds. I’m going to be a different fighter there. Before I was always fighting guys that were 25 pounds heavier than me. That was always in the back of my mind, ‘What if this dude takes me down and just holds me down?’ My last fight (decision loss to Ronny Markes) I was 191 pounds the morning of the fight. So it’ll be nice to (finally) fight someone my size.

A UFC headliner for much of his career, Tito Ortiz typically fights between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at night, making him notoriously and necessarily a nocturnal creature. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native goes to bed around 3 a.m. most nights and rises the following afternoon. So a midnight interview about his diet is pretty much child’s play to the Huntington Beach, Calif., native. Fresh off a 3-mile run in Big Bear, Calif., and a late-night dinner, the 15-year vet graciously shared his views on nutrition and talked briefly about his looming retirement bout against Forrest Griffin at UFC 148.

Curreri: A day in the eating life of the Tito Ortiz … what is that look like?
Ortiz: I wake up and have a protein shake about 9:30 in the morning. I’ll also have a little small meal with carbs. Then I go back to sleep and wake up about 12 O’clock and start my training. Then after training I’ll have another meal with high carbs and protein. I don’t eat fried foods, I don’t drink sodas, no fast food at all, no ice cream. I eat a lot of greens. I do a lot of juicing – about three times a day.

I don’t eat as much as I want, I don’t stuff myself, but I eat until I’m full. I eat whenever I’m hungry. My problem is that sometimes I don’t feel hungry and I won’t eat. So I have to force myself because I’m burning so many calories a day. I have to eat at least 4,000 a calories just to keep my weight on. Especially up here at Big Bear, which is 7,000 feet altitude. You can dehydrate really quick, when you’re at altitude you burn calories really fast, so I have to make sure I drink a lot of water.

If I want dessert I’ll eat a protein shake and throw some peanut butter in there. My company, Punishment Athletics, has a supplement line so I use that protein since it has virtually no sugar at all.

(Side note: Ortiz said that for this particular camp he practices wrestling five days a week; a lot more than usual).

Curreri: You’ve been in the game a long time. When did eating clean become a big deal to you?
Ortiz: It started when I was a high school wrestler cutting weight. My mom would make rice, cheese and beans … so I started making my own food: White rice, brown rice, broiled chicken … nothing fried at all. My mom was like, ‘What are you doing weirdo.’ I’m like, ‘I gotta cut weight.’

It’s just been a lot of trial and error to find out what your body burns and what works for you. I’ve read books, watched television, during college and researched it on the Internet. To me, sushi is the best energy food on the market. I also learned that a lot of good energy comes from juicing. I use the Jack Lalanne juicer and mix spinach, carrots, celery, garlic, ginger, apple and lemon. I drink 32 ounces, three times a day. It burns all of the fat out of my body and I lean out really quick. I think people will notice a difference in this fight, versus my last three fights, as to how lean I will be. That’s because I haven’t trained at Big Bear (during the prior) 18 months … I was training at home. But here in Big Bear I’m a lot more focused. I live what I’m doing. I get up, I train, I eat and I rest. Train, eat, rest. Train, eat, rest. That’s all I do.

Curreri: Does it matter to you whether your food is organic or not?
Ortiz: No. Some people are worried about that and they can’t handle some of the pesticides on the vegetables. But my immune system is very strong and I’ve built a tolerance to a lot of things. As long as I’m using the juicer, I don’t get sick. The last time I was sick was 14 months ago. I just eat so clean and the juicing really cleans your system.

I’ve watched a lot of cooking shows on television, how they would cook things. I learned from Jack Lalanne the importance of juicing and, why overcook foods and not put the nutrients in your body that it needs? My metabolism doesn’t work as fast as it used to, being 37 years old, so I’ve made sure to watch what I eat.

It really comes to America: In America we live on fast food. Now, you can go to fast food restaurants but you have to eat clean. Don’t eat fried foods. Don’t eat cheese or white bread. Don’t drink sodas. Instead of sodas or lemonade, drink water. After 8 p.m. I don’t eat any carbs. My philosophy is, ‘The greener the food, the better.’ And I don’t overcook my food.

Even with my kids – candy for them is fruit. I’ll give them mango, strawberry, pineapple. That’s candy to them.

Curreri: What weight do you normally walk at?
Ortiz: Normally 236. But last year I got up to 247 and that’s the heaviest I’d ever been. Maybe it was a mixture of being a little lazy, having surgeries and not doing all the road work I normally do. I used to run four miles a day. But now I’m eating very clean and running three miles a day. This fight against Forrest is very serious to me. So I’m doing the road work again, training at Big Bear, and I walk around right now at 225. I’m strong – my abs are back! I’ll be shredded. I might even be 205 on the scales, which is a little light for me. When I fought (Antonio Rogerio “Little Nog”) Nogueira, I dropped from 232 to 206 in two days and I thought I was going to die. I was unprepared for the fight and I won’t let that happen again. I just got too comfortable at home with my family and my kids. But when I keep my mind focused like I’m doing now, it shows when I fight. That’s why I came back to Big Bear for this fight. All I do is watch Forrest’s (fight) tapes, watch every little move he makes. I eat the right things and I train. I want to make sure that after 15 years I get my hand raised and walk away a winner.

Curreri: Do you cook much?
Ortiz: I prepare my meals myself. I’m big into cooking. I grew up cooking for myself. When I was 18 I got put out on my own. My stepfather gave me $800 and said, ‘Here, it’s time to be a man.’ I lived on Top Ramen and water for the first three years, I think. But I learned how to cook. Watching “The Cooking Channel” helped out a lot. I still watch it all the time and I love it. Chef Gordon Ramsey – I’m a huge, huge fan of his. He’s an amazing cook. I’ve met him on a couple of occasions and he’s a great guy and a really, really good cook. I pay attention (to his recipes) for pastas, spaghettis, enchiladas, which are really clean and flavorful. My girlfriend, Jenna (Jameson), she loves when I cook. Just reach into the refrigerator and give me four things and I’ll make something out of it.

Curreri: What is your go-to meal?
Ortiz: If I’m in training, I’ll probably go with some cod with brown rice, asparagus and I use light salt. I will use real butter, a little garlic salt, a little lime and cayenne pepper.

If I’m not training, I also make the most amazing root beer barbeque chicken … I have a recipe for that but I’m not going to tell you because then everyone will know.

Curreri: So we might look on grocery shelves some day and next to the Paul Newman line … see Tito Ortiz’s secret barbeque sauce?
Ortiz: Listen, this retirement for me, I’m just graduating with a masters in marketing, a masters in promotion and a masters in kicking a–. Now it’s time to move onto something new. I’ve always been big into charity and I’ve worked with the Wounded Warriors Foundation … so I plan on giving back. I’ve been to Iraq a number of times and I plan on visiting a bunch of Army bases, too.

Curreri: Last question: What will be the last supper of Tito Ortiz’s UFC career on Saturday, July 7?
Ortiz: It will be the same as it always is: I’m going to hit my favorite sushi spot and eat as much salmon and sushi and white rice as I possibly can. White rice just because it’s high in starch and energy and my body burns it really fast.

LAS VEGAS, May 26 – Perhaps a Dana White tweet said it best, “Welcome back Dan Hardy.”

Chronically plagued with questions about losing four straight fights, and facing a “must-win” predicament Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, former No. 1 contender Dan Hardy rediscovered his mojo with a textbook left hook that dropped Duane Ludwig and carried him to a first-round knockout.

It was a compelling and exciting fight for all 3 minutes and 51 seconds that it lasted. Back and forth they went, trading heavy shots (no pitter-patter in this one). Early on, in fact, Ludwig landed a nice straight right that briefly forced Hardy to retreat and seek out a clinch. Hardy has worked feverishly with highly acclaimed grappling instructor Ricky Lundell on his wrestling, but could not take the action to the canvas. Yet, at the very least, his improved wrestling and grappling since relocating to Las Vegas made the Brit seem multi-dimensional for the first time in a long time. The 30-year-old fought like a man who was comfortable wherever the fight went and his standup – which in the past could be characterized as instinctive brawling – seemed much more fluid and purposeful.

The end came suddenly: Hardy unleashed a near-perfect left hook – his most faithful weapon—and down went Ludwig. Hardy briefly admired his work by hoisting his arms in the air (perhaps thinking Ludwig was out), only to look down and see that Ludwig was discombobulated but still kicking. So Hardy followed up with several well-placed elbows to the face, putting Ludwig out and forcing the stoppage.
 
Hardy euphorically erupted about the cage, then kissed the Octagon in celebration. One of Britain’s most popular fighters, as well as one of the sport’s most colorful and exciting fighters, was back.

“It’s good to be back,” Hardy said afterward. “One thing about this fight is it’s a little bittersweet. Duane has been a bit of a hero to me. I’ve always admired him, I’ve always respected him.”

DARREN ELKINS VS. DIEGO BRANDAO

Darren Elkins’ coaches offered him this advice leading up to his featherweight bout against Diego Brandao, season 14 winner of The Ultimate Fighter: “He comes out hard and swinging and fights with a lot of emotion. You gotta survive the first two or three minutes and then find a rhythm.”

The strategy worked to perfection, though it did require Elkins (15-2) to weather a furious storm from Brandao in the first round. The action saw Brandao cracking the Indianan with bombs, a thundering flying knee and a diving right hand to Elkins’ grill while he was on his back and trying to play guard.

But as the fight wore on, in rounds two and three, Brandao’s output did begin to fall and Elkins opportunistically imposed his wrestling takedowns and top control. In the second round, in particular, Elkins mounted the Brazilian and whaled away with a barrage of heavy shots. In the third frame, Elkins again controlled on top for most of the round, sealing the deal.

Judges scored it 29-28 across the board for Elkins. Hear what Elkins had to say during his post-fight interview

JAMIE VARNER VS. EDSON BARBOZA

Rightly or wrongly, Jamie Varner has attracted his fair share of “haters” who have questioned his heart under heavy fire. Once upon a time the Arizona lightweight had held the prestigious World Extreme Cagefighting belt; a string of tough losses later, the 27-year-old dropped off the big stage radar.

The Prodigal Son, five years after he last fought in the UFC, returned home Saturday night, but as a substantial 4-to-1 underdog to unbeaten Edson Barboza. Clearly many had mistook Varner as a sacrificial lamb of sorts, and they had reasons to pat themselves on the back early on as Barboza whacked away at Varner’s legs with potent leg kicks. Yet Varner ate those kicks and stayed aggressive, landing a flurry of shots then stunned the Brazilian. Smelling hurt, Varner scored a takedown and relentlessly teed off with a hail of punches, earning a referee stoppage.

Barboza immediately protested to the referee while Varner ran around the cage yelling “I’m back!!”

“Once you hit rock bottom you can really appreciate some of the places you been,” Varner said, so I really appreciate the UFC giving me a second chance. Barbosa is tough, he’s a scary dude. I didn’t care whether I won or lost, I just wanted to put on a show for the fans.”

Winner of four of his past five, Varner conceded he had plenty of nerves headed into this fight with the previously 10-0 Barboza. But he was inspired, he said, by his cornermen, who implored him to “Go be the wolf.” 

“What that means: Go eat,” said Varner (20-6-1, 2 NC). “I can’t believe it’s me. I can’t believe I just beat Edson Barboza, a guy who was this monster in my mind.”

Watch Varner’s post-fight interview

JASON MILLER VS. C.B. DOLLAWAY

Jason Miller presents himself as wild and carefree. But after dropping a three-round decision to C.B. Dollaway, the star of MTV’s “Bully Beatdown” looked to be quite sober in demeanor and probably in line for a lot of soul-searching regarding his career. Miller (34-10, 1 NC) showed glimpses in this one, stunning Dollaway with a punch in round one, and landing a sizzling overhand right in round two that made Dollaway do the so-called “chicken dance” about the cage.

But Dollaway (13-5) survived each scare, looked much-improved in his own boxing and rode his takedowns and top control to grind out a three-round unanimous decision by scores of 29-28, 30-26 and 29-28.

“I did what I had to do coming off hip surgery, so …,” Dollaway said. Check out Dollaway’s post-fight interview

JACOB VOLKMANN VS. PAUL SASS

Jacob Volkmann’s quest for a sixth straight win in the Octagon was denied, courtesy of unbeaten Sass and the lanky Brit’s trademark triangle submission. Volkmann, a top-shelf grappler and former All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota, got going early with takedowns. But daring to test Sass’s guard proved his undoing as Sass (13-0) swiftly locked in a deep triangle and then cranked the professional chiropractor’s arm for good measure, earning the tap at 1:54 of the opening stanza.

Hear what Sass had to say after his win

GLOVER TEIXEIRA VS. KYLE KINGSBURY 

Based on first impressions, light heavyweight Glover Teixeira is going to be around for a while. The highly-touted Brazilian (18-2) made quick work of UFC veteran Kyle Kingsbury, choking the former Arizona State University football player out with an arm triangle at 1:53 of the first round.

Teixeira, victorious in 16 straight now, never offered the slightest glimmer of hope to Kingsbury in the bout, jumping out of the gate and cracking Kingsbury with hard overhand right after hard overhand right. Kingsbury (11-4) was wobbled early, and when he went to the canvas, Teixeira followed him there and dished out some very effective ground and pound before slipping in the fight-ending choke.

“It was a little bit of pressure, I tell you, man,” Teixeira said. “I felt, ‘I gotta win.’”

Watch Teixeira’s post-fight interview

MIKE BROWN VS. DANIEL PINEDA

Mike Brown, the former WEC world champion at 145 pounds, outworked a very game Daniel Pineda en route to a unanimous decision victory.

The former collegiate wrestler was able to muscle Pineda to the canvas throughout the fast-paced fight, and effectively dished out some ground and pound. There were moments of splendor in the standup game, with both fighters winging and landing some hard shots.

Early in the second round, Pineda – who had won seven straight coming in — got the better of the banging, but midway through, Brown turned the tides with a torrent of hard uppercuts. The difference in that round was Brown’s ground-and-pound, opening a cut on Pineda (17-8). In the third round, Brown (26-8) dropped the Houstonite with a vicious knee to the body and retained top control for the bulk of the round. Pineda rallied in the last 90 seconds by reversing and taking Brown’s back, but was unable to capitalize or inflict much damage.

The 36-year-old Brown has now won two straight.

Hear what the former WEC champ had to say in his post-fight interview