Viewed as a long time coming by many fans of the sport, this Saturday, Aaron Rosa is set to make his Octagon-debut against Joey Beltran at UFC 131. Since making his professional debut in November of 2005, Rosa, who has competed under the ShoXC, Strikef…
Viewed as a long time coming by many fans of the sport, this Saturday, Aaron Rosa is set to make his Octagon-debut against Joey Beltran at UFC 131.
Since making his professional debut in November of 2005, Rosa, who has competed under the ShoXC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Shark Fights and Titan FC banners, registered 16 victories in 19 contests.
In his forthcoming match in the UFC, Rosa is slated to take on Beltran—a veteran of four Octagon appearances—in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Aaron Rosa about his days as a collegiate football player, Dallas Cowboys football and his upcoming match with Joey Beltran.
Were you involved in any martial arts growing up?
I used to watch it all the time; me and my brother used to watch old Kung-Fu movies, but I was never in martial arts. My father was a black-belt in some type of karate when he was really young, but my mom and dad got divorced when I was very young. I always had an interest in it—because of my dad—but I was never really formally involved in any martial arts when I was younger.
What inspired you to try your hand at mixed martial arts?
I just always liked it, man. I watched it; me and my brother would go to Blockbuster Video and rent the old DVDs and the old UFCs when we were younger. I played football, so I was always active in competition, but I wanted to try something different. I moved to San Antonio and then found an MMA school and just tried it out. I kept winning, so I kept doing it.
When you started training, what were your first impressions of the sport?
I loved it; I loved the physicality of it, I loved the competition and putting yourself on the line—knowing that it’s a 50/50 chance. I’ve always been drawn more to the striking aspect of fighting—because I love boxing and karate and the old Kung Fu movies—but grappling is tough, too. It’s really a mixture of everything; I really enjoy the competition.
How far did you make it in football?
I played college football at a Division II school in Texas—I played tight-end.
Did you think that the NFL was a possibility?
No—I never really thought about the NFL. I knew that I wasn’t fast enough for my position—I knew I was big enough—but the tight-ends in the NFL are super-fast, man. I’ve never had a great 40 time, so if I wanted to do anything, I’d have to become a lineman and I didn’t really want to gain that much weight [laughs]. I didn’t see it as something in my future.
Did you look up to any football players when you were coming up?
The Cowboys in the ‘90s—all of ‘em. I’m still a Cowboys fan, but back then; Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, “Moose” Johnston. I was a little boy in the early ‘90s and I just loved the Cowboys. They kept on winning and it just made them easier to like [laughs].
And you’re still a Cowboys fan?
To this day, man. I’m from Texas, man.
What about the Houston Texans?
Nah [laughs]—they don’t count. I guess they count in Houston, but everywhere else, it’s the Cowboys.
Do you go to many Cowboys games?
That’s one thing I want to do. I live in San Antonio, so Dallas is five or six hours away and I’m always working and training, so I’ve never had a chance to make it out there before. That’s one of my goals; that’s on my bucket-list [laughs]. I go to Spurs games here in San Antonio and I enjoy that, but I’ve never made it to an NFL game.
Do you notice any parallels between your career in football and you career in mixed martial arts?
I don’t know about that. I’ve taken this a lot farther than I took my football career; I’ve made it to the major league in this sport—but hopefully it doesn’t stop there. I want to keep going and I want to keep training and getting better so I can be a champion. Hopefully it doesn’t end like my football career [laughs]; hopefully I can keep going with it. I think football really helped me out, because it instilled a stronger sense of discipline in me and all of my coaches really helped me out. The main thing is that you’ve got to keep on working; if you keep working and getting better and better—that’s the most important part of it, you know what I mean?
Did you think, in the beginning, that mixed martial arts was something that you would be able to excel in?
Kind of. At the gym, I thought that I was decent, but I kept winning and winning, so I was surprised. But I have confidence in myself, you know? You’ve got to; you’ve got to believe in yourself to be in this sport. I thought I did pretty well, but I never thought it would come to the point that I’m at now.
You didn’t, realistically, think that you would make it to the UFC?
That was always a goal, but I was never 100 percent sure—I was never sure. I never said, you know, “I’m going to be in the UFC.” I don’t like saying stuff like that, because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow—only God knows what’s going to happen tomorrow—but I put in the work and I did what I had to do to get here with God’s help.
What does fighting in the UFC mean to you?
Probably other than getting married and having my baby girl, this is the best feeling that I’ve ever had in my life; I’ve accomplished something that not many people are capable of accomplishing. It’s an awesome feeling, but at the end of the day, I’m not satisfied just being here; I want to continue to do well and continue to win fights—I want to succeed in the UFC.
Do you feel that you belong in the UFC?
I do. I’ve put the work in, my record is pretty good—I just want a chance to prove that I belong in the UFC. I’ve beaten some decent guys and I’ve only lost to guys that have been in the UFC, so I think that I deserve a chance—just a chance.
Was there any hesitation on your behalf to sign that contract?
Oh, hell no [laughs]! It was, “Do you want to fight in the UFC?” “Yes.” “Tomorrow?” “I don’t care—I’m there.” There was no hesitation [laughs]—heck no!
[Laughs] How do you feel about Joey as a first opponent?
It’s a great first-opponent, I think. The guy is super, super tough and he’s got a lot of heart—I really respect the things that he’s done—and I’m basically coming in the same way he got in the UFC, you know what I mean? I’ve got a lot of respect for the guy; he’s a great fighter and he seems like a really nice guy, but I think I match up well against him. I’ve watched him fight and I’ve picked up on little things that he’s done, but I think he’s a great matchup; we both stand and punch—I just think that I have a few more tools in my toolbox to win this fight.
What problems do you think Joey poses to you?
He’s tough as nails [laughs]; the guy gets kicked in the face and he keeps coming forward—that’s the biggest problem. He hasn’t been stopped and he puts a lot of pressure on his opponents; he’s just tough, man—tough as nails.
Have you ever fought anyone that pushes the pace like that?
I fought Devin Cole; he likes to push the pace and move forward. I’m not going to put him on the same level as Joey—he was more of a wrestler—but he likes to push the pace. I think it’s going to be a similar fight; we’re just going to keep throwing. He’s going to keep moving forward and I’m going to keep moving forward and we’re just going to keep hitting each other.
Do you make any predictions going into your fights?
I just want to win—I’m not going to say that I’m going to win—but I want this win really bad.
What would a win this weekend mean to you?
Like I said; other than getting married and having my baby girl, this is the most important thing to me. Doing well in the UFC is one of the most important things in my life, so it means a lot.
What does your family think of your career?
My wife is just great; she’s super-supportive. My whole family, though, is really happy for me and they really want me to succeed. My wife is super-supportive; she’s picking up the slack, you know what I mean? I was working full time—11 hours a day—just up until last Tuesday. I couldn’t keep up with the grind anymore; working 11 hours, training and trying to do everything else was just too much. Last Tuesday was my last day at work and she supported me—she’s awesome, man.
Where did you work?
I sold and delivered Red Bull.
Did you enjoy doing that?
It was a decent job—it was just a lot of work. I worked from six in the morning to six at night, so it was an all-day, non-stop pace.
Do you think this has held you back in the past?
No—it just makes you stronger, man. It just makes you realize that you need to take advantage of opportunities when they’re presented to you. Hard-work isn’t a bad thing, you know what I mean? It makes you stronger as a person. I’m not going to say that it held me back; I’m going to take it as a positive and say that it showed me what real work is.
Over the course of your career, have you thought about the day when you could be a full-time fighter?
I dream about that every day [laughs]. This past week and a half has been a dream, man; I wake up and I go run and I train and then go back in the night and do some more training. It’s been a dream; all I have to do is drop off my baby girl at my mother-in-law’s house and not worry about anything besides training—it’s awesome.
You plan on fighting full time now?
It depends what happens, man. Supporting my family is, first-and-foremost, the most important thing to me.
Assuming you win, what’s the next step in your career?
Just keep going, man; just keep going, training and winning fights. I want to be the best—I really do want to be the best—but I’m not looking past this one. I just want to win this fight and go forward.
After dropping two straight bouts, Joey Beltran, a self-proclaimed realist, realizes that his upcoming match at UFC 131 has major implications on the future of his career in the UFC. Despite losing his first professional match in February of 2007, Belt…
After dropping two straight bouts, Joey Beltran, a self-proclaimed realist, realizes that his upcoming match at UFC 131 has major implications on the future of his career in the UFC.
Despite losing his first professional match in February of 2007, Beltran would go on to win 10 out of his next 12 fights—including a win over Houston Alexander in early 2010 — en route to being invited to compete at UFC 109 against Rolles Gracie.
After finishing Gracie in the second round of their match, Beltran notched a unanimous decision victory win over Tim Hague at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
In his third contest in the UFC, Beltran took to the Octagon to take on Matt Mitrione. In a match that was awarded Fight of the Night honors, Beltran, after three rounds of action, would go on to fall short against Mitrione — dropping a unanimous decision loss to the man they call “Meathead”.
On January 22 of this year, Beltran, at the UFC’s second Fight for the Troops card, was pitted against Pat Barry — a former K-1 kickboxer and current UFC heavyweight contender. Despite holding his own for the better part of three rounds, Beltran would go on to drop the decision against Barry.
Currently, Beltran, in what will be his fifth bout with the promotion, is set to take on UFC-newcomer Aaron Rosa at UFC 131 on June 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Joey Beltran about, among other topics, coaching, staying humble and his future — both inside and outside the sport.
Were you involved in any martial arts growing up?
I did boxing on and off, but it was mostly just putting on the gloves and fighting with the neighbourhood kids. A lot of times, we would go around the corner and finish it in a street fight [laughs]. I did boxing early on when I was little and then I started wrestling in junior high.
What drew you to wrestling?
From an early age, I liked the one-on-one competition. I liked the feeling that I got from winning.
Was wrestling a way for you to keep out of the street fights, too?
A little bit — a little bit. The crappy part — well, not the crappy part — but I wanted to wrestle for my team in junior high, but I had bad grades. I would go to practise for the first three weeks and then grades would come out and I’d be kicked off the team — that really motivated me. When high school came along — and I wasn’t a star by any means — I made sure that I did enough to be eligible.
What inspired you to try your hand at mixed martial arts?
I remember watching the early videos —I had UFC 2 on video and I had one of Tito Ortiz’s first fights on VHS — and I always had it in my mind that I could do this. When I was 19 years old, I said for the first time that I was going to fight for money. People kind of laughed at me back then. It was always in the back of my head, but I didn’t start thinking that it could be a reality until I was about 25.
Did you believe when you started that you would be capable of achieving what you’ve achieved so far?
Yeah — honestly, I did. I knew that I had the desire, the mentality. I gave myself three years to make it to the UFC — or to make it into a big show — and I actually made to the UFC eight days shy of my three year limit. That was pretty cool.
So, another eight days and I wouldn’t be talking to you right now?
Pretty much [laughs]. I’d probably be working construction with my relatives.
Do you ever think about how your life may have ended up had you not taken the mixed martial arts route?
Oh, yeah, man — all the time. That’s why I train so hard. I really feel blessed. My late teens and my early 20s were really, really wild, you know? There were a lot of dark days and nights. Sometimes I sit and reflect and thank God that I made it out alive. I know mixed martial arts, training, everything, has really saved my life.
Did you ever think that you would be afforded so many opportunities in your life?
When I got into it, I always said, “Worst case scenario; I’m going to get in shape, lose weight and get healthy.” And then the wins just kept coming, and I started getting better. Training with people in the UFC — I was training with Jason Lambert, Eddie Sanchez — and I was doing okay in practise. I hooked up with the Alliance MMA team and started training with elite fighters like Brandon Vera, and I was a little starstruck. And after a while, I realized that I could hang with these guys. It became more and more of a reality as I progressed. I always stay humble; I work hard — clock-in, clock-out — and I’ve treated it as a job. I make sure that I put in six hours, five days a week — and it’s paid off.
Have you always had this workmanlike approach to the sport?
In mixed martial arts, yes. In life [laughs], no, not so much. I’ve had so many jobs growing up over the years — I always had it in my mind that this isn’t what I was supposed to be doing. I’m not supposed to be a telemarketer or a car salesman or selling perfume out of a box in the mall’s parking lot, you know? If my boss or supervisor — whoever it was — ever got an attitude with me, I would just quit. I was like, “Whatever. I’ll get another minimum wage job tomorrow.” It wasn’t a big deal to me, but once I found MMA and have started living my passion — I just jumped head-first into it.
Now that you’ve accomplished a fair bit in the sport, how happy are you that you decided to take the MMA route?
Like I said, it changed my life. I couldn’t be happier. I distinctly remember the day when I was 25 and I was wondering if I would graduate college, but I decided to jump right into MMA and I started training.
Do you feel that you’ve really found your calling?
Definitely. I think it led me into my real calling; which I believe is going to be coaching.
How long have you been interested in coaching for?
I’ve been teaching classes for almost three years now.
Do you feel that teaching makes you a more proficient fighter?
Oh, yeah. When you have to break down moves, you see it from a different perspective and you say, “Oh — that’s why I wasn’t getting it.” I’m pretty unathletic, so I have that workmanlike approach, because that’s what I need to succeed; I have to grind it out. I don’t have that much explosiveness or even that much power; I’ve got to grind people out. I’m a lot better of a coach than I am an athlete.
How often do you teach?
About nine classes a week over five days.
Is that ever too much?
No because that’s what I do; I train. I’m pretty good financially — shout out to Matt Mitrione [laughs] — I was smart with my bonus money and I spread it out, so I have been able to train full-time, make a bit of money as an instructor and live a comfortable life.
What does fighting in the UFC mean to you?
I think that when I get old and look back on it, I’ll think that it’s pretty cool, but I try to not think too much about it. I’m sure it’s really cool for my family and friends, but I try to not let it enter my head too much. I just think that I’m fighting and it just so happens that 20,000 people are going to be watching it — it’s still a fight. It’s the same as when I was fighting in Indian casinos with the Gladiator Challenge. I try to not make much out of the fact that I’m in the UFC, but I’m when I’m older, I’ll look back — with the pictures and the videos — and it will probably be pretty cool.
Have you had this outlook since entering the UFC?
Yeah, definitely. It bugs me when people say, “This is Joey — he’s an ultimate fighter and he fights in the UFC.” I don’t like when people say that [laughs]. If you’re going to say that, please say, “This is Joey — he’s a mixed martial artist.” [Laughs]
[Laughs] Do you feel at home in the UFC?
Not so much. If I win this fight, I’ll feel a little better about signing autographs and that type of stuff, but the fact of the matter is I’m a realist. I’ve had two straight losses and I’m pretty close to getting the boot if I don’t get my act together. I don’t like the whole “UFC-fighter” as a title, but maybe if I win this fight and win a couple more than I’ll feel a little more comfortable about going out into the community and signing autographs [laughs]. Like I said, man; I just keep that humble, blue-collar work ethic.
Is it ever difficult to stay humble?
No, not with my family around [laughs]. They’ll constantly remind me that my life is still my old life; I’ll still get yelled at by my mom. I love it, you know?
How are you feeling going into your upcoming fight?
Health-wise; I’m not injured at all. I’m a little bigger and a little stronger, but I feel faster and more explosive than I’ve ever been. My camp has been great; going into a fight camp at the same time as Travis [Browne] has been great. Being in the gym with Travis, the competitive juices would be flowing and we’d swap hits or he’d beat me up one day and I’d beat me up the next. We were going back and forth, and it just made for an awesome atmosphere in the gym.
How much better do you think you will be this weekend than when we last saw you?
It will be a night-and-day situation; people are going to say that I’m not the same fighter that fought Pat Barry or fought Matt Mitrione. Or — and this is the worst case scenario — I go out and street fight and win Fight of the Night [laughs]. It’s not that big of an issue if I go out and fight like ‘old Joey,’ but I really feel — with my mentality and where I am in my heart and my spirit — that I’m going to put on a show.
What problems do you feel Aaron poses to you?
I think Aaron Rosa is a little bit like myself; he’s going to be coming forward and he’s going to be ready to fight — it’s almost like fighting myself on Saturday night. I’m just going to have to break him and I know I can do it. He’s been stopped a couple times and I think that says a lot. I’ve never been stopped and I’ve faced some big, tough, strong dudes and he’s been stopped against 205-pounders. I’m not disrespecting 205-pounders and I’m certainly not disrespecting Aaron Rosa, but the mathematics are right there. I’m a lot bigger than a 205er — I’m a lot heavier — and I’m going to put it on him.
Do you think you could make it to light-heavyweight?
I could — if I starved myself over a long period of time — but I’m starting to finally grow. I feel like I’ve finally hit puberty [laughs]; I’ve got some more weight in my legs and my ass. I’ve really, really hit the weight room; I hit the strength and conditioning program really hard after my last fight. That’s another thing; after my last fight, I didn’t go to my room and cry about losing — I was back in the gym on literally the next Monday.
What was it that got you to the gym so soon?
Knowing that I was that close to beating Pat Barry. Getting that close against a high-level striker; a K-1 level striker, was a great feeling. And more than just surviving; going out there and, at times, putting it on Pat Barry — I knew that I was so close. I said to myself, “If I get another chance, I’ve got to destroy whoever they put in front of me — I have to.” And I will.
What did you take away from your last performance?
Before the Pat Barry fight, I had the mentality that I had to respect my opponents; these are UFC fighters — they’re the best in the world — and I can’t go in there and just walk through people like I used to on the regional circuit. After the Pat Barry fight, I’m convinced that I can; if I go out there and put my fists on my opponent’s chin, it’s going to hurt — I will have success.
Overall, would you say that your last bout was a positive experience?
Oh, yeah, man — yeah. The coverage, the fans, fighting on the main card for such a huge card and the respect that was gained from that performance — even with a loss. That’s the great thing about MMA; if you lose in boxing then you lose, but in MMA, if you lose — but lose in a good fighting-spirit — then you’ll still get a lot of love from the fans. It’s been awesome so far.
Do you have a prediction for how next weekend’s bout is going to play out?
I don’t have a prediction, but I’m going to win; whether it be by knockout, submission or decision — I’m going to win. There’s not a doubt in my mind.
What would a win at UFC 131 mean to you?
It would mean a huge sense of relief for me and I’d be able to sit back, take a deep breath, and be able to go back into the gym and just continue to work to get better. I want to win for my fans and my family and my friends and my students and everyone that’s stood by me — they all deserve a win. We all deserve a win and I’m going to go out and get it for us.
Assuming you win, where do you see yourself in the division?
[Laughs] I’m at the bottom of the barrel, man —I know that. Everybody always asks me, “Why aren’t you fighting those guys?” I’m like, “Man, I’m just lucky that I have a fight.” I’ve got to get back in their good graces. I’m working on putting together a nice little win streak. I’ll be better prepared to answer that question after two or three more fights and we’ll see where I’m at in the rankings.
What do you feel you can accomplish in this sport?
If I keep getting better — with my work ethic and my ability to avoid taking punishment — the sky is the limit for me.
How does that feel?
It feels awesome, knowing that I can take a shot and keep coming back; but I don’t want to keep proving that point [laughs] — I can take your best shot. It opens up opportunities; if you’re not afraid of getting knocked out, you can be more aggressive and let your hands go. But, like I said; it’s not my goal to prove to everyone that I can take your best shot, you know?
What would you be satisfied with when you’re done with fighting?
I’d be satisfied with 20 wins — 20 solid wins — with the majority of them coming under the UFC banner. That would be great.
Have you thought about what you might like to do when you’re done fighting?
Yeah, I definitely want to continue coaching. But I don’t want to coach professional — or even amateur — fighters; I want to coach kids. I feel that MMA is going to be the biggest sport in the world, so I think that there’s definitely going to be a market for that — an all-kids gym. I think there will eventually be all-kids leagues; like youth baseball or Pop Warner for football — there are going to be kids MMA leagues. I don’t know if they will be kicking and punching each other in the face, but some form of it; like pankration-style. I would rather give someone a solid foundation — impact them in their early years — than try to deal with, sometimes, the drama and head-cases that are involved in MMA [laughs].
How big do you think the sport can get?
It’s going to be the biggest sport in the world — it’s only a matter of time. It’s grown so much in the last five years, and I can’t imagine how much it’s going to grow in the next five.
How does it feel to be a part of this sport?
I feel very lucky that I came up at the same time that the sport was growing, so I could get in there. Realistically, I feel that I’m the last of a dying breed [laughs]; the last of the tough guys. I feel that the super-athletic kids — and I can see it in my classes — are really going to take over in the sport. These kids are ridiculous athletes that may have been playing football or baseball in the past, but they’re into MMA so much that that’s their main sport right now. We’re going to have a generation of kids that grew up learning MMA as a sport, and those kids are going to be the ones that are freaky. Like I said, within five, six, seven years, it’s just going to be a whole new breed; there’s going to be a bunch of little GSPs running around.
How exciting is that for you?
Well, as a fan it’s exciting, but as a fighter, I hope that I’m done in there by the time those kids get in there [laughs].
[Laughs] Have you thought about how you’d like to be remembered when your fighting days are behind you?
I just want to be remembered as, maybe not the guy with the best technique or the best style, but someone that was willing to stand and bang with whoever it was in front of me and someone that always fought with my heart and left it all out there for the fans.
Why do you fight the way you do?
I don’t know, man. It just comes from the inside. I just feel, once again, that I’ve got so many people that I’m fighting for and I feel like I’m fighting with them on that night and I just can’t let them down. I would never lay down for them. I just feel like I’m fighting with so many people on my back.
Although Krzysztof Soszynski decided to try out for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ on a whim—with no expectations of making it through the casting process—it has turned out to be, arguably, one of the best decisions of his life. P…
Although Krzysztof Soszynski decided to try out for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ on a whim—with no expectations of making it through the casting process—it has turned out to be, arguably, one of the best decisions of his life.
Prior to his run on ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir’, Soszynski, who had competed in TKO, Strikeforce, and the IFL, had established himself as one of Canada’s most talented mixed martial artists.
As a member of Team Mir, Soszynski, who also made a name for himself with a number of practical jokes during his time in the ‘TUF house,’ registered victories over Mike Stewart and current UFC contender Kyle Kingsbury before eventually being submitted by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Vinny Magalhães in the semi-final round of the tournament.
Since leaving the show, Soszynski, with victories over Shane Primm, Brain Stann, Andre Gusmao, Stephan Bonnar, and Goran Reljic, has established himself in the thick of the UFC’s 205-pound division and is currently slated to take on Igor Pokrajac at UFC 131 on June 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Krzysztof Soszynski about, among other topics, the origin of ‘The Polish Experiment,’ coming to Canada from Poland, his days as a professional wrestler, and, of course, his upcoming match in Vancouver.
I was hoping to get a bit of clarification on your nickname—what is the origin of ‘The Polish Experiment’?
When I first started mixed martial arts training, I was 25 years old and I was just finishing up with some professional wrestling that I had done.
I was about 285 pounds and built like a truck. In professional wrestling, cardio is very important; our matches take 30 or 40 minutes sometimes. I had really good cardio and I went to my first training session and I was able to maintain my cardio for quite a while.
Usually, most guys that are 285 pounds and are built like trucks are done in about three or four minutes, so the guys at the gym started calling me ‘The Experiment’—because I was able to maintain with my conditioning and keep going with them for hours and hours.
Two or three weeks later—we had been talking and getting to know each other—and they found out that I was Polish. Therefore, ‘The Polish Experiment’ came to be.
Do you like the nickname?
I do. It’s a little long—which is too bad—but I definitely like it, because I think it brings me back to my Polish roots. I didn’t come up with that nickname myself; someone gave it to me—which is pretty cool. I like the nickname—sure.
Do you remember a lot of your life growing up in Poland?
Oh, of course—for sure.
Did you enjoy your life in Poland?
I grew up really well; I had a great, loving family—my parents took great care of my brother and I. Poland—at the time—was under a Communist regime. The reason that we left Poland was because of that; my parents wanted a better life for their two sons and themselves as well.
My dad went over to Canada when I was seven years old and got his citizenship. Once he got that, he was able to sponsor the rest of us over to Canada. We lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada—my parents are still here to this day.
Three years ago, though, when I was 30 years old, my wife and I moved on from Winnipeg to California to pursue mixed martial arts.
What were your first impressions of Canada?
I loved it. I couldn’t believe how big Canada was. What shocked me the most was the supermarkets; I had never seen anything like it before.
In Poland, there are small stores and you’ve got to wait in line for food and everything was, basically, on food-stamps and you could only get a certain amount of any given thing—depending on what you had.
In Canada, all of a sudden you see big supermarkets with everything you want—all that candy and everything—I was impressed by all of that.
How would you describe your life growing up in Winnipeg?
It was great. When you grow up with loving parents that work hard to give you a better life than they had before—it’s great. My brother and I get along very well.
My parents worked very hard—they still work to this day—and they set me up with good values; I appreciate them for that and I really thank them for that.
What sparked your interest in professional wrestling?
It was kind of funny; I was 10 years old—when we were new to Canada—and there was this man in the yellow tights and the yellow shirt and Hulk Hogan comes out and you’re just like, “Wow!” There are all of these people that are going crazy and chanting—I just fell in love.
I basically started watching professional wrestling when I came to Canada and I followed it up until now; from time to time, I’ll watch it to see what’s going on. When I got a chance—I was 21 or 22 years old—I was into weightlifting and bodybuilding.
I met someone who said, “Holy smokes. Would you be interested in doing some professional wrestling?” I said, “Yes,” and I went to train for a year-and-a-half or two years and did some shows across Canada and had a blast doing it—I met some great people.
Do you think, had you stuck with wrestling, you would’ve had a future in the industry?
Not really. I didn’t have the charisma that you need to pull further. I had all the moves and I was a big, muscular dude—I had the look.
I was just never one of those charismatic guys that was able to grab the microphone. I was really nervous in front of people, but that was the only thing that was holding me back from becoming a good professional wrestler.
Do you think there are any parallels between professional wrestling and what you do now?
A little bit. The thing that I took from professional wrestling, was that I was able to work in front of a big crowd; I was at shows with well over a thousand people in the audience and that really helped me when I was fighting in front of bigger crowds.
Fighting in front of big crowds is really hard; it’s really intimidating when there are a bunch of people watching you—it gets tough-mentally on you. That helped me out, but as well as the conditioning aspect; with long matches in wrestling, it definitely helped with my cardio.
Do you enjoy one over the other?
No—not really; I enjoy both. I’ve had more injuries from professional wrestling than I’ve had from mixed martial arts, though. Don’t get me wrong; I get beat up and tired when I train, but I got a lot more hurt in professional wrestling.
Slamming your back on the mat constantly day after day after day definitely took a toll on my body. I’m glad that I chose this path over that one.
What inspired you to try your hand at mixed martial arts?
It’s kind of funny; I had a chance to meet and learn from Bad News Brown—a wrestler from the 80’s—who won a medal at the Olympics in judo, very knowledgeable in hapkido and everything. I had a chance to go train with him in Calgary when I was getting my wrestling going and, basically, when he started training his students, he made them grapple.
I never watched the UFC too much back in the day. It wasn’t my thing, because I didn’t really understand the whole Jiu-Jitsu and the gi-thing. He showed me the kimura, he showed me the armbar, he showed me the anaconda and I instantly became hooked. I was like, “You guys can actually do this?”
I quit wrestling that week and I drove in a Greyhound bus from Calgary to Winnipeg and I took my first class in Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 25. After six months of training Jiu-Jitsu, I had my first fight. It was a completely nerve-wracking experience for me, but I fell in love and I just pursued it more and more. Six years of hard work has taken me to the UFC.
Has the determination ever wavered in your mind?
No—not really. There were a lot of ups-and-downs in my career; if you look at my record, I’ve had 11 losses and there was a time when four of them were in a row. I fought some tough dudes when I wasn’t really ready for such fighters—I took those challenges and I lost.
It was really heavy on my mind, but I was able to meet the right people along the way; guys like Bas Rutten, Shawn Tompkins, Randy Couture, [Dan] Henderson, and the guys from the Reign Training Centre with Mark Munoz.
It was a really long and grueling path with a lot of ups-and-downs, but I’m really happy that I stuck with it. I have a great family that supports me; they’re very happy for me and they support me every way they can. Without them, I don’t think any of this would be possible.
In the beginning, was this something that you thought you would be able to make a career out of?
Joe Doerksen was one of my main training partners and he brought me over to be in his corner for one of his UFC fights. My friend and I drove to Las Vegas from Winnipeg—30 hours—just to be in his corner and get that experience.
When I was backstage, I said to myself—and I told all of my coaches and my teammates—“One day, you’ll see me in the UFC.”
Nobody really believed that at all; they said I was too old—at the time I was 25 and just getting started—but I pushed myself and I decided to leave Winnipeg when I met the right people and I’m really happy that I did.
Looking back, how big of an impact did that trip to Vegas have on you?
It was huge. That was the changing point. When I first walked into that arena and sat down and looked at the Octagon in the middle, I just got shivers; it was the most incredible feeling that I had ever had—it was an incredible moment.
It was just me, myself, and I sitting in the stands, looking way down at the Octagon, watching Joe Doerksen and Jeremy Horn train. I just got the shivers for a good 20 minutes, just thinking how incredible it was.
That was an incredible moment and I’m so glad he took me there. To this day, I’ve always been thankful for that and it was a definitely an important moment in my life.
Did Joe win his fight?
No. That was one of his first fights in the UFC and he lost, but it was a great fight. I went to the hospital with him—and it was actually pretty funny—he had a concussion, so we were talking about the same things over and over and over again. Whatever the outcome, though—it wouldn’t have mattered.
What inspired you to try out for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’?
That was my wife. I felt that I was too old and I felt that I was a little too experienced; having over 30 fights at the time. I was living in Temecula with Dan Henderson and a lot of guys from the team were trying out; Jesse Taylor made it on the show.
She thought that since these guys were making it on, then the least we can do is make a tape, so she brought the camera out, we talked for a bit, she sent the tape in, and we drove to Los Angeles to talk to one of the producers of the show and talk for a bit.
Later, they called and said that they wanted me to come out for the medicals and the rest is history—I made the show.
Did you think, realistically, that you would make the cut?
No—not at all. I thought I was way too old and I thought I was way too experienced. I watched ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ for many years and they always look for younger guys; guys with a lot less experience than I’ve got, but it was in the stars, I guess, and it was meant to be.
I always believe that everything truly happens for a reason and it did for me; it was a great experience.
On your way to Las Vegas—when you were going for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’—what was going through your mind?
A lot of nerves. I had seen the show before … I know Gabe Ruediger really well and he helped me get ready with my videotape and he—and Jesse Taylor—talked to me about the show.
I was really nervous; I had six weeks away from everybody with no phone, not knowing what’s going on with your family and everything—it was very stressful. I was very excited, but very nervous at the time.
Just because you go to Vegas, because you had to fight to get into the house, doesn’t mean that you get to stay [laughs]. It was tough.
Did you eventually get comfortable in the house?
Yeah—for sure. I felt really good in the house. It was much more mental than it was physical; when you’re stuck in the house with the same people for six weeks and you’re with them for 24/7 and there’s nothing else to do—it gets kind of rowdy, kind of crazy.
There’s weird stuff going through your head all of the time and some guys are getting sleep apnea—because you’re sleeping during the day and you can’t sleep at night.
Then people lose their fights and they go crazy and things get out of hand, but with me being the older guy, I never did anything too out of hand. I’m glad that I did it; it was a good experience and it got me to the goal—which was to make it to the UFC.
Was there anything else that you took away from your time on the show?
Just the fact that I was never around so many cameras, so that really helped me learn how it is to have a camera in your face all the time and not let it bother you so much.
At the start, it was hard not to be bothered by it and be open about everything and talk to all of these guys with cameras in your face, but after a while, you start to get used to it. It was a unique experience and one that I’ll never forget.
If you could change anything about your experience, would you?
No. I pulled some stupid pranks and did some stupid stuff like that, but I had a lot of fun doing it—I had a blast. I lost to Vinny—which was upsetting—but that’s part of being a fighter; growing from your mistakes. I would never change anything; if I had the chance, I would do everything exactly the same.
The main goal, for me, was to make it to the UFC and making it to the semi-finals and losing to Vinny gave me an opportunity to make it into the UFC. I knew that if I could beat Shane Primm, I’d make it to the UFC and I’d get a contract, but if I lose, then I’m out.
Fortunately, it was my night; I won the fight by kimura—I got Submission of the Night. It was a great night for me; my family was all there—it was fantastic.
Do you think you would view your time on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ as a success had you not made it through to the UFC?
No. As a fighter, everybody dreams to make it to the UFC—whether they sign you as a free agent or if you’re coming from the show—so if I didn’t make it, it would be upsetting; I would be heartbroken for a while.
I’m not sure if I would’ve continued on with mixed martial arts; if I didn’t make it to the UFC, that’s how my career could’ve ended, but it didn’t end that way. Like I said, the whole experience was worth it.
Do you ever think about how your life may be now had you not made it to the UFC?
I think about that kind of stuff a lot; what if I wasn’t a professional wrestler? What if I didn’t meet Bad News Brown? What if I never made it to Canada from Poland?
There are definitely a lot of things that go through my head when I think of how much my life has changed; coming from Poland as a very shy, quiet kid to a 230-pound tattooed bald guy who’s fighting for a living.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride and something that a lot of people don’t believe.
Did you ever think, in your youth, that you would be afforded so many opportunities in your life?
Definitely not. I thank my parents every day for the opportunities; without them, I would never be in this situation. Like I said, when you’re in Poland, you’re in school—and school is very hard—and you try to move on.
I’ve been back a few times and I’ve seen my cousins and they’re all doing really well and having a great time, but I wouldn’t have any of the opportunities that I’ve had had I not come to Canada.
What does fighting in the UFC mean to you?
It definitely means that I’m one of the better fighters in the world; I’m in the upper-echelon in the mixed martial arts world. The UFC is the top company in mixed martial arts—it’s where all the top guys fight—and, on top of that, I’ve got a pretty good record.
I’m very proud of myself for all of the hard work that I’ve done over the last six or seven years. Coming from a background of really nothing associated with martial arts and getting to where I am today, I feel is a great deal and it shows how hard I worked to get there.
I’m very honoured and very proud to be fighting for the UFC and I’m looking forward to some big things.
How do you feel about what you’ve been able to accomplish in the UFC so far?
I feel really good. I’m one of those fighters that’s not about winning or losing; whether I win or lose is not the most important thing.
Don’t get me wrong; losing sucks and I don’t like losing, but I’m more about making sure that the UFC and the fans of the sport get what they paid for and enjoyed what they came to see. That’s the reason why I fight the way I fight; I don’t fight to not lose, you know what I mean?
I fight to win and I fight to put on a great show for the fans; you’re not going to see some lay-and-pray from me or any stalling tactics or anything like that—I’m going to go out there and swing for the fences and punch and kick and submit my way to victories.
If I win, then that’s great, but if I lose—it is what it is; eventually you’re going to lose in mixed martial arts. I just want to have fun and let the people know that I go out there and give it my all every single time.
Have you always had this outlook?
When you lose fights early on in your career, it’s not about winning or losing anymore; it’s about making sure that you’re entertaining and you get more fights.
When I went through those four straight losses, I thought to myself, “You know what? I’m just going to go in there and let them go.”
My style was a little different at first; I used to take guys down and beat them up a little bit that way—I never did too much striking or anything like that—but once I got my striking down, I thought that I would just go out there and have fun.
I’ve been working really hard and I’m enjoying my life, so obviously I’m doing something right; I’m signing with the UFC and I’m getting all of these great fights. It’s been a good ride, so I may as well stick with it.
How are you feeling going into your upcoming fight?
I feel fantastic. I always work really hard; my camps are usually 13, 14, 15 week camps, so I can start off slow and peak at the right time—I don’t have to go all-out in that short period of time. I take a nice long time to get my body going.
I’m 33 years old—I’m not the young pup that I was back in the day—so my body needs a bit more time to rest and heal; that’s why I like the long camps. I feel fantastic; Igor and I are going to have a great fight and I’m really excited about fighting back in Canada.
What problems do you feel Igor poses to you?
I don’t know if he poses any big problems, but—and this is the thing that I like about Igor—he’s well-rounded; he’s got good hands, he’s got decent wrestling, and a pretty good ground game.
That’s what I like—it’s going to make for a fun fight. I have decent hands, my wrestling is okay, and my Jiu-Jitsu isn’t too bad. I think we make a great match-up on paper and—if he and I are willing to go toe-to-toe, it’s going to be a great show for the fans.
Do you feel that Igor has anything that you haven’t seen before?
I’ve fought so many times against so many big, tough guys and I’ve seen it all—that’s why I have no problem when the fight gets changed on me and I have to fight someone else or if I have to take a fight on short-notice.
I’m just going out there and having fun and putting it on the line for the fans; whatever happens happens.
Do you have a prediction for how it’s going to play out?
No—I don’t predict fights or anything like that. I just know that I’m going to go out there and give 100 per cent and put it all on the line and, like I said, whatever happens happens.
What would a win at UFC 131 mean to you?
My family is going to be there and I’ve got a tonne of friends that are coming out for the fight, so I definitely want to get a ‘W’ so they can enjoy themselves after and go out and have fun.
After you lose a fight [laughs], you’re a bit down and you’ve got to get yourself back up by hanging out with your family, friends, and fans. It would be great to win—I’m 1-0 in Vancouver—but like I said, it’s all about putting on a great show.
What would putting on a great show mean to you?
It would mean, hopefully, main-card status after this fight; 6-2 in the UFC is a great record and I think a lot of fighters would love to have that kind of record in such a big, tough company.
I would hope to get main card-status after this and never have to fight on the undercard again [laughs].
Assuming you win, where do you see yourself in the UFC’s light-heavyweight division?
I’m definitely—if we do win—close to top-10. I’d love to fight somebody that’s just on the outside of the top-10 or someone that’s ranked 10th, ninth, or eighth—just to test myself. I always look forward to a challenge—not just a physical, but a mental one.
I’ve fought some tough guys and I would love to continue to test myself against some of the top-10 guys in the light-heavyweight division.
What do you feel you can achieve in this sport?
Like anybody that gets into the sport, I want to be a champ. One day, if I get the opportunity to fight for that title—whether it’s against Jon Jones or whoever the champ is—it would be an absolute honour and I would fight my butt off.
Realistically speaking, though, I know that I don’t have the talent of guys like Anderson Silva. I’m just going to go out there and continue to train hard and, hopefully, one day get a title-shot.
When it’s all said and done, what will you be satisfied with?
I will be satisfied when I know that—with every fight I’ve had—I went out there and put it all on the line. Regardless of the outcome, fans will always know me for being a very entertaining fighter.
Nothing makes me happier than—in between rounds—when the fans stand up and applaud and continue to push me in the fight.
When I’ve had those big wars—like with Stephan Bonnar—the fans are always standing up, cheering, and going crazy.
You definitely get motivated from that—you get pushed from that. I enjoy when the people enjoy themselves watching me fight.
How would you like to be remembered when it’s all said and done?
Just what I said; being remembered as a really tough fighter who likes to entertain the fans and puts it on the line every time.
There’s nothing more satisfying than knowing that—every time you watch me fight—you’ll be getting your money’s worth.
After a pair of losses and a bout with Martin Kampmann rapidly approaching, John “Doomsday” Howard is, admittedly, in a “do-or-die” situation. Prior to making his UFC debut in January of 2009, Howard, fighting primarily in his n…
After a pair of losses and a bout with Martin Kampmann rapidly approaching, John “Doomsday” Howard is, admittedly, in a “do-or-die” situation.
Prior to making his UFC debut in January of 2009, Howard, fighting primarily in his native-Massachusetts, held a record of 10 victories—eight of which coming by way of stoppage—and four losses.
Since his first match in the Octagon—a victory over Chris Wilson at UFC 94—which saw Howard and Wilson, after three rounds of action, pick up the organization’s Fight of the Night bonus, Howard has gone on a four fight win-streak—with victories over Wilson, Tamdan McCrory, Dennis Hallman, and Daniel Roberts—and, most recently, a two bout losing streak—a third round doctor’s stoppage against Jack Ellenberger and a decision loss at the hands of Thiago Alves at UFC 124.
In what will arguably be his toughest challenge to date, Howard is set to take on Kampmann at UFC Live: Marquardt vs. Johnson on June 26th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with John Howard about, among other topics, his upcoming bout with Kampmann, the prospect of a UFC championship, and the importance of fans to the man they call “Doomsday.”
Were you involved in any martial arts growing up?
Not really, man. I did some boxing here and there and a little bit of karate, but nothing too serious. That wasn’t something that I could afford; we grew up kind of poor, man, so I didn’t really have the opportunities to do so much. When I did get the opportunity to do something, I did it, though.
What inspired you to get involved with mixed martial arts?
There was a guy who was a good grappler—I didn’t know what grappling was and I didn’t know what jiu-jitsu was—and he took me to the ground and just beat me up real bad. After that, I asked him to teach me and he taught me some freestyle grappling with some submissions. From there, I just kind of ran with it.
What were your first impressions of the sport?
I was like, “Wow; this is crazy, man. This is some other stuff.” Once I started training, I realized that there was so much more to it.
In the beginning, was this something that you thought you would be able to make a career out of?
Not really, man. I was just having fun, but once I realized the money that is in it—you can possibly make millions—I just kind of ran with it. Things have been going good so far.
When did that hit you?
It hit me after my first fight in the UFC—when I got Fight of the Night—I knew that I could do a lot and it was just awesome.
Was there any hesitation on your behalf to sign your first UFC contract?
Definitely not; as soon as I saw the contract, I just signed it.
What does fighting in the UFC mean to you?
It means a lot, man. It means opportunities and chances in life that I wouldn’t have had before; I get to make money and provide for my family.
How do you feel about what you’ve been able to accomplish in the UFC so far?
I feel good. I’ve got two losses, but I still feel good. I was very fortunate to have four straight wins—I feel good about it and I can’t complain.
How are you feeling going into your next fight?
I feel good, man; I think it’s a good fight for me. It’s a good stand-up war—something that I really want—it will be really fun and I’m interested to see what will happen.
Do you have a prediction for how it’s going to end?
I believe if it’s not a second round knockout by me; a decision—Fight of the Night—with my hands raised up.
What problems do you think Martin poses to you?
He has great technique. He’s well-rounded and I think he’s really good, man; I think he’s top-six in the world.
Do you think Martin has anything that you haven’t seen before?
Not really.
Would you consider this fight to be your biggest challenge to date?
Not really. It might be my biggest fight to date, because it could be a do-or-die fight—if I lose this fight than I could be cut—so that could be considered. But competition-wise, not really, man; I’ve been in some hardcore fights with some tough opponents. Not to say that they’re better than him, but I don’t think he’s going to be as offensive as that.
So you think that this is one of your biggest opportunities to date?
Yeah; definitely, man. Every fight in the UFC is a huge opportunity, man.
What would a win mean to you?
A lot, man. I haven’t got a win in some time now, so it will feel good to get a win. It would mean a lot. He needs a win, too—he’s got two losses and I’ve got two losses—so it’s do-or-die and we’ll see what happens.
With two straight losses, does that add a lot of pressure going into this fight?
It does a little bit. My whole attitude about life is; God has a plan for you and if it’s meant to be then it’s meant to be—if it’s not then I’ll find my place somewhere else, man. I going to go in there with the same attitude—and go in there to fight—and I hope everything works out.
Have you always had this outlook?
Basically. I’m very religious. I feel that people think they can control their fate and their path—and we do to a degree—but your path is kind of made for you; it’s destiny—that’s the way it is, man. It all depends on how you take it; you can take it and accept it or decline it and have a bad life. I’m just going to accept it and go from there.
Assuming you win, where do you see yourself in the UFC’s welterweight division?
Top-10 if I win and possibly getting good fights and getting in that title-chase. We’ll see what happens.
How far away do you feel you are from getting a shot at the title?
I think three or four wins in a row would get me a title-shot.
What would a UFC championship mean to you?
A lot, man. It would mean better opportunities and—honestly—better money, man. Not to be ignorant or anything—I love fighting—but I want to get paid for it, too. If I can make some serious money and set my kids and myself up for the rest of their lives then I’ll be satisfied. We’ll see what happens.
Would you fight if you weren’t compensated for your performance?
Probably not—to tell you the truth. I wouldn’t want to fight, but I would train; I would definitely want to train and do things like BJJ tournaments, but I wouldn’t fight just for the hell of it. No—I don’t think so.
Why do you fight?
I fight because I’m good at it—that’s it, you know? God gives you a gift and for some reason I’m good at getting punched in the face [laughs]. I’m good at punching people in the face, but I can also take a good ass-whippin’. That’s my talent—and that’s not to say that I’m a great fighter—but I have the skill and the talent; I can get my ass beat and I’ll keep coming.
When did you realize that fighting was one of your talents?
Wow—years ago. I grew up in a hard neighbourhood, man; I was getting jumped and I was always getting into fights. I knew that I could fight and handle my own. From where I’m from, you don’t even fight one-on-one; you fight two-on-one, three-on-one, and I got jumped a lot—and I still kept coming. I knew that I had a heart and I was told that if you have that heart, then the sky is the limit.
Did you ever think that you would be fighting for a living?
Actually, no, man. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I wonder what the hell I’m doing—I can’t believe that I’m really fighting for a living—that’s weird, man. If something happens and I can’t fight, I’ve going to put on my resume that I fought in the UFC for a couple years? That was my actual job, though—that’s funny. It’s life, man; it’s a way of life.
Do you enjoy the lifestyle?
I love it; it’s awesome, man. Honestly, the best thing I love—besides the money—is the fans; the fans are awesome—that fans are ridiculous. Even the haters and all of y’all—I love the fans. Y’all make me laugh—it’s just so funny the attention that I get and the response that I get—it’s so awesome. I love the fans as much as they love the fighters. Some fighters don’t like the fans as much—I love them just as much as they love me. With the love that I get, I give it right back. That’s the best thing for me.
What do the fans of the sport mean to you?
Oh, they’re awesome, man. For someone to encourage and congratulate me—just to be there for me—is awesome. The love of the people is awesome; being the people’s champ is a good feeling. The best feeling in the world is having people look up to you. Having people get inspired by what you do is the weirdest thing—it’s awesome. All I do is punch people in the face and get paid for it and people look up to me—it’s crazy.
When you started fighting, did you ever think that you would have this type of influence over people?
Not even a little bit, man. I didn’t think it would push this many people this far. It’s amazing that people can be inspired by me and if I can inspire people to be happy by watching me fight—game-on. I love it, man—I never thought it would happen, but it happened and it’s awesome.
While you have the opportunity, is there anything that you’d like to say to your fans?
Ah, man; I love y’all. Y’all are so awesome—you’re the greatest fans in the world. I also wanted to say that I’m a real guy; I don’t like to be lied to and I don’t like to lie to people—I’m not that type of guy. I say stuff than people might be offended by—they might think it’s too much—but that’s just life; it’s real and that’s the type of guy that I am. For the guys that love me and all the girls that love me—to the fans; I love y’all. And to the haters that are hatin’ on me; hate is just another form of love—that’s the way that I was taught—so I love y’all, too. Keep it up and—as always—here comes the “Doom.”
Do you feel that you have a lot of haters out there?
Every fighter does; it’s just the way it is. For all of the love, you’re going to have hate; for every negative there is a positive and for every positive is a negative—it’s just the way life is. It’s a form of love; if you have enough energy to hate me, then that means you really love me. To dislike me is one thing, but if you hate me; there’s a thin line between love and hate. If you hate me, you’re watching me—and it’s all good.
Does that ever get under your skin?
Not even a little bit. Ignorance is bliss; I don’t care, man—people can say whatever they want. I’m so comfortable and happy with myself that no one can change how I feel about myself. I’m happy about it and I don’t want to portray anything that I’m not.
Have you always had this outlook?
Yup. Yeah, man—I did. Especially when growing up hard; I was fu— freakin’ poor growing up. That’s the way life is; either you accept it or you don’t. If you don’t accept it, you can hurt yourself. It’s all good.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a millionaire [laughs]. I just wanted to be rich—whether it was through football or acting. To tell you the truth, I just wanted to be successful growing up—I didn’t really care what it was. I just didn’t want to be a bum—I wanted to be successful and do amazing things, man. It didn’t have to be on the entertainment-level; any level.
Did you ever think that you would be this successful?
I knew I would. I had that drive and I knew that something was going to happen. I had to work hard to get something, and this is it. I knew something was going to happen—I just wasn’t sure what; I went through whichever door opened first. This is the door that I opened, so here I am.
Are you happy that you took this door?
I’m very happy, man—I’m very happy. I’m kind of confused at the politics in it and it’s not as glamorous as I thought it would be—it’s a lot harder than I thought—but nothing is easy.
Politics?
There is politics in everything you do—and I’m not going to talk too much about this—but there are politics in it and you’ve got to roll with the punches, man.
You thought it would be simpler?
I thought it would be a lot simpler than it is; it’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. It’s crazy how hard it is—in certain aspects—but it is what it is and you’ve got to take it as it comes.
Has your determination ever wavered?
There have been questions—I can say that. I’ve questioned if it was worth it or if it’s not—but who hasn’t questioned what they’re doing? You keep going forward and if it doesn’t work out, than it won’t work out—but at least I’m going to try.
Have you thought about how much longer you’d like to compete?
I’m 28 right now, so hopefully I can get another 10 years out of it—maybe 12 years. I’ll try to stay healthy as much as possible and get another decade out of it—that’s what I’m going to try to do. I don’t think it’s impossible; I think it’s improbable, but it’s not impossible. I’m going to see what happens. If God blesses me to fight for another 10 years and—hopefully—make some good money, than I’m going to do it.
What do you feel you can accomplish in that time?
A lot. I feel that I can get a world championship, go into movies, help the community out, meet all types of people, travel the world—all kinds of stuff, man.
Have you thought about what you might like to do when you’re done fighting?
I know exactly what I’m going to do—and not to be funny or anything like that—but I’m going to Amsterdam. I don’t smoke weed or anything like that—I know it’s legal over there. When I retire, I’m going there to retire and I’m going to have some fun. I’m going to retire happy and I’m going to die happy—I’ll tell you that much.
Why Amsterdam?
Well, certain stuff is legal over there and I’m planning on enjoying it. I don’t do it now because I have a fighting career and it’s illegal over here—but I’m going to go where it’s legal and where you can just live life. I think, if you’ve done your hard-work in life, than when you retire, you should enjoy it—that’s exactly what I’m going to do, man. That’s exactly what I’m going to do [laughs]. I’m going to have a blast and just be a happy old man.
Widely known for his history of choking his opponents into submission, in the future, TJ O’Brien will be looking to prove to everyone that he isn’t a one-dimensional mixed martial artist—one strike at a time. Since making his professi…
Widely known for his history of choking his opponents into submission, in the future, TJ O’Brien will be looking to prove to everyone that he isn’t a one-dimensional mixed martial artist—one strike at a time.
Since making his professional debut in April of 2007, O’Brien has racked up 16 submission victories in 20 appearances—including 11 wins by way of his renowned triangle choke.
A contestant on ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Team St. Pierre vs. Team Koscheck’, O’Brien fell short in his first and only bout of the contest—losing to Marc Stevens in just 13 seconds—before exiting the tournament.
Before making his return to the Octagon at UFC 123—a second round loss at the hands of Paul Kelly—O’Brien racked up six consecutive victories from mid 2009 to late 2010.
Currently, O’Brien is slated to take on Cole Miller at UFC on Versus 5 in mid August in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with TJ O’Brien about, among other topics, his first impressions of the sport, fighting in the UFC, and, for the grapplers out there, applying the perfect triangle choke.
Were you involved in any martial arts growing up?
No. I actually played almost every other sport besides martial arts. I had a punching bag that my parents got me, but I never did any kind of structured-martial arts until I was 19 or so.
What inspired that?
Growing up, we’d have boxing matches at my parents’ house and we’d watch the UFCs and we were doing the moves. I thought, “Well, I’m going to go find somebody that can teach me properly.” I started doing Jiu-Jitsu at the YMCA and found a couple other gyms, kind of jumped around, and that’s how I got started.
What were your first impressions of the sport?
I thought it was great. I thought it was a great opportunity to prove that you were the toughest person; it wasn’t necessary about fighting. Nobody likes to get punched in the head—nobody that I know anyway—so it wasn’t just about the fighting. Like I said, I’ve played almost every sport that there is and I enjoy working out. It gave me an opportunity to do that and get paid—it worked out well.
Did you think, in the beginning, that this was something you could make a career out of?
Yeah—I did, actually. When I first saw it, I was like, “Man, I’ll be a champion in two years.” And you start doing it and you realize there is a lot more to it than you think. I think everybody has that idea, “Nobody will beat me; I’ll be the champ in a few years and make all that money,” when they started in the sport, not realizing that it takes five years just to get a career going [laughs].
When did you realize that it would be more difficult than you first thought?
I had lost a fight as an amateur and before that was thinking I’d just go undefeated until I’m a champion. Once I lost that one fight, I realized that it wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought and it’s definitely not [laughs].
How did you feel after your first loss?
I was disappointed. I was 18 or 19 at the time and you, kind of, have this “super hero” feeling; you beat everybody up and then you lose and you can’t even believe that you’re human. It’s a weird feeling.
Did you, kind of, question what you were doing after your first loss?
Yeah, I did. Like I said, I thought it would be easy; I’d be a champ and we’d be done. I’ve said every fight until recently, “If I lose this fight, I’m done.” I don’t know if that’s what pushes me in the gym; if you lose your next fight, you’re done—kind of thing. Even after my first loss, it was, “Well, if I lose two fights, I’ll never make the UFC. If I lose three fights, I’ll definitely never make the UFC. After your fourth loss, there’s no way that they’ll ever sign me.” Like I said, though, I think that’s kind of what pushes me.
Is that still in the back of your mind; another loss and you’d reconsider what you’re doing?
No, not at this point. I feel like I’ve gotten over that hurdle. People lose—especially now in MMA. There are so many factors and anyone can lose a fight on any given day. You realize that, although, you might lose a fight, it’s not necessarily that he was the better fighter or he worked harder—things just happen. At the same time, I just love doing it. If I wasn’t doing this, I don’t know what I’d want to do—physically. It’s a perfect fit for me; if I don’t work out, I don’t feel right. I’m going to do it regardless; it doesn’t have to be my career.
Have you ever thought about where you might be had you not taken up martial arts?
It sounds, probably, typical, but there was a lot of trouble going on. Not criminal, but a lot of drinking, a lot of partying. You can’t go out and party every weekend when your weekend is your hardest time of the week—training-wise. When I was on the local circuit, I was fighting once a month or every other month—you can’t go out drinking all the time. I think a lot of fighters have changed how they approach their personal lives.
Was it difficult to give up that lifestyle?
Not really. When you love something that much, you’re willing to sacrifice a lot to do it … I’ve got a girlfriend, too. Between MMA and my girlfriend, I’ve stayed out of trouble.
Is that ever too much?
[Laughs] I’m still working fulltime, too. With the status of the UFC these days, people get released all the time, so you never know where your next pay-cheque is going to come from. I work fulltime, so the schedule gets pretty tight—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Where do you work?
I work at CBE; it’s a collection agency.
Do you like doing that?
I actually do. The department that I’m in handles a lot of city accounts, and it allows me to do a lot of negotiating and I like doing that. Obviously, I’d rather be in the gym—hopefully someday I can do that—but I want to have a back-up plan.
Does anyone ever give you any trouble when you’re trying to collect?
[Laughs] Yeah. I get cussed at and stuff like that, but that doesn’t bug me. They call me all kinds of names—it’s funny—but it rarely happens. When it does happen, it’s usually from someone I don’t care about. I don’t care what their opinions of me are, anyway.
[Laughs] Do they realize they’re talking to ‘The King of the Triangle Choke’?
[Laughs] No, but do you know how bad I want to tell them sometimes? I give them my full name, but these probably aren’t the guys that are watching fights. Nobody has recognized me yet—I think it’s going to be a while until someone says, “Oh, are you that guy?”
What inspired you to try out for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’?
It’s obviously the quickest way to get in the UFC. I thought I was pretty much the perfect fit for it. I was pretty confident I was going to make the show; they usually take a tall guy for each season—one or two tall guys for the lightweight season—and I just thought I’d have a good chance at it. I thought I’d have a good chance at winning; with the triangle choke, I thought it would be a good way to win a tournament that way. I have won a tournament that way, but it was a four man tournament—that’s a good way to finish a fight quickly.
Was there any hesitation on your behalf to try out for the show?
No. As soon as they announced where they were going, I was like, “Damn—I’m there.” It didn’t take me 24 hours to book the ticket. I thought I was going to make the show; I was very confident I was going to make the show. When I showed up and saw all of the competition, I thought, “Maybe not.” I feel that I had a great chance to win that show; they gave me a matchup that I needed to get into the house, but I really let the spotlight get to me. I got tunnel-vision, I just wasn’t myself, and I got caught. It’s just what happens sometimes.
How disappointing was that for you?
[Laughs] it was probably the most disappointed I’ve been in my entire life. I went out there with the mindset that if I lost on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ than I would retire—I had been fighting for four or five years professionally and didn’t have anything to show for it except a bunch of local belts and some good stories. They way it happened; I trained so hard and I didn’t get to show anything I had—it was like a horrible dream. I came back and was super-depressed. I got back in the gym, scheduled a fight, and just took it from there.
So there were no thoughts of retiring after you lost?
After the loss on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, I thought I would never fight again.
What inspired you to get back at it?
I think my love of training sent me back. Also, I know how good I am and, I think, they know how good I am—that’s why they gave me a second opportunity. I had an opportunity to fight someone who was undefeated and smashing everyone—including one of my best friends—and I thought I’d go in there, fight him, and see what happens. I thought that I had to fight the best of the best if I was fighting in the UFC, so I went in there and fought him in his hometown and beat him in about a minute and a half, I think. I thought, “Well, I’m back,” so I scheduled another fight. After that, the UFC called me and said that I was fighting Paul Kelly.
Was there any hesitation on your behalf to sign that contract?
[Laughs] No—not at all. I couldn’t believe that they were giving me a second chance—I couldn’t ask for anything more, obviously. The UFC is where you want to be and I think any fighter in my position at the time would’ve taken the fight on five hours notice. There was no hesitation—none at all.
You were surprised when you got the call?
Yeah, absolutely. I was at my job and my manager—who owns the local promotion that got me started—got a text from my manager and he said for me to give him a call. I looked at him—and I had seen that Gabe Ruediger had dropped out of his fight—and said, “It’s the UFC, right?” And he said, “How’d you know?” but after I saw that Gabe Ruediger pulled out, I thought that I would be fighting Paul Kelly.
What does fighting in the UFC mean to you?
It means everything. Obviously it’s the place where everyone wants to be—financially. That’s everyone’s goal; everyone wants to be the best. To me, it means that all of my hard-work and all of the sacrifices that I have made have paid off.
How do you feel about your performance against Paul?
It’s the same thing; I’ve never been the kind of guy that folded under the pressure—and I’ve never been an unconfident guy. During the fight, though, I almost felt myself doubting myself; “You’re standing with Paul Kelly?” Everything was working, but in my mind I was getting my ass kicked—it didn’t seem like I was scoring at all. But when I saw the fight, I was scoring all kinds of points and if it could’ve been a very different outcome. I know that I belong with those guys, so I’m looking forward to the Cole Miller fight; I know this is where I belong and I plan on getting a ‘W’.
How are you feeling going into your bout against Cole?
I’m feeling great. When I had fought Paul Kelly, too, about three weeks earlier, I had dropped down to 150 to meet a catch-weight with the local champion. I’ve put on a bit of weight over the last couple months; focusing on getting stronger and now we’re trying to incorporate the technique with it. I think it’s a bad match-up for Cole Miller.
Do you feel that Cole is your biggest challenge to date?
Yeah, I’d definitely say that. At the same time, I’m definitely the best fighter that I’ve ever been, too.
What problems do you feel Cole poses to you?
I think, obviously, his Jiu-Jitsu. I think when a taller guy goes against a taller guy, you’ve got to adjust your game, because you’re not able to take advantage of your reach. I’m going to have to get used to that. On the ground, he’s always dangerous—I’ll look out for that. We’re working on something for everything that he’s good at—that’s the game-plan.
What do you think Cole’s game-plan is going to be this Saturday?
I think he’s pretty confident that he’s going to beat me wherever he wants to beat me. Technically, he’s going to be a better Jiu-Jitsu guy, a better stand-up guy, but I think, athletically, is where I’m going to be better than him. I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve. I feel that I’m a lot stronger—I’ll look to impose my will and fight him how I want to fight him.
Do you have prediction for how it’s going to end?
It’s going to be me rocking him and subbing him or rocking him and knocking him out.
What would a win over Cole mean to you?
It would be the high-light of my career, but a lot of fighters make the UFC—it’s not really your home until you get a win, I think. It’s like playing professional basketball and never starting a game. To be a legitimate top fighter in this world, I think you have to win in the UFC—you have to beat guys like Cole Miller. I’m stoked that I get the opportunity to accomplish both of those goals.
Do you feel that you belong in the UFC?
Yeah, absolutely.
Assuming you win on Saturday, where do you see yourself in the UFC’s lightweight division?
I think the lightweight division is the best in the UFC. I think the lightweight, welterweight, and featherweight divisions are the most popular weight-classes, so the competition is a lot stiffer. I think it’s going to take a lot more than a win over Cole Miller to get me on any type of projection. Obviously, if you beat a name like Cole Miller, they’ll look—but picking up a win in the UFC doesn’t mean much anymore; you’ve got to be able to get a good streak going.
Again, assuming you win—and I don’t want to put you on the spot—but what level of opponent would you like to test yourself against at this point?
[Laughs] Anything would be great. I think I can hang with anybody, so top-10, top-15—whatever—just whatever gets me closer to that championship is the best route.
What do you feel you can accomplish in this sport?
Whatever I put my mind to. With my physical attributes, the sky is the limit. I think the 55 weight-class is a good match for me, so I see myself being here for a while; I don’t see myself going back to 145 or moving up to 170 any time soon. Hopefully I can take control and become a top contender in the lightweight division.
What would you like to accomplish in this sport?
Championships. Not necessarily the championships, but I would like to prove that I’m one of the top guys, one of the toughest guys in the whole world. That was my goal when I started; to prove that I was the toughest, so I think that’s what I’d like to do.
Have you thought about how much longer you’d like to compete?
As long as my body will let me. I’m ‘6’2” and I’ve played a lot of sports already—that’s a lot of pressure on my joints—and I’m only 24 years old. As long as I can do it, I’m going to do it. Like I said, I like this more than anything, so as long as I can do it, I’m going to do it.
Is the physical element of the sport ever too much?
Once you get into your training camp, all fighters have to deal with injuries; every fighter has to deal with problems. That’s the sport and if you can’t do it, then it’s not for you—you’re not going to be the toughest guy in the world. A sore knee or sore elbows aren’t going to stop me from training—they’re definitely not going to stop me from doing what I want to do.
Have you thought about what you might like to do when you’re done fighting?
I’ll be happy with any job, as long as I’ve had the chance to live my dream. Obviously, you want to start a gym, you want to get paid for what you love, but at the same time, there are only so many people that can do that. I’ll be content with a good nine-to-five job, so I can live in the suburbs. Whichever way it happens, I’m just glad that I’ll get the chance to do it.
Is there anything that you’d like to say to your fans while you have this opportunity?
Thank you for all of your support. I know I disappointed a lot of people with my last fight, but thanks for sticking with me. I’m working on getting better and you’re going to see a different fighter this weekend. People always talk about my triangle or this or that, but I’m developing—I’ve been doing so much other stuff. I appreciate their support.
Do you remember your first triangle choke?
I actually do. I had seen somebody do it and it was probably within the first couple classes and my instructor showed us the triangle—I had only seen people do it on TV. This class had a lot of beginners—it wasn’t the best class. A wrestler tried stacking me up and I hit him with a triangle—not really knowing how to do it, just from seeing it on TV—and everyone said, “Wow! What was that? Where did that come from?” It fits me really well; people don’t realize how strong I am and between that and my long legs, the triangle choke makes people go to sleep pretty easily.
Is it just a coincidence that you have so many wins by the triangle or is it something that you’re always looking for?
It’s something I always work. Being here in Iowa—there are a lot of wrestlers around here—and that’s what they do; they put you on your back. I had to figure out a way to beat that, so I started working on this triangle choke. I’ve made my triangle choke really offensive; I really force it on people.
What’s the secret behind applying a nice, strong triangle choke?
I would probably say the angle. I’ve locked up triangles from every direction; sometimes people have said, “How the hell did he do that?” I’ve done triangles that I haven’t seen anyone else do. I’d have to say the key is the angle and how far across you can get the arm—if you can get that arm across then it’s over.
[Laughs] Is that your favourite way to end a fight?
[Laughs] No—I want to get the knockout! I’d like to score some knockouts—I haven’t been able to get any as a pro. Obviously, I’ve won enough fights by triangle; I know, at one time, I was tied for the second most triangles. That’s not a record I plan on chasing any time soon [laughs].
What would a knockout mean to you this weekend?
It would be the high-light of my career—probably the high-light of my life—to be able to show everyone that I’m not a one-dimensional guy. I want to get this knockout and make sure everyone knows that they have to worry about my hands, too.
Do you think people view you as one-dimensional?
Not so much around here—because a lot of people know me—but if you look at my record, you’ll say that I can’t do anything but the triangle. I knew that if I was someone else, I would probably say the same thing if they had the kind of record that I have. That’s not the case at all, though; I’ll choke you out from anywhere and I’ll probably knock you out from anywhere. I’m definitely not one-dimensional.
Although Paul Grebinski’s goals in this sport are ambitious—to say the least—the man they call “The Doctor” is taking his career one step at a time until he reaches what he calls, “satisfaction on his own terms&rdquo…
Although Paul Grebinski’s goals in this sport are ambitious—to say the least—the man they call “The Doctor” is taking his career one step at a time until he reaches what he calls, “satisfaction on his own terms”.
While satisfaction is a subjective concept, Grebinski has set his sights on making it to the UFC—the biggest stage in the world of mixed martial arts—to showcase his talent.
“It sounds kind of crazy—even to say to myself—but there’s no point in setting goals that aren’t high.”
Doubtless ambitious, Grebinski’s aspirations may not be so crazy.
A near lifelong grappler, Grebinski—who competed in his first wrestling match when he was five years old—wrestled for years before turning to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a few years ago.
Grebinski, a 230-pound heavyweight, has moved on to amateur mixed martial arts—where he is so far undefeated after a pair of bouts—and is currently slated to contest his third fight on Saturday, May 28. The fight will be a two-round amateur match against Jesse Haywood under the Saturday Night Fights banner in his native Regina, Saskatchewan.
After speaking with “The Doctor”, who trains six days a week under A.J. Scales at Complete MMA in Regina, it appears that Grebinski may not think his goals are all that extreme after all.
“I kind of always thought that my goals in the sport might be within reach. As I progressed and starting doing well in Jiu-Jitsu—competing at high-levels in that—I realized that it’s quite realistic. I’ve been to Brazil a couple times, I’ve trained at the TriStar gym—I’ve trained with high-level guys and I didn’t really feel out of place.”
While it’s too early to tell what the future holds for Grebinski in the world of mixed martial arts— much like most professionals—“The Doctor” is realistic in his approach and taking his career in mixed martial arts one step at a time.
“I feel like I can accomplish quite a bit in this sport, but I feel that I have to continue challenging myself. I think that your downfall occurs when you truly believe that you have accomplished what you’ve set out to do. I understand that I have a long-road ahead of me, but I also know that I have the commitment and the will to do it … I’ll probably take another amateur fight elsewhere at a bigger event and just work towards making a pro debut. I know my coach wants a few more amateur fights—which is a good idea—and from there, I just want to see how far I can take this.”
With his level-headed approach to the sport, the thought of Grebinski achieving “satisfaction on his own terms” does not seem so “crazy” after all.
Viewed as a long time coming by many fans of the sport, this Saturday, Aaron Rosa is set to make his Octagon-debut against Joey Beltran at UFC 131.