Author: Ed Kapp

In a little more than two years since making his UFC debut, Stefan Struve has steadily risen through the ranks of the organization’s heaviest division. Although Struve insists that he isn’t feeling the pressure, the fact of the matter is “The Skyscraper” is on the brink of becoming a bonafide contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division.

An established star on the European mixed martial arts circuit, before making his UFC debut in February of 2009, Struve has since claimed five wins in seven Octagon appearances—including victories over Paul Buentello, Christian Morecraft and, most recently, Sean McCorkle.

Right now, Struve is preparing for his next bout—a heavyweight tilt on May 28th against Travis Browne at UFC 130.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Stefan Struve about, among other topics, the joys of home-ownership, what he’s been able to accomplish in the UFC so far and his upcoming bout against Browne later this month.

How are you doing today?

Good. I just finished training; I had grappling this morning with my training partners and had strength and conditioning in the evening and I just came home from my new house—I bought a new house. So, I’m doing really good.

You’ve got a new house?

Yeah, I just bought a new house a couple days ago—I just got the key yesterday.

How does that feel?

It’s awesome; it’s really nice. I bought my house with the money I’ve made in the UFC so far, so it’s been excellent.

That’s got to feel good.

Yeah, it feels really, really good. That’s another reason why I love my job.

The money?

Well, it’s not only the money that makes you happy, but the things that you can do with it; I bought a home for myself and that’s really nice. I’m really thankful for the way my career has gone so far.

Did you think, in the beginning, that you would be able to buy your own home with your talents as a mixed martial artist?

At first, I didn’t think about that. When I first signed my deal with the UFC, I didn’t think things would go this fast. That’s the truth.

Were you surprised to get that call from the UFC so early in your career?

Well, I was young—I was 20 years old—but to be honest, I was doing really, really good in Europe; I won 14 fights in a row and then I lost one and then I won five straight. For someone that’s 20 years old and fighting in the heavyweight division at 220 pounds, I think that’s pretty good, you know? We heard that Dream was following my fights and we heard that the UFC was following my fights and Affliction was following my fights, but when the offer finally came, of course we were very proud and a little surprised. The UFC is the biggest stage there is.

Was there any hesitation on your behalf to sign the contract?

To be honest, there was. At first we thought, if we signed with the UFC, then we would only be fighting three or four times a year. When I wasn’t fighting in the UFC, I was fighting seven-to-nine times a year. I really liked that rhythm, but to be honest, three or four times a year is good enough for me. With the way that I’m getting paid, it’s better because I can let my injuries heal and I can take more time to work on technical training instead of going back to strength and conditioning right after the fight, you know?

At this point, you prefer the three or four fights a year?

I think I will fight three times this year because this will be my first fight in May. I was supposed to fight in March against [Brendan] Schaub, but it got canceled because I had a small injury that I had to let heal and I needed some more time.

Do you think, looking back, it was a positive thing for your career that you got the opportunity to come to the UFC so early?

Yeah, of course I think it was. I was pretty much done fighting lower-level competition in Europe; there were no more big tests for me, to be honest. I’m getting tested in the UFC and I think Travis is another big test for me.

Did you have a “welcome to the UFC” moment, where it all kind of hit you that you were in the major league?

When it hit me? Yeah; fight-week, with all of the media attention and the attention from the crowd and the fans at the weigh-ins at the stage with all of the people in the audience. When I finally stepped into the Octagon I realized that I had to fight in the UFC for the first time and I thought, “Okay, now we’re here and now it needs to happen.” And it didn’t happen [laughs].

Was that at all overwhelming?

Yeah, everything was a little overwhelming; the media, the audience—everything. And then a guy like Junior Dos Santos is standing in front of you—who didn’t really have a big-name back then, but was coming off a big win over Fabricio Werdum—so he felt really good in there. I think I jammed; I couldn’t move, I didn’t do my thing, but losses happen and it made me stronger.

After a loss, do you ever question why you compete?

No, not really; I love my sport and I couldn’t be more thankful for the way my career has gone so far. Of course, after a loss you’re disappointed, but I never think, “Why am I doing this?” That never happens, no. 

How do you feel about what you’ve been able to accomplish so far in the UFC?

I’m pretty proud of what I’ve accomplished so far; I’ve already got five wins—I’ve won five out of my last six—and my only two losses are against guys that are doing really well right now in the UFC. In the fight with Roy [Nelson], there were some things that were happening fight-week that—and you wish that those things didn’t happen—but they happen. For the future, it will be nice to get a rematch with both guys, but there’s no rush; I’m only 23 and, like I said, I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and I plan on winning my sixth fight in the UFC in a couple of weeks.

How much better do you feel you are now than when you first came into the UFC two years ago?

A lot, a lot, a lot better. I’ve worked on everything; my ground-game has improved a lot and especially my stand-up—if you look at my fights, I’ve improved so much. I think I weighed in at 239 pounds, and I’m at 260, 262 right now, so I’ve improved a lot.

You’re at 262, you said?

260, 262 or something like that; around 260.

Do you usually walk around that heavy?

No; I got a little heavier. I had some more time off after the fight, so I did more strength and conditioning to get bigger, you know? That was good. I did a lot of technical training after the fight with [Sean] McCorkle; a lot of BJJ and technical kick-boxing. I’ve improved a lot since my last fight.

Do you feel a lot stronger with that added weight?

Yeah. I’m feeling it a lot—especially when I’m hitting somebody with a punch. In the gym, I’m afraid to hit people with full-force, because I know that if I hit someone it’s good-night—that’s a good feeling. On the ground, as well; I’ve got a lot more strength. It’s really good.

What do you think you will weigh come fight night?

Somewhere around 260—I don’t know. When I started my camp, after my fight with McCorkle, I went to L.A. for two weeks and when I came back I was at 280. It’s pretty big, but I didn’t train a lot and I ate a lot of pizza and shit like that in L. A. Like I said, I think around 260.

What motivated you to put on the extra weight?

Look at who’s running the heavyweight division; Brock [Lesnar], [Shane] Carwin, [Cain] Velasquez and Dos Santos—those are big guys for their frames. I need to put more muscle on my frame. On my frame, I can easily go up to 280 or 290, in my opinion, and cut down, weigh in at 265 and weigh 280, 285 in the cage.

Is that something that you would be interested in doing in the future?

Yeah—in the future. I’m getting bigger every single fight and for my next fight, I may even have to cut a little bit before the fight. That’s for the next fight; I’m under the 265-limit right now.

Did you think, when you started your career, that you would ever be that heavy?

Of course I knew that I would get bigger eventually. Especially with the people in the gym, when I was young, they would say that if I did the right things—if I ate correct and kept on training—it will all come by itself. If I continued to do the right things, they said I’d become a monster. I said that sounded cool, but I was 16 years old when they said that, but they had it right [laughs].

I remember, I think it was in one of your first bouts in the UFC, Joe Rogan said that when you grow into your body and physically mature, then you would be a real force to be reckoned with. Now that that is becoming a reality, how confident are you?

I’m really confident for my next fight. Like I said, I’ve improved a lot. My kick-boxing and my ground-game was already really technical, but because I’m getting bigger and stronger right now, I feel that my technique is really starting to work; when I give someone a push-kick or a jab or something, it has impact and I can feel it. Like I said, when I spar, I’m afraid to hit somebody with all of my power, because I know, if I hit someone on the chin then it will be good-night [laughs]. That’s a really good feeling.

What does that mean to you?

[Laughs] To me, it means that Travis Browne is going to have a bad night at UFC 130, that’s for sure.

What problems does Travis pose to you?

He’s a big test; he’s got solid power in his fists and he’s got some powerful kicks. He’s a tall guy, he’s a good striker, but I feel that my ground-game is far ahead of his. He’s got some good wrestling, but I’m not really afraid of wrestlers because my ground-game is good and my guard is good—they don’t really want to be in my guard, in my opinion. You saw that in my last fight, when McCorkle took me down because he didn’t want to stand up with me, so he decided to take me down and after a couple minutes I reversed him and he didn’t have a chance on the ground against me.

Do you feel Travis has anything to offer that you haven’t already seen?

I’m not underestimating him; he’s a good fighter. He’s four inches smaller than me—that’s a lot—but, he’s still 6’7” and he’s got a lot of power in his hands.  In my opinion, it’s going to be an awesome fight. He always comes to fight and I always come to fight; we both love to throw leather. It’s going to be an awesome fight for the fans, for sure. He puts it all on the line and I put it all on the line…I like to be in a brawl and I just like to fight. It’s been too long; I wish I could just close my eyes and be in there [laughs].

What do you think Travis’ game plan will be going into this fight?

I think he’ll want to put pressure on me and, maybe, take me down to try to ground-and-pound me, but I don’t think he will succeed with that [laughs].

Do you have a prediction for how it’s going to end?

I don’t really do predictions for fights, but I always come to finish my fight—it’s the same thing with this fight at UFC 130; I’ll be coming in to finish the fight and he’ll be coming in to finish the fight. Of course I’m confident and I feel that I’m going to win this fight. Either by submission or knock-out—I don’t care—wherever the fight goes, it’s fine with me. I’m going to be in there to finish.

What would a win at UFC 130 mean to you?

A win at UFC 130 would be my sixth win and my third straight, so that’s a good feeling. I want to put another streak together and maybe go up against the bigger boys—we’ll see. There’s no rush; I’m only 23 years old, so I’m going in there without any sort of pressure—I’m just going to fight my ass off and I’m going to do it with a good feeling, that’s for sure.

Assuming you win, where do you see yourself in the UFC’s heavyweight division?

If I win, I’ll be top 10. I think I’m around top 10 now—maybe in it, but maybe not yet. I think being in the top 10 in the UFC for someone who is only 23 years old and fighting in the heavyweight division isn’t that bad. With the future ahead—like I said, no rush and no pressure—I’m just going to keep on giving awesome fights to the fans. When I get bigger and learn more, I’m going to make a run for the belt, but there’s no rush for that. This fight is the first fight that I’ve had coaches for every single thing, you know? At first, we did almost everything in our own gym, but now I’ve got a BJJ coach, I’ve got a strength and conditioning coach, I’ve got a coach for the stand-up, I’ve got new guys to train with. It’s been an awesome camp and I can’t wait to go show how much I’ve improved.

What inspired you to make that move?

All the guys do it that way, you know? I figured that I should give it a try and see how it works. You need people who are the best in their discipline; for the stand-up, ground-game, wrestling, strength and conditioning, nutrition. You need people who know everything about all of those things and it has been really good. I’ve learned a lot about every aspect. Especially for the mental aspect of the game; I’ve learned so much and I know for myself that that’s good. Like I said, I can’t wait to show all of the technique that I’ve learned.

Do you feel that everything is really coming together at this point?

This is just the start, in my opinion. If I can keep going like this for five or six years, then I see myself being one of the best in the UFC. Also, with the strength and the weight that I added, my wrestling has been going very good, I’ve been throwing people around easier than before. Like you said, it’s coming together a little bit, but for me it’s only the start.

What are your goals in the sport at this point?

At this point? Right now, the only goal is to win my fight at UFC 130. For the future, I still have at least 12 or 13 years of competition in me—and maybe even more. Of course I want to have the belt around my waist at some time. I’m only 23 and doing really good in the UFC, so I see myself with a belt in a couple years.

Is that what motivates you to train every day?

Every single fight motivates me to work hard. It’s my job—I need money—and I get paid for delivering exciting fights. Another motivation is the appreciation that I get from my fans. I’m not a big contender yet; it’s not like people are talking about me fighting for the belt after my next fight or anything, but I get fan mail. I read things on the Internet and people talk to me on Twitter and Facebook—it’s very motivating. People love my fights and there are a lot of people that really appreciate the way I fight—that motivates me, too.

What do the fans mean to you?

A lot. Of course, without the fans this sport wouldn’t be this big. I always want to deliver a good fight and give the fans what they came to see and what they paid for.

Have you thought about what you might like to do in 12 or 13 years when you’re doing fighting?

Well, I can’t see myself involved in anything but sports, so I think owning a gym or anything related to sports; making people better, making people stronger. Maybe something related to nutrition. I want to learn about everything that has to do with my sport. I want to start studying again so I will learn even more about my body. I want to be the best with everything, you know?

Are you excited to see what the future holds for you as a mixed martial artist?

Like I said, I can’t wait for the future, but right now I love my job, I love my life, I love Holland—things are going very well. The future can wait, and I’ll just do my thing. You never know what will happen—you might get injured—so, I enjoy every second of this and I try my best to improve every day.

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A near-lifelong grappler, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou’s first foray into martial arts came in 1989, when, at the age of five, the Hom’la, Cameroon, native began training in Judo. Over 20 years later, Sokoudjou has yet to look back.

Boasting an impressive résumé as a Judo practitioner—including three successive junior national championships from 1997 to 1999 in his native Cameroon, Sokoudjou moved to the United States in 2001.

Although he never intended on pursuing a career in mixed martial arts, Sokoudjou was given the opportunity to help Dan Henderson prepare for a bout in 2004. After training for two years at Team Quest, Sokoudjou made his professional mixed martial arts debut in July 2006.

As a mixed martial artist, it didn’t take long for Sokoudjou to make a name for himself—in a major way—under the Pride FC banner. In what were only his fourth and fifth professional contests, Sokoudjou pulled off a pair of stunning upset victories over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona at Pride 33 and Pride 34, respectively.

In late 2007, Sokoudjou made his Octagon debut against Lyoto Machida at UFC 79. Although he would fall short against “The Dragon”, Sokoudjou was given two more opportunities to compete in the Octagon.

After picking up a victory over Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84 and dropping his bout against Luiz Cane at UFC 89, the UFC and Sokoudjou parted ways.

Since leaving the UFC in late 2008, Sokoudjou has competed in six different countries under the Affliction, DREAM, Strikeforce, Impact FC, Shark Fights, and KSW banners—racking up a six victories including, most recently, a win over Poland’s Jan Blachowicz to claim the KSW light-heavyweight championship.

Currently, Sokoudjou is slated to take on Roger Hollett, in a light-heavyweight contest, in Mississauga, Ontario on June 10 under the Score Fighting Series banner.

I recently had the opportunity to speak to Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou about, among other topics, his time in Poland, his upcoming bout, and his early days in both Judo and mixed martial arts.

You’ve won two straight bouts—how is life for you these days?

Well, it could be better. I’ve lost a bunch—I’ve just won two, like you said—but I should have a bunch more.

Could you tell me about your time in Poland?

To tell you the truth, it was too cold for me to go anywhere and I had to cut weight, so I spent most of the time in the hotel room. It was, basically, hotel to the training room, hotel to the training room the whole time. I didn’t have time to go anywhere.

Was that disappointing?

Yeah, I would’ve loved to stay there a couple extra days to see some things, but, unfortunately I just went there and came back. Next time, I’ll stay there a couple extra days and visit Poland.

So you plan on defending your title?

That’s what the title-holder is supposed to do. I wanted to fight in May—when they’re having another show—but they told me that the card was full and I’d have to wait. That’s what I’m doing right now.

How are you feeling going into your bout with the Score Fighting Championship in June?

Pretty good. Training has been hard and my body hurts, but it’s pretty much like any other fight; you train hard and you get ready for the fight.

Do you feel that you’re ready for it at this point?

Well, I’m ready for it, but I’ll be even more ready for it as I get closer to the fight. Like I said, it’s the usual stuff; training camp is going well—I get beat up and tortured in practice to get ready for the fight.

How confident are you heading into this fight?

[Laughs] I’m always confident, my friend. I’m not going to sit here and give you any kind of B.S. Going into every fight, I’m always confident and ready for the fight.

Where does that confidence come from?

It’s from all of the training that I go through. Like I said, good training and the more that I train, the more prepared I get, and the more confident I feel.

Do you feel that you’re still improving?

Absolutely. If I wasn’t, I would just stay at home and watch TV and then go fight, but, nowadays you’ve got to keep on re-inventing yourself; learning and adding more tools to your tool-box—otherwise you’ll be surprised.

How much better do you feel you are now than when you came into mixed martial arts a few years ago?

I feel like I’ve evolved a lot. Looking back, there are things that I wasn’t paying attention to and now I’m carefully looking at it and making sure I don’t make the same mistake twice—or multiple times.

Coming into the game, I didn’t know a lot about different aspects and I just had this one idea about how to train and what to do. After a few fights, I realized that it’s a lot more than getting into the training room and training.

What problems do you think Roger poses to you?

He’s a pretty tough guy, you know? He’s “The Hulk”, you know [Laughs]? He’s got strength and he’s got power, so I’ve got to make sure I don’t fall into his strong points.

What do you think his game-plan is going into this fight?

If I told you that, obviously, he would change his game-plan, because he’s probably reading. I don’t know what his game-plan is, but I know what I need to do to win the fight.

What do you need to do to win the fight?

Win the fight [laughs]! If I tell you, how good is it going to be for you to watch the fight? So wait and see; the day of the fight, you will see what I have to do to win the fight.

Fair enough. Do you think Roger has anything that you haven’t seen before?

[Long pause] Coming June 10, I will answer that question. I don’t want to sit here and sound smart and give you all kinds of crazy answers, so, the best way to deal with it is to come and watch the fight and you’ll get the answers you need.

Do you have a prediction for how it’s going to end?

It’s going to be a good fight. He’s got power, I’ve got power. It’s a good match-up and the more I think about it, the more I want to get in there and get started.

You told me you planned on sneaking another fight in before June. Is that something that you still plan on doing?

I’m looking, dang-it [laughs].

Is it hard to find fights?

Actually, it depends on the contracts. Organizations won’t let me fight because of the risk of injuries—that’s the only thing that’s holding me back from getting as many fights as I want. If promotions allowed me to fight before events, I would be fighting every weekend. I’ve just got to sit and wait and be patient about my next fight.

Have you ever been to Canada before?

No. It’s my first time and I’m excited about it! I’ve been in the U.S. for 10 years, but I’ve never been to Canada. Hopefully, I’ll have time to visit!

Hopefully it won’t be like Poland.

I hope it’s not cold. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t go anywhere in Poland—because it was freezing. There was also the language barrier—it was, kind of, difficult. In Canada—I know French and I know English—I should be good to go.

You speak French also?

Yes, sir!

Do you speak any other languages?

Yeah, I speak a few dialects from back home. You know, growing up you had to learn different dialects and slang and all kinds of different languages.

Is that something that you pick up easily?

I want to say ‘yes,’ but it all depends on where you live and your surroundings. When I moved to America, I had no one else to speak English for me, so I had to learn English right away. I’m lucky to be in a place where no one else spoke any language I knew but English. It was easy to learn English because of that fact.

Do you plan on learning any other languages?

I want to learn Spanish, because I live in Southern California and Mexico is only a few miles away from me, but I don’t know any Spanish.

Not yet, anyway. Could you please tell me a bit about your life growing up?

[Laughs] Sure. It wasn’t that exciting; it was just Judo and getting in trouble, you know [laughs]? My parents were really strict about going to school and I loved doing Judo. In my spare-time, I would get in trouble with my friends and wrestle.

Did you get in a lot of trouble growing up?

I want to say ‘no,’ but I guess I did.

Any memories come to mind?

Man, my poppa used to beat the piss out of me [laughs]! That’s all that comes to my mind, because I’d always be doing something stupid. That would be called child abuse here, but back home, it would be called getting things right [laughs].

Do you remember a lot of your life growing up?

Most of the memories are of me competing. As a kid, we would compete almost every single weekend, so my Saturdays would be at Judo competing, my Sundays would be at church, and then getting into trouble. It was a lot of Judo, homework, church, and trouble.

How important was Judo to you growing up?

I loved it, you know? My parents would punish me by hiding my gi—that would drive me crazy, because it was, like, the worst thing you could’ve done to me [laughs].

[Laughs] What is your earliest memory of Judo?

Man, I used to be thrown so many times, so I used to hate it. All I could think about was going back and getting even, so my earliest Judo-memories are of guys throwing me all over the place. It was really hard, stressful, and frustrating, but I kept coming back and wanting to get even.

Did you ever think about giving it up?

Not really. Back home, you can only do so much. Here, if you run into problems, you can just do something else. Judo was one of the few things that was available and giving it up would mean just not doing anything. I just loved it and it all came back to Judo, to keep trying.

Do you think Judo kept you out of a lot of trouble?

I would say ‘yes’ and ‘no’; it got me into trouble and it got me out of trouble. I would learn Judo moves and then go home and try them and… [laughs].

[Laughs] Have you ever thought about where you might be had you not gotten involved in Judo?

You know what? No. But, I would’ve probably done power-lifting because one of my brothers was power-lifting and I was too young to get involved in that—and that’s why I got into Judo. I think, had I not gotten into Judo, I would probably do Olympic weightlifting or power-lifting.

What do you think made you so fascinated with Judo?

I don’t know. I think it was something about the gi and something about getting into a competition with someone else. I think what really got me hooked was the fact that people would be throwing me and I didn’t like that, so I wanted to go back and get even.

That’s one of the things that made me love Judo even more; my beginning was very hard and everyone used to throw me because I was the new guy.

What inspired you to switch over into mixed martial arts?

Training with guys like Dan Henderson. When he was trying to get ready for a fight, I got a call from his manager to help him out; putting on some gloves and going out there and punching and throwing, you know? As a kid, I always wanted to get into boxing or kick-boxing, but my parents wouldn’t allow it, because they thought it was too violent. Once I had a chance to do that, I got hooked.

Were you surprised when you got the call?

They didn’t call to say, “Hey, come be a fighter.” The call was about coming to get Dan trained. I had no idea what I was getting myself involved in; I just thought I would show up. I had no clue. As soon as I put gloves on, I got excited.

What were your goals when you started in this sport?

My goal was to fight in Japan—believe it or not. As a Judo practitioner, I’ve always wanted to go to Japan to compete. Since the beginning, I’ve had my eyes on going to Japan to compete and to go where Judo was created. That’s one of the things that got me going.

Was Japan everything you thought it would be?

I loved it, you know? As a Judo practitioner, I always wanted to go to Japan, so I loved it.

Looking back, you achieved a lot of success very early. Did you think, in the beginning, that success would come that early in your career?

No. I had no clue that I would be that successful at that point. Also, something people don’t know, is that before my Pride fight, I had, at least, 10 fights cancel on me—people not wanting to fight me or for any type of reason. It was early, but I had to jump in there and fight some guys—some big-names.

Why do you think guys were cancelling out on you?

[Laughs] I wish I could tell you. They’ll give you reasons and I don’t know if they’re lying or not; all I can tell you is that I had a bunch of fights cancelled on me.

Were you at all apprehensive before you fought in Pride?

I was so new to the game that I didn’t even realize what I was doing. Going in there, I just thought, “Hey, I’m just going in there to compete.” At the time, I had no idea who Nogueira was or who Arona was—I just knew that those guys were fighters. It was after the fact that I realized that those guys were tough guys that I had beaten. I went in there with no pressure and no stress about who I’m fighting.

Do you think, had you known, it would’ve gotten into your head?

I’m sure it would have; the pressure and the names would’ve affected me differently.

Do you feel taking on such tough competition right away helped your career?

It a sense, yes. After that, I had more exposure and more opportunities to get bigger fights. It helped me out a little bit.

Did you have any role-models in the sport when you first started?

Dan Henderson.

Why is that?

Because he’d beat the piss out of me in practice [laughs].

[Laughs] Still?

Still. Believe it or not—he’s fucking old—but he still beats us. I feel embarrassed saying it, but, yeah.

How does it feel to train with an elite mixed martial artist like Dan?

It’s interesting. You think, every time, that you’ve got something to beat him up, but, every time, he comes back with something.

How many fights do you think Dan has left in him?

Dan is one of the guys, where, the harder he trains, the longer he’ll last. He will outlast many people—despite his age. I don’t know what it is, but I can tell you—every time he trains, he’s always there doing his thing. He will outlast younger people.

Have you ever thought about where you might be, had you not gotten called to train at Team Quest?

I’d probably be a security guard or a bouncer. I’d probably be shot, because I was working at a club. I remember one night I was working and a fight broke out and the dude had a gun. In the scramble, the gun landed right at my feet. After that night I was like, “Man, I don’t think this is something that I want to do for a very long time.” If it wasn’t for MMA, I’m sure someone would’ve shot me.

Was that a dangerous job?

Yeah. Unlike in MMA where there’s a referee and it’s a fair fight, with bouncing, you don’t know what the guy has got in his pocket, what he’s got in his trunk, why he’s coming out—you don’t know anything about who’s going to be showing up that night. It’s always dangerous. There’s always that one dude that wants to start trouble.

How thankful are you that you don’t have to deal with that anymore?

Oh, man. I cannot be thankful enough for that. Like I said, I’d probably be in my coffin today because of one stupid dude pulling out a gun and doing something stupid.

What do you fight?

I like it and, for me, it’s like playing a chess match, you know? When I beat someone up, I feel like I’ve done something constructive. It’s like I had to put something together and I worked for it with all of the hard-work I’ve put in.

How does it feel to have your hand raised?

It feels rewarding, you know? You bust your butt every day; going through training and through the stress, going through hell. At the end of the day, that’s just a good feeling.

What about when you come up short?

It depends. If you give it your all and you come up short—that happens—you just need to go home and make sure it doesn’t happen again. But, if you come in there and you suck and you don’t do what you train for…For me, it’s all about going there, giving 110 per cent, and then going home.

When you go there and you lose—without even showing up—that sucks worse than going in there and fighting well with the wrong strategy—then you go back and re-assess.

Have you ever thought about retiring after a loss?

It’s actually the opposite. Why would you retire after being beat [laughs]? For me to retire—it’s not going to be on a loss, for sure.

Why do you have to go out on a win?

When you see someone for the last time, the last thing you remember is the last image you had of that person. When you fight for the last time, you can’t get your ass kicked [laughs]! That’s not a good way to end your career.

Do you think when it’s time to retire you’ll have a tough time hanging your gloves up?

I think so. Even staying home one day without training, I feel like I have to be training. There are little things pushing me; you’ve got to do this and you’ve got to do that. I think I’ll have a hard time retiring.

Have you given any thought as to how much longer you’d like to compete?

As long as I can still remember my name [laughs].

That’s all it will take?

Yeah. I don’t want to in there and say, “Hey, my name is Soko…?” [Laughs] If I can’t remember my name anymore then I’m out.

Have you thought about what you might like to do when you’re done fighting?

Yeah, I’ve been going to school to learn some computer skills. Also, I’ve been training other guys, helping other guys get ready for fights. There are tonnes of opportunities out there. It will all play out when the time comes.

You’re going to school?

Well, I kind of took a break because I just opened up a gym in California and it’s taking up a lot of my time. When I have the right people in place, then I’ll go back to school.

You own your own gym now?

Yeah, it’s a Team Quest in Encinitas.

How does that feel?

Stressful [laughs].

Was that something that you were always interested in?

Yeah, it’s always a good thing to have a place that you call home, that you own, so you can have guys come in and help you out—it’s always good and it’s always something that’s been in my mind.

Do you do any coaching?

Not right now, because I’m getting ready for a fight. When I’m free and have nothing coming up, I teach classes and do some personal training.

Do you feel that there are any misconceptions of you?

Well, it’s simple; people see what they want to see and people think what they want to think. I’m the same person, but different people have different ideas of who I am. I don’t think there are any misconceptions; I just think people have different ways of dealing with people. People like you and people hate you, but that doesn’t bother me.

That doesn’t bother you?

No, sir.

Do you feel that you have a lot of fans?

I hope I do [laughs].

[Laughs] Do you get a lot of feedback from you fans?

Yeah! I don’t have a way to compare myself to other people, but I get a bunch of responses from the fans and people that watch me fight.

How would you like to be remembered by the fans?

I want to be remembered as someone who puts on great fights. That’s what’s important to me; getting in there and putting on a great show.

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Although Muhsin Corbbrey insists that he belongs in the UFC right now, for the time being he is more than happy to continue working hard to further establish himself in the sport before making the jump back to a major organization.

A professional mixed martial artist, boxer, and kick-boxer—who also happens to own his own academy in Savannah, Ga.—Corbbrey is currently slated to travel to Australia to compete under the Cage Fighting Championship banner, in a bout that will decide the organization’s No. 1 lightweight contender, against Adrian Pang.

If Corbbrey wins on June 3, he will have the opportunity to take on current CFC lightweight-king Bernardo “Trekko” Maghales at some point in the next nine months.

Before his bout, however, Corbbrey will be, for the fourth time in his career, training at the famed Tiger Muay Thai academy in Phuket, Thailand.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Muhsin Corbbrey about his upcoming bout in Australia, training in Thailand, and the prospect of Din Thomas coming back to the UFC to rule their featherweight division.

 

How is life for you these days?

Life is absolutely wonderful—absolutely wonderful. Our gym is having the best month we’ve ever had—ever [laughs]; our gym is doing really well and we’ve got a great group of students right now.

On top of that, I’ve got some really good opportunities coming up; I’m fighting for the number-one contender spot in the CFC—I’m going to be fighting a tough Australian named Adrian Pang.

When I win this fight, I’m going to be fighting for their title, so there are great, great opportunities coming up.

Could you recap how this fight came to be?

Well, I know the guys in Australia—because I fought for ESPN Asia—and the organization that I fought for over there used Australian judges and referees. We just put in some talks—Din Thomas is familiar with those guys and said I would love to fight for their event.

My guys at Tiger Muay Thai put in a good word for me, they got a chance to see my highlight reel and they made it happen.

 

You told me earlier that you were starting to get worried that you wouldn’t have an opponent for your proposed M-1 bout. Looking back, do you feel that this is a bigger opportunity for you than the M-1 match?

It’s a much bigger opportunity. This is a great opponent for me; he’s tough and I only want to fight the best guys. He’s a top-ranked Australian fighter, so I want to go over there and show them that I can beat their best guys.

 

You’re going to Thailand first?

I’m going to be heading out in the first week of May; I’m going to be going to the amazing Tiger Muay Thai.

 

How did you first come into contact with the crew at Tiger Muay Thai?

You know, before my Nick Diaz fight, I knew that I wanted to do something a little different, because I wanted to get my game as tight as possible.

I talked with Ray Elbe—who runs their MMA program over there—and before all of those guys were heading over there, I went over there and got some work in. I’m one of the original members [laughs].

Since then, I’ve been in love with Thailand. After my trip last time, my gym here became the first Tiger Muay Thai affiliate in the United States.

What does that mean to you?

It means a lot, man; it means a lot. It means they respect what we’re doing over here and they respect us enough to let us use their name. At this point, we’re in the only US-affiliate of Tiger Muay Thai.

 

What does that mean to you?

It’s great; it’s a great feeling, man. Those guys out there are my family; Ray has helped me out and done so much, and my trainers over there are amazing. I love the environment—it’s amazing training over there.

 

How would you describe your experience in Thailand?

Thailand is a fighting culture. Here, if you’re a fighter, you get up in the morning and you train and you dedicate your life to this—everybody else looks at you like you’re insane, because you’re doing something that no one else would do.

It’s just a different lifestyle, but there, that’s the norm—it’s regular. You land in Bangkok and there are giant murals on the walls of Thai boxers—it’s their national sport; they’re fighters.

They go pro when they’re eight years old—it’s a lifestyle. Getting up in the morning and running and training isn’t uncommon; it’s what they do and that’s their life, so I fit right in there.

 

How much of an impact has the crew at Tiger Muay Thai had on your career?

They’ve had a huge impact on me. They brought my Muay Thai skills around—them and Kru Brian, who we have at the gym—they mould me into what I am; they allow me to beat people up.

[Laughs] It’s safe to say you plan on heading back for a fourth trip?

Oh, man. Listen; if it was up to me, I’d move there tomorrow [laughs], except I’ve got a lot of things that I want to do and a lot left to accomplish in the States. I definitely plan on having a second home in Thailand when it’s all said and done.

 

Is it difficult to leave your family when you go to camp or go to a fight or, in this case, both?

You know, it’s a part of the game. This will be my 43rd professional fight—I’m used to it and my wife is used to me being away at camp, you know, trying to get ready.

She knows that we’re in a hurt-sport; if you’re not 100 percent prepared and ready to go, then you’ll get hurt. She supports me 100 percent; she holds it down while I’m gone and she makes my life easy.

 

Has your drive in the sport ever wavered—when you thought maybe this sport wasn’t for you?

I’ve never thought it wasn’t for me. This sport is all about ups-and-downs; I had two losses in a row and that was really hard to deal with. Coming back and having three wins since then has really brought it all back together.

There’s a quote that I heard a long time ago that really makes me think; a champion is not decided on how he takes his wins—wins are easy; if you win, you feel great and it’s easy to deal with that, but, it’s how you come back from your losses.

Champions are determined by how they come back after a loss. I’ve been able to turn it around and it’s motivated me to work that much harder. All of the top guys in this sport have losses—that’s the way it is.

Generally speaking, can you take away more from a loss than a victory?

100 percent—unless you know where you’re lacking. You’ve got to think about what you missed in the camp that caused you to lose the fight. It makes you go back to the drawing board and figure things out—it forces you to get better.

 

What are you expecting out of the Australian fans?

They’re pretty fight-intelligent; they know the sport, so I expect to be welcomed there, man. I’m going to put on a show; any time I fight—win, lose, or draw—it’s going to be an exciting fight. I expect them to love me.

 

If they do decide to boo you, is that going to get to you?

Not at all—it’s just going to motivate me…I’ve fought in hostile-territory a ton of times; it’s just part of the game. Those boos will either turn into cheers or they’ll continue booing until I’m done, but at the end of the day, my hand will be raised—it doesn’t matter.

 

How are you feeling going into this fight?

I feel great. Honestly, I feel better right now than I’ve felt my entire career. Things are just coming together for me; my grappling is outstanding, my striking—you’ve seen it [laughs]—it gets better every day. I feel great and I’m just ready for the next challenge, and this is the next challenge.

What problems do you think Adrian poses to you?

You know, I’ve been studying tape and he’s pretty skilled; he’s good on his feet and he’s got some good game on the ground, he looks like a strong guy, and he’s got good cardio—he’s strong in the last round. I look forward to seeing if I can slow him down a little bit.

 

All things considered, do you feel that Adrian is your biggest challenge to date?

No [Laughs]. I’ve fought some tough guys, you know? I’ve fought guys like Nick Diaz—who’s been on an absolute tear, lately—I’ve fought some monsters. Adrian is going to be tough—I’m not taking anything away from him—but I’ve fought some really tough guys.

 

Do you feel that this fight is one of your biggest opportunities to date?

I think it’s a great opportunity. Being that No. 1 contender and getting an opportunity to fight for their title is a great opportunity.

 

So you plan on taking a shot at the title?

Oh, yeah; I’m getting that title. That title already belongs to me—I’ve already made a place on my mantle for it.

 

How about if Dana calls you, after you win, to say…

That would be great, but I have already signed a deal with them; when I win this fight, I have to fight for the title within eight months. I know I’ll be contractually obligated to fight for their title.

 

What would that belt mean to you?

It’s going to mean a lot, man. More than anything—the titles are great—but the struggle that we put ourselves through to get there is what I love; I love the camps, I love the hard work, and I love the feeling that I’m getting better every day.

Getting that belt and getting my hand raised is just proof that I did everything I right.

 

Another mixed martial artist that I spoke with, said that the physical championship belt that he got was more for his family and his friends and his fans that supported him than himself. Do you feel the same way?

Well, you know, somewhat. You definitely want something to show everyone after you go and do something big, but at the end of the day, you’re the only one in there; nobody else is in there with you and no one can fight that fight for you—it’s really up to you.

It’s a real selfish sport, man [laughs]. We have to be selfish sometimes. That belt is a representation of the things that I’ve done.

 

Do you feel that you belong in the UFC at this point?

I think I belong there. I can contend with anyone in this sport—I’ve said this before—but give me that opportunity. I know I have as much—or more—talent than the guys they have on their roster now. Give me my chance; let me try.

It seems that you can’t catch a break with the UFC.

It will happen when it happens. I’m not angry at Dana—they have to do what they have to do. At the end of the day, Spike TV is the one in charge of picking the people on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and I might not fit the mould of what they’re looking for.

I’m just going to keep grinding and I know—I know beyond a shadow of a doubt—that I will be in the UFC eventually.

 

Last time we spoke, you told me that you were the “underground icon” of mixed martial arts.

For sure. I feel like that underground rapper, man; that guy that has all the skill in the world and maybe gets a “Hip Hop Quotable” in The Source every once in a while, but just hasn’t got that big break—hasn’t got that big company behind him, pushing him.

Everyone that knows me knows I can fight; they know I have skills, they know that I’m raw and they know that, on any given day, I can beat anybody.

I just haven’t had the opportunity—I haven’t been signed yet; I’m that “Unsigned Hype.” Give me a little bit of time and I’ll be fighting for that major.

 

You know, at one point in time Eminem was showcased in the “Unsigned Hype” column.

[Laughs] Exactly. Hey, I know my time’s coming. I’ve just got to keep on grinding.

 

Do you feel that within the next year you will be in the UFC?

You know, we’ll see. I know I’m going to keep on fighting and I’m going to keep on beating people—I’m going to keep knocking peoples’ heads off—and it’s going to come to a point where they can’t deny me anymore.

 

What would fighting in the UFC mean to you?

It’s the opportunity to fight the best guys in the world and, you know, the UFC is where everyone wants to be; it’s what we work hard for. That’s the end goal; everyone wants to get in the UFC and fight for that UFC title.

Just like everyone else in this sport, my eyes are on the prize. All I can do now is work hard, keep moving forward, keep doing what I need to do, and I’ll eventually get there.

 

Do you ever get sick of being asked questions about the UFC?

Yeah, I hear it. But, you know, we’ve fought on the big stage; we fought in WEC, we fought in EliteXC, I’ve fought some of the best guys. I’ve been there and I’ll be back.

Right now, the average-fan only knows UFC—that’s the only brand that they know—so that’s what you’re going to get. It doesn’t bother me—I know I’ll be there eventually.

 

Is it the money that attracts fighters to the UFC?

There’s definitely good money and good sponsorship opportunities, but if you’re in this sport for the money, you’re in it for the wrong reasons.

MMA is not seeing those million-dollar pay cheques; we’re not getting $30 million purses—we’re fighting because we have goals that we want to accomplish.

At the end of the day, I can use what I’ve accomplished in mixed martial arts to make millions of dollars. I’m going to keep grinding, keep winning titles, and keep beating people—I want to fight the best guys in the business—and we’ll see where I end up.

How big do you think the sport can get?

It’s blowing up. I think we definitely have to start thinking about the fighters; we want the fighters to get what they deserve, because at the end of the day, the fighters make the sport. Without the fighters, this sport wouldn’t be here.

I think we should definitely start putting more of a focus on the fight-purses—what these guys are making—and making sure that they’re being taken care of.

 

Are you hinting towards a mixed martial artists’ union?

That would be nice, but just anything to make sure that these fighters are being taken care of. It’s a combat sport, man; if you get hit the wrong way, you’ll be hurt for the rest of your life.

It’s happened in boxing; you’ve seen guys that had outstanding careers, took the wrong punch, and now their lives are changed.

We want to make sure that the families of the fighters and the fighters, themselves, are getting taken care of.

 

Do you think about that a lot?

You know, I don’t. To me, it’s all in God’s hands; if it’s my time to go or get hurt, it’s going to be my time. I can’t dwell on that.

 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Five years? You know, the way that I feel today, I feel that I’ve got another 10 good years in this sport.

I’m just going to keep grinding and trying to accomplish goals and if, within the next few years, I accomplish everything on my list, then I might move onto something else.

I can see myself at the top of the game in five years; I feel like I’m only getting stronger every day.  

What are your goals at this point?

I’ve got a ton, man. Like I said the last time we spoke, I want to be a titlist in all three sports; I want to be a boxing world titlist, a Muay Thai world titlist, and a mixed martial arts world titlist.

I want to be that guy, when I finish my career, they say, “Man, that guy could strike his butt off; he’s got a belt in Thai boxing and boxing and he won a major-title in mixed martial arts. He’s got the goods—let’s go train with him.”

 

Who do you look up to in this sport?

Din Thomas. I just trained with him last weekend—amazing, amazing training. Everybody out there, fight to get this guy back in the UFC! I talked to him all weekend—he needs to be there. There’s nobody at 145 with his skills.

The guys is, probably, one of the best boxers on the planet and, even bigger than that, his Jiu-Jitsu skills are absolutely phenomenal. He needs to be in that mix.

I really look up to him and I appreciate him having me out last weekend to really jump-start my training camp. You know, again, “Mach” Sakurai—just watch how he puts it together. He’s phenomenal. 

 

When I spoke with Din a few months ago, he said the UFC wasn’t on his radar. Do you know if that’s still the case?

It’s definitely on his radar. It’s definitely on his radar.

 

What type of impact do you think he could have in the UFC?

I think he could have a title. You know what fight I want to see? I was telling him last weekend, that I think him and Leonard Garcia would make a knock-down, drag-out, spectacular fight for the fans, because the striking ability—the pure boxing ability—of Din, matched up with the wild style of Leonard Garcia—that would make a phenomenal match.

The fans, I think, would get a treat with that fight. After he beats Leonard, I think he’d get two fights and a title shot. I think he could beat Jose Aldo or Mark Hominick.

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