Author: Garrett Derr

 

I recently had the chance to talk to fighter Edson Barboza, and he shared some interesting insight to his busy life.

Garrett Derr: You spent the early stages of your life competing in kickboxing. You then made the transition to MMA. What was the deciding factor in making this move? Was there someone who influenced you to pick up MMA?

Edson Barboza: Yes, I competed muay Thai since I was eight years old until at 21 years of age. I made this transition to MMA, because even with my record of 28 fights, 25 wins, 23 by knockout, I couldn’t keep working on my muay Thai career. I was voted as the best muay Thai fighter in Brazil after I won the Demolition Fight GP. I did three fights at the same night and I won all of them.

Muay Thai was my dream to work on. But this type of sport was not recognized in Brazil. After I had done my best fights over there I had no more sponsorship, I had no more opponents, I had no more fights scheduled, and I had no more classes to teach. So, I couldn’t survive in this sport in Brazil.

That’s why my manager Alex Davis and my master Anderson Franca sat down and talked that it was the time to change my life. I loved to be a fighter and to to continue my career as a fighter I should change. It was from there that I decided to leave behind my dream of fighting muay Thai and begin my MMA career.

My manager Alex Davis influenced me to make that decision. He knew that I had a dream to be a fighter and I could do that. So, he came to me several times and said “Hey Junior, do you want to be a fighter?” I was then told that I could do it, but I needed to make a transition to mixed martial art’. So, after I tried everything that I could do to be fighting muay Thai and I had no results. I came to Alex and said “Let’s do it. I will be an MMA fighter.”

Alex knew an American guy named Joseph Mullings, owner of the Armory gym, and this guy was looking for an MMA fighter who could also teach muay Thai at his gym. So, they invited me to come to US, work, and start to be an MMA fighter over here. I accepted the invitation of them and here I am. I have been living and fighting in Florida for three years now.

GD: You’ve had a ton of success and you’re coming off a big win over Terry Etim at UFC 142. You knocked him out with a move that we hardly ever see. Where does the spinning heel kick knockout rank all time in terms of your achievements?

EB: I can’t say exactly where it is in my achievements. But, it was amazing, right? Thank God I was able to do it in the right way and at the right time. To be honest I don’t train that kick too much. I usually train the basic things like low kicks and body kicks. Actually, I know that kick since I was eight years old, but I don’t usually apply this kick in my training camp.

 

GD: You’ve fought four times in the UFC now and in three of them you’ve walked away with the “Fight of the Night” award. Do you consider yourself the most exciting fighter in the sport? What is it that makes you more exciting than the rest of them?

EB: I don’t consider myself as the most exciting fighter. There are a lot of exciting fighter at UFC, like Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva, and many others. When I am training for a fight I just think of giving my best inside the Octagon. I fight for me, I fight for my fans, and I fight for my family. So, I want to do my best. I always try to give my 100 percent inside the Octagon. Maybe that is why I got those bonuses, and also because I had tough guys in front of me. My goal is doing my job as best as I can.

I don’t have anything more special than the rest of the other fighters. I think every fighter who is inside the Octagon is tough. And, all of the fighters are there to do their best. So, it’s hard to be a fighter and I respect all of them.

 

GD: After four great performances inside the Octagon, you’re becoming recognized as a rising star. I’ve heard you referenced as the future Anderson Silva from Brazil. Do you feel you have the skills to become a star in the sport. How do you handle all of this added pressure?

EB: Anderson Silva is an example of a fighter to me. He is amazing. Yes, I think I have the skills to be a great fighter. I know I have a lot of things to learn and also I have to work really hard to get there. But, I am working for this. I know each fight gets harder, but I am ready for that. I am training for that.

I am focused on being a great fighter. There is some pressure in every fight, and it’s just rising. But, I think the pressure stays outside of the Octagon. When the cage closes, there are the judges, my opponent, and I. Then it’s time to work.

 

GD: Many Brazilians choose to remain in their home country to train. However, you’re not one of them. How hard was it for you to leave your home country to come to Florida and train?

EB: Like I mentioned a little bit earlier, I had to make this choice to continue to be fighting. But, I don’t regret that decision. I love living in Florida. I train at the Armory where there are a lot of Brazilians over there. Last year we brought my teammate from Brazil, Marlon Moraes.

My wife came to US one year after I came. My master from Brazil, Anderson Franca, comes to U.S. to train me every time that I need him. I found a true family over here in US. My coaches Joe Mullings, Eduardo Guedes, and R.J. Goodridge are great. My American fans are amazing as well. I have no words to describe them. They are always supporting me, sending me letters, and leaving messages.

Of course, it was really hard in the beginning when I didn’t know anything about US. I couldn’t speak the language, I was away from my family, my girlfriend and my friends. But, thank God I am at a really nice place. I have an awesome training. I enjoy living here.

 

GD: You’re set to take on Jamie Varner at UFC 146. After four wins in the UFC, were you expecting a “bigger name” this time out? Were you disappointed in being given this matchup considering Varner hasn’t done much in the last three years?

EB: I want to fight no matter who will be my opponent, I want to fight and I want to work. I think Jamie Varner is a good name? He was a champion in WEC. If he came back to fight in the UFC it means that he is tough. This fight will be a war and I am ready for that.

 

GD: Your strength lies in your ability to knockout your opponent. Varner has never been knocked out in his career. He also has great submission skills. What have you done differently training for an opponent like him?

EB: I know he is a good boxer and good wrestler. My training is focused on my own game and what I have to do.

 

GD: I know you started fighting when you were just eight years old. Who motivated you to start fighting? How difficult has it been to maintain that same motivation over the course of the past 18 years?

EB: I always loved sports and I enjoyed watching movies of fighting. I used to be a very active child and knew I should spend my energy to a sport. But, I grew up in a financially poor family and my parents were unable to afford for me to play sports in an organized league.

The opportunity came along for me when I could enter in a special project that taught muay Thai for underprivileged children in my neighborhood. This took place in Nova Friburgo and Rio de Janeiro. The project was held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I think my motivation comes from the love of my job. I love to be a fighter. I love to train. And also, I think my motivation comes from my goals and my plans. I want to be the best. I want to be fighting against the best fighters in the world. I like to be challenging myself. I think those are the things where my motivation comes from.

 

GD: I understand you’re an avid Christian. What do you have to say to those who believe fighting is against the Christian faith? Many believe fighting is a bad thing. What is your response?

EB: Each one has their own religion and I totally respect it. Each fighter likes to thank someone or something after the fight, I like to thank God. I knew a lot of Christians who didn’t like fighting. I respect them. It’s their opinion. But, since they knew more about fighting and more about the fighter lives, they changed their minds. I am not here to say “you have to believe in what I believe” or “you have to like fighting because I like fighting.

Every person believes in one thing. It means civilization and it means democracy. There is respect in that. I believe in God. Jesus in my hero. I love fighting and love being a fighter. Nothing will change it. Who doesn’t believe in it, I respect them. That’s it.

Garrett Derr is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Garrett Derr: Tom, you’ve been around the sport for a long time now. You’ve often been referred to as “Filthy.” Why is that and what is the specific meaning behind your nickname?  

Tom Lawlor: “Because I literally lived in a dumpster for 44 years. I haven’t showered in the past 22 years, and one time I tried to eat a disease infested giraffe.” 

 

GD: I know you’re a lover of food and you like to put down your fair share of cheeseburgers, pizza and the list goes on. Breaking down the food pyramid, what is your absolute favorite food? 

TL: “Human placenta. Ever had it? It is a delicacy in many countries and is absolutely delicious.”

 

GD: Many recognize you as the craziest fighter to have ever stepped inside the Octagon. Why do you think this is and would you agree with that statement?

TL: “No, not at all. Bleacher Report once listed Dave Herman as the No. 1 character in MMA, and me No. 2. He deserves his ranking. I think he is literally insane.”

 

GD: You’re a fan of Hulk Hogan, so how long did it take you to make the Hulk Hogan costume? How was it made? Did you spend time watching Hogan tapes to mimic him?  

TL: “I’m not a Hulk Hogan fan actually. It took very little time, and based on the fact that Hulk Hogan does the same thing every match or promo, I didn’t have to watch very much tape to replicate him.”

 

GD: You’re coming off a tough loss to Chris Weidman at UFC 139 where he submitted you with your favorite choke. How hard was this loss to overcome? Was this something you were able to push aside or is it still bothering you today?  

TL: “Bother me? No. What bothers me is when people ride their bikes in the middle of the road and hold up traffic.

“If I sat around and dwelled on losses, I would hate my life. Not saying I don’t hate it anyways, but that isn’t a reason for it. I mostly hate my life because dinosaurs attack me daily and it makes it hard to get anything done.”

 

GD: You’ll be meeting Jason MacDonald in what might be the most important fight of your life. Are you approaching this fight with the fun-loving mindset that you always do or is it time to take things a little more seriously?

TL: “Business. I even went as far as to go to the local haircut shop and told them I wanted the business cut.”

 

GD: What can we expect in terms of your entrance at UFC on Fuel? Anything worth getting excited over?

TL: “No. Pregnancies, large sums of cash and eating challenges. Those are things to get excited over. An MMA entrance? Save your emotions, people.”

 

GD: You wrestled at 235 pounds in college. That’s a huge change as you’re now getting in the Octagon at 185 pounds. Do you feel natural at 185 or could we even see you experiment with a higher weight class as you progress in your career?

TL: “I’ve asked the UFC to let me fight at heavyweight and I was told no. I am also undefeated in the UFC at light heavyweight. I don’t mind cutting weight; it is the dieting before the cut that I find problematic.

“I can lose 15 to 20 pounds in a few days and it doesn’t mentally drain me, but not eating what I want for the two to three months before then is downright brutal.”

 

GD: You’re in one of the most talked-about divisions in all of MMA. Obviously you’re accompanied by the middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, and the people’s champion, Chael Sonnen. Who wins this showdown and why?

TL: “It will be a draw. Then I will insert myself into the feud and make it a three-way dance off. I, of course, will win, probably by DQ.”

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

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Good enough never is.

Deep inside of us, there is always something more to accomplish. When we think we’ve reached the top of the mountain, there is always a few more steps to climb.

Enter Bellator rising star, Josh Shockley.

“Bellator has treated me great and they’ve done nothing wrong,” Shockley told Bleacher Report. “But I’m not content with being here at all.”

“The pay is far off and I’m fighting guys just as tough as the guys in the UFC. I’m making half the money. You know, before it was OK, but now I have a family and I need to make money for them.”

Shockley, who took part in his first fight during his sophomore year of high school, has seen his life change immensely over the course of the past several years. From an early dream of playing professional baseball to fighting inside a cage—it’s fair to say Shockley’s life has taken an unexpected turn.

However, Shockley has more than just fighting to take care of, as he’s now responsible for maintaining a full-time job while supporting his dedicated girlfriend and daughter at home. At just 22 years of age, Shockley has a full plate and has the hope of a brighter future.

“I get up every morning at 6:00 a.m. and do a couple of miles. I then get to come home and relax for a while. At night I train from 6:00 p.m. to around 8:30 p.m.,” said Shockley. “That’s it.”

“Unlike most fighters, I work a full-time job outside of training. I’m a union worker. I’m working eight to 10 hours a day and only get to train three to four hours a day. I’m working on the railroad and swinging a sledgehammer around all day long,” added Shockley.

You might think Shockley’s life is a little overwhelming—and you’re probably right. But with a brighter future in sight, Shockley knows it’s just a matter of time until better days arrive. With the loving support of his girlfriend and daughter at home—the sky is the limit.

“It’s tough being away from my girlfriend and daughter. I’ve been with her since 8th grade. Most girls wouldn’t put up with me. I see them maybe an hour-and-a-half a day. She’s not afraid to tell me when I’m messing up either,” said Shockley.

“But she’s been here all of this time and supports what I love to do.”

It’s this love and support that ignites Shockley to push forward. While Shockley will square off at Bellator 69 in the upcoming days, his vision far surpasses his upcoming fight.

Like the majority of those who enter the sport of MMA, Shockley wants to arrive to the premier stage—the UFC. And he won’t be content until he gets there.

“Bellator wants to give me $7,000 to fight and train for eight weeks at a time. I can’t do that. I can’t live off of $7,000 for eight weeks with a family,” said Shockley. “But I feel like the best is yet to come.”

“I didn’t get into the sport to be in Bellator. Like I said, they’ve been great to me, but the goal is to get to the UFC. You don’t play football to play in the AFL, you want to get to the NFL. I think I could be a top-10 fighter in the UFC right now.”

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Garrett Derr: Let’s talk about the beginning stages of your career. You began with four straight losses following just one win. How hard was this to overcome? Did you have second thoughts about calling it quits?

Jeff Hougland: “Definitely. After the third or fourth loss, I thought maybe this sport wasn’t for me after all. But I liked it. I liked fighting and I liked to train. What I did was I switched gyms and got with a different coach. I had a big hole in my jiu-jitsu game and I knew that I needed to make a change in that area. I began to climb out of that hole.”

 

GD: It wasn’t too long after that you rallied off nine straight wins. What was the difference maker or game changer in your game that allowed you to witness success other than the coaching change?

JH: “I started taking things more serious. In the beginning of my career I was working 8-10 hour days and I only trained when I could fit it in. Training is all I do now. One of the biggest differences is having a lot more time to train.”

“Now all I do is train, eat, sleep, and train some more. I put a lot of time into my recovery and learning new things. Being able to do this full-time now is great.”

 

GD: You come from a long line of the best BJJ players in the world. Your instructor is a Ralph Gracie black belt. Have you met Ralph? Everyone who has seems to have a Ralph story. What’s yours?

JH: “I have met Ralph. I haven’t trained with that guy in years. I have a new jiu-jitsu coach now but I spent a lot of time there. It’s actually where I got my blue belt and that took me years to get. I can say that he is definitely an intense guy [laughing]. He’s a great guy and an excellent trainer.”

 

GD: You have a very aggressive and attacking style of jiu-jitsu. Will you be able to keep that same style in the Octagon against better and better fighters?

JH: “I hope so, but we’ll find out for sure on Tuesday. I think I do all right. I try to keep my emotions from getting the best of me and keeping them in place. I train with some tough guys and I’ve been around some high-level guys over the years.”

“We’re all human and anyone can lose on any given day. I’m just focused on me and getting myself as ready as I can for this fight. I just got to go in there and perform.”

 

GD: You fought Gilbert Melendez earlier in your career, but that was 20 pounds and two weight classes ago. How does being at 135 pounds change things? You must have felt awfully undersized against a guy like Melendez when you were a 155-pounder in a 135-pound body?

JH: “I always felt overpowered against everyone I fought. I relied a lot on my technique which actually helped me in certain ways. I had to refine my technique to compete with those guys. Gilbert just stomped my a–. He was bigger, better, and just beat me up. Once you get to a higher level, those extra pounds definitely matter.”

“I wish I would have started my career at this weight. But, I don’t remember anyone fighting at 135 or even 145 pounds when I first started out in the sport. You had to go to 155 pounds or 170 or 185. I did what I had to do though. I ate a lot of chicken nuggets to compete [laughing].”

 

GD: What was it like to fight in the UFC after toiling on the independent scene for quite some time? What were your feelings after capturing your first UFC win?

JH: “It was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. We all strive to be the best. Everybody wants to fight and get to the UFC. For the longest time, I never thought I would get there. I wanted to be like everyone else, but I didn’t think I could actually make it.”

“Being able to fight for the UFC now is fantastic. It was an unbelievable experience being able to get my first win. I wish I would have finished the fight though. It took me days to come down from that high and really realize what had happened. I look back and I’m glad I never gave up or quit.”

 

GD: The main event the night of your debut featured the two best bantamweights in the world at the time in Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. What will it take to get to that level?

JH: “I need to keep winning fights. I have to beat everyone the UFC puts in front of me. I need to keep evolving as a fighter and keep getting better. I need to improve my striking, conditioning and keep refining my skills. I need to improve each time out.”

“I think it takes a little bit of luck, too. You need to get the right fights at the right time sometimes. The only way to the top is to put wins together, and that’s what I need to do.”

 

GD: You had a number of opponent changes before settling in on Yves Jabouin. How did each change affect what you were doing in camp?

JH: “It didn’t, to be honest. I signed to fight Renan Barao at UFC 148 in July. That was the fight the UFC asked me to fight and I wasn’t going to turn it down. I thought it was a strange fight but I agreed to take it. They were giving me the No. 3 guy in the world who had already beaten two top 10 guys.

“Of course, they weren’t bringing me into win, but that’s the game of chance. For me to fight him, there’s more pressure on him because, who am I? If I beat him, my name is right up there.”

“A week after agreeing to take the fight, they called my manager and said Mike Easton got hurt and they needed me on the FUEL card. It wasn’t as much publicity as being on a card with Silva or Sonnen, but this was a main card spot.

“The bottom line is, I’m trying to earn my place. If they asked me to fight anyone, I would have taken it. That’s really how this fight came to be. Barao would have been a higher profile fight, but Jabouin is just as dangerous and I have to be ready for him.”

 

GD: Talk me through your upcoming matchup with Jabouin. What can we expect to see?

JH: “We both know that he’s a better kickboxer. He’s a talented striker, a great athlete, and he’s very explosive. So, if I would fight him in a kickboxing bout, he would probably smoke me. If it was a jiu-jitsu match, I would beat him.”

“This isn’t either, it’s an MMA fight. The key is to mix things up and make him feel uncomfortable. I need to keep him guessing. I don’t think I’ll be outclassed on my feet at all. I put a lot of time into all areas, so we’ll see how it goes.”

 

GD: When all is said and done, what do you want to have accomplished?

JH: “When it’s all said and done, I want to be able to sit back and know that I fought the best guys in the world and that I always gave everything I had. If I won, it was because I deserved it. If I lost, it was because the other guy was better. I’m OK with that. Some guys are just better.”

“I want to take it as far as I possibly can. If that means to a title, then great. If I fall short, then that’s fine too. I’m aiming higher and wherever I land, I land.

 

For additional information, follow Garrett Derr on Twitter.

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