Tag: exclusives

UFC on FOX 9 Interview: Matt Brown Discusses His Tough Road to the Top, And How MMA Saved His Life


(“I’ve been at the bottom. When I lost three in a row I thought I was cut for sure. I have no fear of that. I can look at it and say there’s worse things in life that could happen.” / Photo via Getty)

By Shawn Smith

A real-life Rocky if there ever was one, Matt Brown is not your typical MMA fighter. He didn’t wrestle in college and he doesn’t have the polished good looks that will land him on posters. He turned to mixed martial arts as a way out of a lifestyle that was killing him, and it has been anything but a smooth ride to the top of the UFC welterweight division. Three straight losses in 2010 had many, including him, questioning whether or not he was a UFC-caliber fighter.

Now with six straight wins in the UFC, Brown will get the most challenging opponent of his career. On December 14th at UFC on FOX 9, he’ll take on former title contender Carlos Condit in what is sure to be an explosive bout. We recently spoke to Matt to get his thoughts on the fight that could launch him into title contention, how MMA saved his life, his experience on TUF, what he thought about Georges St. Pierre‘s controversial win over Johny Hendricks, and so much more. Enjoy.

CAGEPOTATO.COM: What was it about mixed martial arts that drew you to the sport?

MATT BROWN: The first time I saw it was Tank Abbott way back in one of the first UFC events. That got me kind of interested. The first one that really got me was Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie in Pride. I thought “man, this is freaking amazing.” It was something I wanted to be a part of in some way.

The draw is mainly the intensity and the authenticity of the sport. The UFC says it best: It’s as real as it gets. That’s a rare thing in life and in sport.

I find it funny you say Sakuraba and Gracie because they were so grappling-based and you’re more of a knockout guy.

At that time with the knowledge I had of MMA, Royce was unstoppable. He was the epitome of a UFC fighter. He was this mysterious guy who came in and did all these things that no one had seen before. It was amazing. The fact that [his fight against Sakuraba] lasted an hour and a half, it was like watching a movie. I don’t know what it was about that fight, but even to this day it’s a pretty amazing fight to me.


(“I’ve been at the bottom. When I lost three in a row I thought I was cut for sure. I have no fear of that. I can look at it and say there’s worse things in life that could happen.” / Photo via Getty)

By Shawn Smith

A real-life Rocky if there ever was one, Matt Brown is not your typical MMA fighter. He didn’t wrestle in college and he doesn’t have the polished good looks that will land him on posters. He turned to mixed martial arts as a way out of a lifestyle that was killing him, and it has been anything but a smooth ride to the top of the UFC welterweight division. Three straight losses in 2010 had many, including him, questioning whether or not he was a UFC-caliber fighter.

Now with six straight wins in the UFC, Brown will get the most challenging opponent of his career. On December 14th at UFC on FOX 9, he’ll take on former title contender Carlos Condit in what is sure to be an explosive bout. We recently spoke to Matt to get his thoughts on the fight that could launch him into title contention, how MMA saved his life, his experience on TUF, what he thought about Georges St. Pierre‘s controversial win over Johny Hendricks, and so much more. Enjoy.

CAGEPOTATO.COM: What was it about mixed martial arts that drew you to the sport?

MATT BROWN: The first time I saw it was Tank Abbott way back in one of the first UFC events. That got me kind of interested. The first one that really got me was Sakuraba vs. Royce Gracie in Pride. I thought “man, this is freaking amazing.” It was something I wanted to be a part of in some way.

The draw is mainly the intensity and the authenticity of the sport. The UFC says it best: It’s as real as it gets. That’s a rare thing in life and in sport.

I find it funny you say Sakuraba and Gracie because they were so grappling-based and you’re more of a knockout guy.

At that time with the knowledge I had of MMA, Royce was unstoppable. He was the epitome of a UFC fighter. He was this mysterious guy who came in and did all these things that no one had seen before. It was amazing. The fact that [his fight against Sakuraba] lasted an hour and a half, it was like watching a movie. I don’t know what it was about that fight, but even to this day it’s a pretty amazing fight to me.

You received your nickname “The Immortal” after surviving a heroin overdose. It sounds melodramatic, but would you credit mixed martial arts with saving your life?

Absolutely, 100 percent. There wasn’t anything else that grabbed my attention like the martial arts did. Nothing else created that drive in me to improve myself. That just gave me a reason and motivation to improve myself and it was something to wake up everyday and look forward to. It saved me.

You got your start in the UFC after being on The Ultimate Fighter. What are your thoughts on that experience looking back?

It was a great experience. I had a good time for the whole show. I think I was fortunate to be on one of the seasons where we had a lot of serious guys. We didn’t have a lot of jokers and no one was trying to cause any problems. I enjoyed it up until  I lost. I hurt my ankle pretty bad and when I lost the fight I couldn’t train, so I basically was sitting around the house with nothing to do.

Knowing you as a quiet person, it seems an odd decision that you’d want to compete on the reality show. What was it about TUF that was appealing to you?

Just the chance to fight in the UFC, there was nothing else to it. I didn’t expect to get picked on the show. I was surprised and shocked when they chose me. I didn’t think I had the personality, but I guess they saw something else.

Were you a fan of The Ultimate Fighter before joining the cast on season 7?

Yeah, absolutely. I was a fan since the first season.

We’re almost 10 years into The Ultimate Fighter now. Do you think it’s still the best avenue for fighters to enter the UFC?

I guess it depends on your situation. Everybody is a little different. It can definitely be a positive thing and a good way to do it.

At one point in your UFC tenure you had lost three straight fights, and four of five. What if anything was going on in your life at that point that led to those defeats?

I can look back and find many reasons, but I don’t think they’re good reasons. I was going through a hard time and had some things going on in my life, but there’s no reason it should have caused me to lose fights. I think it was more about reacting to situations and how I let them affect and distract me. I’ve learned from that since. I’ve learned how to control my mind a little better and handle things a little better.

Do you think you’re a better fighter because of that experience?

In some ways, yeah. I’ve been at the bottom. When I lost three in a row I thought I was cut for sure. I have no fear of that. I can look at it and say there’s worse things in life that could happen.

Did you ever question yourself as to whether or not you were a UFC-caliber fighter?

There were times when I said “look, if I can’t beat these fighters then I don’t deserve to be here anyways.” I knew I had it in me to beat them, but that doesn’t really matter. If you’re not winning, you’re not winning. I was just fortunate to be given a second chance and everything has worked out since.

You’ve now won six fights in a row in arguably the most talent-filled division in the UFC. What do you credit with the turnaround?

I don’t really credit one specific thing. It’s more a matter of going into the gym and working hard. I pride myself on working as hard, if not harder, than anybody else. I stay consistent and I don’t get out of shape or fat. I don’t have to cut insane amounts of weight. I watch my diet as well. I’m a believer that if you work hard enough at anything, good things will happen and that’s what has happened. I didn’t really change much of anything. I just kept working hard and kept my eyes on the road ahead.

How important do you see the mental aspect of fighting?

The mental aspect is gigantic. During training camp you’re building your physical shape for the fight. When it comes down to the fight itself, as long as you did everything physically proper, then the fight is 90 to 100 percent mental.

You keep busier than most fighters on the roster, with this being your seventh fight since February of 2012. Do you think staying busy makes you a better fighter?

If I’m not hurt and I have the ability to fight, then I want to be in there fighting. I don’t see the point in sitting around. I’m not getting any younger. I keep working hard and keep testing myself. I am in this sport to fight. I take a week or two off after every fight. That’s three vacations a year. That’s more than 99 percent of other jobs out there.

You’ve said on multiple occasions that you’re in this sport to build a legacy and be one of the best ever. Where does that drive to be successful come from?

Gosh, I don’t know where it comes from. It’s just natural for me. It’s human nature, I guess. We all want to be successful, we all want to be the best at what we do. It’s just in my blood.

You talked about getting into the sport to get away from bad habits. When did it switch from a hobby to something you wanted to be very good at?

The first day I walked in the gym I wanted to be very good at it. I don’t really do anything that I don’t want to be really good at.

Nearly all of your losses have come by submission. As a veteran of the sport, is it difficult to make the changes necessary to fill that void in your game, or is that just part of the job?

It’s not difficult. I’m constantly working on my grappling, my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu. It’s just one of those things. I don’t pick it up as quickly as I do striking and boxing. I think my jiu-jitsu is getting a lot better. I think my jiu-jitsu was good enough where I shouldn’t have been getting submitted when I was. Basically, I was doing everything I could to not end up in a grappling match and that was the reason I was getting submitted. Rather than properly trying to fight my way out or grapple with the guys, I was constantly trying to find a way not to be grappling. That wasn’t necessarily the right way to go about it.

So now you try and be ready for the fight to go anywhere.

Exactly. I try and be more open-minded in a fight and be willing to fight from all positions, rather than being stubborn and dead set on one style of fighting.

Now you’ve got the most difficult test of your career in Carlos Condit. What do you bring that he hasn’t seen before? What makes you different?

I don’t know, that’s hard to say. He’s fought a lot of really tough top guys. I don’t know if I’ll bring anything he hasn’t seen before. Just because you’ve seen it before doesn’t mean I’m not going to do it better.

What difficulties does he present?

He definitely brings a lot to the table. I think the biggest thing is his toughness and composure, whether he’s being beaten up or not. He’s never finished until he’s finished. You’re going to have to fight him from bell to bell.

I would argue the same attributes could be said about you. Do you see yourselves as similar fighters?

Yeah, I think we’re really similar. We’re similar in a lot of different ways. The only difference is that he has fought higher-level guys and succeeded where I haven’t. To me this is a big step up in my career and a chance for me to get into the upper echelon.

There’s an argument to be made that you were an underdog in your last three bouts, and you’re certainly an underdog against Carlos Condit. Do you relish in the role of underdog?

To be honest, I don’t even think about it that much. It’s irrelevant to me.

To you it’s just two guys who have skills and are competing?

Yeah, I see him as a guy across the cage from me who wants to fight. It’s irrelevant to me if other people think I’m going to lose the fight. Obviously I think I’m going to win, so what does it matter what other people think?

Once again you’ll be fighting on a FOX main card bout. Do you take that as a compliment to your exciting style?

Yeah. Dana nicknamed me “Mr. FOX”. It’s pretty flattering to me, I think it’s pretty cool.

Do you like fighting on FOX?

Yeah, but it’s pretty much all the same. Every arena, every locker room, every hotel. They’re all pretty much the same thing.

You really seem to look at this as a job and it doesn’t seem to be about the fame. Do you come from a blue-collar family?

I would actually disagree with that. I don’t actually look at this as a job. I do come from a hard working family. When I talk about it, I do say it’s my job and I take it seriously. Ultimately, it’s not really a job. I get up everyday and I do what I want to do. I do what I love to do. It’s more of a lifestyle. A job, you go to work and come home and forget what you did. I live this.

After your victory over Mike Pyle, you uncharacteristically called Georges St. Pierre out. What sparked those comments?

That’s the fight everybody wants. If I have to ask for it, I have to ask for it. I’m on a six-fight winning streak. Guys have gotten title shots for less than that. Why not ask for it?

Does a win over Carlos Condit make you the number one contender?

I think it should. He’s at number two and a win over him should put me at number two. A seven-fight win streak and beating the number two contender — I don’t know what else I’d have to do, really.

Out of curiosity, how did you score the controversial GSP vs Hendricks bout?

I watched it, but I didn’t actually score it. I don’t know who should have won on the judges’ scorecards, but at the end of the fight I had the feeling that Hendricks won that fight. Whether he won the points, I don’t know. He won the fight.

[EXCLUSIVE] Bellator Champ Pat Curran Is Making the Most of His Short Window of Opportunity


(“The goal was to make a good living doing this and I’m already there. I want to see how far I can take it.” Photo via Esther Lin/MMAFighting)

By Elias Cepeda

Of late, much of the big news that comes from Bellator has to do with contract clauses and disputes, lawsuits and high-profile cancellations. Because of that, one can imagine it being difficult for a marquee Bellator fighter like Pat Curran to focus on simply doing his job well.

However, the featherweight champion insists that he doesn’t keep up on other people’s news and stays focused on what matters — fighting. “I don’t like to think about it too much,” he tells CagePotato.

“As a fighter I have a very short career window and I have to make the most of where I’m at right now. I’m on a main stage with a major organization that gives me the opportunity to stay busy and make a pretty decent living.”

Having a tough opponent in front of you can help a fighter keep focused as well and Curran has exactly that this Saturday at Bellator 106 when he defends his belt against Bellator Season 6 tournament winner Daniel Straus.

“He’s very talented and very well rounded,” Curran says of the challenger.

“He throws a lot of straight, long punches and follows up with kicks. He does a very good job mixing up striking with wrestling. He’s good at clinching with guys and wearing them out. I’m definitely not just expecting a striking fight like I had with ‘Pitbull’ [Patricio Freire]. I’m prepared for anything. If it becomes a striking match, I’m ready for it. If it goes to the ground, I’m ready to mix it up.”


(“The goal was to make a good living doing this and I’m already there. I want to see how far I can take it.” Photo via Esther Lin/MMAFighting)

By Elias Cepeda

Of late, much of the big news that comes from Bellator has to do with contract clauses and disputes, lawsuits and high-profile cancellations. Because of that, one can imagine it being difficult for a marquee Bellator fighter like Pat Curran to focus on simply doing his job well.

However, the featherweight champion insists that he doesn’t keep up on other people’s news and stays focused on what matters — fighting. “I don’t like to think about it too much,” he tells CagePotato.

“As a fighter I have a very short career window and I have to make the most of where I’m at right now. I’m on a main stage with a major organization that gives me the opportunity to stay busy and make a pretty decent living.”

Having a tough opponent in front of you can help a fighter keep focused as well and Curran has exactly that this Saturday at Bellator 106 when he defends his belt against Bellator Season 6 tournament winner Daniel Straus.

“He’s very talented and very well rounded,” Curran says of the challenger.

“He throws a lot of straight, long punches and follows up with kicks. He does a very good job mixing up striking with wrestling. He’s good at clinching with guys and wearing them out. I’m definitely not just expecting a striking fight like I had with ‘Pitbull’ [Patricio Freire]. I’m prepared for anything. If it becomes a striking match, I’m ready for it. If it goes to the ground, I’m ready to mix it up.”

Curran has indeed managed to develop a well-rounded game in his brief six years in the sport of MMA. He’s come a long way from growing up pretty ignorant of the sport in Florida and having his cousin, UFC veteran Jeff Curran, convince him to move to Northern Illinois with him and give it a shot.

“I had no clue back then,” Curran says. “I kind of went into it blind.”

After high school and going to school to become a paramedic, Curran heeded his cousin’s advice, moved north and began training as much as he could in between odd jobs. Now, he’s one of the best 145 pound fighters in the world and says he’s accomplished what he set out to do, though his hunger remains.

“My goal, overall, is to keep doing what I’m doing,” Pat explains.

“I know I’m still young and haven’t hit my peak yet. I want to keep an open mind, keep developing and keep learning. The goal was to make a good living doing this and I’m already there. I want to see how far I can take it.”

UFC 164 Interview: After First Octagon Defeat, Ryan Couture Looks to Prove That He Belongs


(Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Ryan Couture was on a roll. The lightweight had won four straight fights against progressively stiff competition in Strikeforce, earning a shot inside the UFC.

His first test inside the Octagon would be a tough one – Ultimate Fighter winner Ross Pearson last April. Many speculated that the son of MMA legend Randy Couture would be in over his head but the younger Couture actually came out and fought effectively against Pearson.

For one round, that is. Couture managed to stay safe, close the distance and take away Pearson’s striking weapons with a conservative but winning clinch strategy in the opening stanza, but in the second round the Brit connected with a big shot and stopped Ryan.

“We started out well,” Couture tells CagePotato.

“We had a good game plan and it worked in the first round but then he caught me in the second. He did what he needed to do.”

Couture says that cornering his father in past UFC fights helped him get his bearing a little bit but that fighting in the world’s top MMA promotion himself definitely felt different. “Totally different,” he admits.

“I was lucky to have my dad bring me into his corners a couple times so that I got sort of used to the scenery and environment but it’s a different thing when you’re the one whose hands are getting wrapped, when you’re the one in the co-main event. It’s hard to explain. Plus, I had a different corner than usual. My grappling coach wasn’t able to be there and he’s a big part of my process and success.”


(Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Ryan Couture was on a roll. The lightweight had won four straight fights against progressively stiff competition in Strikeforce, earning a shot inside the UFC.

His first test inside the Octagon would be a tough one – Ultimate Fighter winner Ross Pearson last April. Many speculated that the son of MMA legend Randy Couture would be in over his head but the younger Couture actually came out and fought effectively against Pearson.

For one round, that is. Couture managed to stay safe, close the distance and take away Pearson’s striking weapons with a conservative but winning clinch strategy in the opening stanza, but in the second round the Brit connected with a big shot and stopped Ryan.

“We started out well,” Couture tells CagePotato.

“We had a good game plan and it worked in the first round but then he caught me in the second. He did what he needed to do.”

Couture says that cornering his father in past UFC fights helped him get his bearing a little bit but that fighting in the world’s top MMA promotion himself definitely felt different. “Totally different,” he admits.

“I was lucky to have my dad bring me into his corners a couple times so that I got sort of used to the scenery and environment but it’s a different thing when you’re the one whose hands are getting wrapped, when you’re the one in the co-main event. It’s hard to explain. Plus, I had a different corner than usual. My grappling coach wasn’t able to be there and he’s a big part of my process and success.”

The disappointment of losing aside, Couture says that his first UFC bout showed him that he does indeed belong in the organization. “I definitely proved to myself that I belong in the cage with someone like Ross Pearson,” he says.

“I look forward to this next fight and proving it to everyone else as well.”

Couture left his Las Vegas home and training camp earlier this week and headed to Milwuakee to prepare for his next bout, against TUF finalist Al Iaquinta this Saturday at UFC 164. “Al is another guy that is going to try and take my head off, even though he has good wrestling as well,” Couture believes.

“I’ve had a good camp and will have my grappling coach with me and we are confident.”

Couture won’t have his dad Randy, however, who is still banned from cornering his son based on an ultimatum that UFC President Dana White gave Ryan upon offering him a home in the UFC after the promotion absorbed Strikeforce. “[Not having my dad allowed in my corner] definitely puts me at a disadvantage,” the 31-year-old says.

“His is the voice I’ve been listening for my whole life and he is a very big part of my career so it is hard. But I’m here to fight and prove myself in the UFC so we go on and do what we have to no matter what.”

Couture believes that he’ll pick up his first UFC win on Saturday and says it is no secret as to how he’ll do it. “I don’t think there’s mystery about what we’ll try to do,” he says.

“I’m most comfortable and effective in the clinch and on the ground so that’s where I’ve got to get the fight. Once I do, I think I can get it done.”

[EXCLUSIVE] Matt Brown Reflects on Becoming The UFC’s Unlikeliest Welterweight Contender


(Can Matt Brown keep rolling through the division’s elite? / Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Since the beginning of 2012, UFC welterweight Matt Brown has won six consecutive fights, all but one by KO/TKO within the first two rounds. His most recent was a startlingly fast and violent knockout of the previously red-hot Mike Pyle in under thirty seconds this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 26.

All of a sudden, Brown is more than a tough and exciting fighter — he’s the owner of the most impressive win streak in the division outside of Georges St. Pierre and Johny Hendricks, who meet one another with GSP’s title on the line in November.

Brown has been calling out the champion and, well, now it makes sense. CagePotato spoke with the contender Sunday while he celebrated with family far away from the lights that shone on him kindly in Boston during his latest victory.

“It’s weird, man,” Brown muses while sitting with kids playing and shouting around him. “Obviously, I’m real happy with the result but I do feel a little unfulfilled. It wasn’t the type of fight I prepared for at all. But you take what you can get, right?”


(Can Matt Brown keep rolling through the division’s elite? / Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Since the beginning of 2012, UFC welterweight Matt Brown has won six consecutive fights, all but one by KO/TKO within the first two rounds. His most recent was a startlingly fast and violent knockout of the previously red-hot Mike Pyle in under thirty seconds this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 26.

All of a sudden, Brown is more than a tough and exciting fighter — he’s the owner of the most impressive win streak in the division outside of Georges St. Pierre and Johny Hendricks, who meet one another with GSP’s title on the line in November.

Brown has been calling out the champion and, well, now it makes sense. CagePotato spoke with the contender Sunday while he celebrated with family far away from the lights that shone on him kindly in Boston during his latest victory.

“It’s weird, man,” Brown muses while sitting with kids playing and shouting around him. “Obviously, I’m real happy with the result but I do feel a little unfulfilled. It wasn’t the type of fight I prepared for at all. But you take what you can get, right?”

Brown says he is “completely healthy” after the quick fight with Pyle but isn’t sure what his next step will be on his path towards the welterweight championship. “I don’t know what is coming next,” he says when I ask him if he’ll pursue another fight before the November title fight between St. Pierre and Hendricks, or attempt to wait it out and ask for a title fight for his next one.

“We haven’t really talked about that yet. We are just trying to enjoy the moment for a bit. The goal is the title but I don’t really care how we get there. I’m not thinking about that.”

Brown doesn’t seem to read too much into how particularly fast he dispatched of Pyle, who himself was riding a four fight win-streak before running into his former training partner Saturday. “I would probably feel even more confident if it was a longer fight,” Brown confesses.

“Anyone can get caught like that in a short fight.”

Such humility seems contrary in a man who, at the UFC Fight Night 26 post-event presser said that he was in it to do one thing – kick St. Pierre’s ass. But Brown says that his calling out St. Pierre is not a calculated move to make sure he isn’t overlooked.

“It is completely natural,” he says. “He’s the champ and winning the title is why I do this.”

Interview: A Healthy, Thankful Joe Lauzon Readies to Battle at Home in Boston Saturday Night


(Lauzon still carries a little reminder from his most recent war against Jim Miller. / Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

“I’m definitely excited and equally scared,” Joe Lauzon says while driving through some nasty Boston traffic this past Wednesday. On Saturday, the Massachusetts lightweight will fight in front of his home town at the Boston Garden on the UFC Fight Night 26 main card — but that isn’t what has Lauzon excited and scared.

The 29-year-old just found out that he and his girlfriend are expecting their first child together, a boy. “Obviously I want everything to go smooth and have a healthy kid. There’s all kinds of stuff to be worried about,” he confesses.

That’s Joe the expecting father talking. Joe the fighter doesn’t expect a child to change anything at all for him.

“Having a kid doesn’t change anything for me, fight wise. There’s a little bit with timing — I don’t want to fight right before or after he is born, but other than that…I train really hard and I fight really hard. I don’t think having a kid will change any of that,” he says.

So don’t expect platitudes from Lauzon about how being a dad adds or takes away from his motivation, as has often been said by other fighters. Joe likes to scrap, always had, always will.

And, after a pretty long lay-off, Lauzon has a good, tough bout ahead of him Saturday against the underrated Michael Johnson. 2012 saw Lauzon raise his star with a win and two Fight of The Year candidates, but he has yet to fight in 2013, choosing to let old injuries heal and wait for a chance to fight in Boston.


(Lauzon still carries a little reminder from his most recent war against Jim Miller. / Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

“I’m definitely excited and equally scared,” Joe Lauzon says while driving through some nasty Boston traffic this past Wednesday. On Saturday, the Massachusetts lightweight will fight in front of his home town at the Boston Garden on the UFC Fight Night 26 main card — but that isn’t what has Lauzon excited and scared.

The 29-year-old just found out that he and his girlfriend are expecting their first child together, a boy. “Obviously I want everything to go smooth and have a healthy kid. There’s all kinds of stuff to be worried about,” he confesses.

That’s Joe the expecting father talking. Joe the fighter doesn’t expect a child to change anything at all for him.

“Having a kid doesn’t change anything for me, fight wise. There’s a little bit with timing — I don’t want to fight right before or after he is born, but other than that…I train really hard and I fight really hard. I don’t think having a kid will change any of that,” he says.

So don’t expect platitudes from Lauzon about how being a dad adds or takes away from his motivation, as has often been said by other fighters. Joe likes to scrap, always had, always will.

And, after a pretty long lay-off, Lauzon has a good, tough bout ahead of him Saturday against the underrated Michael Johnson. 2012 saw Lauzon raise his star with a win and two Fight of The Year candidates, but he has yet to fight in 2013, choosing to let old injuries heal and wait for a chance to fight in Boston.

“Last year I was 1-2 so it was not my most productive year,” he says. “But I still had some good fights. A couple fight night awards but it was not the best year for me. I had a lot of stupid little nagging injuries, so taking a little more time off after the Miller fight was great. I could have fought months ago but we kept hearing rumblings about Boston in August or the fall so we decided to try and wait a little longer to fight at home as opposed to rushing out and fighting injured earlier and missing this chance.”

The chance to fight in his home state for the first time since a win at UFC 118 in 2010 holds more than sentimental appeal to Lauzon. It’s also just plain easier.

“At first, when I got into the UFC (in 2006) the whole traveling process was pretty cool. Going to airports, flying across the country, having your hotel paid for by the UFC,” Joe remembers.

“But now it is getting a little old. I’m not the biggest fan of flying or airports and it is nice to sleep in your own bed, eat the food you like, be able to do laundry and have my own car.”

What’s more, Lauzon’s loyal Boston-area friends and fans won’t have to go through so many hoops to see him fight live. “That’s really the coolest part,” he says.

“I have a lot of people who are so supportive and come to see me fight every time, no matter where I’m fighting. When they do that, they have to take time off of work, buy airplane tickets, pay for hotels — it’s a huge commitment out of their lives just to see me fight and support me. With this fight being in Boston, all they’ve got to do is buy their fight tickets and show up. It’s much easier on them.”

Lauzon is wrapping up a busy day of media obligations, including an open workout at The Garden, and he’s had friends and family and well-wishers on him like white on rice for the past couple months. With all the hub-bub of fighting at home, he still hasn’t forgotten that he’s got to fight and beat a man on Saturday night for all this to be a truly good time.

“I think we are pretty comparable in wrestling and stand-up,” Lauzon says, comparing himself to Johnson. “But I’m pretty far ahead on the ground. So, I don’t think it is any secret that we’ve got to go in there, get in the clinch and take him down. We’ve got to do whatever we’ve got to do to get him down and once we’re on the ground, I think the submission will come.”

If it does, Lauzon will undoubtedly bring the Boston Garden crowd to their feet. The exciting fighter says that when he last fought at home, in 2010, he didn’t really know what to expect in terms of the reception he’d get as well as the emotional charge from the Boston fans.

“I didn’t quite understand how many people were going to be there the last time, at UFC 118. I didn’t realize how crazy it would be being a local guy,” Joe says.

“Now, I get it and I’m really looking forward to it. It is going to be absolutely roaring. A lot of times when I walk out to fight, I don’t look up, I don’t look at the crowd, I’m just looking at the ground. This time, I don’t want to lose focus, but I am going to pay a little more attention to it. I’m going to embrace it a little more. We trained real hard, I’m healthy and I’m ready to go…I want to get back in the win column and if I get this win I’ll be incredibly thankful.”

Interview: Back on Track, Cole Miller Hopes to Keep the Train Running at UFC Fight Night 26


(Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Heading into his featherweight bout against Bart Palaszewski last April, Cole Miller had lost two fights in a row for the first time in his ten-year MMA career. He did not want to lose a third.

A third straight loss would likely mean being cut by the UFC, where he’s made his living for the past six years. “Not losing for a third time wasn’t really motivation, it was just a matter of the fact that if I lost, I’d be out,” he tells CagePotato.

“I had to think about things I’d do outside of fighting to make money if I got cut and had to fight on smaller shows again where the pay isn’t as good as the UFC’s. I thought about things I could do and how I could set myself up other than fighting in order to make a living.”

Miller did not lose for a third consecutive time, however, and he has another UFC bout scheduled at this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston. It wasn’t long after he stopped Palaszewski with a rear naked choke at the TUF 17 Finale that Cole was looking for another fight.

“[The feeling of winning again] was a relief, mostly,” he remembers. “Bart might be the best guy I’ve ever beaten. I turned my attention to fighting again pretty soon, though. I thought I’d be able to get another fight in before now, maybe as a substitute or something, but I wasn’t able to.”


(Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Heading into his featherweight bout against Bart Palaszewski last April, Cole Miller had lost two fights in a row for the first time in his ten-year MMA career. He did not want to lose a third.

A third straight loss would likely mean being cut by the UFC, where he’s made his living for the past six years. “Not losing for a third time wasn’t really motivation, it was just a matter of the fact that if I lost, I’d be out,” he tells CagePotato.

“I had to think about things I’d do outside of fighting to make money if I got cut and had to fight on smaller shows again where the pay isn’t as good as the UFC’s. I thought about things I could do and how I could set myself up other than fighting in order to make a living.”

Miller did not lose for a third consecutive time, however, and he has another UFC bout scheduled at this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston. It wasn’t long after he stopped Palaszewski with a rear naked choke at the TUF 17 Finale that Cole was looking for another fight.

“[The feeling of winning again] was a relief, mostly,” he remembers. “Bart might be the best guy I’ve ever beaten. I turned my attention to fighting again pretty soon, though. I thought I’d be able to get another fight in before now, maybe as a substitute or something, but I wasn’t able to.”

Instead, Miller settles for an incredibly tough fight against fellow TUF 5 season member Manny Gamburyan about four months after his last fight. Miller says he’s worked hard to improve between appearances, but that the Armenian judoka poses unique challenges.

“I would say that yeah, I’ve improved since April,” Cole says. “But Manny is such a specific challenge that it’s really more about preparing for him than anything. His size and his style make for such a unique fight.”

Both fighters, of course, are featherweights but Miller is 6’1″ to Gamburyan’s 5’5″. Cole knows that it won’t be enough to simply have a longer reach than his opponent — not when that opponent has an aggressive style and hits like an anvil.

“He just keeps coming forward, throwing bombs,” Cole says of Manny.

“He has an unorthodox striking style but hits hard and doesn’t stop swinging until he drops his opponents or takes them down. And on the ground he’s good as well, but most of his stuff comes from Judo, Sambo and catch wrestling, so it is different than the looks you get from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts. We respect him but I know that I’ve done the training to be ready for what he’ll bring.”