“He’s probably the greatest fighter in history. He hasn’t lost and has been champion since 2006. I think he has two more title defenses and I do not know what he’ll do next or if he will retire,” he said. “He could end his career with a super fight against Jon Jones or George St-Pierre. He could end his career like that — fight in a different weight class. I would be happy with that. Then he could take a boat and sail into the sunset.”
Although he doesn’t think Jones’ youth would play a major factor in the fight, “The Baldfather” says Father Time and his effect on fighting skills is one of the leading causes of retirement in the sport, even amongst the sport’s best.
“He’s probably the greatest fighter in history. He hasn’t lost and has been champion since 2006. I think he has two more title defenses and I do not know what he’ll do next or if he will retire,” he said. “He could end his career with a super fight against Jon Jones or George St-Pierre. He could end his career like that — fight in a different weight class. I would be happy with that. Then he could take a boat and sail into the sunset.”
Although he doesn’t think Jones’ youth would play a major factor in the fight, “The Baldfather” says Father Time and his effect on fighting skills is one of the leading causes of retirement in the sport, even amongst the sport’s best.
“Age is a shit, man. It’s the only thing you can not cheat. The fighters who become champions never finish their careers at the top. Anderson may have the ability to do this. The problem is that you never know when time will catch up with you. You are the king of the world one day, then you get in there and one day is half a second slower than before,” he explained. “And only you will know right away. Anderson is 36 years old. Jon Jones is 24. Jon Jones was in that war with Rampage. He finished the fight with swollen knees, unable to walk. Then six days later he was fine. That’s how you heal when you’re 24. But the fact is that Anderson did not get beat for a long time.”
Speaking of aging veterans, Dana said that he was disappointed that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira didn’t finish Frank Mir when he had the chance at UFC 140 since he seemed to have the fight in the bag.
“He was two punches away from winning that fight,” White said shaking his head. “Instead he passed the guard and tried to apply a guillotine on Frank Mir. Nobody understood that. He will regret that decision for the rest of life. It was his fight. It was finished. I do not know how he sleeps after that.”
We had the opportunity to speak with Strikeforce welterweight contender Tyron Woodley yesterday ahead of the busy grand opening weekend of his St. Louis American Top Team affiliate gym, ATT Evolution and we touched on a variety of topics including his upcoming bout with Canadian prospect Jordan Mein, his gym’s revolutionary youth program and the rampant use of PEDs in the sport. We also touched on his thoughts on the inevitable GSP-Diaz match-up and why he thinks Stockton’s best fighter was right to turn down a fight with him.
Check out the highlights of our chat with T-Wood after the jump.
We had the opportunity to speak with Strikeforce welterweight contender Tyron Woodley yesterday ahead of the busy grand opening weekend of his St. Louis American Top Team affiliate gym, ATT Evolution and we touched on a variety of topics including his upcoming bout with Canadian prospect Jordan Mein, his gym’s revolutionary youth program and the rampant use of PEDs in the sport. We also touched on his thoughts on the inevitable GSP-Diaz match-up and why he thinks Stockton’s best fighter was right to turn down a fight with him.
Check out the highlights of our chat with T-Wood below:
On being matched up with relative Strikeforce newcomer, Mein:
He’s had 30 fights in total, so whether they were under the Strikeforce banner or not, he’s fought some legitimate guys and he’s a worthy opponent, so I know why it makes sense to fight him. Once people see us fight, they’ll know why it makes sense as well.
On why Nick Diaz wouldn’t fight him:
His kryptonite is wrestlers — wrestlers in good shape and wrestlers who have power and boxing ability. For him, at that point in his career he wanted to basically fight guys that were strikers, fight guys that would entertain with slugfests. For him to fight a guy like me who wasn’t yet ranked in the top 10 and was trying to make a name for myself, it wouldn’t have been wise for him to take a risky fight, lose and then his marketability goes down. You fight Georges St-Pierre and you make like quadruple the amount of money you make when to fight me. Win or lose you still kind of stay at the same market you’re at or you go up higher.
On who he sees winning an eventual Diaz-GSP match-up:
It all depends on which GSP we get. We’ve seen several GSPs. We’ve got the one ace who fought Matt Hughes and Jon Fitch — the guy who was just really dominant. I think he wins the fight and I think he wins every last round, but I think if he over-utilizes the jab and is super conservative and super patient and just does enough to squeak out the rounds, Diaz might take those shots and he might get in there and give him a run for his money.
On which discipline is dominating the sport right now:
If you look at it, it’s the wrestlers with the striking. Look at Jon Jones…look at Dominick Cruz…look at all of these guys who are successful…except Anderson Silva…. Look at every champion that we have — even Cain Velasquez who just lost — and they were 99.9 percent wrestlers with the exception of Anderson Silva. I consider Georges St-Pierre a wrestler. He does a lot of wrestling and goes against wrestlers and takes them down. I think where our sport is transitioning to is high level wrestling, great conditioning and amazing striking and guys that are just tough. I think the slower-paced fighters are going to get weeded out.
On his new gym and his revolutionary youth program that extends far beyond the mats:
What I’m trying to do with this project is incorporate fitness into the household. We cater to the families and offer classes from two to four every day for kids and anybody can get involved. I’ve seen 80-year-olds in the gi. We let the parents know why we’re doing this and how we plan on doing it and let them know it’s a safe environment. If they get into a fight they’re in trouble with me. If they’re acting up and are disrespectful [at home], they’re in trouble. If they’re fighting at school, they’re going to sit and watch. For me, I reinforce what they’re doing in the home and overall I think the parents are going to appreciate what we’re doing and how we’re going to bring it to their family.
On the alleged epidemic of fighters using PEDs:
I think for me it would be [a case of me] doing more research [it would take too much time and energy] to find out who’s doing what and in what way they’re using it and how they’re trying to… At the end of the day, it’s like with anything done fast, it really don’t last. I haven’t seen anybody that’s been a drug dealer retire from [the money they’ve made] selling drugs. You know what I mean? They either stop while they’re ahead, they go to jail or they end up dead. In this case, most people that are doing [PEDs], they don’t want to work, but they want to surf by. I feel that most of the people doing PEDs or growth hormones or whatever they’re using, if I lose to them, I was going to lose to them [anyway], because they’ve still gotta train, they’ve still gotta be in shape and they’ve still gotta know the discipline. Taking a shot or a pill doesn’t teach you how to punch or proper technique. I have confidence that I’m in good enough shape and training tough enough that I win my bouts whether my opponents are using those extreme supplements or not.
It would take way more energy for me to investigate and form an opinion about it then to just go and train hard. It’s pretty gross out there; let me just tell you that right now. It’s rampant. It’s all over the place and it’s not even really frowned upon anymore. It’s casually distributed and used. It’s unfortunate. It’s not like it’s a situation where certain people have very low testosterone levels and they’ve been prescribed [TRT] through a physician a proper level so they can compete. Most of those people are 40-something and over. I think if you’re 29 and you train hard, your testosterone levels are fine. What we have is people who have access to physicians who are like, ‘You know that, you’re a little bit low. Let me get you back up there where you need to be or higher.’ From the studies I’ve heard that basically if you do it moderately or as recommended, then usually there’s a point where you get off. Nobody ever gets off. They stay on it the whole time. They feel how strong they get, they feel how fast they recover and it’s never used with any formula. Even with the scientific glitch in there, nobody ever gets off it. They just keep going. I just try to focus on the training because I’d be all day trying to figure out who’s on it, who’s not and all of the above.
The always outspoken American Kickboxing Academy fighter directed his first message on the subject at Condit, inferring that “The Natural Born Killer” dodged a bullet by not having to face him and, “get [his] ass beat.”
(“Master Seagal says that nobody can defend this kick if you do it with your tongue out.”)
The always outspoken American Kickboxing Academy fighter directed his first message on the subject at Condit, inferring that “The Natural Born Killer” dodged a bullet by not having to face him and, “get [his] ass beat.”
His second tweet was much more optimistic, as he predicted that he’ll likely take on the winner of the bout since GSP will be on the shelf for an estimated 10 months.
Interestingly, though, Kos, whose sole win at 170 since losing to GSP a year ago at UFC 124 came against an aging veteran in Matt Hughes, really won’t be proving to anyone that he deserves a title bout if he gets the fight he’s asking for.
UFC championship contender rankings: how do they work?
GSP injured, with blown out ACL and laid off for ten months. Carlos Condit will fight Nick Diaz at UFC 143 for Interim Welterweight title. TUF 15 on FX will feature Dominick Cruz and Urijiah.
GSP injured, with blown out ACL and laid off for ten months. Carlos Condit will fight Nick Diaz at UFC 143 for Interim Welterweight title.
TUF 15 on FX will feature Dominick Cruz and Urijiah Faber as coaches.
UFC on Fox 2 adds Michael Bisping vs. Demian Maia to the card.
Efrain Escudero returns to the UFC, faces Jacob Volkmann at UFC 141.
Ramsey Nijem injured. Danny Castillo to replace Nijem against Anthony Njoukani at UFC 141.
Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar feud continues as Mir disses Lesnar’s commentating skills.
(When is Nick going to start playing the game and hit a tanning booth and wear a little lip gloss for photo shoots?)
Frank Shamrock spoke to FightHubTV recently and former UFC light heavyweight and Strikeforce middleweight champion gave his thoughts on the upcoming UFC welterweight title bout between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz.
Shamrock, who admits he underestimated the Stockton native when they squared off back in 2009 in his final bout, says that he feels that St-Pierre is in for a rude awakening come February 4.
(When is Nick going to start playing the game and hit a tanning booth and wear a little lip gloss for photo shoots?)
Frank Shamrock spoke to FightHubTV recently and former UFC light heavyweight and Strikeforce middleweight champion gave his thoughts on the upcoming UFC welterweight title bout between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz.
Shamrock, who admits he underestimated the Stockton native when they squared off back in 2009 in his final bout, says that he feels that St-Pierre is in for a rude awakening come February 4.
“Nick is going to whoop on him. That is a fighter Georges has not faced and I think will really test him, if not beat Georges. The advantage he has over Nick is wrestling and if he decides to lay on him for five rounds, what has he proven? Diaz has better boxing, better cardio and better jiu jitsu,” Shamrock explains. “If the fight goes to the ground, GSP can’t take his time how he likes to, looking for a submission; Nick will be moving and looking for any submission he can get. It will be a great fight. I know that for sure.”
As far as his bout with Diaz, Shamrock says that he was surprised with how good the scrappy Team Cesar Gracie fighter was.
“[I wanted to] kick the crap out of this kid and teach him a lesson but that didn’t happen. I went in feeling ready and able to shut him up, there were nagging injuries but they didn’t play too big of a factor,” he explained. “At the end, Nick was awesome – he is a different level of fighter and I knew that after he landed the first punch.”
Nick Diaz has quickly become one of the most polarizing figures perhaps behind only Chael Sonnen in the sheer even number of fans and haters, but it looks like some facets of the Stockton native’s act may be more calculated than we thought.
While making a rare media appearance on HDNet’s Inside MMA last night Diaz told hosts Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten that his callout of UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre wasn’t a spur of the moment decision he made after beating BJ Penn at UFC 137. He explained that he was pretty sure he’d get his previously promised title shot if he chose his words carefully for his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan and that he was happy that St-Pierre took the bait.
(Video courtesy of IronForgesIron)
Nick Diaz has quickly become one of the most polarizing figures perhaps behind only Chael Sonnen in the sheer even number of fans and haters, but it looks like some facets of the Stockton native’s act may be more calculated than we thought.
While making a rare media appearance on HDNet’s Inside MMA last night Diaz told hosts Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten that his callout of UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre wasn’t a spur of the moment decision he made after beating BJ Penn at UFC 137. He explained that he was pretty sure he’d get his previously promised title shot if he chose his words carefully for his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan and that he was happy that St-Pierre took the bait.
“You don’t always come off the way that you want to or look the way you want to [in interviews]. I go out there and just act up and become the evil villain and I’m calling guys out and stuff,” Diaz explained. “It seems to have worked. I’m getting the fights I want. I can’t complain right now at this point.”
Complaining is pretty much what Nick Diaz does all the time, but again, it gets him what he wants, be it a reaction, more money or bigger fights.
Now that he finally got the fight with St-Pierre that he’s been calling for for a few years, Diaz says he has his work cut out for him when it comes to preparing for the dominant champion, but he feels that he has what it takes to dethrone him again.
He takes a somewhat analytical approach in detailing how he plans on going about beating “Rush.”
“It’s all about how you come out and fight. It can always go different, you know? I could go on the bottom a lot, but are you gonna be able to advance position? Are you gonna be able to do damage from there? Are you gonna stall? Are you gonna fight? There’s a lot of different stuff that can happen. It’s up to me to kinda make some stuff happen. Five rounds is a lot of time for me to work with in this one,” he explained. “I enjoy fighting five rounds. I work hard to be in good condition to fight for five rounds. It’s important to plan for everything. That’s what I’m good at. He’s fighting somebody who’s gonna do everything.”
