Tag: Interviews

Eddie Wineland Focused on Climb to Top of UFC Bantamweight Division in 2013

The UFC bantamweight division is going through an awkward phase these days. With champion Dominick Cruz’s injury keeping him on the sidelines until late 2013, the title will remain in the interim stage for the time being.Currently holding that belt is …

The UFC bantamweight division is going through an awkward phase these days. With champion Dominick Cruz’s injury keeping him on the sidelines until late 2013, the title will remain in the interim stage for the time being.

Currently holding that belt is Brazilian wrecking machine Renan Barao, who will square off with talented young star Michael McDonald this weekend at UFC on Fuel TV 7.

One fighter who will be watching how everything plays out is Eddie Wineland.

The former WEC bantamweight champion is experiencing a career resurgence and is riding the momentum of back-to-back impressive performances.

The Chesterton, Ind. native scored a knockout victory over the always gritty Scott Jorgensen at UFC on FX 3, then furthered his case for contention by lighting up Brad Pickett at UFC 155. In both showings Wineland‘s striking made the difference as he turned away two of the division’s best in stunning fashion.

The question now becomes what’s next for Wineland?

With Barao and McDonald set to do battle this weekend in London and perennial contender Urijah Faber back in action at UFC 157, Wineland‘s next opponent will most likely appear in the aftermath of the high-profile bantamweight matchups.

Nevertheless, Wineland believes he belongs in the title conversation, but whether or not the opportunity will come in the near future is not his decision to make.

“I think I’m in the Top 5 for sure,” Wineland told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “I even think I stand in the top three in the division. But I have to fight one of those guys in the top three to get there first. With where I’m at now, my mindset, and my body the way it is, I think I’m doing nothing but getting stronger and better. I think that is dangerous for anybody in my division.

“Ultimately it’s up to the UFC as to what I’m going to do next. I want to fight a top three guy, but at the same time I want to stay busy. I don’t think they are going to swing a turnaround time with any one of those three guys that fast. But then again—you never know. [Jose[ Aldo is fighting again pretty quick here so they may swing it around but you don’t know. Ultimately I just want to fight. I’m happy when I’m fighting and it’s what I love to do. Just keep me busy and you are going to see me happy.

“I figured with a win like Pickett it would get me a shot at one of the top three guys or even the next in line. I don’t think it is going to play out that way but I could always be wrong.”

Not only were his victories of Jorgensen and Pickett solid showings, they also allowed Wineland to bounce back after a rough start under the UFC banner.

In his Octagon debut, Wineland lost a unanimous decision to Faber and suffered the same fate in his next bout against Joseph Benavidez. Following his loss to Benavidez in Milwaukee, Wineland realized he needed to rediscover his aggression and reconnected with the way he used to handle business inside the cage.

The 28-year-old has always possessed put away power, but his recent displays prove the adjustments made are paying off.

“I went back to my old mentality of not letting anyone beat me anywhere,” Wineland said. “The mindset that I’m going to win every battle and I’m going to come out on top every time. That, coupled with strength and conditioning, has made a difference.

“My hips are about four-times as strong as they were a few years ago because of the program that we use. Anybody who is a boxer or fighter knows power comes from the hips. It doesn’t come from the arms. It doesn’t matter how big your arms are chest are—those things don’t mean you can punch harder. It’s all in your hips and mine have always been strong. I have wrestler hips. They’ve continuously gotten stronger and that has made my punching power become stronger as well.

“I think those two fights [Faber & Benavidez] are fights I should have won,” Wineland added. “But being that I lost them, I don’t see that as a bad thing. It opened my eyes that I needed to put my nose to the grindstone, grind it out, and make it an ugly fight. I needed to be in my opponent’s face like I used to be and obviously it worked because I just took two Top 10 guys and knocked one of them out and beat the other decisively.”

As the lighter weight classes in the UFC continue to develop, the more likely it becomes that more fighters will drop down to test their skills. The trend is has become a popular move in the featherweight division, as former champions and contenders have decided to enter the lighter waters.

The most high-profile of the bunch has been former 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar, who recently lost his bid at a featherweight title to Jose Aldo at UFC 156. During the pre-fight buildup to his showdown with Aldo, “The Answer’s” camp made a point to mention Edgar may also drop down to the bantamweight division in the future.

Wineland welcomes any fighter who decides to come down in weight. That being said, he also believes there are a few things people fail to realize about the process.

“I’ll fight anybody,” Wineland said. “A name is a name and it is what it is. If they want to come down and fight in our division I’m not going to get super-excited because a guy has a big name. At the same time, a big name does put my face out there, get me some exposure, and media time. That being said, a lot of guys don’t realize how different it is.

“Right now I’m 156 pounds. I could potentially be a 145-pounder but I cut down to 135. I think a lot of people take that for granted and don’t realize how big I really am. When I’m in camp I’m 152-pounds and I think I’m one of, if not the biggest, 135-pounders out there.

“If on fight night I’m 151 pounds and the guy I’m fighting only weighs 145-pounds, people think five pounds isn’t much of a difference but it is. At 205-pounds, five pounds doesn’t matter all that much. It is like saying a guy fighting at 205-pounds is fighting a guy that weights 230. In my weight class, five pounds makes a difference and it weighs on you. For the lighter guy trying to support the weight of the bigger guy makes it tough.”

While the tide is high for Wineland at the moment, just how long his career will last is something of an uncertainty. 10 years of trading leather in the cage and long training camps in the gym have left their marks on his body.

Nevertheless, Wineland feels he is still improving with each and every step, and wants to make the most of every opportunity that arises before the doors close for good on his career.

“I absolutely think the best is yet to come,” Wineland said. “I’m only getting better and stronger as I go. That being said, I don’t know how many more years I have left. My body does hurt and I’ve been doing this for 10 years now. I’m 28 years old now and I started fighting at age 18. I kind of started fighting back in the wild west days of MMA.

“In some of my first fights it was legal to knee and kick to the head of a grounded opponent. It was kind of a free-for-all. I plan to fight as long as my body will allow me to and I hope that I can get another 10 years. That would be awesome but that is not very realistic. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

“My goal is to get a title shot in 2013. But I don’t know how likely that is because of Dominick being out. I’ve heard possibly the beginning of October as to when he comes back but it’s still unclear. I guess the only way a title shot is possible is if I get the interim belt and when Dominick comes back later in the year I get a shot at him.”

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Danny Castillo Determined to Bounce Back Against Sass at UFC on Fuel TV 7

In the ultra-competitive world of mixed martial arts, if a fighter is no longer progressing they will quickly find themselves pushed aside.The evolution of their skill set is a must, and perhaps even more important than natural talent is a fighter’s ab…

In the ultra-competitive world of mixed martial arts, if a fighter is no longer progressing they will quickly find themselves pushed aside.

The evolution of their skill set is a must, and perhaps even more important than natural talent is a fighter’s ability to adapt to the changing tides and continuously hone their craft in the face of adversity. It is a non-stop process and one that all fighters must face. But in some cases, a setback can propel an athlete to greater heights.

This is the exact path Danny Castillo is looking to travel.

Over his five-year career, the Team Alpha Male fighter has put together several successful runs in both the UFC and now-defunct WEC lightweight divisions. That being said, each time the 33-year-old has built solid momentum, a misstep has forced him backwards.

Coming into his most recent outing against Michael Johnson at UFC on FX 5, Castillo was riding a three-fight win streak. But after a dominant first round where “Last Call” put the former TUF alum on the deck, “The Menace” bounced back to earn a knockout victory in the second frame.

Some fighters fold in the face of adversity, but Castillo uses the experience to motivate him to push harder towards achieving his goals. The Sacramento-native knows the importance of honest critique, hard work, and dedication—all factors which will ultimately make him the fighter he aspires to become.

“There are a lot of things that have happened to me in the past year,” Castillo told Bleacher Report.”I’ve changed my life completely. I’ve always been completely focused on my career but last year I made a bunch of changes to improve my life. I took alcohol completely out of my life and that was something I really enjoyed. I’m more disciplined as a fighter, my diet is different, and now I’m never out of shape.

“Unfortunately things didn’t go my way in the last fight. But that is the reason people love MMA because anything can happen. I take the good from every bad situation. The good from that situation is that I was dominating him the entire first round. I just got caught with a punch in the second and it doesn’t change the fact I beat the crap out of him for a full five minutes.

“I feel every fight you see me in I improve in some aspect or another,” Castillo added. “My striking is a work in progress and I’m continuing to get better in all aspects of the fight game. I got my brown belt last year and everything is coming along. I was able to work with Richard Perez for that last fight. He did a wonderful job and is an awesome coach. I learned a lot from him. With the addition of Duane Ludwig as the head coach of Team Alpha Male, things are looking brighter and brighter for my future.”

When Castillo attempts to rebound back into the win column, it will come against Paul Sass at UFC on Fuel TV 7 in London England. The British fighter is a slick submission artist who has earned victories in three out of four showings under the UFC banner, all coming by way of finish on the canvas.

During his time inside the Octagon the 24-year-old Team Kaobon-trained fighter has shown an impressive display of heel hooks and leg locks. While those finishes have been highlight worthy, the young Englishman is best known for his signature submission called the “Sassangle” which is a combination of a traditional triangle choke and armbar.

Castillo comes from a wrestling background and is no stranger to facing jiu-jitsu-based fighters. That being said, he also understands how unique Sass’ ground skills are and is prepared for anything the Liverpool native throws his way.

“Obviously if you have seen Sass fight you know his submission game is really strong,” Castillo said. “He comes out using his stand up to get the fight to the ground. I’m expecting him to come forward, throw some crazy shots, and looking to pull guard to work his game. That is basically what I’ve seen in every single fight he’s had in the UFC. That is what I’m counting on.

“If for some reason he feels confident in his stand up and wants to stand and trade with me—that is awesome too. I try to be a well-rounded fighter and I think I’ve prepared for every aspect of this fight. Submission defense is something I’ve definitely focused on but it’s not as much submission defense as it is submission awareness. If you are aware of the triangle before it gets thrown up then you don’t have to fight a triangle off.

“Basically my mentality for the entire training camp was to see those things coming. He’s really tall and lanky and if I can see that submission coming before it is ever thrown up, then I will be in a good position to stop his submission game. At the same time, I don’t necessarily want to go to his strengths but if we go there I’ll be comfortable. I’d like to keep this fight on the feet but we’ll see how it goes. It is a fight and anything can happen.”

The bout with Sass not only comes at crucial juncture of Castillo’s career, but at a time when the lightweight division is set to become more competitive than ever before. Over the past three years the UFC’s 155-pound weight class has become one of the deepest in the organization, and with a collection of talent coming over from Strikeforce, the battle to gain divisional positioning will intensify.

Having made the transition from the WEC, the scenario is one Castillo is very familiar with. He knows the challenges on the road ahead will only become more difficult. But with his work ethic and passion to improve, Castillo is eager to showcase his latest progressions.

“I have a new confidence coming into this fight,” Castillo said. “I’m really anxious to get out there and show the improvements I have made. I feel I show progression in every fight. Whether I win or lose; you still see improvement. I don’t have an offseason and I’m always working to get better. I want my fans to know I’m working hard for them and that is the reason they support me. They know I’m a hard-worker and I’m looking to crack that top 10 this year.

“The lightweight division is a shark tank and I believe it is the most talented division in the UFC. It’s the deepest division and with the guys coming over from Strikeforce, things are only going to become more competitive. Every fight for me is the biggest fight of my life. I’m not getting any younger. If I’m on a four-fight win streak or have lost back-to-back fights—they are all important to me. At the end of the day if I don’t win I only get one check. I love fighting and competing but I love paying my bills too. Two checks are really important.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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The Evolution of Cub Swanson Continues at UFC on Fuel TV 7

Cub Swanson is a man on a mission.Following a 2012 campaign where the 29-year-old collected three impressive victories, Swanson is looking to keep his momentum rolling in the new year. The Southern California product will have the opportunity to take h…

Cub Swanson is a man on a mission.

Following a 2012 campaign where the 29-year-old collected three impressive victories, Swanson is looking to keep his momentum rolling in the new year. The Southern California product will have the opportunity to take his next step up the divisional ladder when he squares off with Dustin Poirier, who stepped in for an injured Dennis Siver, in the co-main event of UFC on Fuel TV 7 in London, England.

The bout against Poirier comes at a critical time in the 145-pound weight class. Over the past two weeks, contenders Frankie Edgar and Erik Koch had their title hopes turned back, and their losses have put the race to fill out the divisional upper tier in full swing.

Swanson understands the urgency of the moment, and the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter is looking to make a statement against the Louisiana native.

“Poirier is a well-rounded fighter,” Swanson told Bleacher Report. “I wouldn’t say he’s phenomenal anywhere but the guy is good everywhere. That can be a problem if I’m not well-prepared. With Siver I was expecting a stand-up battle but with Poirier I know he’s going to be looking for a takedown early and mixing up his kicks and punches well. I definitely have to be more aware of all aspects of the fight.

“We are both aggressive fighters who like to work at a high pace. We both fight with a lot of heart and always show up in shape. It could be a quick fight or a long, drawn-out three-round scrap. I’m ready for whatever.

“I’m trying to finish him right away,” Swanson added. “I’m prepared for three rounds of hell and I’m going to keep that pace the entire time. I’m going to try to put him out in the first. I feel that is what I have to do to make a statement.”

As the longest-tenured featherweight on the UFC roster, Swanson has watched the 145-pound weight class steadily develop over the years. That process has accelerated in recent months with several high-profile lightweight fighters dropping down to test the 145-pound waters.

The trend does not appear to be slowing down, as former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis recently stated he was entertaining a possible drop down to featherweight to face Jose Aldo. Swanson appreciates the attention the bigger-named fighters are bringing to his weight class and has zero issues with welcoming them to the weight class.

“I think it is kind of funny because people keep dropping down and the fighters who are coming down are thinking it is going to be an easier road and it’s not,” Swanson said. “This division is a different animal. At the same time, guys dropping down brings more attention to the division and that attention is well-deserved because the featherweight division is exciting. I’m happy to be a part of it. 155 pounds is so stacked and to see some of those big-name guys come down and want to get some…I’m like hell yeah. That only brings more popularity to our division and makes bigger fights for us to take.

“When somebody drops down and takes a fight with me, I take it as they are looking at me like I’m an easy fight. I take it very disrespectfully. But that is my mentality.”

For years Swanson has battled to match his skill set to expectation. That being said, his recent three-fight win streak has indicators pointing to the scales of potential and progress finding a balance. Swanson has earned back-to-back “Knockout of the Night” honors and believes his career is firing on all cylinders. While a title shot is the ultimate goal, Swanson believes everything will work itself out in due time.

“I’m not really thinking about a title shot too much right now,” Swanson said. “If I get the title shot next I would love it, but I have this fight first and I have to perform well. I just want to be mentioned up there with the top names. If I stay on top of my game then I will get my shot. I’m not really concerned about it all too much right now. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing.

“All the hard work I’ve put in at the gym is paying off, but experience plays a big role too. I’m training smarter and all of the consecutive wins I’ve put together has me in a place where I feel as if I’m doing things right now. It gives you confidence that you are on the right track. I feel great and I’m ready any opponent. I have myself a tough guy in front of me and I’m excited.”

Make no mistake about it, fighting is in Swanson’s blood. From his days as a troubled youth to re-igniting his career to become one of the top featherweights in the world—Swanson knows the sacrifices it takes to alter the course of one’s journey.

Where fighting used to be Swanson’s physical outlet to vent frustration, it has now become a family affair, as older brother Steve has joined him in the professional ranks. “Killer Cub” believes it will only be a matter of time before his brother is making an impact inside the Octagon.

“My brother Steve [Swanson] is a 125-pound fighter and is 10-0 right now,” Swanson said. “He would make a great addition to the flyweight division and truly deserves to be in the UFC. He has five consecutive first-round finishes, is a heavy-hitter and it won’t be long before people know who he is. I would love to see him fighting inside the Octagon.”

 

Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Duke Roufus, the Roufusport Fight Club and the Power of Quality over Quantity

By now, the MMA world should know about Duke Roufus, the head of the Roufusport Fight Club. Why would anyone want to know about Roufus? For starters, one cannot talk about the elite of the sport in 2013 without the mention of Roufus, who helped fi…

By now, the MMA world should know about Duke Roufus, the head of the Roufusport Fight Club. 

Why would anyone want to know about Roufus? For starters, one cannot talk about the elite of the sport in 2013 without the mention of Roufus, who helped fighters such as Anthony Pettis, Alan Belcher and Chico “King” Camus, among others, develop into the fighters MMA fans enjoy watching today.

In what Roufus described as a “transition year” in speaking to B/R MMA, he noted what most fans widely recognized. Anthony defeated Joe Lauzon at UFC 144, but he battled injuries throughout the year while Anthony’s brother, Sergio, came into 2012 with an unblemished 2-0 pro record and left 2012 with an unblemished 6-0 record.

Additionally, Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren shows consistency in winning performances, and Camus, who fights at UFC 156 tonight against Dustin Kimura, defeated Dustin Pague in his UFC debut at UFC 150.

Of course, injuries to Erik Koch prevented him from two scheduled dates with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, and Belcher beat Rousimar Palhares but dropped a decision at UFC 155 to Yushin Okami. However, this small club in Milwaukee still delivered much of the memories that made 2012 enjoyable.

“We’ve put two guys in the World Series of Fighting,” Roufus said, “We have another guy in the RFA, so I’m pretty happy with our small club. We don’t have the hugest training camp, but we are a quality over quantity-type group.”

Look at the quality of the wins received by the camp’s fighters, and few will argue against the fact, especially when they take into consideration the way the camp performed recently at UFC on Fox 6.

Krauss‘ technical striking pulled him to a unanimous decision against Mike Stumpf in a preliminary bout that saw the debut of the “flying Panzer punch,” which Roufus coined the superman-uppercut that many witnessed live on FX. The manner in which “Showtime” handled the challenge of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone should go without saying.

However, the moments after Koch’s loss to Ricardo Lamas stand out, not only because it served as the only loss on the Roufusport front, but because of what happened after the bout.

“The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do as a coach was Saturday night,” Roufus said. “I had to leave Erik in the cage bleeding while running back to make sure Anthony was ready to take on Cerrone…it was a traumatic experience for me. I had to go back in the locker room and be very confident for Anthony…we had a good cry about it.”

Speaking of Anthony now means speaking about UFC on Fox 7, as Anthony will get the winner of UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson vs. former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez. Roufus will say with no hesitation that he would look forward to the fight Anthony already fought, meaning the rematch with Henderson.

At UFC on Fox 6, though, the rematch with Henderson and the rematch with Melendez remained on the shelf temporarily, as Anthony looked to settle a score with Cerrone after months of trash talk culminated inside the Octagon, where Pettis finished Cerrone with a liver kick and a series of punches.

Roufus knows Anthony well enough to know what Anthony encountered growing up, however, so Cerrone‘s loss to Anthony came as the result of “barking up the wrong tree,” so to speak.

“[Cowboy] trying to talk trash to him is like those same gangsters that used to talk trash to [Anthony] in his own neighborhood.”

As Roufus said in quoting Bane’s words to Batman about being molded in the dark, Anthony and Camus found themselves molded in the darkness of the lifestyles surrounding their neighborhood before they ever stepped in the cage. 

Now, despite the win over Pague and despite his story, few know about Camus, despite his win over Pague. But while Roufus won’t ask anyone to see what Camus saw before Anthony brought him to Roufusport, he did enjoy how Camus evolved from a tough guy living the street life into a martial artist living the cage life.

“I couldn’t believe the maturity in his first fight,” Roufus said of Camus’s first outing. “He didn’t let the first-time jitters get to him.”

As time grew on and Camus gained more experience, “The King” only continued to evolve into an under-the-radar bantamweight who wanted to make his name known throughout the sport, and he gets the opportunity to continue that evolution against Kimura.

Kimura did miss weight and will fight Camus at a catchweight, but Roufus did not shy away from echoing many of the expectations from people looking forward to Kimura‘s debut.

“A tough Hawaiian, man,” Roufus said, “You’d think with all that nice weather, they’d be chilled out. Those boys are ready to scrap constantly.”

Roufus never hesitates in standing behind his boys, all of whom help play their part in making Roufusport one of the premier camps to watch year in and year out. With Belcher remaining in that very category, nobody should forget about him also.

After all, he did expose what happens when Palhares cannot find the heel hook, and while he hit a rough patch against Okami, the person he had in mind to fight next mirrored the man Roufus wanted to see Belcher fight next.

“Bisping,” Roufus said, referring to The Ultimate Fighter 3 light heavyweight winner Michael Bisping, who, ironically, faces Belcher in UFC 159’s co-headliner later this year.

Nobody should need an explanation for this choice, especially if they followed the UFC middleweight title scene in 2012. Until losing to Vitor Belfort earlier this year, Bisping pleaded his case toward a title shot, while Belcher did the same. And then the two middleweights eventually took verbal jabs at each other while fans wondered when the two would collide.

“He’s a guy with a big mouth,” Roufus said, “and he needs to get it shut.”

Whether or not Belcher accomplishes that task remains a question, but on paper, the fight promises to bring forth a culmination of one of the more intense rivalries of this year. With Roufus at the head, Belcher can definitely do his dirt in putting the final verdict in his favorite so he can once again creep into talks of a showdown with the UFC middleweight champion.

At the end of the day, few can fuel that desire like Roufus.

“One thing I teach several of my guys is ‘What’s your why?’; why are you doing this? Are you doing this to just fight or are you doing this to become a champion? I’ve pushed all my guys to become a champion…I love what I do, but for these guys, I see an opportunity for endgame.

“Ben’s expecting his first daughter. Anthony has his daughter; they support their families and they’ve been able to support their families’ lives through their career…you have to go out there and want to be the best. That’s the only way you’re going to get any reward in this sport.”

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McCall Looking to Re-Ignite Title Run with Victory over Benavidez at UFC 156

The UFC made headlines in late 2011 when it announced the addition of a flyweight division. To kick off the action in the 125-pound weight class, the organization set up a four-man tournament with the winner being crowned the first-ever UFC flyweight c…

The UFC made headlines in late 2011 when it announced the addition of a flyweight division. To kick off the action in the 125-pound weight class, the organization set up a four-man tournament with the winner being crowned the first-ever UFC flyweight champion.

The buzz surrounding the announcement grew when the list of entries included the No. 1-ranked flyweight in the world, Ian McCall.

While it can be difficult for a fighter to generate buzz competing outside the UFC banner, McCall’s run at Tachi Palace made him the top 125-pound fighter in the world. Alongside “Uncle Creepy,” former No. 1 contenders in the bantamweight division Joseph Benavidez, Yasuhiro Urushitani and Demetrius Johnson were set to make a historic run at the flyweight crown.

Unfortunately for McCall, the transition to the sport’s biggest stage wasn’t a smooth one.

After a draw with Johnson in their opening-round tilt, “Mighty Mouse” bounced back in the rematch to earn the unanimous-decision nod. Johnson would go on to win the title after defeating Benavidez in the finals, and McCall was pushed to the side for the time being.

It certainly wasn’t the end result the Southern California native was hoping for, but this Saturday night at UFC 156 against Benavidez, he will have the opportunity to begin his charge back to the top.

“I feel like I have failed at this point in my UFC career,” McCall told Bleacher Report. “I want to fix that. I want to be where I should be and that is the champion. But before I can go down that road the most important thing for me right now is just to get a win. I need my first UFC win. That is my main goal. I want to get out of there with the ‘W’ then I can worry about the other stuff later.”

The matchup between McCall and Benavidez is figured to be nonstop action from bell to bell. Both men bring exciting styles to the cage and have built reputations for their high-output offensive attacks. The bout is set to kick off the pay-per-view portion of the mega-card, and McCall promises the flyweight scrap will deliver.

“There is going to be excitement in this fight,” McCall said. “We are going to beat the crap out of each other with smiles on our faces. We are friends and I think he’s in the same place I’m in because we beat up our friends everyday. I basically live at the gym and I have no problems punching my friend in the face. We are going to put on a good show. It is going to be 15 minutes of all-out fighting. Of course I’d like it to be shorter than that but fans are going to get to see some good technique and all around MMA.”

“Stylistically I think this match-up is perfect for me. He comes to fight and I like that. I have a lot of training partners who are like that and my style is good against opponents who fight that way. You have to be careful with his punching power but we worked diligently on defense. It is going to be interesting.”

Stepping into the cage on Saturday night in Las Vegas, McCall will have the opportunity to breathe life back into his UFC championship hopes. The 28-year-old came into the most successful promotion in mixed martial arts with great expectations, and a win over Benavidez is the first step on his journey back to the top.

Overcoming adversity and circumstance is familiar territory for McCall—and when you’ve been through the hardest of times, redemption is the perfect motivator.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained first-hand unless noted otherwise.

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Jon Fitch Back on the Grind Against Maia at UFC 156

It is impossible to talk about the top welterweight fighters in the world without mentioning Jon Fitch. The AKA staple has been a perennial contender for the past five years, as he’s dominated a collection of the division’s best.That being said, the 34…

It is impossible to talk about the top welterweight fighters in the world without mentioning Jon Fitch. The AKA staple has been a perennial contender for the past five years, as he’s dominated a collection of the division’s best.

That being said, the 34-year-old former standout wrestler at Purdue University has found difficulty in his quest to reclaim a shot at the 170-pound title, where despite one of the best records in UFC history, Fitch’s place on the divisional radar has fluctuated.

It was a situation the Indiana-born fighter was determined to change, and he took a big step toward accomplishing his goal at UFC 153. In Rio de Janeiro, Fitch derailed rising prospect Erik Silva in a three-round battle that earned both men Fight of the Night honors. It was a tremendous statement to make at the perfect time in his career, and his performance over the young Brazilian talent not only put him back into the win column, but also chipped away at the stigma of past criticisms.

“I give props to Erik Silva because of the type of fighter he is and that he wasn’t playing to the judges or the referee,” Fitch told Bleacher Report. “A lot of guys tend to hold on when they get taken down hoping to get stood back up, and he didn’t do that. Silva continued to fight for the entire time. When you do that—you get a great fight. When both guys are just constantly trying to be offensive and push forward, you get a crazy awesome fight like that.

“I think a lot of times people play that game where they get taken down and think they can hold onto a wrist or elbow, keep their guard closed, the ref will see nothing is happening and things will get stood back up. Rather than actually trying to fight back to their feet or trying to get submissions. A lot of guys kind of shut down. They count it as a moral victory because they didn’t get finished. They can hold on rather than continue to fight or try to win. There is a major difference.”

Fitch will look to continue his climb back to title contention when he faces submission ace Demian Maia this Saturday night at UFC 156 in Las Vegas. The battle matches one of MMA‘s most dominant wrestlers against a competitor largely recognized as the most dangerous jiu-jitsu practitioner in the sport today. It is a matchup Fitch is looking forward to, and he’s ready to to bring his unique brand of the grind to Maia inside the Octagon.

“[Maia] is very strong in some of the same areas I’m strong in as well,” Fitch told Bleacher Report. “It should make for an interesting matchup.He has great transitions on the ground and works them into his submission game. He also uses his control to set up submissions, and I think that is going to present some interesting challenges.”

Throughout his career in the UFC, Fitch has proven to be one of the most durable fighters when it comes to the ground game. He has one of the highest submission defense percentages in UFC history, and his ability to escape the most dangerous situations has only added to his reputation as one of the game’s grittiest fighters.

While it is a badge of honor to be worn proudly, Fitch has put in the work to find comfort where others panic. What most fighters would call being in a bad position, Fitch uses a bait method to get his opponent to maneuver to set up a position change. Part of this comes from the experience required to become a black belt in guerrilla jiu-jitsu in addition to hours spent putting himself in the worst situations. The infamous “bounty” story is one example of the process.

“It is something I started with the B.J. [Penn] fight,” Fitch said. “I had a black belt from Modesto come down and I put up 20 bucks if he was able to submit me. It pretty much started with him on my back every round and if I got out we would go right back to the starting position with them on my back. I tried to give him as many opportunities as I could and other guys as much opportunities as they could for them to submit me from there. It made me very comfortable with having someone on my back and confident in my submission defense from that position.”

As a core member of the American Kickboxing Academy, Fitch has been an anchor for one of the most successful gyms in MMA. Over the years, the team has experienced tremendous success, with its fair share of pitfalls along the way. Following a brief shakeup among the ranks, the squad at AKA has experienced somewhat of a resurgence over the past several months.

Along with Fitch’s victory over Silva, teammates Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez both captured big wins of their own. Those victories have everything moving in the right direction for the team, and Fitch believes the success will only continue.

“It’s been really positive,” Fitch replied when asked about AKA. “We had a little bit of a rough patch where we moved gyms and had some growing pains to get through, but we were able to come together closer as a team. We kept our mind focused on what we wanted, pushed forward, were able to get some big wins in big fights and we are looking to do big things in 2013.”

In a recent interview with Bleacher Report, Strikeforce Grand Prix Winner and recent UFC convert Daniel Cormier described the excitement he felt watching Fitch succeed in Brazil. The energy carried over into the gym on the following Monday. Although Cormier had just started his training camp and wasn’t necessarily in fighting shape, Fitch’s victory inspired him to go all-out in the gym, leaving the former wrestling standout depleted for the rest of the week..

Following Velasquez regaining the heavyweight title by defeating Junior dos Santos at UFC 155, Fitch fell victim to similar circumstances.

“It’s funny, because the same thing happened to me after Cain’s fight,” Fitch said. “I came back to the gym on Monday and had the craziest Monday ever, but the rest of the week I was dragging ass because I pushed so hard during that workout. I was so pumped and pushed so hard during that workout that I was broken down a little bit.”

Becoming welterweight champion is certainly a career goal for Fitch, but the heated race toward the top isn’t something he’s necessarily paying attention to these days. While the upper tier of the division is perhaps more competitive than it’s ever been, the former No. 1 contender doesn’t concern himself with outside interference. They only thing on Fitch’s mind is the fight immediately in front of him, and right now that opponent is Maia.

“The division kind of looks different, but at the same time I’ve changed my focus up,” Fitch said. “I’m not really looking at anything else but the singular fight in front of me. It is a much better perspective and type of focus rather than having it run all over the place thinking about what this guy is doing over here or whether I’m going to get the winner or loser of a particular fight. It’s just too scattered and I’m really not paying attention. I don’t follow it. I’m looking at what my teammates are doing or focusing on the fight that I have coming up.”

After suffering setbacks and lengthy time away from the cage due to injury, Fitch is ready to seize every opportunity that comes his way. From fighting at UFC 153 to the mega-card which is UFC 156, the 10-year veteran couldn’t be happier to keep things rolling in the right direction.

“It’s awesome to go from a good-name opponent to another big-name opponent right away,” Fitch said. “To be put on a big card feels great. Rio was a big card, and the Super Bowl card is awesome. To be put on these big cards kind of shows (the UFC) has some faith in you to deliver.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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