Whenever I interview an athlete for the very first time, I never know what to expect.

We, as fans, like to think that we know a lot about these men and women who risk themselves for our greater entertainment, but often times, the personality isn’t always what we would expect it to be.

Take Sam “the Rebel” Jones for instance.

Sam is an undefeated mixed martial arts fighter with a deceiving professional record of 2-0-0, and he represents the Tallahassee Combat Center in Florida, under his trainer/manager, Tami Carswell. When I arranged to speak with Sam, I had very few expectations of what I thought he might be like, as I knew very little about the man personally, or as it turned out—professionally.

So, what was my impression of Mr. Jones?

Simple—this young man is the absolute prototype of what we can all expect in the future with regards to athletic ability and attitude, in modern MMA.

Enjoy the interview, everyone—I know I did.

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James Ryan: Hey there Sam, how are you doing today?

Sam Jones: Doing wonderful, James. How about yourself?

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James Ryan: Always great! Thanks for agreeing to speak with me—I’ve heard a lot great things about you and I’m eager to learn even more.

For starters, I know that you are quite the athlete, so I’m guessing that you were a very active child—what sports did you compete in the most when you were growing up?

Sam Jones: Growing up I did three sports pretty consistently. I did gymnastics, judo, and swimming.

I stuck with those for a long time. I got into gymnastics when I was about two or three years old, and I got into judo at around five. I started swimming at around age six and I basically managed to stick with all of them all the way until high school.

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James Ryan: Wow, it’s always great to hear about kids who are physically active. Not enough of that these days. Plus, that’s quite the combination—pretty amazing actually.

I can see right away how each of those would benefit you and contribute to what is no doubt, a very unique level of athleticism.

You must have had quite the busy schedule though.

Sam Jones: Definitely. The judo was occasionally on and off, but it was much more on than not. I was very active as a kid and I loved all of those sports equally.

According to my manager Tami Carswell, that’s what makes me a good fighter now—the discipline, the training, the cardio, the explosiveness from gymnastics, the grappling from judo, and then from my wrestling in high school. I really think that I have a very good background for fighting in MMA, and I don’t doubt that all of those advantages come into play.

That’s what I did growing up. I truly believe that kind of background gave me the opportunity to become a successful fighter.

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James Ryan: Absolutely, and you’re right, it’s more than just the athleticism—it’s the work ethic and the discipline that comes from training in competitive sports your whole life.

I’m impressed.

What happened when you got to high school? Why did you stop?

Sam Jones: When I got to high school, I let those other sports go so that I could compete in wrestling—that was the sport that meant the most to me. I also did other stuff too, like football, track, competitive weight-lifting—I enjoyed those other sports, but nothing really got me going like wrestling.

Back then, I refused to put anything else before wrestling—that was definitely my sport. That’s where I really excelled and I even made the State Finals for three years.

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James Ryan: That’s great! Did you pursue wrestling later in College?

Sam Jones: After high school, I seriously considered taking advantage of a scholarship opportunity at a smaller school, but a friend of mine—he actually died cutting weight—he was taking a lot of Creatine and was really trying to lose a lot of weight, and then…he died.

Oh man… [Pause] Billy Saylor.

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James Ryan: Sorry, Sam.

Sam Jones: That’s okay. I was pretty affected by his death at the time. The more I thought about it, the more I didn’t want to go and do competitive wrestling anymore.

I was very lucky that I didn’t really have to cut weight in high school because the school that I went to didn’t have a whole lot of team members. In my first year of wrestling, I think we had like three guys on the wrestling team—that was it.

So basically, I had the luxury of going into any weight class that I felt comfortable with. My coach always felt confident that no matter what weight class I went into, I would be ready and I would be in excellent shape. I eventually learned about really pushing my conditioning, and pushing myself in ways that I didn’t know that I could as a competitive wrestler.

I still think that wrestling is a great sport.

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James Ryan: I would agree with you on that. Wrestling has really started to stand out as a very necessary tool for success in MMA. It’s tragic about your friend though.

So did you choose not to go to College at all, or just not to wrestle in College?

Sam Jones: After I graduated from high school, and after my friend died, I was just really leery about competing in College after that, so I ended up staying here—went to FSU, but basically let my wrestling skills rest for a while.

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James Ryan: So then, what inspired you to make the transition into mixed martial arts?

Sam Jones: One day, I just happened to go into the gym with my buddy and I ran across Tami—she got me into boxing, which I trained for a couple of months before doing an amateur boxing match. I won by split decision and I immediately loved it.

I loved competing again and I loved feeling supremely fit again, so I stuck with it.

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James Ryan: Other than the boxing , have you been training in any other forms of combat or martial arts?

Sam Jones: Yes, I started learning jiu-jitsu. I got into the gym and I saw these guys rolling around on the ground and I was like ‘hey, it’s kinda like wrestling,’ but then the first time that I got submitted, it was like a revelation. I thought ‘oh my God!’ [Laughs]

I mean the ground is where I felt like I was in the most control and this guy just literally won the fight. I was in awe of jiu-jitsu after that. Since then, I’ve really put in a lot of time learning how to do submissions and learning how to defend submissions, and I love the ground game—all around.

I love striking also, but that revelation of ‘wow, wrestling isn’t the end-all, be-all of the ground’ was kind of a shock to me. After that, I dove right into it whole-heartedly and I’ve been listening to Tami’s advice and my other trainers—I love it.

I also train in Muay Thai. I love throwing multiple combinations of kicks and punches in concert, which I find to be much more devastating.

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James Ryan: Cool. So Sam, what really separates you from other fighters?

Sam Jones: One of the things about me is that I love training. I love to just go out there and do hardcore training—push myself to the limit. That’s my enjoyment during the day. Everything else—work, school—I sometimes find it hard to be focused or motivated with those, but with training—I just show up and get excited and do it, even when it’s hellishly difficult. [Laughs]

With Tami, I found a person that was really willing to invest in me. She really believed in me and what I could do after seeing me for a very short period of time. She’s been with me all the way as someone that I can rely on for good advice. And not just with the technical aspect of fighting, but just in general. She really knows the ins and outs of this sport as an enterprise, as well as, a business.

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James Ryan: Lucky guy, a good manager is hard to find. Were you nervous going into your first fight?

Sam Jones: My very first opponent was 17-2 as an amateur fighter. That was my first time stepping into a cage. [Laughs]

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James Ryan: What?! [Laughs] Are you joking?!

Sam Jones: [Laughs] Unfortunately I got a draw in that fight. I came out of there with absolutely no damage though, and he was definitely banged up. I thought I won the fight actually, but they deducted a point during the fight for what they said was an illegal head-butt—so frustrating. I went back and looked at the tape and I was like ‘nope, that was a shoulder strike.’

It was a definite learning experience though. That first fight really gave me a yearning to prove that I could do better and that I could do more than that. It turned out to be a really good thing to fight someone with that much experience because he really pushed me and motivated me moving forward.

Soon after that fight, we were going to do a re-match, but instead he decided to go professional and had his next match on Strikeforce. Oh well, in my very next fight with that promotion, I ended up winning the 145-lb belt anyway.

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James Ryan: Wow!

Sam Jones: Next, I went down to Miami Beach and won my very first professional fight and won. I controlled him, I dropped him twice, and then this past weekend, I won my second pro fight. In less than two minutes into the first round, I was able to catch my opponent with an uppercut, and that was that.

So much adrenaline and excitement—I love that MMA is so challenging. There’s not very much in this life worth doing, that is easy. I love the challenge. I feed on it.

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James Ryan: So let me get this straight…you only had two amateur fights before going pro?

Sam Jones: Correct.

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James Ryan: Wow! And I can’t believe that your very first fight was against a guy who was 17-2!

So what’s next?

Sam Jones: Right now, I have a fight lined up with Global Cage Fighting on September 18th in Jacksonville, Florida. I’ll be going up in weight for that one and fighting at 155.

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James Ryan: Why the move up?

Sam Jones: You always have to be willing to test yourself—I’m very confident in my abilities and I think that I can win. I’ll be going in there with the mindset to finish this fight, just like I did in my last one.

Anytime I fight in Florida, it’s great! Pretty much all up and down the State, I have friends and fans.

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James Ryan: Any interest in fighting for Bellator?

Sam Jones: [Without hesitation] Absolutely! I would be very pleased to fight on Bellator. I think they’re great. I like the tournament format and I would be honoured to fight for them. They have some great fighters.

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James Ryan: Why did you make the decision to fight professionally so soon?

Sam Jones: After watching the competitors on television and seeing the level of fitness that they were at, and the quality of strikers and grapplers—I mean these guys are crazy well-rounded—most of the guys that you see around, I really felt like I could…I didn’t feel like I was at that level—I still don’t know if I’m already at that level—it’s hard to really know until you get put in that situation, but I feel like I have the potential to be, and I felt very confident that I was ready.

I wasn’t trying to rush—I just felt like I was ready.

So far, it seems to have been a good decision. I plan on continuing to work hard to prove that I deserve to be on that stage—the bigger the stage, the bigger the cage—the better.

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James Ryan: What are your thoughts on the current UFC Lightweight Champion, Frankie Edgar?

Sam Jones: Oh my gosh! I am a ‘huge’ Frankie Edgar fan—HUGE!

I mean—just his pace, his conditioning—when he shoots in for a shot—it took him maybe three re-shoots because he went through three different hip motions and drops before he finally finished the take-down on BJ Penn, but he got him down.

And that’s so impressive to me that he can go from one to the next to the next, shoot, hip in, slide the hips out around, take him in the other direction—I mean, just an amazing, amazing grappler.

And to still be able to strike with one of the best strikers in all of MMA, and be successful, and get the better of that situation—imagine the dedication and training that guy has been through.

I want to be able to push myself that way. I want to be the best.

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James Ryan: Who is your next opponent?

Sam Jones: Derek Hare. He’s a lot bigger than me, so I’m expecting three five-minute rounds of intensity. I’m training to go the distance, but if it ends sooner—great. I’m ready to go in there and go wherever the fight goes.

I plan to have more energy, more cardio, and more ability to keep going than anyone else that they can put in the cage with me.

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James Ryan: Sounds like a recipe for success. Any sponsors that you would like to mention?

Sam Jones: Definitely. In this last fight, I was fortunate enough to be sponsored by Primal Instinct Wear, they came through with great gear, and they were totally supportive. When they said that they were going to do something—they did it on time. I think they are an excellent, dependable fight wear company. Fighters—if you can get your hands on some Primal Instinct Wear—it’s good stuff. I love their rash guards, I love the warm-ups…the shirts are awesome!

In addition to Primal Instinct Wear, I was also sponsored by PEABY Productions, a local business here in town. I talked to the leading lady for that business and she was nice enough and kind enough to sponsor me. She put her logo right across the butt of my shorts [Laughs] and I think it showed up great. I hope she got some great business out of that.

I really think that it’s something that a lot of companies should take advantage of. it’s not just fight wear companies that can take advantage of this—when crowds see guys go in there fighting with so-and-so’s pool cleaning or whatever, you realize that these companies are supporting something that you love, and when you think about the next time that you may need whatever service it is that these companies provide—the fans are going to remember that.

It’s a very valuable marketing tool, and I wish more companies would go out and sponsor fighters because frankly, this isn’t boxing. MMA doesn’t pay the same way that boxing does. It’s tough—you really have to be on your P’s and Q’s when it comes to sponsors.

Also, WFighter is awesome! They are a website dedicated to women in MMA, but they don’t by far ignore the men. We have more of a relationship than just a sponsor-fighter. I love working with Tami, with WFighter, and with the other writers that work with the site.

Frankly, I think it’s my favourite MMA site around right now. It’s the only one I go to consistently. Anybody who gives a damn what Sam Jones thinks, go check out WFighter.com [Laughs]

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James Ryan: [Laughs] Very well said Sam—I hope that a lot potential sponsors out there understand what you have just explained. It’s smart marketing.

Thank you very much for such a great interview, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know you.

Sam Jones: Thank you, James. I am honoured to have been interviewed by you. It’s been a pleasure.

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Mr. James Ryan
Freelance Mixed Martial Arts Sportswriter

Sam Jones Interview: Meet the Prototype for all Future MMA Athletes is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

And who could blame him—particularly if the statements were indeed false?

What was said?

Well, if you don’t already know, then you’ll just have to visit MMA Crypt to find out (please note the disclaimer at the top in bold, red lettering) as the original article has now been pulled off the shelf.

So far, the only statements released by Yves Lavigne through all of this, have been the following (by way of Ringside Report Host, David Simon’s Twitter account):

“I NEVER gave an interview to that journalist. I NEVER gave an interview regarding GSP vs Koscheck. My lawyer is taking care of this matter.”

As a response to Mr. Lavigne’s apparent interview, Josh Koscheck was quick to state the following on his Twitter account:

“UFC referee, Yves Lavigne is clearly not suited to be a referee after his rant of personal attacks and opinions on me as a fighter. It’s supposed to be his job to look at a fight unbiased, but how can anyone trust this guy to fairly referee any fight ever again after his comments? It’s scary to think this guy has been calling fights in the octagon for this long. It’s very fair to say Mr. Lavigne will never ref one of my fights again. I would never put all my hard work as a fighter or my livelihood in the hands of this ref.

“The (UFC) and the commission would be irresponsible to let him continue his job- any call this guy makes would have to be questioned. You call MMA a professional sport? Well, professional starts at the top. Never would an NFL, NBA or other major sports official state there personal opinions publicly about a player and keep their job. I now question every call Yves has ever made as a referee. Hopefully no fighter ever has to step into a fight with Yves Lavigne as referee. Better get that resume ready Lavigne…..”

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Koscheck is absolutely correct when he says that it is a referee’s job to remain unbiased.

In fact, Koscheck instantly reminded me of a similar conversation that I had with Mr. Lavigne himself, during an interview that I did back in June of this year.

These particular details of the conversation were never included with the original interview because it was a part of our post-interview conversation and was in my opinion, completely off the record.

I wish I had the voice recording (I checked but the follow-up conversation was never recorded—again, it was strictly off the record), but instead, I will do my best to recount the conversation without obviously putting words into Mr. Lavigne’s mouth.

Yves and I were engaged in some friendly dialogue as we were clarifying specific details from our recent interview (I believe it had to do with the “Iron Butt” motorcycle ride).

I then asked for Yves’ opinion on the upcoming Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin fight.

Big mistake.

Mr. Lavigne quickly corrected my line of questioning by reminding me that it would be completely inappropriate for him to ever try to choose sides between two separate fighters.

It didn’t matter that Lavigne wasn’t scheduled to be the Official in this particular bout, because he knew that at some point down the road, he would find himself in a position to officiate one of these two men and as such, he wanted to remain as unbiased as possible.

Yes, he even used that word—“UNBIASED.”

No fighter should have to feel as though the referee is against them before the fight even starts.

So imagine that, fight fans—Yves Lavigne refused to pick the winner of a fight that he wasn’t even a part of in a private conversation that was completely off the record.

In my view, there is NO CHANCE that Mr. Lavigne ever bad-mouthed or gave an opinion on Josh Koscheck.

It just doesn’t make any sense.

Does it?

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Mr. James Ryan
Freelance Mixed Martial Arts Sportswriter
www.mrjamesryan.com

Yves Lavigne Remains Unbiased: Josh Koscheck Statements Were False is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

The Expo was in prelude to the much anticipated UFC 118 event featuring a lightweight title re-match between champion Frankie Edgar and former champion, B.J. Penn. A heavyweight fight between UFC Hall of Fame member Randy Couture and boxer turned MMA fighter, James Toney was also set to co-headline the event (in case you didn’t already know).

Walking around with my son Jacob, my friend Kevin (Carried Out Fight Gear) and his son Matthew, we had a collectively awesome time and met numerous UFC Superstars throughout the day.

In the upcoming week, I will be rolling out several personal adventures (oh yes…I met Tito Ortiz), so please stay tuned.

To start you off, I had the privilege of speaking briefly with one of the friendliest and coolest fighters at the entire Expo—Pat Barry.

Pat recently fought and lost against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in a three round battle at UFC 115. What was amazing about that fight was that Barry broke both his hand and his foot during the first round of action, but still pressed on and continued.

In my opinion, that has got to be one of the more impressive losses ever in the UFC, and Barry can definitely hold his head high in knowing that he never once gave up.

The true heart of a Champion.

This is my interview, please enjoy:

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James Ryan: So Pat, I heard you chatting with some of the others fans about the questions you get regarding your fight with Cro Cop and how they feel that perhaps you gave him ‘too much respect’ in that fight. If you could have done anything different in that fight, what would that be?

Pat Barry: I would have drank more milk before the fight.

To me, my game plan was excellent, everything was there to do what we were supposed to do, the only problem was, we didn’t plan for broken bones. You can’t really plan for that. I punched him in the head and broke my hand. I kicked him in the elbow and broke my foot. I threw another low kick and he gave me some damage to my left shin—all in the first four minutes of round one. So we couldn’t really plan for that.

And so I’ll be honest, I panicked—I didn’t know what to do after that. I mean, we all get bumps and bruises, but three of my four weapons were gone as soon as the fight started, so I just held my breath and hoped that he was going to run into my left hand.

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James Ryan: [Laughs] How would you feel about a re-match, and when would you like for that to happen if you do?

Pat Barry: I would love a re-match. I would love a re-match with Cro Cop. The fact…

How about this, nobody knows, as of right now, if he still fights in November, on October 1st, he sent me a message last night, I’m gonna go to his house in Croatia for six weeks, to help him to get ready for his fight in November. We’ve developed a really good friendship and we’ve maintained it ever since.

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James Ryan: Wow, that’s great! I thought that I had also heard that Brock Lesnar had asked you to train?

Pat Barry: On September 12th, I’ll be going to Brock Lesnar’s camp for three to four weeks, to help him to get ready for his fight against Cain Velasquez.

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James Ryan: That’s awesome!

Well Pat, thank you for your time and I really commend you for continuing to fight with all of those broken bones.

Pat Barry: Well, 12-minutes with Crop Cop with only one hand, the only game plan that I had going into round three was to spin around like a fan and hopefully he was going to run into it, man.

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James Ryan: [Laughs]

Pat Barry: It just didn’t happen. Maybe next time.

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James Ryan: Maybe. Thanks Pat.

Pat Barry: You’re welcome James, thank you.
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This is my interview. If you don’t like it…I have others. Check them out at www.mrjamesryan.com

ONE WAY OUT…CARRIED OUT!

Pat Barry Exclusive Interview: UFC 118 Fan Expo in Boston is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

Quite simply—how can you not respect a pure boxing champion?

On the Eve of UFC 118, I sincerely believe that James Toney is being more than a little over-looked at the moment by the majority of MMA fans (is it denial?) and I am seriously worried for their collective mental health should Randy “the Natural” Couture actually lose.

[Mixture of boos and laughter]

Oh don’t worry…it’s a very real possibility.

What?!

You don’t believe me?

I guess you must have also predicted that BJ Penn was going to lose his last fight against Frankie Edgar? Or that Chael Sonnen would have dominated Anderson Silva for five straight rounds before losing by way of submission? (He tapped!!!) Or that Brock Lesnar would have submitted Shane Carwin after taking some of the hardest punches in UFC history?

Well…good for you. You clearly know your stuff.

You win a pretzel.

And I hope for your sake (and for the sake of the entire MMA nation) that you are absolutely correct about Couture man-handling Toney.

Because if you are wrong—if we are all wrong—you will almost certainly be able to hear a pin drop inside of the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, when James Toney raises both of his arms in victory.

Why the uncomfortable silence?

It’s called “shock,” and it’s probably a good idea to at least consider how you might want to deal with it, if such an emergency were to arise.

But please…no excuses. Tie Domi (Toronto Maple Leafs) said it best about Daniel Alfredson (Ottawa Senators)—“excuses are for losers.”

I can just hear the “explanations” now…

Couture was too old.

Couture should have retired years ago.

Couture had a mysterious, last-minute staph infection.

Couture was abducted by aliens and replaced by the spirit of Kimbo Slice.

Well…you get the point—don’t be a “Daniel Alfredson.”

Until now, many of you have been feeling quite confident in your thoughts of Couture defeating Toney and representing our entire MMA Nation to the world.

It’s a lock, right?

A huge victory for mixed martial artists everywhere!

Ironically, the MMA Community has a massive insecurity when it comes to boxing. We are like the prodigal son who has come back to destroy the overbearing father.

How very Shakespearean.

Realistically, if Toney only has a puncher’s chance in this fight, then I would have to give him the best puncher’s chance of them all.

Couture had better be careful in the clinch or he may find himself fast asleep after eating a very unsuspecting left upper-cut.

Feeling a bit more realistic about things?

Don’t panic!

“Many depression hotlines are available for you to call right now. Don’t be alone with your thoughts and feelings any longer—there is help for you.”

Go Leafs!
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These are my opinions. If you don’t like them…I have others. Check them out at www.mrjamesryan.com

Carried Out Fight Gear was founded in 2009 by a group of Ex-fighters who realized that the true essence of a warrior was being lost by some people giving up. The Carried Out mindset of “One Way Out—Carried Out” signifies that a fighter will never surrender, and will fight to the very end. Leaving everything he/she has in the ring, on the mat, or in the cage.

UFC 118: MMA Fans Would Not Be Wise to Underestimate James Toney is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

J. Michael Bennett, was the supervising pharmacist at Applied Pharmacy Services and was the first to be sentenced from a group of five men who have been found guilty after a five-week trial earlier this year.

Prosecutors referred to Bennett, 44, and the others in a sentencing memorandum as “drug dealers in lab coats.”

They argued that Bennett played a key role in an enterprise involving unethical doctors and health clinics across the country who used the pharmacy to supply people with steroids.

According to court records, Applied Pharmacy Services shipped 762,388 dosages to 17 doctors and clinics from April 4, 2004, until Aug. 30, 2006.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Mobile, Alabama, claimed that did not include many other doctors and clinics that they say participated in the conspiracy as well.

The performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s) were purchased by users ranging from professional athletes to teenagers who were simply looking to build additional muscle mass.

Prosecutors cited 22 professional athletes who obtained steroids from Applied Pharmacy Services during the time that Bennett worked there.

In court today, Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Dobbins, named several athletes whose orders included Bennett’s signature or initials.

Shane Carwin, an Ultimate Fighting heavyweight was among them.

We should all be concerned about the use of anabolic steroids in athletic competition and the message that it is sending to our young children.

Personally, I hope that all of the pharmacists and doctors involved get what’s coming to them.

Please read the following:

Anabolic Steroids: A Quick Lesson in Morality and Ethics

Anabolic Steroids: An Olympic-sized Impression

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www.mrjamesryan.com

UFC Fighter Shane Carwin Linked to Convicted Pharmacist and Steroids is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

The Dalton McGuinty government will officially sanction and regulate the wildly popular MMA, allowing matches to be fought anywhere within the Province’s boundaries.

Despite previous claims by McGuinty that permitting MMA was a “non-priority” for the Province, it would seem that Ottawa has had a major change of heart.

Tom Wright, director of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Canadian Operations, said that the organization made a significant commitment to Canada by opening a Toronto office earlier this summer, and is prepared to hold at least three or four global pay-per-view events in various major cities in the country, every year—starting with Toronto.

“We feel confident that properly managed, that we would probably take our first event to the [Toronto] Rogers Centre, understanding that no decisions have been made and really it’s premature until such a time as our sport is actually sanctioned.”

“Hamilton and even Ottawa could handle a large pay-per-view event as well.”

This is a decision that is long overdue for many fans and local business owners, who have been waiting patiently for this decision to come.

For those in opposition, they need to simply understand and appreciate that MMA is not about brutal violence as some critics have depicted it to be.

Mixed martial arts is about discipline, skill, agility, and most importantly, mental strength.

These factors make this sport more than just mindless fighting and brawling. It is about training, physical education, and perseverance, all of which are advantageous qualities for the youth of today.

To read more on the benefits of legalization of MMA, click here.
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www.mrjamesryan.com

MMA to be Legalized in Ontario is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

Think about that for a second.

The man is 47-years-old and even though he gets very little credit from many of the fans for being able to compete with the top level talent in either the Light Heavyweight or the Heavyweight divisions, the reality is that Randy Couture could easily clean out about 90% of the fighters in the largest and most prestigious fighting organization in the world.

Maybe I’m wrong here, but Randy Couture absolutely impresses me.

In part, I guess it’s because he gives us old guys hope, but mainly it’s because of his tremendous heart and competitive spirit. It’s hard not to respect Randy Couture and what he has done for the sport of MMA.

In a recent interview with MMAFighting.com, Randy Couture offered up some of his own observations and critiques of UFC Middleweight champion, Anderson “the Spider” Silva.

In case you missed it, Silva narrowly escaped with a fifth-round victory against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117, exposing many weaknesses in his fighting style—something that many were starting to believe did not exist.

“I think Anderson needs to look at the spirit in which he’s competing,” Couture said.

“It appears to me that he’s been doing his best not to lose. Instead of doing what he did early on and competing to win, and taking guys out, he’s doing enough now to get by, be successful and keep winning.

“Eventually that kind of fighting attitude will catch up with you. You have to kind of go out, risk it and lay it all on the line. That’s the way it is. I think Anderson has strayed away from that a little bit, but I don’t think he’s getting old at all. I think he’s still a tremendous athlete with amazing ability. You know, there were some pretty interesting things he still demonstrated in the fight against Sonnen even though most of the fight, he spent on his back and got dominated.

“I’ve said all along, the guy that’s going to give Anderson Silva fits is the guy with that tenacious wrestling style. Danny Henderson had that ability, stole a round from Anderson when they fought, and kind of strayed away from that game plan and got to slinging gloves with Anderson, which I think is always a bad idea.

“I’ve said a number of times when asked if I’d like to fight Anderson that that would be a great fight. I think that I’d do well against him. He’s a very graceful, amazing athlete, and one of the best guys in our sport. Those are definitely the kind of guys you want to fight.”

Well, this is one MMA Sportswriter that would love nothing more than to watch the Natural battle the Spider.

But the big question is—at 47-years-old, can Couture actually win?

Let’s hope we get to find out.

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www.mrjamesryan.com

After UFC 118, Randy Couture Wants to Fight Anderson Silva: Can He Win? is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

Micklewright is currently scheduled to take on Bart Palaszewski at WEC 50 on August 18th, in a bout that was originally scheduled for the preliminaries, but recently got moved up to the televised main card.

This is my interview.

Please enjoy.

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James Ryan: Hi Zack.

Zack Micklewright: Hey there, James.

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James Ryan: Thanks for agreeing to this interview. Are you ready?

Zack Micklewright: No problem, and yes.

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James Ryan: Cool, here we go.

How did you get involved with mixed martial arts?

Zack Micklewright: I was always interested in MMA when I was growing up. I watched it all the time in high school and stuff.

They started a weekly show here in Davenport, Iowa, at a local gentlemen’s club and one day I went with some friends to check it out. Well, after some discussion between my friends and I ended up signing up and fighting their ‘featured fighter,’ even though I had zero training whatsoever in MMA.

I ended up doing pretty decent, but lost a close decision. After that I was hooked.

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James Ryan: A gentlemen’s club, eh? [Laughs] Sounds like a pretty interesting way to get started.

So, when you say that you grew up ‘interested in MMA,’ did you ever compete in any combative sports as a kid, such as karate, boxing, wrestling, etc.? Or does your toughness and fighting spirit simply come from having older brothers? [Laughs]

Zack Micklewright: No, I didn’t really compete in any fighting sports. I always tried to convince my parents to let me do karate, but we didn’t exactly have the money back then.

I wrestled in seventh and eighth grade, but halfway through the eighth grade season, everyone caught ringworm and that made me lose interest really quick. [Laughs]

And yes, my older brother did beat on me a lot [Laughs] and ya, it did make me a lot tougher. He hates admitting that I can kick his butt now though! [Laughs]

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James Ryan: [Laughs] Nice. I was checking out your Facebook and obviously noticed that you were in the Marines at one time.

How has your experience in the military helped to prepare you for life as a fighter—or just life in general?

Zack Micklewright: I think that the military helped me a lot in life.

It helped me grow up and taught me that I had to take life very seriously. I think it was the right step after high school for me. Some people like to go to College, but I never liked books or school. Plus, I’ve had some of the best experiences being in the military.

I made some of the best friends that I’ve had because of it. I got to travel the world and be a part of the war in Iraq.

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James Ryan: Well, that’s certainly one way to learn responsibility—definitely not the easiest way.

What was your reaction when you found out that your upcoming fight at WEC 50 against Bart Palaszewski had been promoted to the televised main card?

Do you think that there will be any added pressure on you to perform, or have you been ready and waiting for this moment?

Zack Micklewright: I thought it was awesome! But no—no added pressure.

The cameras were going to be in my face regardless, so it being on TV basically just means that all my friends can watch without having to buy a ticket to go to Vegas.

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James Ryan: Fair enough. [Laughs] What do you know about your opponent and how do you think that you will match up against him?

Zack Micklewright: I think that we match up well together. He likes to stand and bang and so do I.

He comes in with a lot of experience and he also has good jiu jitsu. I think we’re just going to meet in the middle though and trade until one of us falls. But I’m ready no matter where the fight goes. It’s going to be an absolute war and I’m going to come out the victor.

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James Ryan: You were originally scheduled to fight Alex Karalexis at WEC 48, but you had to withdraw due to a broken ankle. How did that happen and how is it feeling now?

Zack Micklewright: [Laughs] Funny story actually.

I was hanging out with some of my friends and my cousin who had just gotten back from ship in the Navy. We had a couple of drinks and were going to meet some other friends at another bar. I was running to the car and I stopped and did a little dance—just messin’ around and acting like a fool, and I slipped on some ice and busted my ass! [Laughs]

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James Ryan: [Laughs] Wow!

Zack Micklewright: As soon as I fell I knew something bad had happened.

So I had my friend help me up and we went straight to the hospital. I ended up with a small break in my fibula, so they posted me up in a cast for six weeks. I had to really to baby my ankle for another couple weeks after that, but now it feels like nothing ever happened. I’m completely 100-percent and ready to rock on August 18th!

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James Ryan: Awesome! Just curious, what was your favourite sport to play as a kid?

Zack Micklewright: I really liked baseball when I was between eight and 12. Then I turned into a skateboarder kid. I liked baseball because all of my friends did it, and I was actually pretty decent at it.

Skateboarding though, I picked up from my older brother and it was just fun as hell. I tried buying a skateboard
a while back but I just can’t shred like I used to! [Laughs]

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James Ryan: [Laughs] I also used to skateboard when I was younger and it really is an under-rated sport as far as athleticism is concerned. Anyone who has ever tried it knows how difficult it is. It’s definitely not easy.

Okay, this final question is a true test of your character to see how honest of a person you really are. Ready?

Zack Micklewright: Ready.

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James Ryan: What’s the biggest fish that you have ever caught? I may need to speak with witnesses by the way. [Laughs]

Zack Micklewright: [Laughs] Well, I’m not sure how much they weighed…but I’ve caught some big ‘ole
suckers! I have some pictures on my Facebook that you can check out.

I’d say I’m a pretty fantastic angler! [Laughs]

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James Ryan: Sure, sure. [Laughs] Any special thanks or mentions?

Zack Micklewright: Absolutely! I would like to thank Mickey, my manger from KO Dynasty.

Also, my sponsors—BodybagMMA, Heavy Hands Knockout Wear, Eriksen Chevrolet in Milan, Illinois, and Bodywise International.

Also would like to thank all of my friends and family for supporting me, and all of my teammates that helped me train for this fight.

And thank you, James.

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James Ryan: The pleasure was all mine, Zack. Best of luck on August 18th.

Zack Micklewright: Thanks.

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This is my interview. If you don’t like it…I have others. Please check them out at www.mrjamesryan.com

Undefeated Zack Micklewright Ready for a War at WEC 50 is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

I used to be a big Dana White fan.

No one can argue against the fact that he has done a lot to help the sport of mixed martial arts. He has brought MMA into the world spotlight, and not just in the US where he obviously did a lot to get it sanctioned, when many State Athletic Commissions wanted nothing to do with MMA.

But I don’t know what it is lately…perhaps a shift in his focus or something that maybe we didn’t notice until it started picking up momentum…

As any good businessman and CEO would do, Dana is now trying to make sure that his promotion—and his promotion only—is the only profitable major organization in the MMA game.

It isn’t the Real Fighting Championships or the million other smaller fight promotions that are out there that he seems to care about, because let’s face it, the fighters have to fight somewhere before they can make it to the UFC level. But it’s the Affliction’s, the Elite XC’s, and the Strikeforce’s that he wants to put a hurt on. Why?

Dana can say that those organizations are inferior products all that he wants, but they are still taking money that could be his. Otherwise, why would he even bother suing companies for using their “intellectual property” in their contracts?

Why would he be pressuring and extorting TapouT clothing out of a deal with Fedor Emelianenko by threatening their relationship with the UFC?

My question… is this the new face of MMA, or better yet—what’s the new motivation behind it?

Regards,
Chris

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Dear Chris,

Thank you for your great questions, although you certainly didn’t make it easy on me.

Motivation is heavily based on goal-orientated behaviour and can be rooted in the basic need to minimize pain and maximize pleasure.

In the case of the UFC, their motivation has always been pretty simple: to make as much money as possible.

With money comes power, with power comes control, and with control comes freedom. The freedom to do and say whatever they want without any potential risk or damage to their business model.

If a fan doesn’t like what the UFC is doing, then Dana White would be all to happy to tell them to F$&*% off! He knows that in this unusual stage of rapid growth, he will gain 10 new fans for every one fan that he loses.

“Guess what john if you don’t like the card DON’T WATCH IT U CRYBABY BITCH!!!”—actual Tweet by Dana White to a “loyal” fan who had concerns about spending his hard-earned money on a pay-per-view.

Dana White’s business philosophy is what is referred to as the “Revolving Door of Business,” where after a business takes a customers money, they kick them in the ass on the way out the door because invariably they know that a brand new customer will immediately be on his way in at the exact same time.

Obviously this concept can not be sustained eternally from a business standpoint, but what does Dana White care?

By the time interest fades or the fans get totally fed-up with being mistreated and taken for granted, the UFC will have become a multi-billion dollar company.

Goal achieved.

Dana White will be the first to tell you that we live in a capitalist society where the entire point of doing business is to be as successful as possible, while destroying the immediate competition in the process.

As you stated Chris, Dana White isn’t overly concerned about the smaller organizations because they really don’t cut into his profit margins. Plus, they provide an amateur farming system for up and coming fighters—at no additional cost to the UFC.

How convenient.

Unless the fans are collectively willing to stand up against Dana White and the UFC by boycotting their pay-per-views (sadly, this would affect the hundreds of smaller MMA businesses more than it would the UFC), nothing will naturally get any better on its own.

Obviously this will never happen (don’t worry, Dana knows this as well) and as such, Dana White will continue his tyrannical rule as he works his way towards world domination (am I the only one picturing Dana White sitting in a high-back swivel chair—stroking a fluffy, white cat?)

Just try to remember Dana White’s advice (but please don’t take it personal)—if you don’t like it—F$&@% Off!

Thanks Chris.

JR

This is my Q&A. If you don’t like it…ask me something else. Send an email to james@mrjamesryan.com
Ask me anything…I dare you!

MMA Q&A with Mr. James Ryan: Understanding Dana White’s Motivation is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan

What can I say?

It was an awesome event—particularly the fight between UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson “the Spider” Silva, and Chael Sonnen.

Just incredible.

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Despite eventually getting submitted in the fifth and final round, Sonnen absolutely dominated the man that is commonly referred to as the best pound-for-pound champion in the entire world. And he did it for four straight rounds.

Never before in the history of the UFC Octagon, had Silva ever been beaten up and controlled so badly. My hat is sincerely off to Chael Sonnen for putting fourth such an amazing effort against a very notable martial artist.

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Sonnen: The Positives

In round one, Chael Sonnen surprised many fight fans by immediately “rocking” the Champion and then by doing an excellent job of establishing the upper hand. I liked how Sonnen gained the advantage with his striking and then controlled the remainder of the fight with a fast-paced combination of pedigree wrestling and effective ground-and-pound striking.

Sonnen stayed very busy throughout the fight by applying constant pressure on Silva and if not for the slight fatigue suffered in the fifth and final round, we would all likely be looking at a brand new champion right now.

At the very least, Sonnen proved (to me) that he is an excellent fighter.

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Sonnen: The Negatives

Give a tonne of credit to Silva for staying conscious after getting hit by so many flushed punches to the jaw that should have probably knocked him out cold—except that they didn’t.

I’m not challenging Sonnen’s power, but it would seem that his striking skills could still use a little more work. I only say that because after dominating any man the way that he did (particularly when you consider that Silva had a rib injury in addition to his problems) it is less than impressive that Sonnen failed to put Silva away.

Sonnen had the perfect chance but he simply could not capitalize. He has no one to blame but himself.

Off topic for a second—did you see that amazing submission by Matt Hughes? And even more amazing was that Ricardo Almeida absolutely refused to tap out. He would have sooner gone to sleep, than quit. There was just too much at stake to even consider giving up.

Back on topic—Sonnen tapped.

If you are that close to pulling off one of the greatest upsets in combat history, not to mention one of the greatest performances of your career, then do not let your mind quit before your body has the chance.

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Silva: The Positives

I always knew that Anderson Silva was a great fighter. His lighting quick reflexes and agility have always appeared to be abnormally superior to anyone else who has ever stepped into the Octagon against him.

Even much bigger fighters such as Forrest Griffin and James Irvin, were made to look ridiculous at the hands of Silva.

One thing that did surprise me however (thanks mainly to Silva’s usual offensive dominance) was that Silva also happens to be a very tough individual.

Silva absorbed everything that Sonnen threw at him and yet he still managed to have some spring in his step at the start of every round.

His “never say die” attitude and obvious belief in his abilities, proved that Silva absolutely possesses the true heart of a warrior—the right “mindset” indeed.

The heart of a Champion.

No offence to Sonnen, but Silva definitely out-classed him on this particular evening.

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Silva: The Negatives

The negatives for Silva seem pretty obvious. He needs to train with the best wrestlers in the world if he plans on competing against the best wrestlers in the world.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the “blueprint” has been laid down on how to beat Silva, but you can bet that more and more world-class wrestlers are going to be stepping up to the plate for an opportunity to dethrone the King.

Silva is a true martial artist having studied a lifetime of judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, tae kwon do, boxing, and capoeira.

After that fight against Sonnen, I see no reason why Silva would be opposed to learning a little American wrestling to add to his already impressive repertoire.

This was a great fight by both men, but let’s hope that this victory by Silva silences Sonnen’s unsportsmanlike behaviour—at least, for a little while.

Now bring on Vitor Belfort.

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These are my opinions. If you don’t like them…I have others. Please check them out at www.mrjamesryan.com

ONE WAY OUT…CARRIED OUT!

Anderson Silva Defeats Chael Sonnen at UFC 117: Better Late than Never is my opinion, I have more, visit my website: James Ryan