Roxanne Modafferi interview

Some MMA fighters experience a career turnaround following a losing streak, and Roxanne Modafferi's resurgence was one of the most impressive to date. She once had a six-fight losing streak, and as I watched her fight for Valkyrie and Jewels, I worried along with other people about the coaching and training that she was receiving. Following a move to the United States, Modafferi drastically changed her MMA career after a stint on TUF 18 that included a submission win over Valerie Letourneau, who will challenge Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193. Since signing with Invicta FC, Modafferi has shown rapid improvement in the striking department.

While asking her questions, I thought about the language barrier that she endured when learning MMA techniques in Japan. When explaining the nuances of a technique, coaches often use slang or abbreviations, which can be difficult to understand for people from other countries (I feel this often, too).

I believe that Modafferi's knowledge of Japanese is better than 95% of foreign Japanese learners, but she still admits to a language barrier and that says a lot about the difficulties of learning MMA techniques in a second language.

This is an interview with an MMA fighter who has trained in two countries and knows the difficulties of cultural differences. She has persevered through these struggles on the path to the happiest day in her career.


When you began your career in Japan, there were no stable MMA organizations that could provide consistent fights for women outside of Japan. Many western female MMA fighters could not find enough fights in the early era and either retired or stayed in the sport for many years and fought way past their prime. You have had a long career and, after a tough losing streak, you seem to have now entered the prime of your career. How do you feel about the course of your career and how did you make it through the difficult situations?

I feel that my career has been exciting and full of adventures.  I trained very hard every night while working during the day. In the beginning, it was enough. Then MMA continued to evolve as a sport and my working full-time plus training became too much. I also had a hard time learning how to strike.  I love grappling but struggled for a long time to do kickboxing effectively. I started on a losing streak. That changed once I decided to move back to America to fight full time, and I joined the gym Syndicate MMA in Vegas. I can't say that I regret moving back sooner because I loved my life in Japan. I'm still fighting and climbing my way to the top!


While you were still in Japan, which fighter impressed you the most? Was it someone you fought or just someone who taught you something important?

When I was living in Japan, I looked up to K-Taro Nakamura because he could take everybody's back and choke them out. I eventually bought his book on RNC. He used to teach at Keishukai every Saturday. I learned the single leg back control from him.


During your TUF 18 elimination fight against Valerie Letourneau, you took her back and finished her with a rear-naked choke. I got the impression that what you learned at Wajyutsu Keishukai worked during the turning point in your career (taking the back and finishing with a rear-naked choke is a common move at that gym). Is that a technique that you learned from Wajyutsu Keishukai? If not, who taught you that move?

It's true that I loved doing rear naked choke at Keishukai. However, I learned the move years ago way before moving to Japan so I forget who actually originally taught me.


You have shown rapid improvement in your striking since joining Syndicate MMA. You control distance, use a variety of combinations and have great elbow attacks now. How has John Wood taught you these things and what convinced you to accept his teachings?

I'm an "audio" learner rather than visual, so that means I need someone to explain details of techniques to me, not just show me, or I can't understand. In Japanese, that was really difficult. Even though I did private mitt sessions with a trainer, I don't feel I advanced a lot. Syndicate owner and Coach John Wood has the ability to really explain striking to me and "train me" through repetition so I can understand. Knowing my learning style, I tried out his gym for a week, decided that he was the guy I could entrust with my new hope for my career. I said to him, not "I'd like to join your gym," but rather, "Will you be my coach?" Starting the next week, I've done extra mitt sessions every week for the last two years in addition to the well-run MMA classes. That's how I was able to improve so much.


UFC does not currently have a 125-pound division. They only have 135 and 115. How do you feel about your division's absence in the UFC? Do you feel that Zuffa should add a 125 division?

I'm sad my weight class is not in the UFC. I hope it is soon.


Invicta FC does have a 125-pound division and DEEP Jewels has also recently created that weight class as well. Of course, you want to challenge Invicta FC champion Barb Honchak, but how would you evaluate the DEEP Jewels 125-pound division? Did you watch champion Ji Yeon Kim's fight? Please provide your impression of her if so.

I haven't been able to easily watch Deep Jewels since I moved back to the U.S.  I haven't seen Ji Yeon Kim. I remember last year seeing a few fights and being disappointed in some technique. That was due to my new perspective - I recognized a bunch of techniques the fighters didn't do that I had just learned at Syndicate. I found myself thinking, "if only they could train with me at Syndicate!" I think JMMA has been surpassed in certain ways.


You are known for your hobbies: Anime, Manga, gaming, movies, music and so on. What are some of the current "hot things" in your hobbies?

I've been trying to catch up on old anime that I've fallen behind in, like One Piece and Naruto and DBZ Kai. I've gotten into new ones like Attack on Titan. I'm SO excited that I can see the live-action movie during my Japan visit! I also try to study Japanese in my free time. Thanks to Skyping with my friend Goto-san and him correcting my Japanese blogs, I haven't lost my language skills.


Your nickname is Happy Warrior. What makes you the happiest? Fighting itself, conversations with coaches and training partners, interacting with fans, everyday life or something else?

I try and look at everything in a positive light, and I try and find the good things about every situation. I appreciate everything. Talking to people makes me happy, training and challenging myself makes me happy, seeing other people smile makes me happy!


Please share a message for your fans about your fighting career and future.

You may not realize it, but as my fans, you play a big part in my motivation and happiness. When you cheer for me, or send me an email or Tweet or Facebook message of encouragement, it inspires me to try harder if I'm feeling down or hurt or tired.  I feel like my life has some more meaning than simply me fighting for fun. It makes me think that there's no way I can let the Happy Warrior retire any time soon! I still have so much more positivity to spread!  I want to make friends with EVERYONE, and show that fighting can be an honorable athletic contest, not an angry brawl where someone enjoys inflicting pain on another.


Roxanne Modafferi

Roxanne Modafferi Official Twitter

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire interview

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire is of course the Bellator MMA featherweight champion. He is known for his knockout power, but his last fight against Daniel Straus played out in an unexpected way. While Straus showed improvements in his striking and enjoyed a reach advantage, “Pitbull” displayed his superior skills on the ground and submitted Straus. I had expected the opposite from both fighters before the fight happened. Such a fight only happens when both fighters have drastically improved.

We asked “Pitbull” about his fight against Straus and about other topics including comparisons to UFC fighters and his personality outside of the cage.


-Your fight against Straus was not a fight that I had expected beforehand. I thought that you would try to strike at close distances while Straus would try to take you down.  Straus showed that his striking has improved, but did you expect that he would have improved that much?

I stood up with him, but I was hit, hurt. Took some eye pokes, low blows, head butt. It rendered a bit of my performance. But he was very good, I can't take his merit away. I thought I won rounds 1 and 2, he won the third and the beginning of the fourth was his, but I submitted him. I knew he would be very tough, although I didn't expect to be knocked down, but it happens in the fight. We can be surprised, but I was very well trained and was able to react to reverse the situation, which was what I did.


-Did you have a particular game plan for this fight? If so, how did it compare to the actual fight? If not, did you rely more upon what you train on a daily basis?

Yes, I have an strategy for all the fighters on the weightclass. I watch all fighters not only from Bellator, but the UFC, WSOF, I know everybody. I may not know everyone's names, but I know their styles and the strategy to face them. Every fighter that can offer me any form of danger I know the antidote. In a fight everything can happen, but I know how to act and with Straus it wasn't different. I studied him for months. I didn't bring Eric Albarracin (wrestling coach) to Natal just for show. Thank God I was able to bring the victory home. I was better than him on his best field and he was a worthy opponent at my biggest asset. It's been 4 years I wouldn't try to submit anyone, only get knock outs, and Straus was able to stand and strike with me the entire fight. There were a few different things I planned to do I ended up not doing, but I will strengthen those aspects of my game, practice them more and make automatic so I can show it in my next performances.


-You have shown considerable skill in grappling many times before, but because you often finish fights with huge knockouts, people have paid less attention to your grappling skills. You already showed your positional superiority against Straus in your first fight and also against Reis. This time, you submitted Straus, who won his Bellator title fight with grappling. Do you feel that your performance made a statement to the rest of the featherweight division?

I think the Featherweight division can't misjudge the kind of fighter I am. I'm a well rounded fighter. When I don't see a need to take my opponent down and use my jiu jitsu I don't do it. If I can take care of business standing I'll do it. On the day I face problems and get hurt like it happened with Straus, the third round I couldn't see anything. My strategy was based on closing in on him, my corner told me to do it but I had the opportunity to take him down as well. Eric told me that any time I wanted to take him down I would, so that's what I did. The division has to be worried, I'm the world champion and it's natural for me to be a complete fighter.


Patricio Pitbull Submits Daniel Straus


 -Did you see Georgi Karakhanyan's performance against Bubba Jenkins? If so, what was your impression? What can we expect from a rematch between you and Georgi?

I did. I thought it would be a tougher fight. He's a very tough opponent, very skilled on the stand up, has good transitions on the ground, his takedowns are ok. His ground game and takedowns were already good, but he improved on them a little bit. But I see myself as a much tougher fighter than him. I think I can take the fight wherever I want. If I want to stay standing I will do it, if I want to bring it to the ground I will do it. I don't see anyone in the weightclass able to beat me.


-You don't have an overly big frame for your weight class, but fighters like Frankie Edgar have gotten respect for fighting larger opponents. People rarely mention your frame disadvantage. How do you feel about it and how do you overcome it?

There are very few fighters than can hit me. I have a very good footwork, my boxing is at a high level. The guys that hit me were Straus, a southpaw who's very tall, but was unable to hit me the first time we fought, and Curran who was able to hit me both fights. But I was in their faces the entire time. If you see my first and second rounds with Straus the rounds were back and forth. I know I'm small for the weightclass, but I see guys fighting at Flyweight who are taller than me, at Bantamweight too, Lightweight too, so it's not like I can choose. I feel my advantage at Featherweight is that I'm a compact guy, maybe I'm stronger than the other guys. They beat me in width, but they can't beat me in speed or footwork and specially in strength. That's my differential, I can nullify the difference in height and width with it.


-Bellator champions are always compared to UFC fighters. Of course, we can only imagine you versus UFC fighters for now, but how do you compare yourself with Aldo, Mendes, Edgar and McGregor?

I didn't know much about McGregor. I haven't seen too many fights of him. I've watched him for a little bit more than one year, he's a guy that talks a lot and got a title shot. He beat some weak guys and was able to promote himself well. He has expressive wins against guys that aren't convincing, so I can't imagine how good he would be against a top guy. I would need to see him versus a Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, someone tougher in the weight class. But everyone in Brazil asks me how would a fight between me and Aldo be. I already said it would be a very tough fight, Aldo is a calm and composed fighter, such as I am, he defended his belt 7 times which creates an extra pressure. I made my first defense, was knocked down for the first time in my career, but I was able to overcome the situation. It's positive to me. I never lost faith, always kept my confidence high. Only God can tell who would win a fight between us if it was to happen some day. A lot of people compare me to Aldo, but I have my doubts if his kicks are stronger than mine. I see he's faster than me, but I think I'm stronger. It's a curious fight, I think both would go out very hurt and the one with the stronger spirit would prevail. I admire him as a fighter and a person, it's a fight that makes sense. And about the weight class in general, I know I can beat any man.


-Conor McGregor is bringing a lot of attention to your weight class. How do you feel about his actual fighting skill and media tactics?

He needs to be tested. After he's tested I'll say more about him. Let's watch him versus Aldo, which is a fight I don't think he'll be able to survive the first round. Only after this fight we'll be able to say something about him. He's shown he's got a good boxing, good distance, kicks on the right time and is slick, but he did all that with weak guys, so I can't say much.


-Scott Coker becoming Bellator president may make a difference, but I thought during the Rebney era that Bellator failed to showcase non-American fighters’ personalities and relate them to the audience. How do you feel about how you are promoted by Bellator now (Coker) and then (Rebney)? Also, please tell me about your personality away from fighting. Which other sports do you like and which hobbies (music, movies, etc.) do you enjoy?

I think it's normal for Bellator to give me more exposure now, I am the champion. The champion is the best of the weight class, so that's natural. I would bring a lot of attention because of my knock outs, 4 years knocking out a lot of people, so my performances would showcase me by themselves. Today I can have a bigger exposure, Bellator is in a good TV channel in Brazil, a good tv channel in the US, they can have good ratings and better fighters and starts. People that can bring, as Scott Coker said, the casual audience. That's what Bellator is doing and I'm very happy with it.

And my hobbies, it's tough to say because I like to fight a lot. On my free time I like to train jiu jitsu, I'm going to start training Karate as well to loosen my mind a bit. But I like speed, I like cars, I like to run. I love to watch action movies, si-fi movies. There has to be a bit of lies (laughs), special effects, super powers, like Spider-Man, Thor, Iron-Man, among others.


-In Japan, Big Nog is major figure. In Brazil, he is known for supporting struggling Brazilian fighters. What has he meant to you? Has he been a teacher, supporter, idol, or a combination of all?

Rodrigo is a combination of all of it. Specially a friend. I've seen him support a lot of people. I've spent 3 and a half years as part of Team Nogueira and one of the people I saw him help was my brother who was going for a tough time without fights and not making money, Rodrigo would give him money monthly, that's something I will never forget. I see him as an older brother, an idol, several things. He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, he inspired generations. Rodrigo Minotauro is synonymous with guts, overcoming adversities, champion. I only have good things to say about him.


-Please share a message for your fans about your fighting career and future.

I use to say I don't have fans, I have friends. The people that follow my work and know of my dedication and my effort I'm able to be friends with. Fans to me are the people that root for you when you win and throws stones at you when you lose. So I don't have fans, I have friends. People that support me when I win and support me even more in the tough times. I use to create friendship with those people, I try to answer everyone on my fan page, instagram and twitter. I do it myself. I try to have friends and not fans, the word fan means a lot. We don't know who's a real fan or who's a fake. That fan that just supports you when you're winning you have to worry about. Specially in Brazil. The people support a lot who's the champion, but when you're in a tough spot they forget or criticize you. But there are those people who are truthful and to me they're not fans, they're friends.

About my career, please support me as I keep trying to write my name on the sport's history. I'm here for any challenges, I will fight any man. I want people to talk about me as the best fighter to ever grace this sport.



Patricio Freire Official Twitter

Patricio Freire Official Facebook

Big thanks to Matheus Aquino (Fort MMA) for coordinate and Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing.

Will Chope interview

After the Tohoku earthquake happened in 2011, there were many people who stood together in a charity effort and that included the MMA community. Many Japanese and international efforts helped Japan. I assisted with Tony Loiseleur’s report on how Shuichiro Katsumura stood for Tohoku earthquake charities.

On November 8, typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines and more than 5000 people became victims. The city's many structures were crushed by the storm. I know that Shuichiro Katsumura already donated to the Philippines and many fighters including Shinya Aoki and Ryo Chonan have talked about donations for the Philippines on Twitter. Mark Munoz and Brandon Vera have also tried to help their fellow countrymen.

I thought about who is the best fit to encourage people to support the Philippines and I realized that one person stood out from the rest: Will Chope, who recently got picked up by the UFC. He is the first UFC fighter ever who has a primary gym based in the Philippines. He is not Kababayan (Filipino), but he is based in South East Asia and has matured his skillset. He talked with me about his career in South East Asia and about how the people of the Philippines need help. Will has taken a new step in his career with the UFC and Filipino people need new steps for their lives as well, but they need help in order to do so.

(note: After We know Will Chope had incident when he was young, we decide close link to donate for red cross.I say there is nothing wrong with donation. But I don't want people misunderstand what we intent. We really thankful about what people did when link exist and hopefully continue to support natural disaster's damage for future. )

You are the first UFC fighter whose training is based in the Philippines. As an American, what motivated you to train in the Philippines or elsewhere in Asia when the United States has larger MMA events and bigger gyms?

I have been living in South East Asia for the last 3 1/2 years. I first came to Thailand to learn Muay Thai, then ended up traveling around and have based my camps out of Malaysia, Taiwan, as well as the Philippines also. I consider Baguio City, Philippines, my home in Asia, but I am constantly traveling around. The Muay Thai in Thailand and Boxing in the Philippines is the best in the world, so I have always enjoyed living and training in these parts. I prefer living in South East Asia because the people are just more warm, and the cost of living is low enough to where I can live off of my fight purses.

What is your life like when you are not training and fighting? Do you enjoy other sports or sightseeing when flying to other countries for training? Please talk a bit about your life outside of MMA.

Outside of training, of course I enjoy traveling and seeing the sights and experiencing the cultures in the different places I live. Also, I enjoy spending time with my family. My wife is Thai and we have a son, so it is good to travel to new places with them. She has taught me a lot about Thai culture and the language, so I feel every day I learn something new about life in Asia.

Please tell us about your team and your coaches who teach you striking and grappling, as well as your teammates whom you spar with. You, Mark Striegl, A.J. Lias Mansor and Yuji Hoshino all come from different countries. How did you meet them and form your current team?

I am originally from the United States but have spent the last 4 years living in different parts of Asia. My training camps vary, but I spend most of my time at Phuket Top Team in Thailand or training with Mark in Baguio. Here in Phuket, I have Andrew Leone who coaches my wrestling and BJJ, and I have two striking coaches. Piotr Leib, I work my boxing with. I am lucky also to do a lot of Muay Thai work with Thai trainers here, and I have Boyd Clarke who works with me to put everything together.

As far as Team Buffet, we are like family. Mark Striegl started the team and I joined when I went to live with him in Baguio City for 9 months. Then when we went to Malaysia we met AJ Pyro, and Yuji Hoshino was Mark's long-time coach from when he grew up in Tokyo. We are four very different fighters, each with unique skillsets, and we’re all based at different camps/countries. Every couple of months, two or three of us will meet up and train together and we always have at least one member helping to coach or corner us in a fight.

Who is the best prospect in South East Asia besides you, and which part of his or her game impresses you the most? 

Mark Striegl and Andrew Leone. Both guys have phenomenal wrestling and ground games. I expect them both to be signed by the UFC very soon.

You had six fights in 2011, ten in 2012, five in 2013, and you’ll have your 25th career fight when you make your UFC debut on January 4th. That is quite a large number of fights for someone still early in his career. How has that affected your skill improvement? Experience is obviously beneficial, but what about other factors such as damage taken? Also, do you need to fight that often in order to make a living in MMA in South East Asia?

When I first started training Muay Thai and MMA, it was back in 2010, and after a couple months of training I had my first fight and went pro. Looking back, I was very naïve and overeager to fight and was not ready at that time, but at the same time I believe my experience fighting has definitely made up for the time I have spent training compared to other fighters. I have had 52 pro fights total in MMA, Muay Thai, K1, Sanda, and Boxing combined. I love to fight and wanted to fight, but also living out here young and on my own with no college education, it was the only way I could earn money. I fight for mine and my family’s income. I am lucky to make my passion a career, but in doing that it also adds extra pressure. For when I lose, my whole family fills the impact. And as far as injuries, I would be lying to say that 52 fights in 3 1/2 years hasn't taken a toll on my body, but at the same time I am lucky to not have suffered any severe injuries.

In your last fight against Pancrase champion Takumi Nakayama, you showed that you could adapt well by using your frame and strength when grappling offensively and defensively, but Nakayama managed to get inside of your range and he landed some solid shots on the feet. What do you feel are your primary strengths as a fighter and which areas do you feel that you need to improve upon now that you are fighting in the UFC?

I need to improve everything, to be honest. I have won a lot of fights just by fighting awkwardly and by being the tallest fighter in the world in my weight class. I am blessed with a decent chin and a willingness to engage and always walk forward, but I do need to improve my boxing, wrestling and BJJ a lot.

Your upcoming opponent, Max Holloway, is a striker who likes to throw combinations and flying knees. What is your opinion of Max and how do you see this fight going? Without giving away your game plan, what would be an ideal scenario for you in victory?

Max is an interesting fighter. He is super tall and lanky like me and has crazy standup. Ideally, I'd like to choke him out fast and make a statement and show everyone I am ready for the UFC.

The Philippines was recently devastated by Typhoon Haiyan and the country still requires a large amount of support for citizens who were affected. As the first fighter based in the Philippines to fight in the UFC, could you please talk about what the Philippines means to you and what the MMA industry and audience can do to aid in the relief and reconstruction efforts?

I have Filipino family in Baguio City and many close friends in different parts of the country. I am grateful that none of them were affected by the Typhoon, but there were so many people who were affected and many who lost their lives. Filipino people are some of the nicest, warmest and most welcoming people you could ever meet. The Philippines to me is my home in Asia. So I ask that if anyone is interested in helping the Philippines and the affected families of the Typhoon, please donate to the Red Cross so that they can continue their ongoing support in rebuilding.

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing.

Marlon Moraes interview

I recently interviewed Marlon Moraes, who is a World Series of Fighting rising star. In this interview, I asked about the use of kicks. Recently in MMA, with good sprawls and footwork, kicks have become a bigger part of the striking game. After watching Josh Thomson vs. Nate Diaz, I became more interested in that.

I asked Marlon several questions with that in mind. Some answers were as I expected but others were not. That is the fun of an interview. I hope you enjoy how my outlook and Marlon's intersect here. Of course, he surprised me with his unexpected charm.


- You learned striking from Mark Henry and kicks make up a key part of your striking style. You used your kicks often in the Miguel Torres fight, but never got taken down even when he caught them. What are your thoughts on using kicks and still maintaining good takedown defense?

Actually, I first learned striking with my coach from Brazil, Anderson Franca, who was with me for 15 years. I have been working with Mark since my Torres fight and I’m learning a lot every day. He is an amazing coach and person, and he is now my head coach. My thoughts about kicks and keeping good takedown defense are that I’ve kicked all of my life and kicks are a part of my game. How can I stop kicking? We are mixing it up with kicks, boxing, wrestling and BJJ, but for us the timing is very important. The time after the kick; speed and movement.

- Despite Torres’s long reach, you outstruck him by using angles and a variety of strikes. Is being unpredictable an important part of your striking game?

Yeah, it is. I have been working every day, because I know that a good MMA fighter has to be ready in all areas of the fight. If your opponent doesn't know what you are going to do, he’ll be in trouble.

- In recent times, the jab has become a more clear way to control fights on the feet, but some fighters include kicks to control the exchanges because they provide a greater reach than punches. Do you think that this trend will continue in the future?

I don't know. In my opinion, if you have a good jab you can control the fight.

- Please tell us about Valor Martial Arts. In New York where you train with Ricardo Almeida, Mark Henry and Frankie Edgar. In Florida, you train with fellow Brazilian Edson Barboza, but who is your main coach there?

Valor Martial Arts is a new gym in Palm Beach Gardens. I teach kickboxing with Edson and we have Raphael Chaves, who is Checkmat's black belt, running the BJJ program. We are growing and hopefully we can get some more training over here. When I am in New Jersey, I train at RABJJ for MMA sparring and BJJ. At Mark's, I do boxing, and Frankie does help me with wrestling sometimes at Elite, Hoboke and Rutgers.

- You train your grappling with Ricardo Almeida, who is an excellent teacher, but your last loss came via submission in 2011. How much has your grappling improved since then?

I did make a couple of mistakes in the past, but I’m working hard every day here in Florida with Raphael Chaves, Pablo Popovich and Vagner Rocha. And also, when I’m in camp, Ricardo is helping me every day. I’ll be ready wherever the fight goes.

- You got married last year. How has that affected you as a fighter and a person?

We have been together for six years, and living together for three. Izabella is my best friend and she is my number one supporter. I'm so happy and I think without her everything is harder.

- What is your favorite non-sports activity? Favorite book and music?

Movies, the beach and eating good food. Falcao Meninos do Trafico, and my favorite music is Brazilian Rap (Mv Bill, Racionais, Pregador Luo, etc.), Reggae and Gospel. I like lots of types of music.

- You have fought and beaten Miguel Torres and Tyson Nam, who are well-known in the fight world, and you are now one of the World Series Of Fighting’s first stars. However, you have not fought in a WSOF main event yet. Do you think that you deserve main event status when you return to World Series Of Fighting or would you first like to build up a greater name recognition by fighting more former UFC fighters?

I have my dreams and I’ll be training hard to get there! Right now, whatever WSOF decides, I’ll do.

- Joe Murphy, Fabio Mello, Chris Beal and Carson Beebe are all on the World Series Of Fighting bantamweight roster. Do you have a special interest in facing any of them? Is there any other fighter you would like to face in World Series Of Fighting or are you mainly interested in fighting UFC talent in the future?

I don't know. Carson Beebe is fighting on the next show against another guy. I think it makes sense to have me fight against the winner in the August 10 main event. lol.

Marlon Moraes Official Twitter


Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing. 

Antonio “Pato” Carvalho interview

Antonio “Pato” Carvalho was actively fighting during Pride's heyday and the “kakutogi boom” in Japan. However, he never fought for Pride, seeing that Pride never had a featherweight belt to compete for. During that particular era, the UFC did not have a featherweight division, and the WEC was yet to be purchased by Zuffa. Regardless, Pato made a name for himself while fighting for the Shooto championship. After several ups and downs in Japan, he rebuilt his career fighting in his home country of Canada. Finally, he is on the UFC roster and awaiting a chance to fight in the Octagon on his home turf. Throughout his career, Pato raised his stock through taking on some of the most prominent names in the Japanese regional MMA scene. Known for being especially fan friendly and open to interviews, he remains active in many MMA forums around the world wide web. For this interview, I decided to focus on details about the individuals he has trained with, his unique contractual situations, his fighting style (Karate), personal hobbies, and future matches. I have tried to bring his personality to the forefront as much as possible.

-At UFC 149 on July 21st, you'll be facing George Roop, who is known for his long reach and tall frame. What are your thoughts on this specific physical advantage of his, and how are you looking to overcome this?

George is a very interesting opponent due to his physical features.It's not too often you find such a tall opponent with such reach in the featherweight division. So that alone will be a very tough challenge in itself. Not to mention, he also happens to be a very skilled and an all around tough fighter. I will need to use quick footwork, long strikes to set up my entry into a distance where I can possibly do some damage. I am also not against taking him down and trying a ground fight if I find the right opportunity. I think I can match up well from any aspect of the fight. I just need to be selective as to how long I stay within a certain range of the fight as to not give him the advantage. I think we can both look at each other and find ways to win. That is the beauty of the fight game and why I find it so intriguing; I can see myself winning in certain ways, but can also see how I might lose if I am not careful. I am never over confident when I fight. For me, it's about deciphering the puzzle that is George Roop. Hopefully, I can pull it off.


-Looking back at your career in Japan, you always seemed to be matched up with guys who were either champions, future champions, celebrities, or some other kind of notable names in the Japanese MMA community. For example, Hatsu Hioki not only became the Shooto champ,but also the Sengoku champ and is currently on a title run in the UFC. Hiroyuki Takaya has faced his share of difficulties stateside, but he still holds the Dream title. Yuji Hoshino became the Cage Force champ, but after losing to Sandro, he couldn't fight for awhile due to some political reasons. Your clash with Rumina Sato happened in what many would call the twilight of his career. Have you kept up with the career developments of your former opponents? Do you
have any thoughts as to your place in their careers as well as vice-versa?

I always follow all my past opponents. I have a deep admiration and respect for everyone that I have ever fought. They all have their place within my history of the sport. Not to mention, I am still a huge fan of the sport in general and all past opponents mentioned are very skilled and have provided me with plenty of entertainment during their fights. I am very proud and honoured to have been in the ring/cage with them and am very happy to see that many of them are still successful in their careers; whether that is competing or passing on their teaching to others at their own gyms.If I were to go down the list of fighters that you mentioned, fighters such as Hatsu Hioki are still very relevant within the Featherweight division. He should be very proud of what his has accomplished. I mean, after my very close win over him, he went through a difficult time. However, he managed to overcome those obstacles and become a champion. After we fought, Hioki asked me to please win the Shooto belt. I could see how much that title meant to him and that if I did capture that title, then his loss would not have been in vain.We all know that I never did do that which is something that I am still bothered by to a certain degree... Anyways, Hioki captured the Shooto belt and if I ever get a chance to speak with him, I will certainly remind him of what he asked of me and the fact that he did not need me to vindicate him by winning the Shooto belt. He did is all himself!Also, I would like to talk about Rumina Sato. I don't know that he ever understood how much he meant to me when I first started fighting.Rumina is still to this day, one of my heroes of this sport. So to be given the opportunity to fight him was by far the greatest moment of my MMA career. I don't know if that feeling will ever be topped. I
certainly hope to one day tell Rumina this. I know often things are lost in translation, but Rumina "Moonwolf" Sato, you are one of the reason why I am where I am in this sport and I own a ton of gratitude for your inspirational fighting style and all of the heart you have always shown in your fights. Arigato Gozaimasu (Thank You)!


-You've trained at AACC in Japan. Hiroyuki Abe rarely fights these days. Darren Uyenoyama recorded a UFC win and is now starting his own gym. Joachim Hansen can't seem to get a fight. Takafumi Otsuka is struggling in DEEP. Megumi Fujii will soon have the biggest fight of her career. Are you in touch with any of these people? What are your thoughts on their recent performance?

I am still in touch with all of those people mentioned. Hiroyuki Abe, or I prefer to call him Abesensei; Not only is he a close friend, he is also one of my mentors in this sport. Abesensei opened the doors to me at AACC and provided me with endless knowledge, not only in the
martial arts, but also in life on how to live the martial arts lifestyle. I owe Abesensei a ton and can't thank him enough. He is certainly one of the reasons why I managed to survive the amount of time I did living in Japan.Darren and I still stay in contact a lot. I actually have gone to San
Francisco to visit him. I met his wonderful family and also spent time at his gym meeting and training with his students. I am very proud of Darren since he came from a similar background to me in MMA. He certainly did not take an easy road. Darren is a very talented and a self motivated person. I have have learned a ton from him and I am very honoured to call him my friend. As far as his performance in the UFC against Kid Yamamoto, I think only myself and those that are close to him truly knew what he is capable of. I was not surprised in the least by the outcome of that fight. Although I know everyone else watching was. I can't wait to see the impact he is going to make in the flyweight division in the UFC.Hellboy is and always will be the one of the best fighters I have ever had the pleasure to train with and corner in his fights. I never knew what it took to be a champion until I met Joachim Hansen. He has created some of the most memorable fights for the fans. That night that he fought Eddie Alvarez is one night I will never forget. I mean, Joachim gave it his all. We had to carry him into the dressing room because he was completely exhausted. I have never outputted so much in any of my fights to the point that I could barely walk out of the ring. Joachim showed me this though his actions and he is one of the most honest and honorable men I have ever met and is one of my best friends. I know that he is not performing at the level he is capable of at the moment, but have faith we will see "Hellboy" rise again. I really hope to see him stateside in the UFC or Bellator. MEGUMI FUJII is by far the most talented female fighter there is. She is such a sweet, kind and humble person outside the ring, but is a complete animal when she fights. Although I mean an animal with incredible martial arts technique. She is a perfect example of what the martial arts are all about and how empowering it can be. Especially for a woman in Japan. She has crossed boundaries in Japan for women's MMA and lives her own way on her own terms. This is an incredible feat considering Japan is a very male dominant society. Anyways, in my humble opinion, MEGUMI should still be undefeated and her recent loses we're unjust. I thought she won both fights and I am very sad that judges can make such poor decisions. That said, she is still the pound for pound queen of women's MMA to me.


-After you left Japan, the WEC bantamweight and featherweight divisions were absorbed into the UFC. In Japan, Sengoku had a remarkable FW tournament. How do you look at the state of the FW division around the world, and the rising acceptance of FW fighters as they grow in popularity, particularly at this point in your career? Why did it take so long for the lighter weights to breakout?

Now that the FW's have a bigger stage to fight on, more and more talented fighters are beginning to appear. There is more of an incentive for fighters to stay in the weight class now. So many fighters that were often undersized in the lightweight division now have a proper weight class where physics don't play a factor in a 3 -5 minute round fight and there are more lucrative possibilities for them in the future. I think that is one of the main reasons why it took the lighter weight classes longer to breakout. The UFC absorbing the WEC and creating those divisions in their roster has certainly helped with exposure for the FW division. Also, Bellator has put on several incredible FW tournaments. So the casual fans are beginning to see how exciting and fast paced the FW's can be and they certainly get their moneys worth in terms of entertainment value.


-Other than those discussed in this article by Tony Loiseleur, is there anything you can think of that needs to be improved in the Japanese MMA scene?

I think the grassroots of MMA in Japan is still head and shoulders better then the rest of the world. I still believe that Shooto, DEEP and Pancrase have great systems in place where young fighters can get the experience they need before they fight on a bigger stage. I think the main problem with Japanese MMA is that it can be too centralized and the thought of fighting outside Japan can be a daunting one. I truly believe that with international experience that a lot of Japanese fighters can compete with the best out there. Japanese fighters are very used to fighting on home soil since for years, Japan was the mecca of MMA.People like Yushin Okami and Hatsu Hioki are great examples of how Japanese fighters can excel outside Japan on the world stage.

As far as revitalizing MMA in Japan, I'm not entirely sure how to do that. In my humble opinion, I think that the Japanese fans need someone to transcend the MMA subscuture; I mean, they need someone that can cross over and be a mainstream star and win fights all at the same time. I think someone like Masato is a perfect example of this. During his time in K1, he was recognized and very popular not only because of his fighting abilities, but also because of his fashion sense and his appearances on mainstream television. So Japan needs someone like that to revitalize the sport. In the meantime, as I said earlier, the grassroots scene will continue to exist and thrive because there will always be a small hardcore fanbase for MMA in Japan.


-You've had a lot of exciting fights in your career, but you've also had many injuries as well. Karate offers a counter-based conservative game plan. Of course different styles always have different pros and cons. Fighters train to maximize their advantages, while minimizing the risks. At this point in your career, how do you feel about a self-defense/martial arts-based conservative style, versus putting on an exciting show for the audience?

There is one thing I understand very well as an MMA competitor, I understand that ultimately, I am an entertainer. I am paid to go into a cage or ring and perform in front of an audience. Of course I want to succeed and win. However, I am well aware that fans are paying money to see fighters entertain them. MMA is no different then any other professional sport in that regard. I just believe that out sport is more exciting and visceral to the eyes. People go to MMA events to enjoy themselves and perhaps forget their own problems in everyday life. That said, I never compromise my principles and believes when I compete. I don't put on a "face" and try to be someone I'm not. I simply love to compete in the sport and applying my craft.


-At UFC 142, someone in the crowd tried to shoot a laser beam into your eyes. Did you realize this? Any thoughts on the need for security to check people's personal belongings at future events if such things continue to happen?

I didn't realize that actually. Only later when I watched the video of the fight. I don't know how they can stop such things. Thousands of fans go to these events and it would be impossible to check every single person. For the most part, I think the UFC does hire the best security they can find and I never felt unsafe while staying at the hotel or during my time in the cage when fighting for the UFC.


-Many people may not know this about you, but you are an old-school arcade video game fan. What is your favorite game and what specifically do you enjoy about it? Also, what about retro-gaming do you find particularly charming? The simplicity? The originality? Something else?

I have so many favourite games from my past from many different genres. I can honestly say my favourite era of gaming was definitely the late 80's to mid 90's. I still love 2d sprite based games. I always loved the artwork and creativity by the game designers, programmer and artists. I mean, I enjoyed the 8bit NES/Famicom era; However, I loved the 16 bit era best. Everything from the PC Engine (which is not really a true 16bit machine) Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Famicom/Super Nintendo and the Neo Geo. I always enjoyed the games made by Capcom, Konami and SNK. I was not a big RPG fan and I still prefer a more pick up and play approach to my gaming. Arcade games certainly provided this concept better. Easy to pick up and play, but hard to master. I still find myself gravitating towards those types of games even on my IOS device (Iphone/Ipad). I still own a large collection of games from each of those systems mentioned and still manage to get some gameplay time in every once and a while when I can hook them up to my old CRT television!


-You're known to often show up in forums and chat with fans. What is your favorite memory of communicating with fans?

I think just communicating with the fans in general is what I like. I don't mind bringing some insight into things that sometimes people can't know from just looking on the outside. I think a true fan can appreciate it when I come online and bring some new and exciting insight into a fight or something behind the scenes. It makes this sport so much more interesting. That all said, I am still and always will be a huge fan of the sport and love talking to others that share that same passion I have for it.


Big thanks to Dean Ryuta Adachi  (holler at scholar) for English editing.

Michael Haskamp interview

This week, I interviewed Michael Haskamp, who is the co-founder and matchmaker for Legend Fighting Championship. I spoke with him after he reacted to my tweet about low standards in MMA journalism. After that encounter, I became interested in Legend FC and found out a lot about the promotion.

Legend FC has signed many well-known Japanese fighters and also ones known only to hardcore fans. When I found out that they had signed Taiyo Nakahara and Hideto Tatsumi, I was surprised by the choices. Nakahara showed a lot of improvement in the SRC bantamweight tournament, but he was not a tournament favorite. He won a dubious decision over Shintaro Ishiwatari, who is the current Pancrase champ. He also had DQ win over Akitoshi Tamura. Mr. Haskamp watched Nakahara’s actual fights as an evaluation rather than simply looking at his record only.

Moreover, I was even more surprised by Hideto Tatsumi's signing because he is still very early in his career. However, even despite that, I see a lot of potential in his performances. He lost at Legend FC 7, but considering his short career, I still like this signing. These only happen when matchmakers devote the time needed to perform in-depth research. I am impressed by that.

Here is his interview. I feel that it is one of his best and hopefully sets a higher standard for MMA journalism and promotions. Take note of his clear and logical thoughts about Chinese MMA's future. 


Legend FC events have thus far been held in Hong Kong and Macau, but to look at the area's future, we can't ignore the potential of mainland China as a market for MMA. What do you think about the long-term potential of the mainland for MMA?

Mainland China is a huge potential market for MMA, and there are many tournaments already being held up there which don’t catch much international attention because they don’t publish any of their marketing, PR, or results in English. Last year, martial arts were the fifth most broadcast category of sports on TV, measured by total hours of programming. There is already a lot of interest in MMA, and I think we’re going to continue to see that grow, especially as more Chinese fighters go overseas to compete against high-level international opponents. 

In terms of our overall audience, China is already Legend’s biggest market. We have the largest broadcast footprint in China of any MMA organization. And of course, holding an event up there is part of our plans. We’ve been speaking with various potential partners for almost a year now, and once we’ve established the right partnerships up there, we’ll be moving forward with our first Mainland Chinese event. 


Recently, mainland China included MMA bouts at events like Hero Legend at Changsha, which drew an audience of over 10,000 people. These events fare well economically, but it appears that foreign fighters are only brought in for the Chinese fighters to beat. What is your plan for competing or cooperating with them?

Unfortunately, you are right that historically many Mainland Chinese promotions have looked at foreign fighters as only a way for Chinese fighters to demonstrate their own skills and superiority. However, as the sport has grown, the audience has also become more sophisticated, and they are becoming more aware of mismatches and one-sided fights. Chinese MMA fans want to see their local heroes fighting against the best international opposition, and we think that’s one of the main reasons why Legend’s Chinese audience is growing so quickly – because we make exciting, competitive matches that put Chinese fighters against some of the best opponents in the region. That approach won’t change, and I think will be one of the keys to our continued success in China. 


In areas like Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore, I feel that people tend to care more about business than sports, and even when people have a choice of sports, activities like running, tennis or golf attract more attention than fight sports. How do you plan to go about changing those people's minds?

I can’t comment on Singapore, but in Hong Kong and Macau, fight sports have traditionally been thought of as “dirty” because of certain past associations between gyms, promotions, and organized crime. And as a consequence, combat sports have been considered a low-class and unskilled activity. That view is quickly changing though, and I think that’s being driven by two things in particular: 1) more people are training in a variety of combat sports – from Muay Thai to Boxing to BJJ – as a way to stay fit and shake off the stresses of daily corporate life, and this is giving people a greater appreciation for just how complex MMA is, and how skilled the fighters are; and 2) Legend has developed a track record and reputation for holding high-quality events featuring some of the best fighters in the Asia-Pacific, which reinforces the idea that MMA is an elite-level sport. 

Chinese have history and tradition in martial arts like Kung Fu. However, I do not think that Kung Fu matches up well against other current martial arts. Do you feel that Chinese traditional martial artists will struggle initially in MMA like karate fighters did, and do you think that a Kung Fu fighter could one day become a champion like Lyoto Machida did with his karate?

I think it’s important to make a distinction between traditional forms of Kung Fu, and competitive forms like Sanda. I agree with you that traditional forms of Kung Fu are not particularly well-suited to MMA. However, as a freestyle form intended for competition, Sanda actually lends itself very well to MMA, particularly considering that it even incorporates some throws and takedowns. When Pat Healy and Brad Hannah from Team Quest traveled to Xian to run a six-week training camp, they commented on how effective Sanda striking was for MMA, and they even incorporated some of the Sanda techniques into their own MMA training. 

That said, like all single styles, Sanda is not a complete system for MMA, and fighters coming from a Sanda base (which is most Chinese fighters) need to work on their wrestling and submissions to round out their skills. But having watched the evolution of Chinese fighters over the two years since the first Legend show, I would say that they have shown the greatest overall improvement in skills. 


In matchmaking for Legend FC, you have featured Japanese talent ranging from famous fighters like Taiyo Nakahara and K-taro Nakamura to prospects like Hideto Tatsumi and Yuki Niimura. I watch a lot of the Kanto region's local MMA, but you really seem to have a passion for finding the top talent for your organization. How do you find this talent?

For all of us at Legend, this is not just a job for us – it is a passion. We love everything about MMA. We love the sport. We love the athletes. We love the fans. And so keeping an eye out for talent is one of the things I enjoy the most about my job. In Japan, I keep track of about 40 different fighters. Some of them are, as you said, famous fighters. Others are relatively unknown but have a lot of potential. Take Yusuke Kawanago for example – I was turned on to him by an American MMA fan living in Japan who sent me an e-mail simply saying, “You really need to have a look at this guy.” And this is basically the same approach I take for every country in Asia – it just happens that Japan has one of the richest pools of talent in the region. 

But we are selective about how we sign fighters. Even though we only require exclusive contracts for our titleholders, my belief is that every fighter signed to Legend should be able to fight at least three to four times per year for us because I consider it our responsibility to keep them busy. And as we increase the number of shows we do (we will have four the first half of 2012), we will sign additional fighters. But right now, our approach has been to keep our roster small but busy. 


At Legend FC 7, Taiyo Nakahara was DQed for punching the back of the head. While I definitely think that Nakahara should know basic MMA terminology in English, I also feel that the referee should have separated the fighters and warned him before calling off the fight. What do you think about the finish of that fight and the overall officiating in Legend FC?

I agree with you about the Nakahara fight: in my opinion, the referee should have separated the fighters and given Nakahara a yellow card, but it shouldn’t have been an immediate disqualification. And after the show was over, I shared my opinion with the referee. However, as I tell the fighters repeatedly at the rules meeting two days before the fights, I do not interfere with the officiating process. While we do select the referees and judges, it is critical to the integrity of Legend that my colleagues and I have absolutely no influence on the officiating process. I might disagree with a referee’s call or a judge’s scoring (and I certainly have in some of our past fights), but as long as what they do is within the rules, I will not interfere. Referees and judges need to have 100% of my support in order to exercise their authority. And fighters need to have confidence that the promoters will never interfere with the officiating of a fight. 

That’s not to say that I’ve always been happy with the way things have happened. For example, in Yusuke Kawanago’s fight against Mark Striegl at Legend 5, my opinion was that Kawanago won that fight. And as I mentioned, I thought Nakahara should have received a yellow card, not a disqualification. But referees and judges are human beings, and they see things subjectively. And as we also tell the fighters in the rules meeting, if they really want to guarantee themselves the win, they need to finish the fight instead of leaving it to the judges. 


Lastly, please tell me about your upcoming Legend FC 8 card and your plans for the future of Legend FC. 

I think this is one of our best cards yet. Jadamba vs. Nam will be an awesome fight. Both of them are outstanding strikers, but Jadamba is the more technical and disciplined fighter, whereas Nam is more of a brawler. Regardless of the outcome, both of these guys are great to watch. And the co-main event featuring Ji vs. Kawanago will be an interesting battle: Ji has submitted all of his previous opponents, but Kawanago has great takedown and submission defense, and lethal counter-striking. I’m guessing that fight won’t go to the judges. We’ve also got some great new Japanese talent debuting on the card: former Sengoku welterweight champion K-Taro, Shooto rookie champion Kasuya, and DEEP light heavyweight title contender Niimura. Overall, I think this is a great card – certainly one of our best yet. Almost every single one of the undercard fights could just as easily have been on the main card. And fans can watch the entire undercard live and free on our YouTube channel. 

As far as future plans go, we’re focused on doing more shows in more cities, and expanding our broadcast coverage even further. We’ll be back in Macau on June 16, and then it looks like our rescheduled Jakarta show will be three weeks later, on July 6 or 7. My wife Lin (who is also a colleague at Legend) will be giving birth to our baby daughter around June 25, so I’ve definitely got a very busy summer ahead of me! We’ll probably take a break during the Olympics in August, and then we’ll be back with a strong calendar for the second half of the year. All in all, it’s an exciting time for MMA in Asia, and all of us at Legend are just happy to be a part of it. 

Michael Haskamp Official Twitter

Legend FC Official Web

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing. 

Ian Dean interview

This week, I interviewed Ian Dean, who is the matchmaker for Cage Warriors Fighting Championship in the United Kingdom. At first, Cage Warriors did not catch the eyes of some MMA fans. Cage Rage received more attention. However, after many elite British fighters came through Cage Warriors over the years, people began to understand that it was a top organization in the area.

For me, I watched GCM's Cage Force in Japan and saw Dan Hardy's improvement in his fights there, but I never imagined then that he would someday receive a UFC title shot. That was quite a surprise to me and changed my perception about MMA in the U.K.

I asked Ian about the upcoming Cage Warriors female 125-pound tournament. Olympic athlete Ronda Rousey recently received a lot of attention at 135 pounds in Strikeforce, and Bellator had its 115-pound tournament with Megumi Fujii in 2010. While there is currently less attention paid to 125 pounds, the journey to find new stars will begin with this tournament.

As more 125-pound matchups take place, we will see improvements among the fighters and the division will become more significant. We must not overlook this Cage Warriors women's tournament and should watch as they build up new stars.

- For women, Strikeforce has a 135-pound division and Bellator has 115 pounds. There is no 125-pound division in those organizations yet, but Cage Warriors has its upcoming tournament at 125. I feel that CWFC has succeeded at finding and showcasing top European fighters before major organizations realize their talents. Do you think the 125-pound division is overlooked by major U.S. promotions?

Without a doubt, I honestly feel 125 lbs has the potential to be a big weight class for women's MMA. Not only does it have a lot of crossover appeal with some 115 lbs fighters moving up, but I also feel that a lot of 135lbs fighters could move down, too, but currently don't want to because no major North American promotion has pushed that weight class. You only have to look at the unified women's rankings to see the talent that is there and I feel there are many intriguing match-ups to be made.


- I am interested in the beginning of your tournament this week in Dubai. It seems like fewer women take part in sports in the Middle East than in other areas of the world. Have you been asked about women’s MMA often since you arrived?

To be honest, I don't know the exact figures and the Middle East is a very contrasting region. However, they do have a healthy interest in western sports in general, with our hotel and other areas showing soccer games, basketball and even the UFC.

This also will not be the first female bout in the region, and although it may not be accepting in other Middle Eastern areas for cultural reasons, our first female bout in Jordan back in September was warmly received and I know a lot of people here in Dubai are looking forward to the Gaff/Maia bout here, too.


- Is there any particular fight or fighter that you would suggest that people pay special attention to in this tournament? I felt that Sheila Gaff's clinch knee strikes against Aisling Daly were impressive last year.

I feel all four fighters bring something special to the tourney. Jennifer Maia has her association with the world famous Chute Boxe team, has a good record on her domestic circuit and is yet still largely unknown outside of Brazil, which brings with it a certain amount of mystique to the tournament. Whereas her opponent, Sheila Gaff, looked fantastic last time out on Cage Warriors stopping Aisling Daly with strikes and, at only 22 years of age, she has amazing potential as well as devastating KO power.

Whilst in the other bracket, both Rosi Sexton and Aisling Daly are very popular amongst U.K. and Irish fans and are both known stateside, too. I think everyone in the women's MMA scene has wanted this match-up to happen and I personally can't wait for it to happen.


- After this tournament is over, would you like to match the winner up against a top American opponent? Any particular fighter you might invite?

I'm also looking to bring over quality fighters to Cage Warriors. For whoever wins this tourney, I will look to get them another top-ranked fighter for them to defend their title against. I don't want to name names, but we'll do our best to bring over someone worthy of a title shot. Although it has been difficult at times to get U.S.-based female fighters onto our show, I hope that after this tourney we will get more interest.


- I looked at MMARising's female unified rankings and there are four European fighters in the rankings. Did that help to motivate you to start this tournament?

We are lucky to have several European fighters at 125 lbs and I guess that has made things a lot easier. And, with both Aisling Daly and Rosi Sexton being available, it's just common sense to use them when we can.


- Would you be interested in holding another women's tournament at a different weight? Strikeforce seems to be dropping the 145-pound division and 105 pounds is starting to develop in Japan. Perhaps CWFC could showcase some fighters that other organizations have overlooked?

If the talent is there, I would like to use it. However, you need fighters available to really push a division and, domestically, 105 and 115 don't have too many high level U.K./European fighters yet, but I'm always open to suggestions.


- Unfortunately, Cage Warriors is not yet recognized by most Asian fans except for super hardcores, but many elite fighters from Europe have fought for CWFC. Could you please describe the appeal of CWFC to those who read this interview?

We just try to do things the 'right' way. We like to push MMA as a legitimate sport. We are fair and try to treat people well. We are not only trying to push MMA in the U.K. and Ireland but across Europe and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa region) as well. We have great TV and distribution deals and are live on MMAJunkie.com, and I honestly feel that we are not only a show that MMA purists can enjoy but also a show for non-hardcore fans who enjoy seeing quality MMA action.

Cage Warriors Official Web

Ian Dean Official Twitter 

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing. 

André "Benkei" Vinícius Aurnheimer interview

I recently interviewed André "Benkei" Vinícius Aurnheimer, who is an MMA coach best known for physical training at American Top Team. He has worked with fighters like Antonio Silva, Thiago Alves, Gesias Cavalcante and many more.

Benkei does not only work on conditioning and physical training. He and Mohamed Ouali develop striking styles fit for MMA at ATT. In interviews with Manabu Takashima at Gong Kakutougi magazine and Fight & Life magazine,Benkei discussed Kyokushin Karate and provided his knowledge on striking,physical training and nutrition. He also talked about ground and pound knowledge that came from Tameshi-Wari.

I was interested in this. I have talked about Japanese fighters who aren't good at physical training and conditioning, but part of advanced American physical training and nutrition comes from Japanese traditional martial arts.

Benkei has left ATT now, but he continues to coach MMA fighters. Normally MMA coaches are asked about training students but are not asked about where their own training and knowledge came from. This interview is about an MMA coach who has a traditional martial arts background.

- Matsuro Megumi was a Kyokushin fighter who was sent to Brazil by Masutatsu Oyama. How did you start in karate and what was your first encounter with your master?

- I was Judo fighter (old style, no Olympic rules); with 18 years old I want some striking style to complete myself as a fighter (almost 30 years ago)... I trained a little be Kung Fu (Hung Gar style), but that not make me happy... I never use it in fight and always use my ground game to submit easy my opponents... I became friend with the kung fu teacher, and he told me he was training different style of karate... I never like Karate, to stiff style, but when I saw Megumi Sensei style I just Love it... He did not accept me as his students easy... he did not even talk to me for one year when I did start training... he started to talk to me after I trained hard against his old studdents, and did not give up after they destroy my legs. I was there, invited to his original uchi deshi, to that special training!!! I did not give up, but the other guy did not resist to the powerful leg kicks, and asked to stop before the end. After that Megumi Sensei started to talked to me, and made me his new uchi deshi. The time passed and he also became part of my family !!!

 - Kyokushin was focused on physical training and you learned how to build strength from Megumi. Also, part of your MMA coaching skill is developed from Megumi's influence. Please tell me about how Kyokushin and Megumi's philosophy affects your coaching for MMA.

- The first thing come to my mind everyday is dojo kun; in special: - "Hitotsu, wareware wa, shinshin o renmashi, kakko fubatsu no shingi o kiwameru koto". - "We will train our hearts and bodies for a firm unshaken spirit". I guide my life under that principles, my Master was not a big guy, and I am strong but also not taller guy also, that made me work strategically my moves all the time. Megumi Sensei, made me open my eyes an see suntimes the best fighter loose by strategy and hard training. Megumi Sensei always said :  Truth stood on one side and Ease on the other; it has often been so!!! 

 - Kyokushin is known for its emphasis on power. Masutatsu Oyama says, "Techniques exist inside of power." That philosophy distinguishes Kyokushin from other styles of karate. Do you feel that is what you learned from Megumi?

- Yeah, I can give you one good exemple. Take a look at the fighters i trained before and now they bt their own. Thiago Alves just fought against martin kampmann, the technique is almost the same, but the power was not there anymore. When you kick the legs and take it, destroy it by power is one thing! when you continous hit without damage is nothing. you can see it in JZ Calvan also with no power, the Striking and ground and pound, Technique can not be apply!!!

- In karate, students are often subjected to unreasonable amounts of training by their mentor or master. It helps to build a mindset for fighting, but it can also hurt the body. What is your opinion of karate's over-the-top type training?

 - That is the question... To feel the limit between push harder, no give up and sport science  is the Ultimate challenge of my work. The Scientist in me always fight against the kyokushin warrior inside me also. lol... But That is the magic... get the right time between rest, protecting the physical integrity of my fighter and "osu no seishin"- to persevere whilst being pushed . 

- Currently, elite fighters like Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo demonstrate the importance of speed in sports. What is your philosophy on speed and reflexes in karate and fighting in general?

- Speed is the key of power... if you can move fast, you can control the distance... if you control the distance you control the fight. I push so hard the training to get more, and more speed. I must to have the faster fighter in battle. All strategy start in the antecipation, and the speed is the key to get it. The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with accurance. 

 - We have seen more karate-based fighters competing in MMA recently. I find it interesting that some karate fighters lose when using tsuki (hand strikes) against boxers or kickboxers at shorter distances. Karate's tsuki have merit at greater distance and for accuracy of  strikes. Is there any suggestions that you can provide for karate fighters who face boxers or kickboxers at a short distance?

- I saw the light when i saw kazakhstan boxing skills! Use the foot work Constantly in angles, can help karate fighters to get the control over shorter distance. Some old Technique can help also as: Hiji Ate and Shita Isuki!!! "I have not permitted myself to be ignorant of any martial art that exists. Why? Such ignorance is a disgrace to someone who follows the path of the martial arts." ~Masutatsu Oyama~ 

- I read a magazine and found that you had been unable to contact your master Megumi since 2006. Did you find him? If not, please provide a message to the world and the people around Megumi. 

- Not yet... and now I must to!!! My wife is pregnant and my son soon will be here to he can training him. I need the information about where he is, I know he is in Japan now! I know he was with his family in Amami Ōshima ! I wanna go where he is right now, take out my hair and eyebrow also, and ask him to forgive my proud... I did everything because him and to him.... please if anyone know something about him, please send me one email to musahibo@hotmail.com ...."If every man would help his neighbour, no man would be without help." ~Bruce Lee~  osu...

Andre Benkei Official Twitter

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for English editing.

Jessica Penne interview

I interview Jessica Penne who is Bellator veteran.I interview about how she think about female MMA's new division 106 pounds and her division at Bellator, 115 pounds.She talk about how she interest potential fight against Jewels 106 pounds tourny fighter.

- Please talk a bit about what first made you interested in MMA. Was there any particular moment that motivated you to start training? Before you began training in MMA, did you have any other martial arts or sports background?

Before I began training in MMA, I was involved in a few different sports. I played soccer, softball and competed in swimming. I was interested in wrestling and tried to join the high school team, but they didn't allow me to join. I was very curious about grappling and kickboxing for some time, but I was not sure how to go about training and competing in it. I started training in grappling and kickboxing in 2005 and had my first MMA fight in November 2006.


- With your recent win against Rena Kubota in Shoot Boxing, many people realized your talents. Do you think that your fighting style fit well with the Shoot Boxing rules? You seemed to have a lot of success with throws.

I took that fight on about a week’s notice, and before that I didn’t know what Shoot Boxing was, but I thought it sounded like a great challenge. I’m more comfortable grappling than with my throws and striking, so this was a good opportunity to test all of the work I’ve put in. I really enjoyed fighting under the Shoot Boxing rules and I think that it was a natural transition from my MMA fighting style. I hope to have the opportunity to fight there again.

- Please talk about your experience of fighting at a Japanese event and spending time in Japan. Did you have time to train at any gyms or go sightseeing before you returned home?

Fighting in Japan was by far the best fighting experience that I have had. I had always wanted to go there, and to have the opportunity to fight there was a dream come true for me. Everyone was very welcoming and treated us very well. It was nice to see fighting so well-received there. It was a very short trip, so I didn’t get to sightsee as much as I had hoped, but I did have a little time to do some tourist type stuff. I can’t wait to go back.

- The female 48kg./106lbs. division in MMA isn’t very deep yet and you used to compete at a higher weight. Jewels recently began a 106lbs. tournament and a champion will be crowned in December. Would you be interested in fighting in Japan against any of the tournament fighters? Any fighters in particular?

I competed at a higher weight because there really weren’t many opportunities at a lighter weight in the States. Japan has a lot of good fighters at 106lbs. I had heard about that tournament and wanted to be a part of it. I hope in the future I will have that opportunity to go back to Japan and fight MMA and/or Shoot Boxing soon.

- When you faced Zoila Frausto in 2010, she was much bigger and you seemed to struggle with her power when trying to take her down. Would you like to continue fighting for Bellator at a higher weight (115lbs.) or do you hope that they will make a new division for you at 105lbs.? Please talk about your view of the 105lbs. division in the United States and its future.

I was small for that tournament. I usually walk at 115, and was actually below weight the week before that fight. I had hoped that by not having to cut any weight, I might have an advantage over people who had a big weight cut. After the Bellator tournament, it had been mentioned to me that they would want to do a lighter weight tournament, but I haven’t heard anything since then about it.

It would be great if they did, or if there were more opportunities at 105lbs in the States. I like fighting at 105lbs and my first preference would be fighting at that weight, but I have not ruled out competing at 115lbs, either, and there are opponents at that weight that interest me.


- Please discuss your training at Reign MMA. Who are your main trainers for striking, grappling and wrestling, and what is your opinion of them? Also, please talk about how Mark Munoz contributes to your fighting style. Has he helped you a lot with your wrestling and takedowns?

I currently train at Kings and Reign for MMA. Those gyms cross-train with each other. For striking, I have been learning from Rafael Cordeiro and Andre Dida. I have learned a lot from them and really enjoy their striking style. For wrestling, I have been training with Mark Munoz and Jacob Harman. And for jiu-jitsu, I have been training with Lucas Leite at Checkmat.

I work with Gavin MacMillan at Sport Science Lab for strength and conditioning and have never felt more athletic. I feel really lucky to be around such great teams and trainers. They have so much knowledge and are so supportive of everyone there.


- Do you currently have any fights coming up? If so, please talk about them. If not, what are your plans for next year?

I don’t have any fights booked yet, but I am looking and hope to fight in Brazil early next year. I competed at the No-Gi Worlds this past weekend to stay busy until then.


- Please give a message to the fans, both the English-speaking and in Japan, about your fighting career and your future.

I would like to say thank you to everyone for their support. My family, friends, coaches and teammates are amazing. I am very lucky to be involved in this sport, and it has brought me a lot of happiness. Training and fighting have brought a lot of wonderful people into my life and I hope to make them proud.

Jessica Penne Official Twitter

Big thanks to Robert Sargent  (MMA Rising) for interview arrangement and English editing.