Re-posting of Martin Kampmann interview…

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A couple of months ago, I was able to sit down with Martin Kampmann at the Xtreme Couture MMA training center here in Las Vegas.  Martin is a great guy and we had a very nice talk. 

This interview took place right before he fought Jake Shields.  I have spoken to him since that fight and plan to interview him again once he knows what fight is coming up next…

You have had an amazing career!

20 pro fights with only 3 losses, most recently to 2 outstanding fighters, Nate Marquardt and Paul Daley.  Let’s talk victories… 7 KO’s and 6 submissions… very well rounded!

Huge fight coming up here pretty quick.  Are you training w/ the same guys as usual?

“I’m training with a core group of guys here at Xtreme Couture.  I also had Drysdale come in.  Had some other guys come in like Pat Healy.  He was down here to help me out a bit.  I’ve been trying to work with some wrestlers to help with my takedown defense.”

How important is the other guy’s game plan? 

“I definitely look at his strong points and his weak points and I try to put together a game plan from that.  Of course, I try to think about what his plan is coming in, but if you expect and only prepare for one thing you could be surprised.  You got to be ready for anything.  I think it is good to study your opponents.  This fight for instance, I know the guy, in his last 20 fights he has been trying to take people down and submit ‘em.  Most likely he’s gonna try to take me down and submit me as well.  So, of course, I have been working a lot of defense on that.” 

The fight before that, the guy I was fighting, also a good submission guy, but he had a lot of knock out power, swingin hard for the fences.  So, then I was training for that.  I will change it up a little bit.  My primary schedule before the fight will be the same, but I’ll adapt a few things, tweek it up a little bit depending on who I am fighting.“

It is going to be an amazing fight. I cannot wait!

“I am looking forward to it.  I mean, I think he is kind of boring a little bit.”

That has been in a lot of articles lately… how guys who are strong wrestlers can take people down, but then just lay on top of them.

More general… is there anyone in the MMA that you look up to? 

“The first one to come to mind, of course, is Randy Couture.  He is the main guy here at the gym and he is a great inspiration to be around and a great inspiration to train with.  He is a great guy.”

Where do you see MMA is heading in the next few years?

“hopefully keep evolving and get a bigger fan base.  Become the biggest sport there is and have the paydays grow with it! (laughing)

Dana White said that the UFC’s number one goal right now is to go “global”.  Over the last couple of years there has been a clear effort made to capture the European market.   In the next couple of months there will be events in England and Germany.  Do you feel like this has had an effect on the sport?

It was announced last week that the UFC is expanding to Asia.  Any thoughts on how that could change things?  

“going global is a great thing.  Most sports are global.  Of course some sport like America football is the biggest hit in the US, but soccer is played almost everywhere in the world.  I would love to see it go global.  I am European.  I’m from Denmark and I would love to see the sport grow in Denmark. It is still growing as a sport and getting bigger and more exposure in the mass media, but it’s still a lot of years behind where it is here.  So, whenever I am home I try to do my part.”

On a lighter note… what do you like to do for fun here in Vegas!

“I like to hang out with my friends and my wife.  This Sunday I went hiking up at Mt. Charleston with the dog and my wife.  Go to lake, I like to be outside when it’s not too hot.  I like to play poker, as well. Just chill.  Relax a lot, you train hard and all you have the energy for is the couch.”

Thank you so much for your time and good luck with the fight!

Exciting things on the way for FIGHT CHURCH!

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There are so many cool things in the works for FIGHT CHURCH… we are very excited.  Here are just a few things going on!

  • We will be doing some work to the website in order to make it more useful.
  • I will be joining the THROWDOWN Training Center to learn more about MMA and make myself available to fighters, coaches, etc..
  • I will continue to volunteer at all TUFF-N-UFF EVENTS.
  • We will be attending as many local MMA events as possible.
  • I plan to do some training in order to be available as a ”corner man”.

The list goes on and on!  Of course, the really cool thing is that all of these things are simply ways to move us closer to our ultimate goal, which is to begin a chaplaincy program for the sport of MMA, much like the one found in every other professional sport.  The purpose of this program being to serve/support fighters and all others involved in the MMA community!

For more info on the program, take a look at the different areas of this site.  Also, be on the lookout and check back here often because we are just getting warmed up.  Just like the sport of MMA, FIGHT CHURCH is going to explode! 

UFC 123 predictions…

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here they are short and sweet!

Foster vs. Brown  Winner: Brown

Sotiropoulos vs. Lauzon  Winner: Sotiropoulos

Davis vs. Boetsch  Winner: Davis

Harris vs. Goncalves  Winner: Harris

Hughes vs. Penn  Winner:  Hughes

Rampage vs. Machida  Winner: Machida

should be some great fights… a couple of them should be really good and be super close!  let’s hope my picks pan out and my average keeps getting better.  sure can’t get much worse!

quick update…

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wow!  this was an amazing week of MMA!  i had the opportunity to attend the WEC 52 event at the Pearl at the Palms this past thursday night.  it was an incredible event!  the fight card was stacked and my seats were out of control.

i didn’t do too bad on my picks.  i think i had more than half correct which is like 100% for someone with a track record like mine!  there were some very intense battles and there were some totally one-sided dominations!  this event was one of the last two remaining WEC events ever… i am glad i was able to be there!

the very next night i headed down to the Orleans to help out with the TUFF-N-UFF event.  again, this event was phenominal!  everything ran smooth, the fights were very exciting, and i was able to talk with the majority of the fighters in the room where i was working.  working with TUFF-N-UFF has been a super cool experience.  i can’t wait till their next event in january!

then, on saturday, it was time for UFC 122!  this was one of those events that was presented on a tape delay for free and didn’t have a ton of buzz.  however, i thought it was solid.  my picks were about 50% for this one as well, which makes me 100% happy!  there were some really good matches… i was impressed!

so, in addition to all the quality MMA that has been happening, the ministry side of things is rolling right along too!  i continue to meet and build relationships with more and more people in the MMA community.  i am amazed at how far we have come in such a short time!  we have some very exciting plans and goals being laid out for 2011.  i am so looking forward to near future of FIGHT CHURCH!

a few things just around the bend include… additions to www.fightchurch.com, some new fighter interviews, fight predictions/commentary concerning the TUF Finale event, the 2010 WORLD MMA Awards, UFC 124, and WEC 53!  it is going to be the best kind of busy there is!

if you have any question, comment, etc. please get in touch with us!

some fight predictions…

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So, my last fight predictions for UFC 121 went a lot like they do most of the time… badly! I have been a MMA fan since there was such a thing and everyone who knows me always asks me about upcoming fights. Unfortunately, I secretly favor certain fighters because they are the underdog or they come off as nice or humble. As a result, I often make my picks using my heart rather than the cold hard facts. I end up picking who I want to win and not necessarily who think will actually win.

What I have learned about fighting is that anything can happen on any given day, no matter who is participating and that is what makes it so great! Something else I have learned about fighting is that predictions are fun, but the conversations about the predictions are way better. I enjoy making my picks and it is exciting to put yourself out there for the world to see. I will continue to do it, no matter my success, as long as it sparks a response and keeps the conversations rolling.

Let’s do this…

WEC 52 is this Thursday, November 11th right here in Las Vegas at the Pearl at the Palms. I am super excited about this event and will have the privilege to be there live to see the last WEC event in Vegas and 1 of the 2 last WEC events ever before it merges with the UFC and is no more! It is an amazing fight card and should be an incredible night.

Assuncau vs. Davis

These guys both came into the WEC with tremendous promise and took on some big named opponents. Unfortunetly, they were not terribly successful and find themselves up against each other in a do or die situation. However, they are pretty evenly matched skill wise and this should be an exciting fight.

Winner: Assuncao

Mendes vs. Vazquez

Mendes is tough and I like him a lot. He always brings it and pushes the pass. I am not as familiar with Vazquez, but from what I have read and seen, he seems to be moving up the ranks where Mendes seems to be stuck. This is going to be a close one. I think if Mendes keeps things standing and only takes Vazquez down when he is stunned, he will pull it out. If it goes to the ground, Mendes will have to be careful. I predict this goes the distance.

Winner: Vazquez

Benavidez vs. Fabiano

This one should be just as exciting as the main event, maybe more! I predict a back and forth battle.

Winner: Benavidez

Faber vs. Mizugaki

This fight will be a highlight reel. Maybe just one highlight and most likely it will feature Faber. He is going to stake his claim in his new weight class. Unfortunately, for Mizugaki, unless something crazy happens, Faber will be sticking that stake into Mizugaki’s future in the WEC. Faber is coming into this fight wanting to make a statement. I think he will do just that. This match will be the first victory in a short trip to a title fight!

Winner: Faber

As if that WEC event were not enough to hold us over until the next UFC pay-per-view, Saturday November 13th UFC 122 will take place in Germany and be broadcasted here in the US for free! The fight card seems a little weak on paper, but there are some familiar names and a great main event! Sometimes events like this, where the casual fan is disinterested and there is less hype, sparks fly and stars are born.

Rather than break down details, I will just give you my list winners. Petruzelli, Soszynski, Sadollah, Siver, Rivera, and Marquardt. As always, I would love to hear back from everyone… comments, questions, disagreements, etc.

my interview w/ roy nelson…

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A few months ago, I had the opportunity to interview Roy “Big Country” Nelson.  It was my first “interview” and ended up being a really nice conversation with a great guy!  For those of you who are not familiar with Roy Nelson, I will drop some Wiki type facts and such on you to get started. 

Roy has had an amazing career.  He has had 20 pro fights with 15 wins and only 5 losses.  4 of his 5 losses came by way of decision.  One of which was highly contested, one came at the hands of a former UFC champion, one to a current UFC contender, and another to a MMA legend.  He is the former IFC heavyweight champion, The Ultimate Fighter heavyweight winner, has 2 UFC “Knockout of the Night” honors, holds a black belt in BJJ under Renzo Gracie, and is a tremendously well rounded fighter!  His fight with Kimbo Slice on The Ultimate Fighter was the 4th most watched fight in MMA history with 6 million viewers!

Roy was born and raised here in fabulous Las Vegas.  He became a professional fighter in 2004.  When I asked him how he got started fighting, he said like a lot of kids he watched B rate martial arts movies and wanted to do what the guys in the movies were doing.  Unlike a lot of kids, Roy actually started to study martial arts and now has 29 years of training!  With his great foundation of martial arts laid down, he went on to study kickboxing and eventually Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Big Country has been doing this a long time.  I was curious what he would be doing if he was not fighting.  So, I asked and he said he would be teaching and/or working with kids.  I can definitely see that.  Roy is a totally down to earth, easy going, real person who has his own way of doing things.  Just getting in touch with his was easier than with most fighters.  When asked about where and with whom he trains, he said, “I train here at home with my friends.” 

If you have ever seen Roy Nelson, you know that there is one thing noticeably different.  His body type is not typical for a UFC fighter, at least not since the departure of David “Tank” Abbott.  He told me that he walks around in the 280’s and has to cut weight for fights.  Even though, when fight ready, Roy “Big Country” Nelson still may not look the part, he shows incredible athleticism and takes care of business.  He also has fun with it tweeting about Burger King and rubbing his belly after matches! 

I asked why there weren’t more heavyweight fighters despite the category having the biggest weight differential.  Roy’s response was quick.  “Most bigger athletes play football or basketball making millions and not getting punched in the face!”  Good point.  When I asked who Roy wanted to fight next, his response was just as quick.  “Brock Lesnar.”  Even though it sounds like Brock and maybe the UFC may not be interested in that match-up, I would love to see that fight!

To end out our conversation, I asked Roy some more light-hearted fun questions.  I asked where someone with the nickname “Big Country” likes to eat in Las Vegas and what does he order.  His answer was, “My house and probably steak, mashed potatoes, and asparagus.”  Finally, besides training, fighting and enjoying good food, what do you like to do for fun?  “Play basketball and hang out with friends.”  I would say that last answer sums things up nicely.  Roy Nelson keeps things simple and it works!

I hope things work out well for Roy.  Please check out www.roynelson.com and look for Roy’s next fight early next year!  

UFC 121 is THIS saturday, october 23rd!

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UFC 121 should be an amazing fight card.  i will try to give you my picks and some commentary without ranting and raving or blathering on and on. here it is!

on the main card, SCHAUB vs. GONZAGA.  this should be an exciting fight. SCHAUB is a young, super athletic guy who is up and coming.  he is hungry and needs a win to keep the dream alive.  GONZAGA is a big, hairy beast.  he has a ton of experience and can make things happen.  he should come into this fight very motivated.  he knows that a lose to SCHAUB sends him back down to the prelim section of future fight cards or worse.  most people on the MMA websites say SCHAUB will take this one.  some say it is too close to call.  i would tend to agree with the “some”, but i predict that GONZAGA comes into this fight and reminds fans why they know his name!

my pick: GONZAGA

ORTIZ vs. HAMILL was interesting because of the relationship between these two.  now, it is 10 times more interesting because of the crazy comments ORTIZ has made the last few weeks leading up to this fight.  HAMILL has a tremendous amount fan support and apperently the “experts” have been swept up in all of the hype.  most posted predictions give HAMILL the win.  i think HAMILL is a great guy and has an amazing story.  i am looking forward to seeing the movie.  i am not a big fan of ORTIZ… but i think ORTIZ is going to make a run for the belt and use HAMILL to skip a few places in line.

my pick: ORTIZ 

SANCHEZ vs. THIAGO is a beautful match-up.  this should be a non-stop, action-packed, crazy, barn burnner!  both of these guys are balancing on the razon sharp edge between contender and that guy contenders beat on their way to the top.  people in the know have this one pretty even and most likely going the distance. 

my pick: SANCHEZ

SHIELDS vs. KAMPMANN is, by far, the fight i am most excited to see!  SHIELDS is coming over from STRIKEFORCE as a champion.  he is very experienced and highly favored.  i would say that he is overly favored and that these two are evenly matched.  that is why this will be so good!  if SHIELDS wins, he gets a title shot.  if KAMPMANN wins, he will most likely get a title shot.  this is very motivating for both.  if KAMPMANN can keep things standing, he will win.  if things go to the ground, SHIELDS has an advantage.  there are a million different directions this match could go and a good chance it will go in all of them.  in the end, i think KAMPMANN is going to surprise a lot of people and i hope he does!

my pick: KAMPMANN in an incredible, hard fought, war of an upset! 

LESNAR vs. VELASQUEZ will be epic.  any time you put 2 heavyweights in the octagon, it has the potential to be forever remebered.  this is no different.  LESNAR is a huge freak of nature and could destroy most fighters on that alone.  add to that the fact that he is a world class wrestler and athlete and you are only left with a handfull of guys who have a prayer against him.  i just don’t think VELASQUES is one of them.  he is undefeated, but hasn’t really beaten anyone!  the heavyweight division is stacked.  there were at least 2 or 3 guys ahead of VELASQUEZ to get this title shot.  this will still be an exciting fight and anything could happen.  that is what makes this sport so awesome.  if VELASQUEZ comes right out, while he is fresh, and starts throwing leather, he could put lesnar down.  if he hesitates and doesn’t get busy, LESNAR will!

my pick: LESNAR

i would love to hear your picks, feedback, comments, complaints, opinion, questions… whatever! 

we are rollin’ right along!

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i wanted to share a more traditional “update” regarding our MMA ministry… things are going very well!  in the last 30 days, i have had the opportunity to make contact with many people involved in the MMA community here in vegas and all over the world. 

these contacts have been in person, on the internet, over the phone, and even on the mat.  i have visited most of the MMA gyms in the area multiple times and am working on building relationships with the saff and whoever else i have the chance to meet.  these contacts have led to some exciting opportunities.  we will have have more details soon! 

there are a ton of things in the works and i will continue to give updates, so be sure to check back often!

My chat with the Dave Farra…

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Before I headed down to the Palms to meet up with Dave Farra, I had a pretty good idea of who he was and what he did.  However, I am trying to be as professional as possible and become a better interviewer.  So, I jumped on his website www.davefarra.com to learn a little more about him.  This is what his site has to say in the “about” section…

“Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Dave got into media at a young age. On air with his own radio show at just 19, Dave was destined to make an impact early on. He worked at the South Carolina radio cluster that gave him his break for five years before promotion after promotion moved him out West in 2005 to a prominent radio station in Las Vegas, NV.” 

This is where I first heard of Dave Farra, on his morning show on X107.5 Las Vegas.  I quickly became a fan of the show and a fan of Dave’s.  The show is great!  As if having an amazing morning show in a major market weren’t enough, his website goes on to tell of awards and recognitions earned for the show, additional projects and accomplishments.  Here is what it has to say,   

“While continuing to host his award winning radio show for KXTE-FM (winner of ‘Best Radio Personality’ twice, and a nomination for ‘Best Alternative Radio Show In The Country’), Dave began doing work as a TV host for Raw Vegas TV on red carpets around Las Vegas. This valuable experience led to high profile jobs doing commentary and hosting for Red Bull, Ring Of Fire MMA, The International Poker League, and more. Throughout his career Dave’s work has been seen by millions on Versus, Direct TV, ESPN, Sun Sports Network, Sport South, The Dish Network, Vegas TV, FSN and CNBC.

Somehow Dave manages to find time to also executive produce television programming. In 2009 Dave developed the fast paced half hour mixed martial arts program MMA:30 that had a home on DirecTV and FSN South before the first episode even completed filming. January of 2010 marked another big moment in Dave’s career as another show he executive produced, The 2009 World MMA Awards, aired on the Versus Network to critical acclaim.”

Wow, this is a guy who is making things happen and that is exactly why I wanted to talk with him.  I was super happy when he agreed to meet with me. 

As I sat down to come up with a list of questions to ask, my excitement turned to worry.  I hadn’t thought about it before, but I was about to interview a professional interviewer.  What in the world was i going to do?  Question number one:  “Any tips on interviewing?”  And that’s no joke!

After Dave offered me some great advice and we talked about a few other things, I did my best with the rest of the interview.  At the risk of asking the obvious questions, I couldn’t help myself.  I asked, “What is your dream match-up?”  With barely a hesitation, Dave answered, “GSP vs. Anderson Silva!”  To my surprise, he threw in a “Roy Nelson vs. Brock Lesnar”.  That’s awesome!

Then I asked about his predictions for UFC 121 coming up this Saturday.  Here are his picks… Sanchez over Thiago, Ortiz over Hamill, Lesnar over Velasquez.  The only one he wasn’t sure of was Shields and Kampmann.  He said that he couldn’t believe the odds on this fight (3 to 1 for Shields) and he thought Kampmann was going to “give Shields some trouble”.  I agree and hope Kampmann pulls it out!

My last question was whether or not he was excited about any other upcoming fights.  He mentioned two.   The Maynard vs. Edgar fight, to which a Maynard victory predictionwas added and the Roy Nelson vs. Shane Carwin fight.

It may not have been the greatest interview, but I thought it was a pretty good talk.  Dave Farra is a super nice guy and I am thankful for the time he set aside for this.   

Well, my UFC 120 predictions were…

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So, here is what happened…

In Wilks vs. Patrick I picked Patrick and Patrick won.  Patrick actually looked really good.  I look forward to seeing where he goes from here.  If Wilks does not get cut, I have a feeling he will be stuck on the prelim portion of any fight card in the next year, even if the UFC lands back in the UK!

Kongo vs. Browne went just how I had feared.  I said Kongo would win, he did not.  For his sake, I had hoped he would do better.  Like with Wilks, I don’t think they are going to let him keep hanging out in the UFC just for old times sake!   

Hathaway vs. Pyle was a big mistake on my part.  I said Hathaway because he has looked so great and I wasn’t too familiar w/ Pyle.  However, while I was doing my weekly gym visits, I got some inside info and should have changed my prediction on this one.  I was told by people in the know that Pyle would school young Hathaway and he sure did! 

Hardy vs. Condit  What a fight!  I knew it was going to be a good one, but I never expected Condit to knock Hardy out like that.  Wow!  I picked Hardy to win because I thought the homefield advantage would play a bigger role.  Oh, well.

Bisping vs. Akiyama Wrong again!  Geesh!  I made this pick entirely based on my personal and immoral dislike for Bisping.

Overall, I thought there were some great fights dispite my horrible picks.  Stay tuned, I will be posting my picks for this saturday’s UFC 121 Lesnar vs. Velasquez.  The fights are going to be out of control good and hopfully my picks will be better.  I would love to hear your picks, feedback, questions, comments or whatever about UFC 120 or 121!