Bobonis Defends Combate Extremo Title on March 24th

Pro MMA fighter Shah Bobonis will look to build on his four fight win streak on March 24, 2012, when he fights Rodolfo Rubio in the Combate Extremo promotion. The title fight will take place in Monterrey, Mexico.

Bobonis has been a friend of mine since I did a story on him in preparation for a bout back in 2008. I was recently able to catch up with Shah and ask a few questions about his upcoming bout.

MMA Blaster: You haven't fought since your Bellator knockout victory over Marcos da Matta in September, how has training been going?

Bobonis: Yeah, I havent fought since September of last year. I was supposed to fight on the XFC in December of last year, but my opponent was injured nine days before the fight. My training for the March 24th Combate Extremo title defense has been going great.


MMA Blaster: What members of the FFA team have you been helping out?

Bobonis: We have a great group of small guys at FFA. The list includes Tulio Quintanilla who is also a Bellator veteran; Jason Soares, the FILA 2011 no-gi world champion at 65 kilos; Edwin Sarriar, the 125lbs WFO amateur champion; Edir Terry, a Karate black belt and great kickboxer; and my coaches are some of the best MMA minds in the game.

MMA Blaster: How frustrating is it to have scheduled fights fall through? Is it just part of the MMA game?

Bobonis: As far as fights falling through, I'm used to it. I don't make the same mistakes that I have made before. In the past, I would usually just take a short notice fight at a higher weight class. That accounts for half of my six losses. I'd say once a fight is signed you only have about a seventy percent chance of actually fighting the person originally scheduled, if you get to fight at all.

MMA Blaster: Judging by a video of your next opponent, he looks to have some grappling skill. How do you like to attack grappling oriented fighters?

Bobonis: I agree, Rubio does have decent BJJ. From looking at the tape, I think that is his strength. I plan on taking what he gives me. If he intends on grappling, I have no qualms pounding him out. There is no way I end up on my back in this fight. When punches and elbows are raining down, it's really hard to pull off a submission against a top level guy.


MMA Blaster: What do you like most about fighting in Mexico?

Bobonis: I really like Mexico, and fighting there presents a different challenge. When I fight in the United States there are many high level grapplers who have a huge hole in their striking game. Usually in Mexico it’s the reverse, on average I feel the top guys in Mexico have much better striking then most fighters in the US.

MMA Blaster: Would you like to get another fight in Bellator? Would you be willing to fill in and fight as an alternate in the season 6 tournaments? How do you think you would stack up to the fighters in last seasons Ultimate Fighter?

Bobonis: I’m ready to fight ANYONE in the world at 135 pounds. The best shows in the United States are Bellator and the UFC. Looking at the last season of the Ultimate Fighter reality show, I feel like most of the guys at bantamweight wouldn’t last two rounds with me. There are plenty of guys in the Bellator bantamweight tournament that I would love to fight. I have a good relationship with the south Florida matchmaking consultant for Bellator, so I hope to be on a Bellator card later this year.

MMA Blaster: Many fighters are embracing twitter, what are your thoughts on it? What is your twitter handle?

Bobonis: Twitter is great, I personally love it along with any other form of social media. For some guys I see how it could be a loaded gun with no safety. I have an MMA blog that comes out weekly on a few websites and I always post links to it on my Facebook and Twitter. I wish I was more tech savvy so I could do more. My Twitter handle is @shahbobonis.


MMA Blaster: What were your thoughts on the Diaz versus Condit fight? Who do you think won?

Bobonis: I think Condit clearly won by landing all the clean shots standing. Aggression is great, but it has to be effective aggression. Diaz wasn’t effective at all, he was countered all night. Another thing I’d like to touch on, how is Diaz so angry all the time? Most the people I know who smoke weed are pleasant and laid back. The Diaz brothers are the angriest pot heads I’ve ever seen.

MMA Blaster: Do you have any thank you's or shout-outs?

Bobonis: I want to thank FFA, Brawl and Maul, Trim Nutrition, MMA Solutions, MMA Athlete, all my training partners at FFA and my parents.

Shah Bobonis Stops the Show

Despite having his scheduled Rad Rock MMA fight cancelled and pushed back, pro fighter Shah Bobonis was able to pick up another bout for Fight Time 4 - MMA Heavyweight Explosion on April 1, 2011.

During the fight, Shah was able to secure a first round TKO victory via doctor stoppage. Shah should have a busy summer, next fighting in a Combate Extremo 145 pound championship bout on May 21st against Manuel "Manix" Gallerta.

MMA Blaster: What did you know about your opponent going into your last bout?

Bobonis: My last fight was against Chris Thorne from American Top Team. I knew he was a Florida state champion wrestler and former Marine. I figured he would come out and try to make it a grappling match. To my surprise he started to stand up and trade with me, needless to say, the bout went better than I thought it would.

MMA Blaster: How did the fight play out? What did you do to stop the fight?

Bobonis: After a few exchanges I slipped a two punch combination of his and grabbed my Thai clinch. The first knee was to the body and I heard him let out a grunt as he bent over. The I landed clean knees to the middle of his face, one of which opened a huge cut. That's when he started to go to his wrestling, trying to pin me against the fence to get a take down. But, he was eating knees to the body and shoulder butts the entire time. As we circled to the middle of the cage in the over under clinch, I was still landing knees to the body.


As one of the knees landed, he grabbed my leg and tried to go for a single leg takedown. I grabbed a standing Kimura and nearly ripped his shoulder off. That created a scramble on the floor and Chris ended up in side control. After regaining full guard, he couldn't get off any shots and we were stood up. I ran across the cage and hit him with a flying knee that drove him straight back into the cage. He tried to shoot in after that and sprawled out eating elbows to the side of the head as the bell rung. At the end of the round, the docs came in and stopped the fight due to a cut. That was my second straight win over a ATT opponent.


MMA Blaster: What weight was the fight at?

Bobonis: That fight was at 145 and was the easiest weigh-in of my life. After my fight in Mexico, I'm looking for a catch weight fight at 140, then I'm moving down to 135.

MMA Blaster: Did you try out for TUF? How did that go?

Bobonis: Yes, I did the TUF tryouts. I tapped the guy I grappled with, then I was in the process of tapping him again when he picked me up and slammed me. After we were explicitly told "NO LEG LOCKS AND NO SLAMMING!" I wasn't asked to hit pads after grappling.

MMA Blaster: Why don't you think you didn't get the call to hit pads in the 2nd stage of the tryout?

Bobonis: I don't really know, but I think maybe with a 10-6 record they are looking for guys with less losses. To be honest, I could easily be 10-2 right now. I took a catch weight fight in Costa Rica at 160 pounds, when I was ready to fight at 145 pounds. The promoter said the guy I was supposed to fight missed his flight. I should have just walked away! Me being a idiot, I wanted to fight so I fought the guy at 160 pounds. He is now 8-2 as a pro and holds a title in Costa Rica. I took another fight at 160 on four days notice, not smart. I have two spit decision losses that could have gone either way. But I'm going to keep taking smart fights, get better everyday, and see where my career goes.

MMA Blaster: What are your plans for the near future in MMA? Future fights?

Bobonis: I'm fighting Manuel "Manix" Gallerta for Combate Extremo on May 21st for their 145 pound title in Monterrey, Mexico.

MMA Blaster: Any shout outs? Sponsor mentions?

Bobonis: I want to thank my parents, training partners at FFA and Brawl and Maul for all the support.

Rev Reigns Supreme at WWFC

Chuck "The Reverend" Grigsby emerged victorious at World War Fighting Championships 2 which took place at the 7 Flags Event Center in Clive, Iowa on April 9, 2011. Grigsby fought battle tested Sean Huffman, who has fought in over 32 MMA bouts, which includes career wins over solid veterans Mike Van Meer, John Halverson, Joey Clark and Dennis Reed.

The fight was Rev's first fight under 205 pounds, contested at a catch weight of 190 pounds. With summer approaching, expect to see Rev keeping a busy schedule while continuing his martial arts journey.

MMA Blaster: How did the fight play out?

Rev: The fight went like everyone told me it would go after I told them about the matchup. It was three rounds with a guy who would not quit and take everything I had. I thought he would go down with the shots he took. I give him a lot of credit for that, he is a warrior. Ironically, it was the perfect fight for me to shake some of the rust off and get some work in.

MMA Blaster: What was the result of the bout?

Ultimately, I won by unanimous decision. My corner men and teammates thought I could have finished the fight earlier. Obviously, I still have some more work to do to put together a complete fight, which I still haven’t done despite attaining my 21st career win.

(Grigsby v. Huffman)

MMA Blaster: How was your first cut to 185? When was the last time you weighed that much? Who helped you get there?

Rev: The weight cut was tough, but achievable. My opponent actually asked for it to be at a 190 catch weight and I felt really good on fight night. But, it was different from my first time that I cut from heavyweight to light heavyweight.

I think the last time I weighed 190, I was junior in high school, bananas. My nutrition and conditioning was guided by Kosama’s meal plan and their 10 week Complete Body Transformation along with my MMA training at New Beginnings MMA Program with my training partners and coaches Josh Neer, Miguel Rios, Elvis Mutapic, Kervin Veasly, Dwayne Cason, and Kisor. They really had me peaking for this fight.

(Rev getting down to 190)

MMA Blaster: What are your plans for the near future in MMA?

Rev: Currently, I have a verbal agreement for a fight with Superior Cage Combat in Vegas next month. Then possibly a fight in Canada in June. I am also tentatively open for the moment for the months after May, and we will get that all sorted out with my management, KO Dynasty this week. That’s the beauty of it for me right now, I am not locked in with an exclusive long term contract with any one promotion. I have more than one option on the table regarding what’s next.

MMA Blaster: Any shout outs? Sponsor mentions?

Rev: I would like to give a shout out to Sean Huffman for taking the fight, when many fighters said they would take the fight but didn’t, for whatever reasons they gave. I have a lot of respect for him. I would also like to thank my family, teammates, friends and fans for the support and sacrifices they made to help me be successful. It means the world to me. I can’t do it without cha! -Rev

(Rev's fight shirt from Respek Fightwear)

Mikey Rukus - Sounding Off

As a fighter approaches the cage or ring a key component in getting them into a frame of mind to fight is their entrance music. Musician Mikey Rukus, an avid MMA fan, is on the forefront, crafting unique custom introductions for fighters. I had a chance to catch up with Mikey, here is the interview:

MMA Blaster: What exactly can you do for an MMA fighter?

Mikey Rukus: I create custom entrance themes for fighters, much like the WWE Superstars who come out to their own music. I can perform all styles, including rock, hip hop, heavy metal, orchestral, electronic, punk. I specialize in the dramatics and high energy.


MMA Blaster: What fighters have you wrote songs for?

Mikey Rukus: The most notable introduction song I've done was for Robbie Lawler. I have several UFC fighters that want music, but the UFC will not allow custom music in the organization. My business has really picked up with MMA companies.

MMA Blaster: Where is your home base?

Mikey Rukus: I'm based in Richmond, Virginia. I have done work for The 10th Legion and Extreme Brawl MMA promotions in the United Kingdom. I perform live as well as a solo artist with a full back up band.  I can go anywhere. 


MMA Blaster: What is the creative process you go through?

Mikey Rukus: If a client approaches me for music, I gather all of their information, find exactly what they are looking for, then create three samples based on that information. The client chooses the sample that they feel best represents their brand. I specialize in brand identity.  The key is when I create a song for a client, they retain all copyrights.

I can use any catch phrases or motto's they want people to hear within the lyrics. I can sing and/or rap with any style: rock, hip hop, heavy metal, orchestral, punk, or electronic. Everything is completely original. I create all music involved in the process. There are no stock beats, everything is from scratch for every client.


MMA Blaster: How did you get started in the music business?

Mikey Rukus: My older sister snuck me out to see Metallica when I was thirteen.  After seeing that show I knew what I needed to do and taught myself to play guitar, bass then drums, then started using sequencers and small hard disc recorders to do small stuff.

I've been playing music for nearly twenty years, having done everything from rapping on underground mix tapes to scoring indie horror films. My writing has always been adrenaline charged, high energy and dramatic, and my love for MMA has always been there, it just felt right to go after.

MMA Blaster: What do you do to get ready for a live show?

Mikey Rukus: Just prepare. Practice wise, I've learned to turn the switch on and go from Mike Rivera to Mikey Rukus rather quickly. I have the tendency to drive my wife crazy in the day leading up to a show, but I don't see it though, haha.

MMA Blaster: Who are your favorite fighters right now?

Mikey Rukus: I have several, I like watching Jon Jones and BJ Penn.  Ovince St. Preux is set to have a breakout year. I would like to see more of Alistair Overeem in the states, which I know with the upcoming tournament in Strikeforce will be great. In the lightweight division, I'd have to say Anthony Pettis and Clay Guida just because of the high energy. In the welterweight division, I gotta go with Georges St. Pierre. I love to watch Cyborg Santos in the women's division.

Mikey Rukus music can be found here: www.soundclick.com/mikerivera.

The Rev Back From Russia

I was able to catch up with Midwest Cage Championship and Victory Cage Championship's 205 pound champ Chuck "The Reverend" Grigsby as he returned from his trip to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Chuck took part in this season's M-1 Challenge which can be seen on HDNet. He had a good run on Team USA East, traveling to the Bulgaria, Netherlands and Russia. In between his M-1 run, Rev also was able to defend his VFC belt in front of his home crowd in Des Moines, Iowa. Here is the interview:

MMA Blaster: Rev, since we last talked you have fought twice, how did your VFC title defense against Demetrius Richards go?

I won, but I really didn’t have my best performance. To be honest with you, and not to make any excuses, but I had an injury going in to the fight. It was my 2nd title defense for VFC and I really did not want to pull out at the last minute.

Looking back, I really loved the challenge of overcoming the adversity even though I should have probably pulled out. I basically only had one leg for the fight, and he forced me to find another way to win than what I am accustom to.

(Rev landing a left hand)

MMA Blaster: What is it like defending your belts in Iowa in front of your home crowd?

I’ve always felt that you need to take care of business in your own backyard before you can go out an try run the streets. I've held the VFC and MFC belts since 2007, and defended each of them twice. VFC treats me well, as well as MCC. Both organizations have supported my international ventures this year.

When I fight at home, I feel like I'm more under the microscope and feel as if I need to prove something to the people who have come out to support me. The pressure forces me to stay focused on the task at hand, so I don’t let anyone down. It’s a positive thing.

MMA Blaster: What was your game plan going into the fight?

Honestly, I wanted to get in and get out with a win as fast as I could. I had a fight lined up in Russia two weeks following. My opponent had other plans, and it ended up taking me over two rounds to finish the fight. I know how hungry fighters can be when they get a chance to fight for their first belt. I expect them to be in the best shape of their life, focused and determined when they have a fight with me.

MMA Blaster: What occurred in your last fight against Besiki Gerenava in M-1? I heard there was some controversy surrounding the fight, can you talk about that?

It was a split decision loss that myself, the media, corner, and the Russian crowd all disagreed with. I knew going into the fight that I needed to finish by submission, KO or referee stoppage in order to win. This is the international scene, and if you don’t do that, you have to expect they are going to give a decision to their countryman.

It could have been Finland, Spain, Germany, or Japan, any place in a country that is not your own you have to win with a stoppage. My only mistake other than not getting a stop, is that he may have won the first round of the three that took place. He was a good fighter, and I take responsibility for the loss.

(Rev lands a right hand)

MMA Blaster: What are your thoughts on the team taking 2nd place in the M-1 Challenge?

Honestly, it was a win win situation after making the semi finals. Nobody, except our team, believed that we would be one of the last two teams standing out of the 16 countries that participated in this awesome tournament. Winning silver instead of gold stung a little, but overall it was probably one of my biggest accomplishments as fighter, and I cherish the opportunity I had to represent our country.

(Team USA East)

MMA Blaster: How often do you plan on fighting in 2010?

Depends on who and where, I think. Fighting overseas exposed me to different skills and techniques I'm planning on incorporating into my skill-set. It will take some time to train to become proficient and effective with these new skills.

MMA Blaster: What organizations do you plan to fight in for 2009? Will you be fighting oversees? Europe? Japan? USA? Will you be defending any of your belts in Iowa?

I really can't speak specifically on that right now because my manager Reed Wallace is working on the international and national opportunities. But locally, I have another title defense for MCC that I wanna do. They have someone holding an interim belt while I have been away, so I would like to clear that up. Tentatively I have also talked to VFC about fighting for another title at 185. There is plenty of work out there for me if the contract is right.

(Rev and Reed Wallace)

MMA Blaster: Any shout outs?

I wanna thank my family: Xander, Sara, Berniece, Jaunette, Frank, Jan, and Carrie. They continue to be my core and foundation for success. My manager Reed Wallace of White Choclate Management. M-1 Global, Midwest Cage Championships, Victory Fighting Championships and all the wonderful people who are involved in making the shows tick. Big thanks to Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts, Des Moines Jujitsu Academy and Round Kick Gym.

Also wanna thank my inner circle of friends and training partners for helping me with my preparation and performance which include Anthony Porcelli, Josh Neer, Dwayne Cason, Kervin Veasly, Cardell James, Kevin Burns, Pete Peterson, Ed Spitzer, Chris David, Jeremy Stephens and Mike Ayers. Thanks to Joe at MMA Blaster for your time and support!

The wonderful fans that have followed and continue to follow my career. Thanks for being there with me. In this business I have learned there are only a few that truly understand loyalty, commitment and support with the ups and downs of the fight game. I couldn't do it without ya! Dreams Goals and Dedication.

Also like to thank my main sponsors, Joe Abbott of KOBC clothing, Joe Spenceri of Animal Instinct, Sophi Blocker of Rumors Tattoo and the 515.

Exclusive Interview - The Reverend

In his past three fights, Chuck "The Reverend" Grigsby has been traveling across the globe fighting for the M-1: Challenge promotion. I was able to catch up with and ask some questions about his recent mixed martial arts bouts.

MMA Blaster: Where are you training right now?

I primarily train at the Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy run by Anthony Porcelli. I train my kickboxing with Kevin Veasly and Cardell James, and when I have the opportunity, I like to also work on my Jiu Jitsu at Des Moines Jiu Jitsu Academy. I train with some of the best submission wrestlers and Jiu Jitsu guys in Iowa.

MMA Blaster: Since the last time we talked, you defeated Rob MacDonald from The Ultimate Fighter show, how did that fight play out?

It was a real quick fight. I think felt like it was over in 7 seconds and I enjoyed that. I am very fortunate to get a win in the manner that I did, you don’t get many fights like that.

MMA Blaster: What led you to the M-1 promotion?

I have always wanted to fight internationally. I think that is the best option for me and my style of fighting. I played pro basketball overseas after college for a few seasons. My manager Reed Wallace has many connections internationally and M-1 was the best option.

MMA Blaster: What was it like fighting in Bulgaria for your first M-1 fight?

Bulgaria was wild! There were so many things outside of the actual fight that I had to consider, but outside of that extra stuff, I just assumed it would be like any other fight. I loved the experience, especially getting a win over an Olympic level wrestler and fighter. They displayed good sportsmanship and were good to us, despite our team shutting them out.

MMA Blaster: How did the fight play out against Atanas Dzhambazov? What type of fighting background did he have?

His style was Sambo. He was an extremely strong individual and gave me some unique challenges during the fight. It didn’t help that I pulled my hamstring in the first 30 seconds of the fight either. He was really tough, it was very good win for me.

MMA Blaster: What are the fans like in the M-1 events?

They are different in each different country. In Bulgaria they were much like American fans being rowdy and into the fights. In Holland the fans were very laid back and nonchalant, but you can tell they were well educated in MMA. The Russian fans were really into it and love their Russian fighters, it is a tough team to fight against.

MMA Blaster: What is it like fighting on Team USA East?

I am very proud to be a part of the championship team, it was a lot of work and we were never considered the favorites. That made it even that much more satisfying. I enjoyed seeing fighters from all over the country, with all the different skill sets and styles coming together for one common goal, Team USA East winning. The bond with your teammates is much like the bonds you develop with the guys you train with regularly. The experience of traveling out of the country to fight and going to the finals was awesome. M-1 is like the World Cup or Olympics of MMA.

(Team USA East Pictured)

MMA Blaster: In your second fight you fought at heavyweight right? What happened in the fight with Jessie Gibbs? How much weight were you giving up?

Yes, that fight was at heavyweight. He was too big for me honestly. I think he had like 40 pounds on me. I won’t fight at HW again unless it a opponent I can’t turn down. If anything I might look at the 185 division, but I doubt that. Weight cutting can be hard and I didn’t want it to be an issue. Traveling for that many hours while trying to cut weight can be really brutal if you don't have an organized weight cutting system.

MMA Blaster: How was the fight against Spencer Hooker? Did you look at any of his tape, I saw he has some quality victories?

He is probably the most skilled heavyweight in the M-1 Challenge. That is why I fought him because I wanted to go against the grain and challenge myself. It was a good fight and very technical. I think if we were fighting in neutral territory the fight would have gone into the 3rd round where I would have had another round to break him down, or visa versa. There was no quitting in that fight.

I knew he was a Jujitsu guy, so I knew I had the advantage in stand-up. It seems that most fighters see me a pure stand-up fighter, so they think I’m a good match up for them if they are a wrestler or submission fighter. He was tough and had no quit in him. He took some really good shots from me and was still standing, not many guys can say that. It was awesome fight.

MMA Blaster: What was it like fighting in Russia?

The Russian people were really open to Americans and our culture. Americans have a lot of misconceptions about the Russians. I would like to take my family over to visit someday.

MMA Blaster: What sort of preparations do you have to make before fighting oversees?

I have to be literally fight ready on the day I leave the United States in order to combat the hurdles of cutting weight and training. Usually the time I am overseas I focus on doing light cardio and technique and pray that weigh-in's come faster than they ever do!

MMA Blaster: Any shout outs?

I am able to unveil my family who are my heart and soul: Xander, Sara, Berniece, Jaunette, Carrie, Mannie and all of the rest of the crew. Also want to say thanks to my manager Reed Wallace of White Chocolate Management, training partners and coaches. I couldn’t do it without cha!

MMA Blaster: Sponsor mentions?

KOBC clothing apparel http://www.kobc.tv/, Animal Instinct clothing apparel www.myspace.com/luckyhands, Cup O' Kyptonite Coffee and Comics http://www.cupokryptonite.com/, and Jordan Creek Chiropractic. All those guys have been great to me.

(Rev's Bling)

*You can catch the M-1 Challenge on HDNet!
*Visit past articles on Rev by clicking the label below.

Exclusive Interview - Shah Bobonis

I was able to catch up with up and coming MMA fighter Shah Bobonis last weekend. Shah is coming off of a big victory in Mexico's Combate Extremo promotion that earned him their 145 pound featherweight championship.

MMA Blaster: How did you end up fighting for Combate Extremo?

I ended up fighting for Combate Extremo because one of the partners in the company spends a lot of time Orlando. He happened to see me competing at a NAGA grappling tournament that I won. He asked if I would participate in a Super Fight at his next grappling event. From there, he started looking me up and watched some video and liked the way I fought. After my last two wins we had a solid relationship and he asked if I wanted to fight for his 145lbs title.

MMA Blaster: Does your experience fighting in Costa Rica transfer over to fighting in Mexico?

Fighting in Costa Rica early on in my career was key in feeling comfortable fighting for this title. I was accustomed to the travel and hostile crowd so it didn’t feel like my first Rodeo.

MMA Blaster: What are the MMA fans like in Mexico?

The MMA fans in Mexico were every bit as passionate as the fans in Costa Rica. They called me every name in the book as I walked out to the ring which I expected as I was fighting their countrymen. The difference was after the fight the Mexican fans were very friendly.

MMA Blaster: What did you know about Carlos Monzon before the fight?

I had seen tape on Monzon and the first thing I noticed was that he is huge for a 145 pounder. He was a Sean Sherk look alike. His Muay Thai was good and he was very aggressive. When Monzon was on the ground he only looked to ground and pound, never too worried about passing guard or hunting for subs. His wrestling did not look overwhelming, it just seemed he was a very good athlete and naturally hard to take down.

MMA Blaster: What was your plan going into this fight?

The game plan was to take him into deep water. From the few fights that I watched he seemed to come out guns blazing and walk through guys. I knew if I could bare the brunt of the early storm I would be fine.

MMA Blaster: How did the fight play out?

The fight ended up being a lot shorter than I thought. My reach was giving him problems which led him to lung in and give up a easy double leg take down. I don’t think he was used to being on his back. Trying to get back to his feet he went to all fours as he was trying to get up and I jumped into a guillotine.

MMA Blaster: What sort of response did you get from the crowd?

After the fight they were a lot more receptive to an American holding a belt in their country’s biggest MMA show than they were before the fight. The crowd was great, probably about 3,000 people. I spent an hour after the fight taking pictures with the fans and my new belt.

MMA Blaster: I've heard you are pretty busy over the next couple months, where are you fighting?

I’m working on a fight in Puerto Rico Nov 20th for an upstart promotion called Maxximo Fighting Championships. It isn’t for a belt, but hopefully next time I travel to Puerto Rico I’ll get a shot. They have had some great fighters on their show already such as WEC vet Eric Schambari and Whisper Goodman.

In December, I’m back in Mexico to defend my title. I was told by the promoter my first title defense will be against another one of Mexico’s best fighters. I forget his real name, but his nickname is El Gato (the cat). I’ve seen tape on him and he is a very skilled guy. That will be my last fight at 145 pounds. Next year I want to fight some really big names at 135 pounds.

MMA Blaster: What are your goals in MMA at this point?

Goals include fighting for more titles and by the end of next year fighting for a huge promotion WEC, Dream, Sengoku, Strikeforce, whatever! I would love to fight in Japan! My dream match-up would be standing up and having a war with Hiroyuki Takaya. In the WEC I’d like to fight a guy like Manny Tapia. I like the way he fights stand up guy who brings it. It would make for a exciting fight.

By the end of next year I think I’ll be ready to fight anyone in the world at 135 and give them a run. My last three fights have been with guys who usually fight at 155. Two of the fights were at a catch weight of 150 pounds. The combined record of my last three opponents is 16-4. I got a sub in less than 2 min, a decision win, and a split decision loss that many feel I won. I think at 135 I can be a force!

MMA Blaster: How did the fight with Rudy Tujillo go in the XFC?

The fight with Ray Trujillo was really disappointing. I totally dominated the first round, I’ll give him the second round, and I feel there is no way he won the third. During the fight I swept him, had twice as many take downs, had his back and had him mounted several times. He had maybe two take downs, but never passed my guard and never caused any damage. But, I should have finished the fight, if you let it go to the judges in MMA you never know what you will get. I lost a split decision.

MMA Blaster: How did your fight with Dustin Blake go in Kansas?

The fight with Dustin Blake was tough but I feel I won every round. He was the hometown favorite. It was much like fighting in Mexico or Costa Rica. I guess I play the bad guy well. I won the split decision. The one judge that gave the fight to Blake is a Witchita native, go figure. But it was a huge win for me!

MMA Blaster: Who are you training with now?

I’m back in Miami training with the Avellan brothers at the Freestyle Fighting Academy. The only school on Earth that can say they have four ADCC vets teaching classes. My coaches are Marcos, David and Rima Avellan, Enricco Cocco and Efrain Ruiz.

MMA Blaster: Any shouts outs?

Always want to thank Braul and Maul, http://www.brawlandmaul.tv/, Paragon MMA, http://www.paragonmma.com/, Bucklehead knifes, http://www.bucklehead.com/ and everyone at FFA http://www.floridamartialarts.com/!!

Gerald Harris Exclusive Interview

The following is an exclusive MMA Blaster interview with former Ultimate Fighter 7 competitor and IFL veteran Gerald Harris. MMA Blaster thanks Gerald for his time and wishes him the best in his martial arts career.

MMA Blaster: Gerald, you recently won the NAGA Arnold Classic World Grappling Championship in the Advanced No Gi division, what was that experience like?

Gerald Harris: It was crazy just to be able to compete. A year ago, I couldn't have even made it past the 1st round, but I've been training in so many great places that my BJJ has developed very fast. Oh yeah, I got the s*** choked out of me in the semifinals but somehow managed to wake up and win the match.

(Gerald after winning the NAGA Arnold Classic)

MMA Blaster: How has your outlook on the fight game changed since your time on The Ultimate Fighter?

Gerald Harris: It may sound dumb, but I'm glad that I lost on the show. It made me work harder to improve and not rely on wrestling. I was blessed to be on the show and became good friends with Rampage Jackson. He showed me what its like to be a true champion. I witnessed some highs and lows of his career so the strong comeback victory over Wanderlei Silva was great. After attending his camps and training with some other great fighters, I realized that I wasn't ready for the UFC. I also left Team Quest for personal reasons, nothing against the members team. It's been a year now and I'm on a 5 fight win streak. I'm getting better everyday, so when I return to the UFC I'll be there for good.

MMA Blaster: What doors has The Ultimate Fighter show opened for you?

Gerald Harris: Somebody actually opened the door in the public restroom one time while I was taking a dump and asked me if I was on TUF 7. Along with that, a million myspace notes and crazy exposure. I have many sponsorships, a new agent, and I'm networking all over the country. I will take full advantage of TUF exposure and experience in order to improve my career.

MMA Blaster: Where have you been training lately? How has your training been going?

Gerald Harris: Training is great and I have a big list of places that I've been to. Arizona Combat Sports, Oklahoma Fight Club, Tulsa Combat Fitness, Wolfslair Gym, Big Bear Training Center, Ghost Dog Boxing, along with private lessons for BJJ and boxing.

(Gerald and Rampage at Wolfslair)

MMA Blaster: You have three victories in C3: Fights since the show, what is it like fighting in that organization?

Gerald Harris: It's pretty cool, they allow me to get some experience against tough guys then pay well so that I can focus on training and not just fighting to survive. I will be fighting for them on March 28th, so that will make win number 4. My goal is to stay unbeaten and learn from each fight.

MMA Blaster: Do you have an upcoming fight in C3? Do you know your opponent?

Gerald Harris: My opponent has changed numerous times, some people think they wanna fight me, but they have no idea how much trouble they are gonna be in once they lock that cage. I'm a different man when the cage is shut. I'm out for blood. They usually back out at the last minute. We have a few names, but nothing solid yet. I just train hard and prepare for everything.

MMA Blaster: Since The Ultimate Fighter you have managed to pull off four straight victories outside the UFC, five overall for an (11-2) record, how close are you to making it back to the UFC?

Gerald Harris: Honestly that's a question I can't answer. I could be (20-2) and it probably wouldn't matter. I have to wait until the window opens and the roster isn't so full. I'm not in a rush to get in the UFC, but I would love to be there. I'm gaining so much experience right now, that I'll be ready when they call. Until then I must continue to whoop ass.

MMA Blaster: What are your current goals in MMA?

Gerald Harris: I will be the champion of any organization that I join.

MMA Blaster: Would you be open to fighting in Japan? What do you think of the fight game and fans in Japan?

Gerald Harris: I'm open to fighting at the mall if it's sanctioned and pays well! Japan is great, I have a few friends that fight over there. My boy King Mo will be fighting this weekend and he's a huge deal in Japan, they love him. I've heard nothing but great things about Japan. I'm open to all options and I have some good offers that I can't discuss in this interview.

MMA Blaster: Who are your favorite MMA fighters?

Gerald Harris: My momma and daddy. My momma use to whoop my ass when I was little so I can take a beating and keep rolling. My daddy raised me to be a responsible hard working man. Other than those two it's Rampage, King Mo, and Kenny Florian.

MMA Blaster: Not to get political, but what are your feelings about Barack O'Bama getting elected? I was at the rally in Grant Park, it was a very intense and uplifting experience.

Gerald Harris: Barack is my cousin, so I was real happy for him. Just kidding, but really, I used to be a history teacher, so to witness an African-American become President is an honor and big step for the world. We were slaves in the mid 1800's and were barely allowed to go to school in the mid 1900's so it shows all people that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

MMA Blaster: Any sponsors or supporters you want to give a shout out to?

Gerald Harris: Oh yeah, I gotta put them in here, cagedsteel.com, AlphaElectronics.com, Marc Ecko Clothing line, Unbreakable Mouthpieces, DiscountSportsNutrition.com, Brookside Tattoos and Piercings and a special shout out to my boxing coach "Sweet Pea Macho Peppe Johnson" that's a long name huh?

MMA Blaster would like to thank Gerald for his time and candid answers. You can find more on Gerald at geraldhurricaneharris.com.

(A picture perfect slam against Benji Radach in the IFL)