IRISH WHIP EXCLUSIVE: ANDREI ARLOVSKI INTERVIEW

I got a chance to speak with former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei "Pitbull" Arlovski. Andrei Arlovski is ranked, by many around the world, as one of the top 10 MMA heavyweights in the world. Arlovski holds notable wins over a who's who of fighters, which include: former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, Ian Freeman, PRIDE veteran Fabricio Werdum, heavy hitter Paul Buentello, Vladimir Matyushenko and many others. Arlovski is best known for his incredible striking abilities, mobility on the feet, Sambo skills, dangerous submissions and even his unique mouthpiece, which contains two fangs, an accurate portrayal of his nickname, the "Pit Bull."

See what Andrei Arlovski had to say about his current status with the UFC, Dana White, Fedor and much, much more! An interview by Masson Liang

Masson Liang: First off, how are things between you and Patrycja shaping up? Are you guys thinking of marriage anytime soon?
Andrei Arlovski: Everything is good with us, thank you for asking. We are in love, but not thinking about marriage.

ML: How has everything been going, as far as training goes? With a nearly four-month hiatus now, are you still keeping in tip-top shape and training even though, according to Joe silva, you don't have a fight booked?
AA: I always try and keep in shape. I take a couple weeks off after a fight and then go back to the gym. I get to work on technique for boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling and other things that need help. I also do some weights and conditioning.

ML: Many fans are wondering where you've been. When can "Pitbull" fans expect you back inside The Octagon?
AA: Hopefully soon. I was thinking September/October, but it is up to the UFC.

ML: Even though you won your last two bouts, even nearly knocking Marcio Cruz's head off, Dana White stated that you're last showings weren't very great and that it set you back. What are your feelings toward this?
AA: My opinion and my teams opinion is that I did a good job. It’s just the opinion of Dana White.

ML: Has UFC's treatment towards you changed in the past years and would you ever consider moving to another organization?
AA: I am very glad to be with the UFC and still have contract with them. I am UFC fighter now. Everything is good.

ML: What did it feel like to win the Heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia at UFC 51? Did you expect to win via Achilles lock?
AA: It was a very happy moment. I never know how I am going to win the fight but I always have a plan.

ML: In your words, what happened in your second bout with Sylvia? Did you think the fight was over after you rocked him the first time?
AA: I went out very confident that I would win. Yes I did... I thought when I dropped him on the ground I was sure I beat him again.

ML: Many critics said you weren't as aggressive in your fight with Werdum. Is there any reason behind this? Were there any injuries or were you just playing it safe and trying to keep the fight on its feet?
AA: I just follow instructions of my coaches and go and fight. Werdum is a very skilled fighter and I had to be careful with him on the ground.

ML: With PRIDE heavyweights, "Minotauro" Nogueira and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, and many newcomers (i.e. Gabriel Gonzaga) now in the UFC, how do you rank yourself amongst the UFC Heavyweights today?
AA: It is very good for the UFC that Dana brought great fighters to the UFC. I hope that one day I will fight one of those new, big names.

ML: Is there any one particular fighter you would like to fight in the UFC? Perhaps a rematch with Tim Sylvia?
AA: I want to fight with the best and become heavyweight champion again. For sure I would like to fight with Tim Sylvia one more time if it is possible.

ML: Many people believe you match-up perfectly with "Cro Cop." How do you think you match-up with him?
AA: I think that we match up very well and if the UFC wants us to fight, we will. He is a very good fighter.

ML: In the ever-popular discussion of "Who can beat Fedor?" your name often appears. What strengths do you have that could carry you to victory over him?
AA: Thank you. When I was a champion I wanted to fight with Fedor but I don’t know that it is possible now. He is a great fighter, but I don’t think he is unbeatable.

ML: You recently landed a role as a Russian fighter in the movie "Never Submit." Can you tell us more about that?
AA: I am not doing that movie anymore.

ML: Well Andrei, we'd like to thank you so much for your time and support and we surely wish you the best in the future and are dying to see your return. Are there any sponsors you'd like to thank or anything to say to your fans?
AA: Yes. Thank you to all my fans for their support after my two losses. Please look at my web site (www.arlovski.tv) and myspace.com/arlovski for updates on me and my career.

Irish Whip Fighting Exclusive: Jon Fitch Interview

IrishWhipFighting.com had a chance to speak to UFC Welterweight Jon Fitch. Fitch is quickly climbing up the welterweight ranks and has had much success in the UFC thus far. See what Fitch has to say about his experiences as a fighter and his upcoming fight against Diego Sanchez at UFC 76 on September 22.

Hey Jon, thanks for taking the time to take this interview. We here at Irish Whip Fighting are huge fans and cannot thank you enough for your support! Irish Whip Fighting would also like to congratulate you for your dominating performance at UFN 10 and racking up another jaw-dropping victory over Roan Carneiro.

General...
Masson Liang: What influenced you to start a career in mixed martial arts?
Jon Fitch: My assistant coach at Purdue University, Tom Erikson, was fighting in Pride at the time. He would have Gary Goodridge and Mark Coleman come into town and help him train. It looked like fun so I would get involved and help out. I’ve been hooked ever since.

ML: Who are your biggest influences/heroes in MMA today?
JF: My trainers and team mates.

ML: Who has been your toughest opponent thus far and what do you consider the biggest/best win of your nearly flawless record?
JF: Kinyuoshi Hironaka was one of the toughest guys I’ve fought. He seemed like nothing I did to him hurt him. Carneiro was a difficult fight because of his size and strength.

UFC...
ML: Climbing up quickly in the rankings among top fighters in the welterweight division (i.e. GSP, Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Karo Parisyan), whom do you look forward to fighting the most in the near future?
JF: All of them. I want to fight all of the best fighters in the world. I’m not one of those fighters that want to be famous and have a title but not really ever fight the best competition. I would rather never be heard of and beat all the best guys. At the end of the day I only care about how I feel about myself.

ML: You said you felt "demoted" for not being featured on the main cards of the UFC events, how does it feel to finally be bumped into UFC 76's main card?
JF: It’s great because it allows me to get the fights I want. Many of the top fighters didn’t want to fight me because no one had ever heard of me. Now they won’t have a choice but to take the fights with me.

ML: After Diego Sanchez's first loss to the hands of Josh Koscheck at UFC 69, did you spot any weaknesses of Diego's that you're prepared to capitalize on at UFC 76?
JF: I have been studying Diego, and many other top fighters, for a long time now and have game plans for most of them already. Everyone has weaknesses in their game; it’s just a matter of exploiting them.

ML: Have you taken any drastic changes in your training regimen in preparation for Diego Sanchez? Has training gone fairly smoothly and injury free thus far?
JF: I have a great team and system for my training. I have no reason to make major changes to it. I have been working with some very good south paws and wrestlers to help me prepare specifically for Diego.

ML: Rumors surfacing in June claimed that you were originally set to face Karo Parisyan at UFC 76. With Sanchez as your newly confirmed opponent for UFC 76, is a match-up against Karo Parisyan still in the works for the near future?
JF: Like I said before, I want to fight all the best fighters. I think that Karo is one of the best, so he is still definitely on the list of guys I want to fight someday.

ML: Having Wilson Gouveia now in the UFC, can Fitch fans look forward to you avenging that loss in a rematch anytime soon?
JF: Not very likely. Wilson has gotten much bigger since our fight and I have gotten much smaller. I don’t see this fight ever happening. I actually owe a big thanks to Wilson. If he wouldn’t have knocked me out that night I might not have started on the path I am on today.

ML: Not to put you on the spot or anything, but who are you rooting for in the Couture-Gonzaga fight for UFC 74 and the Jackson-Henderson fight for UFC 75?
JF: I don’t really root for anyone to win fights other than team mates. I just want to see great fights and maybe some techniques that I might not have seen before.

Training...
ML: Recently returning from Japan, how were your experiences over there and did you get a chance to train at all or was it just a good ol' vacation?
JF: It was a great experience. I got to train with Kastsuhiko Nagata, who I went there to corner at K-1 Heros. I also got to train with former opponent Hironaka. I also got to meet and hang out with Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, which was a crazy experience. Kid is as famous in Tokyo as Shaq is in Miami.

ML: Have you trained at camps anywhere outside of the U.S.? If not, is there any place you have your eyes set on to go train in the future?
JF: I got to visit a few gyms on Japan and it is possible that I would go and train for a short time at the Killer Bee's gym. For the most part though I feel that my gym, the American Kickboxing Academy, is one of the best gyms in the world and there is no reason to train anywhere else.

ML: Is there anyone out there that you'd absolutely love to train with?
JF: I would love to train with Aoki, he ground game is amazing and I think it would be a good experience to roll with him.

Misc...
ML: Taking a quick peek around Irish Whip Fighting, what do you think of the site?
JF: I think it has a good look, but could use much more news about me. hehehe.

ML: Are there any last words you'd like to say to the hardcore Fitch fans out there? Sponsors to thank?
JF: I would like to thank Toe2Toe.tv and jigsaw inc. Also check out my website at fitchfighter.com

We at the Irish Whip Fighting team cannot thank you enough for taking the time for doing this interview and we all wish you the best of luck against Diego Sanchez at UFC 76 on Sept. 22 and look forward to seeing you add another loss to his record!

The Lianger

Irish Whip Fighting Exclusive: Denis Kang Interview

Denis Kang is one of the top contenders in the 185lbs division in MMA today. Kang is a French-Korean fighter and holds a professional record of 27-8-1. Kang is best known for his explosiveness and well-rounded style of fighting and also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Kang's most notable wins thus far have been against Akihiro Gono, Murilo "Ninja" Rua, Andrei Semenov and UFC veteran Amar Suloev.

Denis Kang has fought his most recent fights in PRIDE and is currently a free agent. Kang has been kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions for Irish Whip Fighting.

Masson Liang: What promotions have you narrowed it down to?
Denis Kang: Sorry man can’t talk about that.

MMA life…
ML: With that aside, you put on an incredible performance at Bushido 13 losing a razor-thin decision; you must be itching for a rematch. Is there a possibility for fans to witness a Kang vs. Misaki II anytime soon?
DK: There definitely could be, because I would jump at the opportunity to fight him again.

ML: Who is your toughest opponent thus far?
DK: Probably Andrei Semenov. I hit this guy with everything and he kept coming.

ML: Have you fought anyone you truly disliked? How did that affect your performance?
DK: I've never made my fights personal so no.

ML: Considered by many to be one of the top 185 pounders in the world, where do you rank yourself in the 185lbs. division?
DK: I think I can be the best in the world. Right now Henderson is number one for sure but I firmly believe I am very close.

Training….
ML: Have you trained at camps anywhere outside of the US (besides Japan for PRIDE and Korea for Spirit MC)? If not, is there any place you have your eyes set on to go train in the future?
DK: I love ATT and I don’t plan on going anywhere else.

ML: Who in mixed martial arts today do you look up to the most? Are there any fighters out there you'd love to train with?
DK: Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira.

ML: Joining ATT in Jan. '05, how has training changed from your ways before ATT?
DK: I have a lot more training partners now, and many coaches to work on every aspect of my game. It's great to have so many other pro fighters to train with every single day.

ML: How big of a factor do you think the mental aspect is in preparation for a fight? How do you usually prepare yourself mentally for a fight?
DK: The mental aspect is everything you could say. I don’t care how good you are if you cant hold it together in the ring you will get beat by a much lesser fighter.

ML: Do you pay any attention to rumors and negative feedback that may arise time to time on the Internet?
DK: Nope.

ML: Do you have any words of encouragement for young fighters out there looking to pursue a career in mixed martial arts?
DK: Keep training and thriving for improvement in every area of your game.

UFC…
ML: Being acquainted with Dan Henderson, have you gotten a chance to help him train at all for his upcoming title bout against UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson?
DK: I've spoken to him a few times but I have never trained with him.

ML: Should fans expect to see you in attendance at UFC 75, where Henderson is set to face Jackson?
DK: Maybe, it depends on my schedule.

ML: Hardcore MMA fans around the world are dying to see you step foot in the Octagon, how are chances of you joining the UFC looking these days?
DK: I would love to fight in the Octagon one day.

Other…
ML: Where do you see the sports of mixed martial arts in 5 years?
DK: 5 times bigger than it is now, haha.

ML: Taking a look around the Irish Whip, what do you think of the site?
DK: I like it. It seems very informative and easy to navigate.

ML: Are there any last words you'd like to say to the "Super Korean" Kang junkies out there? Sponsors?
DK: Thanks for the support throughout the years. I know I haven’t fought that much in 07 but it ain’t over yet and I will be in action soon!

We here at Irish Whip Fighting cannot thank Denis Kang enough for his support and time he took to answer our questions. We wish him the best in the future, wherever he may end up fighting!