Dr. Sleepless
12/14/2009 8:26pm,
http://www.bullshido.net/images/news/soko-lion.jpgI was able to catch up with Sokoudjou this morning to do a quick interview. I managed to get him right after another hard training session, where he was most assuredly (speculation, I didn't check) sparring with armored robot lions while armed only with his fists, in what I would assume he'd aptly name, "Lion's Den." You get what I'm going for here, folks? It's a theme and I'm being clever here with my words.
"I'm gonna be on facebook for a second, I'll call you after that. Have to do some flirting." he said to me, to which I responded: "Awesome." This is an exclusive interview with Bullshido.net between Mr. Sokoudjou and America's Sweetheart (Me).
Sokoudjou, for those of you who don't know, is an MMA fighter with a background in Judo. He has excellent striking power as shown when he KO'd little Nog in the first minute of their matchup. He is a veteran of UFC, Strikeforce and Dream and has won the US Open Judo tournament.
Sirc: How are you feeling about your New Year's Eve fight?
Lionking: I'm feeling good. I'm feeling strong. Minowa is a grappler and I am a striker, he likes to attack legs so I'm going to keep him away and hurt him standing.
Sirc: Why go back and participate in Judo?
Lionking: Judo is my background and I feel like I've forgotten about it. I feel like I need to go back to adding it to my training schedule. I love Judo and I just need to go back to competing and training in it again.
Sirc: How was the winter Nationals?
Lionking: Oh man, it was hard. I stopped competing in 2003 and after the tournament my fingers hurt from the gi.
Sirc: How was competing with the GIANT Korean? You a very big man and he was twice your size, how did you manage to beat him?
Lionking: Oh geez, that guy was like a brick wall. At first I didn't know how I was going to move him, I was like, "This guy is huge!" But eventually I saw the cracks in his game and it was just mental from there. I had to beat him mentally.
Sirc: Any other plans on doing judo tournaments in the future?
Lionking: Oh yes. I want to start competing again. I want to try to compete in the tournament up in San Jose this coming January or February whenever it is. I hear that there is a Japanese dude up there who is beating everyone up so I want to get into some training and try to see if I can beat him.
Sirc: We saw you manhandling Mousasi in the clinch and takedown department of your last fight with great technical reversals. How has Judo helped you in MMA and how did you make the transition from Gi to No gi?
Lionking: Judo has helped me in my takedown defenses against what is mostly wrestlers in MMA. It gives me excellent takedown defense with different techniques they aren't ready for. As far as going from gi to no gi, I have to just practice without a gi and change grips. It's not too hard, I just have to put it into training.
Sirc: So we saw you in strikeforce not too long ago, are we going to see you more in there?
Lionking: Yes, yes. I have a multiple fight contract with them so you will be seeing me in there in the future unless they decide to let me go for some reason, I am going to be in there in the future.
Sirc: What are fundamental training methods you think people should use?
Lionking: You know, everyone is different and what people should focus on is finding what strengths they have and doing what really works for them. I don't have any methods that everyone should use because it doesn't work for everyone. Just getting into training and doing what works best for you is what you should be doing.
Sirc: Have you considered a new hairstyle?
Lionking: Hell no.
Sirc: So white men get their power from their beards because they go bald, do you think that your power comes from your awesome dreadlocks?
Lionking: [Booming laughter] Oh ****, that is funny. Oh man. No, I don't think so. My power comes from hard training. [More booming laughter]
Sirc: Have you thought about going in with a GIANT Afro?
Lionking: [BWAHAHAH (i.e. laughter)] That would be pretty funny. I'll think about it.
Sirc: And since this is Bullshido. I have to ask you, what do you think is wrong with martial arts today?
Lionking: I think a lot of it is people going to the movies and seeing people like Jet Li or Jackie Chan and thinking they can be like that. I think people need to go to a place with the right idea and intention on what they want to learn and find someone who will fulfill that intention. It's like if I want to learn how to climb a 10ft wall and the place teaches yoga, I'm not going to get what I want.
This past weekend, Sokoudjou competed in the USJF/USJA joint grassroots Winter Nationals, a judo competition which boasts over 450 top-level judo competitors from all over the world. Sokoudjou, who stopped competing in Judo in 2003, participated and cleaned out the competition in the 100+kg category, even going up against a comically gigantic Korean competitor. The Cameroonian fought hard and eventually broke Hong Man Choi-lite down. Video provided by youtube straight from Mr. Sokoudjou's own supporting friends:
Sokoudjou vs. Paik (Quarter Finals)
YouTube- SOKOUDJOU VS Paik [Quater Finals].mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5hbhcd6Kk)
Sokoudjou vs. Oh (Semi Finals)
YouTube- SOKOUDJOU VS OH [Semi-Finals].mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYFUXk6Wxew&feature=related)
Sokoudjou vs. Pereira (Finals)
YouTube- SOKOUDJOU VS Pereira [finals].mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njtAi1dqx48)
He is slated to be fighting in the Dream/NWR/EFG New Year's Eve fight against Minowa, a big event as it closes the doors to the Dream "Super Hulk" tournament, which started off this year with lighter fighters ranging from Gegard Mousasi to enormous monsters like Hong Man Choi to the weird, Jose Canseco.
Alright, I'll stop stuffing my throat full of Cameroonian bratwurst now and wish Sokoudjou the best of luck as he completes his quest of trampling the competition in the Super hulk Tournament. Keep the faith. Winners don't do drugs. All that stuff.
Your brother in Cthulhu,
Christopher "Sirc" Yang
"I'm gonna be on facebook for a second, I'll call you after that. Have to do some flirting." he said to me, to which I responded: "Awesome." This is an exclusive interview with Bullshido.net between Mr. Sokoudjou and America's Sweetheart (Me).
Sokoudjou, for those of you who don't know, is an MMA fighter with a background in Judo. He has excellent striking power as shown when he KO'd little Nog in the first minute of their matchup. He is a veteran of UFC, Strikeforce and Dream and has won the US Open Judo tournament.
Sirc: How are you feeling about your New Year's Eve fight?
Lionking: I'm feeling good. I'm feeling strong. Minowa is a grappler and I am a striker, he likes to attack legs so I'm going to keep him away and hurt him standing.
Sirc: Why go back and participate in Judo?
Lionking: Judo is my background and I feel like I've forgotten about it. I feel like I need to go back to adding it to my training schedule. I love Judo and I just need to go back to competing and training in it again.
Sirc: How was the winter Nationals?
Lionking: Oh man, it was hard. I stopped competing in 2003 and after the tournament my fingers hurt from the gi.
Sirc: How was competing with the GIANT Korean? You a very big man and he was twice your size, how did you manage to beat him?
Lionking: Oh geez, that guy was like a brick wall. At first I didn't know how I was going to move him, I was like, "This guy is huge!" But eventually I saw the cracks in his game and it was just mental from there. I had to beat him mentally.
Sirc: Any other plans on doing judo tournaments in the future?
Lionking: Oh yes. I want to start competing again. I want to try to compete in the tournament up in San Jose this coming January or February whenever it is. I hear that there is a Japanese dude up there who is beating everyone up so I want to get into some training and try to see if I can beat him.
Sirc: We saw you manhandling Mousasi in the clinch and takedown department of your last fight with great technical reversals. How has Judo helped you in MMA and how did you make the transition from Gi to No gi?
Lionking: Judo has helped me in my takedown defenses against what is mostly wrestlers in MMA. It gives me excellent takedown defense with different techniques they aren't ready for. As far as going from gi to no gi, I have to just practice without a gi and change grips. It's not too hard, I just have to put it into training.
Sirc: So we saw you in strikeforce not too long ago, are we going to see you more in there?
Lionking: Yes, yes. I have a multiple fight contract with them so you will be seeing me in there in the future unless they decide to let me go for some reason, I am going to be in there in the future.
Sirc: What are fundamental training methods you think people should use?
Lionking: You know, everyone is different and what people should focus on is finding what strengths they have and doing what really works for them. I don't have any methods that everyone should use because it doesn't work for everyone. Just getting into training and doing what works best for you is what you should be doing.
Sirc: Have you considered a new hairstyle?
Lionking: Hell no.
Sirc: So white men get their power from their beards because they go bald, do you think that your power comes from your awesome dreadlocks?
Lionking: [Booming laughter] Oh ****, that is funny. Oh man. No, I don't think so. My power comes from hard training. [More booming laughter]
Sirc: Have you thought about going in with a GIANT Afro?
Lionking: [BWAHAHAH (i.e. laughter)] That would be pretty funny. I'll think about it.
Sirc: And since this is Bullshido. I have to ask you, what do you think is wrong with martial arts today?
Lionking: I think a lot of it is people going to the movies and seeing people like Jet Li or Jackie Chan and thinking they can be like that. I think people need to go to a place with the right idea and intention on what they want to learn and find someone who will fulfill that intention. It's like if I want to learn how to climb a 10ft wall and the place teaches yoga, I'm not going to get what I want.
This past weekend, Sokoudjou competed in the USJF/USJA joint grassroots Winter Nationals, a judo competition which boasts over 450 top-level judo competitors from all over the world. Sokoudjou, who stopped competing in Judo in 2003, participated and cleaned out the competition in the 100+kg category, even going up against a comically gigantic Korean competitor. The Cameroonian fought hard and eventually broke Hong Man Choi-lite down. Video provided by youtube straight from Mr. Sokoudjou's own supporting friends:
Sokoudjou vs. Paik (Quarter Finals)
YouTube- SOKOUDJOU VS Paik [Quater Finals].mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5hbhcd6Kk)
Sokoudjou vs. Oh (Semi Finals)
YouTube- SOKOUDJOU VS OH [Semi-Finals].mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYFUXk6Wxew&feature=related)
Sokoudjou vs. Pereira (Finals)
YouTube- SOKOUDJOU VS Pereira [finals].mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njtAi1dqx48)
He is slated to be fighting in the Dream/NWR/EFG New Year's Eve fight against Minowa, a big event as it closes the doors to the Dream "Super Hulk" tournament, which started off this year with lighter fighters ranging from Gegard Mousasi to enormous monsters like Hong Man Choi to the weird, Jose Canseco.
Alright, I'll stop stuffing my throat full of Cameroonian bratwurst now and wish Sokoudjou the best of luck as he completes his quest of trampling the competition in the Super hulk Tournament. Keep the faith. Winners don't do drugs. All that stuff.
Your brother in Cthulhu,
Christopher "Sirc" Yang