Pro Debut!!!!!!!

**Tramirezmma** · Posted On: 6/08/2012 11:49am

Originally Posted by Colin

Just wondering.. if your natural competitive weight is at 195-205 is there any reason you're taking a heavyweight bout and not a light heavyweight bout instead?

A few reasons:

I'm intruiged by being the smaller man, I think that in certain ways, this is an advantage for me.

I'm sick of cutting weight. I've been doing it since high school and I'm done. From now on I'm just going to be good enough that it doesn't matter.

The way I fight, my general strategy etc. I think will be better suited to this weightclass.

Also, there weren't any pro LHWs also looking to get on this card. So I took the fight that was there.

**Colin** · Posted On: 6/08/2012 12:12pm

Perhaps..

But it seems to me that if you aren't used to carrying around that kind of weight, it's just going to slow you down - and the fact that you are going against a much rangier fighter, seems that this could be problematic.

**Tramirezmma** · Posted On: 6/08/2012 12:29pm

Originally Posted by Colin

Perhaps..

But it seems to me that if you aren't used to carrying around that kind of weight, it's just going to slow you down - and the fact that you are going against a much rangier fighter, seems that this could be problematic.

I've actually taken 18 months of of fighting at all prior to this. All intended to get me used to being a bigger guy. I've been diligently putting on muscle offer the course of this time, in addition to working hard on my agility to keep me moving like a middleweight.

I dunno, he's long, but so are a lot of guys. It's a concern, but I'm sure I can adjust. I think he's a little overrated due to a lack of decent competition.

He doesn't have the grappling experience to roll with me for sure.
He's got natural talent striking, but his combos are uncreative, he keeps his chin in the air, and his hands come down after he punches.

The only thing he's GOOD at, is his plum. He's got the body type for it, so a MT battle is not in my best interest. Then again, I've got a pretty decent head and arm toss, and lateral drop from clinch positions.

All in all, I'm pretty sure this isn't as tough a fight as it looks on paper. He's tall, and pretty strong. But after reviewing his tape, listening to and reading interviews with him...he's not going to win. This is not the profession for him.

He doesn't have to do this. It's a hobby for him. I NEED this, that money is paying my fucking mortgage, and no hillbilly personal fitness trainer is getting in the way of that.

**Son of Thunder** · Posted On: 6/08/2012 3:54pm

Originally Posted by Tramirezmma

He's got natural talent striking, but his combos are uncreative, he keeps his chin in the air, and his hands come down after he punches.

Chin up and hands down, you say? Bully!

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 6/09/2012 2:07am

Lack of decent competition is the understatement of the century. Some of the dudes he's fought look like toughman rejects.

**Tramirezmma** · Posted On: 6/10/2012 7:14pm

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

Lack of decent competition is the understatement of the century. Some of the dudes he's fought look like toughman rejects.

**** yes indeed. It's like Faber said on Barao's win streak:

"I wouldn't have lost to any of those guys either."

I'm so pumped to take this guys name and take his fame. Rating this guy the #1 amateur anything besides crusher of tomato cans is a stretch.

In related news: I'm up 6 pounds, and my cardio training is going well. I'm hitting all my bench marks and should be ready to walk in the cage a very svelte 230 lbs, and be roaring to go all three rounds.

Then again, he's only lasting a round and a half I think. We'll see.