Exclusive interview with George Sotiropoulos ahead of UFC 132



The worst thing about being a fighter is that there are no second chances.

 A loss is forever engraved on your record. No ounce of blood, pain or hard work can wipe it away. George Sotiropoulos’ last bout was a loss he wasn’t meant to have. UFC 132 gives him another shot.

The weeks and months following a fight are the worst.

Days go by where you replay the fight over and over in your head, critiquing every punch, every round, every move, remembering the moments that ultimately cost you in the end.

What hurts the most is that you can’t do anything about it.

You have all the answers now, but you didn’t have them when you needed them the most.

George Sotiropoulos is a man wishing he could have his time over. He’d love to right the wrongs and eradicate his latest loss from his record.

The best solution for any fighter is simply to get in there and do it all over again.

That exactly what George Sotiropoulos has wasted little time doing.

There’s that old saying in the fight game: “You’re only as good as your last fight”.

 It is a saying that doesn’t do Sotiropoulos justice.

His last fight, against Denis Siver at UFC 127 in Sydney, was his first loss since 2006, and first since entering the UFC.

Prior to his fight with Siver, he was seemingly just a win or two away from finally securing a shot at the UFC Lightweight Title, having disposed of everyone the UFC had placed before him.

Some even argued they had made him wait too long, how he deserved a shot long ago. Long before Siver.
Yet now, after the loss, he finds himself on the outskirts of the title picture.

Sotiropoulos is fighting on the preliminary card, not even on the main card that the Pay Per View audience will see.

The move to the preliminary card would have to hurt.

It was only in his last fight that he was the brightest name on the marquee.

 He was the hometown boy fighting in front of a sold out, Acer Arena in his home of Australia.

He was the man everyone came to see.

You get the sense when interviewing him that he doesn’t like talking about the Siver fight, and that he can’t wait to get in the cage at UFC 132 and change everyone’s thinking.

Whilst he is calm and methodical in his answers, an eagerness to tear Dos Anjos apart wouldn’t surprise.
He bristles at my question on whether he would follow Kenny Florian to Featherweight if title opportunities continue to evade him.

My question isn’t a sign of disrespect or indication of where I have him in the lightweight scene, but merely something I think is a good idea for fighters to consider in avoiding the log jam to the lightweight title, given the anonyminity of the Featherweight fighters.

But he is calm, and answers my question comfortably, saying “no chance” and that such a move would be “a little extreme”.

You sense his outlook on things hasn’t changed from not being given a title shot before his loss to Siver. His outlook showed in his actions, as if saying: “They won’t give me a shot. So I’ll go through everyone they put in front of me until they do.”

A move to Featherweight or back to Welterweight is not how George Sotiropoulos operates. That would be the easy way out.

George Sotiropoulos didn’t travel around the world to learn his craft, from flat broke sleeping on floors in dubious places, to then take the shortcut to the UFC belt.

The road back to the title starts at UFC 132 against Rafael Dos Anjos.

Whilst you’re sure he is looking to the future, he is definitely not looking past Dos Anjos.

Sotiropoulos defines Dos Anjos is one word: tough.

George says of Dos Anjos: “He has got great ground skills, very good stand-up skills; I mean he is tough as hell. I don’t think his UFC record does him justice and with that being said I see it being a tough fight.
“I’ve prepared for every aspect, I’ve prepared for his stand-up, I’ve prepared for his takedowns, I’ve perfected takedowns and I’m prepared in my grappling, I really think this fight will be fought in every area, we are both well rounded, we both work well in all positions and in all ranges of the fight game and that’s where I think the fight will take place, I think it will take place everywhere.”
We have seen how timing can work for fighters in the fight game.

Shane Carwin showed it best when he stepped into a number one contenders fight against Junior Dos Santos, following Brock Lesnar’s withdrawal.

Often in the fight world, memories are short term. People remember what you have done lately, your past just makes up the numbers. “You’re only as good as your last fight”

At UFC 132, if George Sotiropoulos can shake up the lightweight division, there will be no question that he is a title contender once again.

[Full transcript of interview with George Sotiropoulos]
Adam Santarossa: George you are just about a week and a half from UFC 132, how has your training camp been in the lead up to this fight?

George Sotiropoulos(GS): – It’s fine. It’s gone really well. Obviously I have progressed really well through my training, and I’m exactly where I need to be. Honestly, it couldn’t be any better.
Leonard, my boxing coach has done a tremendous job organising everything and doing a great job with the training and I’ve had an outstanding training.

AS: You were originally meant to take on Evan Dunham but he pulled out with injury. Has his withdrawal changed anything in terms of your preparation for the fight?

GS: It didn’t change things too much. Obviously there are some subtle differences between the two fighters, but also they have some similarities in that they are both southpaw, which made things a lot easier in that the guys I was training with were southpaw.
You know, I’ve got good wrestlers training with me and good grapplers. Really good boxing, as well. So I’ve had great preparation going into this fight.

AS: There are people talking in the sport that there is an “injury crisis”, with Dunham pulling out of your fight and Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez both being injured. Is it an injury crisis or just the nature of the fight game?

GS: Definitely the nature of the fight game. An injury crisis is a little harsh. It’s like a media screaming outrage. It’s really not a crisis. There is an event on every month and sometimes there are two or three events every month.
With that being the case, obviously fighters are going to have to be active and because they’re so active, these things happen. It’s such a multi-faceted sport where we are grappling, kicking, wrestling, punching … our bodies are being worked to the limit. That’s the reason why there are injuries. But saying there are stacks of injuries is just stupid.
I mean, there are times where there are more injuries than others and that’s always going to be the case. That’s never going to change. It’s always going to be a factor in the sport.
It’s happened to me twice. I’ve had to pull out of two fights through injury, and hopefully that’s the last. If you can’t deal with the consequences of being an athlete, then don’t do it. It’s been written in history books.
If you want to go to the Olympics, you may get hurt, you may get thrown, and maybe when you get through all that, then maybe you can compete. It’s simply part of it.

AS: Your most recent fight against Denis Siver at UFC 127 in Sydney was your first loss since October 2006, and your first in the UFC (not counting The Ultimate Fighter). How has that affected things? What are you working on following that fight?

GS: In this sport, you have to work on everything, you can’t just work on one aspect at the expense of another. It doesn’t work that way. You have to have a holistic approach; you can’t work on solely just one thing. But obviously, it raised some problems and highlighted some problems and I have made adjustments in my training to address these problems.

AS: How do you see the fight with Rafael Dos Anjos going? I mean, he is coming off a loss against Clay Guide and he hasn’t fought since August of last year. What are you preparing for?

GS: Well, he’s tough. He has got great ground skills, very good stand-up skills. He is tough as hell. I don’t think his UFC record does him justice, and with that being said, I see it being a tough fight.

AS: The lightweight division is a log jam at the moment, with Maynard-Edgar, Clay Guida, and Anthony Pettis. Firstly, where do you see yourself in the division, and secondly, has Dana White given you any indication as to where you figure in title calculations?

GS: No, he hasn’t. I don’t have a personal relationship with Dana White. Obviously I see him at the events, but he is a busy man. I still see myself up there with the best of them in the division and in the sport. And the last fight, I don’t think set me too far behind or back despite the result.

AS: Kenny Florian dropped down to Featherweight, citing the long queue for the big fights in the lightweight division. Is this something you would consider, if indeed you are able to given you have fought as a Welterweight?

GS: No, that’s a little extreme. My last fight was a close fight, if you take away those two drops in the first round. I definitely won round two and round three could have gone either way, so the fight could have been a draw or split decision. And it could have gone my way.
I think it’s a little extreme to make the drop, I don’t think I could even make that weight and I wouldn’t really consider it, either.

AS: Can you give us a prediction for your fight at UFC 132. How do you see the fight going?

GS: I don’t know. I’ve prepared for every aspect, I’ve prepared for his stand-up; I’ve prepared for his takedowns; I’ve perfected takedowns; and I’m prepared in my grappling. I really think this fight will be fought in every area. We are both well rounded, we both work well in all positions, and in all ranges of the fight game. And that’s where I think the fight will take place. I think it will take place everywhere.

Thanks for your time George and all the best at UFC 132

GS: Thank you. Good talking to you.

UFC 131 preview- Opportunity Knocks

Whilst UFC 131 was dealt a major blow with the withdrawal of former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar from the main event, it has done a pretty good job of re-tuning, to give us something almost as exciting.

Shane Carwin was originally meant to fight on the undercard of UFC 131, but has found himself in the main event, with four weeks’ notice to take on Junior Dos Santos.

Opportunity in Combat Sports in sometimes all in the timing, and Carwin has found himself in the right place at the right time. Having already been in training, he was the simple choice to fill Lesnars shoes...and he fills them well.

Shane Carwin is a knockout artist, who was within a matter of seconds of adding Brock Lesnar to his list at UFC 116.

Lesnar admitted in his book, “Death Clutch” that he purposely left his guard open, as he felt Carwin was gassing himself out trying to finish the fight. Lesnar’s game plan proved spot on as he barely survived to the end of the round, before pouncing on a tired Carwin in Round 2.

Before the fight with Lesnar, Carwin had never been outside the first round, in 12 fights. That says something quite devastating as to what the man is capable of. But eventually the lack of rounds in the octagon caught up to him.

But the fighter, who arrives at UFC 131, is a very different story.

Carwin admits he addressed many aspects of his life following the Lesnar fight, in particular his lack of conditioning,diet and nutrition. As a result, Carwin comes to this weekends fight, some 25 pounds lighter, and he says, as a five round fighter.

Carwin is fighting for the first time since the Lesnar fight, and is coming off a long break where he had both back and neck surgery, ailments he says he had carried for the best part of the last three years.

With those behind him, Carwin could be anything.

He has knocked out some big names, including Frank Mir and Gabriel Gonzaga and may yet add Junior Dos Santos to that list.

With a plethora of Heavyweights on the scene, Carwin could have very nearly become irrelevant, but opportunity has knocked and he is now one fight from a title shot.

The man in his way though, is equally as devastating with his fists.

Junior Dos Santos is undefeated in the UFC and the list of names he has bulldozed on his way through would make anyone stand up and take notice.

Fabrice Werdum, Marco Filopovic, Stefan Struve, Gilbert Yvel, Gabriel Gonzaga and Roy Nelson have all fallen at the feet of Dos Santos.

For a fighter that doesn’t have the greatest command of English, who is respectful and not outspoken, and some have said not marketable, to garner the attention and admiration of the UFC brass has come in only one way...devastating victory after victory.

Junior Dos Santos had already secured a UFC Heavyweight shot at Cain Velasquez after defeating Roy Nelson in a number 1 contenders match. However, injury to Velasquez threw a spanner in the works, and the UFC have decided to make Dos Santos earn the title one more time.

Originally the target was Lesnar, but due a re-occurrence of his Diverticulitis, Carwin is now in his sights.

Carwin is probably a harder fight in my opinion that Lesnar. Lesnar is more agile and athletic for a big man, but Carwin striking is so much better than Lesnar. If he can match his striking with an engine that goes the distance, then Dos Santos may just be cursing his damn luck come Sunday.

Dos Santos, has already said he is going to test Carwin’s cardio. Dos Santos believes you can’t improve cardio in the gym. It has to come in the cage, under match conditions.

In a fight with Dos Santos and Lesnar, I would put my money on Dos Santos. Lesnar is still very raw, and Velasquez highlighted this immensely in their fight.

Carwin has more experience and will prove tougher for Dos Santos than Lesnar , but Dos Santos like Velasquez is redefining the heavyweight division. Both guys have the power to end fights, but they are extremely mobile and have multiple skills they can use in the Octagon.

UFC Heavyweights are no longer those with the hardest heads and hardest fists, but are like Velasquez and Dos Santos, who are the complete package.

Having blown up so miserably after one round against Lesnar, it is hard to see Carwin turning around his cardio problems in one fight. Dos Santos can fight smart, at a distance and take the fight to the later rounds.

There is a saying in the fight world that you take a fighter to “deep water and see if he can swim”, and if he can’t you “drown him”.

This is exactly what Dos Santos will do to Carwin...and finally Dos Santos will get the title shot he deserves.

Well...with some better luck.

Other fights on the card see Kenny Florian taking on Diego Nunes in his first fight at Featherweight. Having not been getting the fights he wanted at 155, and sensing a logjam in the title picture ,Florian dropped down a division once the featherweights ( previously of the WEC) , were introduced into the UFC, with a view of attaining a title shot quicker by being the most known figure in a division not familiar with the UFC audience.

That decision brings him face to face with Diego Nunes, in what will be a tough fight. Nunes has knockout power, with his first 11 professional fights, all but 1 ending in the first round. Strangely though Nunes hasn’t been able to transfer his knockout power into the WEC/UFC, with all his fights under the Zuffa umbrella going the distance.

Florian who is coming off knee surgery, knows the importance of a win. A loss will catastrophic, considering Florian is not getting any younger, and he is not seen as an elite name, given he has lost every time he has stepped to the highest level, losing to Gray Maynard, BJ Penn and Sean Sherk.

I have to say, I am not Florians biggest of fans, but it’s not the only reason I’m tipping Nunes in an upset.

Nunes has only one defeat to his name. He is younger, and more familiar with the weight, whilst Florian is debuting at the 145 pound limit.

A close fight, but one I see Florian losing in an upset. Look forward to seeing more of him soon on MMA Live.

Other fights on the card include-

Jon Olav Einemo vs Dave Herman- Unfortunately this fight, Einemo will go in a very heavy favourite. Originally scheduled to face Shane Carwin, Lesnar’s withdrawal threw Carwin to the main event and the UFC in a mad scramble to find an opponent, and one willing to take the fight on four weeks’ notice.

To his credit, Dave Herman has taken the challenge, but you feel the odds are too much stacked against him.

Einemo is a former, Abu Dhabi Champion, which is one of the most prestigious Jiu-Jitsu tournaments around the world. He is the only man to defeat Rodger Gracie, in this competition.

He hasn’t exactly got much of an MMA record, but what record he does have shows his first five fights, all ending in his favour via 1^st round knockout.

Dave Herman has a decent record at 22-2, he has only been to a decision once in his career, but processes no real names or high quality opponents on his record. A bit of a journey man who has fought in many promotions, he will find that the UFC is a completely different kettle of fish.

Although he is much more experienced inside the cage, I just think Einemo has the upper hand due to the late scheduling change due to Carwin entering the main event.

Demain Maia takes on Mark Munoz, which could be sleeper for fight of the night. Maia should be a name familiar with most UFC fans, though he has been in patchy form in recent times. Some good wins followed have been blighted a little with a crushing defeat to Nate Marquardt and then that debacle that was his fight against Anderson Silva in Abu Dhabi.

I expect Maia to win, but Munoz will be no pushover, who is capable if not top class, having fallen to the likes of Matt Hamill and Yushin Okami.

Both men are not in the title picture, but neither was Shane Carwin a month ago.

UFC injury crisis is just the nature of the beast

The UFC has recently seen two of its most hyped cards of 2011, decimated through injury.

UFC 130 was dealt a massive blow when the much anticipated rematch between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard was postponed due to injuries to each fighter.

UFC 131 has also seen a main event fall through, with Brock Lesnar pulling out of his fight with Junior Dos Santos due to a re-occurrence of Diverticulitis.

Add this to the fact that, UFC Heavyweight Champion, Cain Velasquez and UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones are also on the shelf with long term injuries , it begs the question, does the increased injury toll mean anything??

Or is it simply a coincidence.

The sports of Boxing and MMA are vastly different beasts to any other, and therefore so is the training.

In AFL and Rugby League, you can simulate pressure in a controlled environment, without contact or with as little contact as possible.

In Boxing and MMA, you are not afforded such a luxury.

Sure, fighters wear headgear and wear thicker gloves, but it doesn’t stop the cuts, KOs and contusions from still happening.

Fighters can not exactly pull their punches. If you get hit in the face it still hurts and once hit in the face, that natural reaction is to simply punch back...hard.

I have seen and been in enough sparring session to know, that there is no “taking it easy”.

When training before a big fight, in any gym, there is only one gear...full throttle.

Often, sparring partners want to make a name for themselves by knocking out the champ or often the sparring partners themselves may have a fight of their own they are preparing for.

This is particularly common in MMA, where camps can have any amount of fighters appearing on multiple fight cards for multiple brands, at any given time.

Most fighters will tell you, that they never go into a fight 100% fit. Every training camp, some damage is done.

Getting hit in the face, on a daily basis for upwards of twelve weeks prior to a fight, is going to damage something.

You throw in the added training that MMA fighters have to go through, such as Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling and Submission and the toll on the body is enormous.

This is on top of cutting weight and conditioning the body to its peak. Eventually something is going to break.

The biggest fight in history almost was cancelled following George Foreman receiving a cut to the eye in sparring before the Rumble in the Jungle against Muhammad Ali.

The fight went on, although just, some eight weeks later.

It’s not uncommon for fighters to get injured and the latest incidents in the UFC have been highlighted just to the sheer coincidence of a few injuries happening all together.

The UFC puts on so many shows these days, has such a vast roster of fighters and is such a demanding sport that this will not be a one off.

Maynard and Edgar, it could be argued were not afforded enough time to heal from their injuries.

Before they met in their second fight, a number one contender, Anthony Pettis, was established to meet the winner. Given their fight was a draw; this delayed Pettis getting a shot and created a logjam in the division and a change of plans.

Ultimately it was decided that Pettis would wait to fight the winner, and Maynard-Edgar III would happen as soon as possible to get things rolling along again in the lightweight division.

Sure, the UFC may have pressured each to take the fight with little recovery time, but fighters can be swayed with a large purse, world titles and hype surrounding a fight such as theirs.

Neither fighter would want to sit on the sidelines whilst opportunity knocks; knowing what can happen in the fight game. One punch can change everything.

Regarding the injuries of Jones and Velasquez, whats to say they didn’t carry significant injuries into their title fights knowing that if they chose to sit it out they would rejoin the back of the queue, when both Jones and Velasquez had been fighting their way to the title for the past two years.

Brock Lesnar is experiencing that exact ordeal at the moment. He has had to have surgery for diverticulitis and will be out until 2012.

Who knows what will happen in the Heavyweight division by that time.

Sure there are pressures by the organizations, TV networks, and sponsors to fight, but the most pressure is arguably attributed by the fighter themselves.

Because at the end of the day, if you don’t fight, you don’t get paid.

And after three months of busting your ass in the gym and getting beat up, it’s going to take a lot to pull out of a fight.

There could be an argument for more stringent physical testing. Although medical testing prior to a fight is thorough, in regards to neurological testing and vision, having had to have a pre-fight medical myself, short of having a limb missing you can generally get through them with minimal fuss.

Heck, the fact that Roy Jones and Evander Holyfield still manage to pass medicals says something.

Rampage Jackson admitted after his fight with Matt Hammil, just last week that he carried a fractured hand into the fight that had been plaguing him for months. Pre-fight medical failed to pick that one up.

Finally though, another reason relating to the potential injury “crisis” could be simply the rise and rise of MMA.

More money in the sport has allowed fighters to take longer training camps, with specialist trainers to ensure their bodies are in peak condition. They have embraced sport science to ensure they can hit harder and faster, for longer.

The after effects of that are going to show somewhere.

In the fight game, sadly injuries happen.

It’s the nature of a physical sport, where the winner is usually attained from inflicting the most damage on their opponent.

So to talk of an “injury” crisis may be a little premature.

The recent injuries are simply the nature of the beast.