Polly, an accomplished author, recently wrote a book called Tapped Out where he documented his experiences traveling to a variety of notable gyms, working his tail off, and ultimately taking to the cage despite being 36 years old and having no previous training.

A familiar face at MMA events still, Polly recently took some time to chat with Five Ounces of Pain about his journey from writer to fighter including his family’s reaction to the decision, what got him through the tough times, and what he learned about himself in the process.

Where did your initial motivation come from to not only cover the subject matter you did but also put yourself through such a physically demanding journey?

It was the same reason most men put themselves in dangerous situations – I was trying to impress a girl. When my girlfriend’s male cousins found out I had written a book, American Shaolin, about the two years I had spent training kung fu with the Shaolin monks in China, they asked if I would fight Chuck Liddell for a million dollars. With false bravado I said I’d do it for a lot less than that. So when my editor suggested that my next book should not only be an investigation of MMA but also involve me training for a MMA fight, I realized I had talked myself into a corner. My ego had written a check my body would have to cash.

Did you run into a lot of resistance from friends/family/colleagues based on the health risk involved?

At the time I was 36-years-old, weighed 250 pounds, and hadn’t done any martial arts training in fifteen years. When my mother heard what I planned to do, she cried. My father tried to talk me out of it saying, “Son, I know I didn’t give you much of a body, but I did give you a pretty good brain. Why risk one for the other?” Only my girlfriend was positive about the idea. She said, “Given long term health considerations, a broken nose is better than a beer gut.”

What were some of the major differences you noticed between training in the various locales you did? For example, a place in Russia to one in Las Vegas.

I trained in New York City, Bangkok, Rio, St. Petersburg (Russia), and Las Vegas. The biggest difference is the UFC has its headquarters in Las Vegas, so it is the center of the MMA universe. It was like being on Broadway as compared to doing dinner theater in Orlando. The fighters in Vegas are like rock stars. When I trained other places, it still felt like an underground activity.

How close did you come to quitting? What kept you going?

The most embarrassing moment happened during one of my first jiu jitsu classes. I ended up paired with a hefty female. She shifted to a north south position and then sat up, smothering me with her ample backside. For a moment as I was thrashing, unable to breathe, I thought to myself, “My God, what are they going to write for my obituary.” After I finally threw her off, I started laughing. My sense of humor kept me going.

How would you say you’ve changed as a result of writing this book and enduring/experiencing what you have?

I got my swagger back. I dropped 65 pounds and fought at 185. In the process I regained a great deal of confidence I had lost over the years. That’s the thing about putting yourself through something incredibly difficult. When it is over, other life challenges seem much easier to handle.

What did you learn about yourself after the entire process?

I learned that I’m a gamer. I wasn’t always the best in practice. I had many bad days. I was often a nervous wreck right before a match began. But when it came time to step into the ring, I always calmed down and gave my peak performance.

Based on your experience, what one piece of core advice would you give readers who might be interested in giving martial arts training a shot (albeit not in the same manner as you did)?

For casual fans interested in learning a little MMA, the best advice is just find a local gym, go easy, and have fun. It is one of the best ways to get back into shape and gain self-confidence. For serious athletes who are hoping for a career in MMA, I would advise them to go train at one of the top flight gyms producing UFC stars: Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, NM; American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, CA; American Top Team in south Florida; Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, NV; TriStar in Montreal, Canada. It is the best way to gauge your potential and learn what you need to compete at the highest levels.

Finally, is there any sort of pride in knowing you are one of the very few MMA writers who can actually say they know what it’s like to be in an actual sanctioned fight?

I was honored that the other MMA fighters at Xtreme Couture treated me like a junior member of the team after I fought and won my first MMA fight. Before I was just this overweight, middle-aged writer hanging around the gym, but afterwards Randy Couture told some local reporters, “Polly earned my respect. He’s got a ton of heart. He did the work and played the part.” It put a big old smile on my face when I read that.

Tapped Out can be found at any number of major retailers including Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

PHOTO CREDIT – MATTPOLLY.COM

Carmouche would go on to face another former champion in her very next bout when she took on Sarah Kaufman four months later on a Strikeforce Challengers card. Despite putting up a valiant effort she would go on to lose via Unanimous Decision. She hasn’t fought since, but she has used that time to strengthen up all areas of her game and she is looking to make it a rough night for her opponent former boxer Ashleigh Curry who is 1-0 in her MMA career. Carmouche a former Marine with three tours of duty in the Middle East is excited for Invicta’s prospects and looking to end her two fight losing streak with an exclamation point.

She recently sat down with Five Ounces of Pain and spoke about her career, fighting for Invicta FC, and much more…

Can you give us a little insight into your background and how you got started in MMA?

Liz Carmouche: I was in the Marine Corps for five years and I was looking for something that would offer me a physical and mental challenge. MMA seemed to meet every aspect. Mentally you have to be prepared for all the different forms of martial arts and physically it will push you to the next level. After week one of getting beat up and I was hooked.

Where are you currently training in preparation for your bout with Curry?

LC: I’m currently training at the San Diego Combat Academy. My main trainer is Manolo Hernandez, I have Matt Fort who is my wrestling coach and Landon Piercy teaches Muay Thai. Fort is also my main training partner.

What can you tell us about your opponent Ashleigh Curry?

LC: She was a professional boxer who is now transitioning into MMA. Her record was 4-7-2, she is a southpaw, she won her one and only MMA fight via TKO.

What would consider your strengths in MMA?

LC: I feel like I consider myself to be more of a well-rounded fighter. I haven’t really decided to focus on just one aspect of the sport as I’d rather be capable in all areas.

What do you feel are the keys for Invicta FC being a successful MMA organization?

LC: I’m not exactly sure what the plans are for Invicta. I would imagine that this card is more or less like a test show to see how things go and what the reaction is to it. If it works out as well as everyone is expecting it to I would think that there would be more shows. I know that’s what I am hoping for; I am looking forward to going around the country putting on shows in venues like the one in Kansas City.

What were your thoughts on the Miesha Tate-Ronda Rousey bout that took place in March?

LC: I was thought it was a great fight and there were certainly a few moments when I was watching when I was like, “Oh my God!!” I thought they were both amazing and I don’t know how Tate was able to deal with that pain.

Who do you feel is the face of women’s MMA at this time?

LC: I don’t necessarily feel that any one fighter is the face of women’s MMA right now. I think there are three main names that everyone recognizes and they are Coenen, Rousey, and Tate. Tate and Coenen have been around longer than Rousey, but to say only one of them is the face of MMA wouldn’t be accurate.

Do you feel it will be tough for Cris “Cyborg” Santos to come back from her suspension and do you feel it was a black eye for women’s MMA?

LC: I think it was just one negative hiccup for us as it’s certainly been happening in men’s MMA for quite some time. I mean it’s constantly coming up. It seems like every other day there is another male fighter failing a test and this was just one for us out of every female fighter. She is certainly very well recognized and it kind of set us back a little bit. As far as her coming back I know she is still training so there won’t be any difficulty for her in that regard. She is going to be under a lot of skepticism and she will have some difficulty coming back from that.

How did you enjoy your time with Strikeforce and will you be fighting for them again?

LC: I’m still contracted through Strikeforce and still have three fights left with them. They are booked up for a few months so they allowed me to fight for Invicta because it’s been so long since I last fought. I’ll be fighting for Strikeforce again at some point.

How did you become involved with Alchemist?

LC: I was introduced to the organization through Alex Soto as he helped me with my sponsorship with Ranger Up and then talked to Lex McMahon about me. They came and met with me and I’ve been with them ever since.

What can your fans expect from you come Saturday night?

LC: It’s been quite a while since my last fight and I feel as though I didn’t get a chance to showcase all of my skills. I am looking to show them that during this time off I haven’t been slacking, but I’ve been growing as a fighter and that’s what I want to show them. I’ve adapted my game and I just want to keep growing.

Are there any sponsors or anyone else you’d like to thank?

LC: Other than Ranger Up I am also sponsored by Build and Destroy since day one they are an up and coming business and even though they don’t have much they always make sure to do whatever they can for me. I’d also like to thank Secret Savage and Out of Bounds. I’d like to give a special thanks to my mom and my girlfriend Lisa. They have been super supportive in all the fights I have ever had. I’d also like to thank Matt, Bill Crawford and Landon for all they do for me back home.

Fans can see Carmouche fight tonight for free through Invicta FC’s website along with the entire card when things start up tonight at 8:00 PM EST.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

McMahon has worn many different hats since he left the Marines and by the looks of it has donned them all with great success, no more so than his role with Alchemist where he has helped build one of the most exciting rosters of MMA fighters around. Anchored by such superstars as Nate Marquardt, Tim Kennedy, Brendan Schaub, and Stefan Struve, the group was recently joined by two of the best and brightest welterweights in the UFC in Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Rory MacDonald. Each and every one of these fighters knows that having McMahon on their side they are in extremely good hands.

“After I finished up with all of my schooling I began a career as a venture capitalist because I felt as though that was a great industry for me to be in,” said McMahon in an interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I had the opportunity to work with my dad for quite a few years as a talent scout for a show called The Next Biggest Star. I managed bands and promoted concerts.”

“I helped my dad put together contracts with both of my partners now in MC Hammer and Jeff Aronson who is owner of Cash For Gold,” McMahon continued. “During that process we begun talking about MMA and our relationship grew and we put together some sponsorships for about 27 fighters for Cash For Gold. We signed Nate Marquardt, Rashad Evans, Randy Couture and others. While we were working on those deals we sat down and said let’s put together a company and that is how Alchemist started.”

By utilizing MC Hammer’s contacts as well as his name Alchemist has been able to land some major deals for their fighters. McMahon is very quick to point out that MC Hammer does so much more than lend his name to the company; he is an extraordinary businessman with a great passion for the sport as well.

“I’ve been really fortunate to work with Hammer, he’s an incredible guy to work with and he is a visionary,” McMahon explained. “He has utilized social media and is a high level relationship guy. He is able to reach into international markets and he has had success in everything he has done. We really have a great team here at Alchemist with myself, Hammer, Jeff and another gentleman I haven’t mentioned in Nima Safapour.”

For those MMA fans who believe that working in the MMA business is a dream job they may be right, but as with anything there are positives and negatives. When you are part of a management team that is running a global enterprise such as Alchemist the responsibilities can seem endless and put a drain on everyone and everything around you if you aren’t careful.

“As much as this is a dream job for me there are some drawbacks,” offered McMahon. “I get to interact and work with some of the greatest fighters in the world and I have tremendous partners to help shoulder the responsibilities, but at the same time the travel is immense. In order to be successful I need to be away from my wife and my daughters quite a bit. I am very fortunate that my wife Ashley is very supportive and she is the rock that holds the family together. When I am home I make a big effort to spend quality time with all of them, but at the end of the day I am gone much more than I home.

There are also positives aspects of my job that you don’t get to hear about. Stephen Thompson, Ovince St. Preux, and I recently took twelve wounded Marines to Alabama hunting for 3-4 days. It was a really cool experience and Stephen took time out of his camp just so he could attend. We all believe that it’s so important to support the US Military. Then at UFC 145 we are bringing several of the Marines to Atlanta as our guests to watch the fights. They get to go backstage and the UFC has been wonderful to work with on this campaign.”

Being in MMA management McMahon always has his eyes open for the next big star. He has many young fighters who he is promoting that he believes that he can not only help develop a great career for, but also assist them in building themselves as a brand so they are able to support themselves when their fighting days are over.

“We look to sit down with our athletes and look to do something that is bigger than what we are about,” said McMahon. “It’s important to work hand in hand and support other people, I’ve been very fortunate to work in the MMA community. For me it has been a real blessing. We want to insure that our fighters are able to invest their money and prepare for the days when they can no longer make money fighting. To us we take it as our responsibility to point these guys in the right direction during and after their careers.”

“We have some incredible young talent,” McMahon elaborated. “Alex Soto is one of the fighters who I’ve worked long and hard with. He is a Mexican immigrant who was fighting in bare knuckle MMA fights in Tijuana for $50. He joined the Army and served in Afghanistan. We also have Liz Carmouche who has fought for Strikeforce and will be fighting next for Invicta FC 1 on April 28. She’s another former Marine and I have to take care of them. Then there is Walel Watson who has three fights in the UFC. Of course there is “Wonderboy” who has made such progress over the past six months. He is a truly special guy. George Lockhart, Eric Scallan, Chad Robichaux, and Alex Morono are all fighters to look out for. Just to be able to watch these guys make their way to the top is awesome.”

McMahon and Alchemist are in the business to help grow the sport and enhance the potential of all of their fighters. It is with that attitude that Mixed Martial Artists from around the world are lining up to be represented by them. You may read a lot of stories about misrepresentation or some management companies blatantly ripping off their clients, but you’d be hard pressed to hear anyone criticize this group. Their goals are quite simple in nature, but without their hard work they would never come to fruition.

“At the end of the day we are here to create value for our clients,” concluded McMahon. “Creating value for our clients includes commercial endorsements, getting them the best fight contracts, but like I have said it’s about building a platform for them to leverage their life outside of fighting. That could mean entertainment or having their own academy. Whatever it may be we want to build their name so they can make a living outside of fighting. We want our fighters to focus on three things and that is training fighting and winning. If we can take care of the rest them that means we have done our job.”

PHOTO CREDIT – ALCHEMIST MMA

Caros was a really powerful and strong, compacted puncher, and his ground and pound showed that too. That surprised me, but I probably should have known it after the Justin Wilcox knockout. Still, you never really know what it feels like until you’re in there with an opponent. He was just so compact and stout and could definitely throw some leather. He caught me with a good shot and I got a bit of a head buzz in the first round, but I was never dazed or in danger of the fight getting stopped or close to getting KO’d. Man, that win felt good!

I got six stitches after my fight, and I feel like I’m getting to know the doctor pretty well since he stitched me up after the last fight. Feels like we’re building some good rapport. The swelling in my nose has gone down, but it looks pretty crooked, at least a bit more than I’m used to. I took a hard knee in training around five weeks before the fight, and I’m pretty sure I’d broken it then. I had to sit out a lot from sparring, and when I got back into it I had to wear some headgear with a metal bar across the nose to protect it. I don’t know if I did it in training, or if it just got worse in the fight, but it looks pretty crooked and my breathing out of it isn’t very good. The first time I broke my nose was when I was 17, and I’ve never really been able to breathe out of it that well since, but it might be time to get it looked at, so I might go see somebody soon to see what they can tell me. I’ve never had anything done to it. I don’t know what they’ll say. I’m sure I’ve got a deviated septum, as I’ve never been able to breathe out of it properly after that first time it broke.

Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate were amazing. They both looked tough, and if there was any question of Ronda being able to go, well, she looked fit and in control enough to go onto the other rounds. She looked very impressive. Miesha impressed me too when she managed to take Ronda’s back in the middle of the round. It was much more than I was expecting, and both of them looked so impressive. You’ve got to think Ronda is right up there with some of the top fighters in the world. I don’t know about “Cyborg” Santos but that fight would be fun. “Cyborg” looks like she’s on a different level, but Ronda is too with her strength and the way she was moving around. I don’t know if that match-up will ever happen, but it’d definitely be cool if it does. However, Sarah Kaufman is next for Ronda. I think Sarah’s hands looked superb, and if she can keep the fight standing I think she’ll do great. That being said, I think Ronda might be a little too much for her on the ground and may get her there if it makes the difference in the fight. Kudos to Alexis Davis too. She definitely won a lot of fans that night on her toughness as far as coming back and giving Kaufman a good beating in the third round. She definitely impressed a lot of people, that’s for sure, myself included.

I was thinking about something. You know, I feel I’ve been the underdog every time I’ve gone out there for Strikeforce. From my very first fight, I think Strikeforce brought me in to lose to Bryan Travers because he was a rising star on a good streak. So I’ve felt a bit like they’ve had me against up and comers the whole time, but I’m okay with that you know? I think might make me a “gatekeeper” or whatever you want to call it, but I’m 5-1 in Strikeforce now, and six times I’ve been the underdog. I’ve proved the doubters wrong in every single fight but one. I don’t know what the future holds after this. It’s hard to argue Josh Thomson for the next title shot since he’s already beaten me, but I’d sure like to see what happens. If they feel like I need to fight somebody else I’d be happy to do that again. I’d love a rematch with Josh, especially if they have Gilbert Melendez fight someone else. In that scenario it seems like Josh and I would be the logical fight to make.

There have been some rumors of a crossover fight where somebody from the UFC comes and challenges Melendez. I think it would be really good for Strikeforce in general because people still look at us as a “second tier” organization. There is a large segment of “hardcore” fans that still don’t know a lot about us or if we even fight with the same rules as the UFC. It’s something that I get asked quite often actually – “Is Strikeforce the same rules as the UFC?” So I think anything that will bring some star power and eyes on Strikeforce would be good, especially to let people know that we’re legit. A crossover fight would be interesting for sure and I’m excited to see what might come of that.

Myself personally, I’m overall a different fighter than I used to be. I’d love if people could look at my career after I went to 155. That was a huge change for me. I think that’s the weight I should’ve been at the whole time. I was lazy and undisciplined with my diet. I would just eat whatever. I didn’t know what to eat or how to eat. I think a lot of it also changed when I moved back to Team Quest. When the IFL crumbled and I moved back to Quest, it really felt like home with coaches and teammates that cared about me. It was there that I really settled in and made some serious choices, like the days I’d start working short days and could get off to practice at 3:00. It was things like making choices not to work long hours and make sure I was in the gym five days a week. It might have been shortly after the first Ryan Ford fight now that I think about it.

Back to the present, after my win over Fodor all I was looking forward to after the fight was eating and Chicago, but all I did when I got back to the hotel was have a quick meal and went to bed. I knew I had to get up early to drive to Chicago which I did the next morning with my friend and corner man.

However, I definitely ate when I got to Chicago! From the North Side to the South Side to the West Side to everywhere and all different food spots. I definitely became a pig when it came to food. I was in Greek Town, Harold’s Chicken, Giovanni’s, you name it! I hit all the big spots. I wasn’t disappointed on that end of the trip for sure. If they call me for a fight tomorrow, I may definitely be a welterweight again, but hopefully I’ll have plenty of time to get back down before the bout.

I also got to see the Chicago Bulls play live and I’ve never sat closer. It was basically front row, but there were a couple of boundaries and a divider in front of that so I guess technically it was the third row? Regardless, it was awesome to be that close. We were right behind the bench, and I was close to give the players some tips if they needed it. Truly, it was good fun.

I then drove up to the St. Louis area to visit some of my old friends. It’s actually a town called Collinsville just outside of St. Louis. Anyways, I’ve got some friends from college and one of my regional coaches Steve Berger is still here. I went in and trained and rolled with him. It was great to see how far we’ve both come and to see some of the old guys and see how much they’ve improved. It was great, nearly being five years since the last time we’d gotten together.

That’s all from me for this final edition of Bam vs. Wild. Before I go, I’d like to thank A.C.T. Sports Drink and Dr. Steve at Mentaltrainingprogram.com – I worked a lot with him leading up to the fight. He became a good friend and helped me get my mental game ready for the fight, and I look forward to continue working for him in the future. Thanks for Five Ounces of Pain for letting me do this again. I had a lot of fun! Until next time catch up with me on Twitter at @bambamhealy.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

He wasn’t supposed to win TUF as a small light heavyweight competing for the heavyweight title yet in the finale he defeated 6’7”, 265 lbs Brad Imes, impressive considering the size difference. After defeating a few fighters who were thought to be on par with his talent, Evans finally got his big chance against Tito Ortiz and gave the former champ all he could handle in what would go down as a Draw.

Soon thereafter, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin, the latter of whom he defeated for the divisional title, would find out just how far Evans had come. He had dynamite striking and was adept at using his wrestling to get the fight to the floor when necessary. In his nearly seven years with the UFC, Evans has lost only once and the stumble came in a title defense to accomplished 205er Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. That was nearly three years ago, though due to injuries and inactivity Evans has fought only four times since, winning against Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, Ortiz, and most recently Phil Davis.

The Davis victory set him up for a much anticipated shot at current champion and former training partner/friend Jon Jones next month at UFC 145 in Atlanta. The world already knows the history between the two and how Evans left Greg Jackson’s camp because of the animosity between him and Jones. However, there is much more to Evans than just the fight with Jones. He is as passionate about this sport as anyone else. He is a devoted family man who misses his best friend/big brother Lance Evans, presently stationed in Afghanistan. Evans knows that this fight is important, but he also knows that this one fight will not define his career. He is happy where he’s at and ready to reclaim the UFC championship.

“Things are going so good for me right now,” explained Evans in an interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I feel good since my last fight and it’s just continued on with this training camp. I’d really like to fight three or four times a year. I like to have that feeling where I want to fight. As long as I have that feeling I’ll fight as much as possible.”

Evans had a lot riding on his fight with Davis this past January. If he had fallen he wouldn’t have received a chance to not only fight Jones but to also win back the title he lost to Machida. On top of all of that pressure, his bout with Davis was occupying the main event slot of a UFC on FOX card. It’s not that Evans hadn’t been in big fights before, but there were high expectations from all involved to produce an entertaining show after the UFC’s first foray on FOX lasted just a minute.

“It felt like there was a little bit more pressure,” Evans said. “Then again I really put the added pressure on myself because I wanted to put on a show and put on a good fight for the people of Chicago. The actual show itself was pretty much the same as any of the other fights I’ve been in. One thing I was worried about was the title shot, I really wanted to win and go after the title so that added some pressure as well.”

It seems all people want to do these days when they talk to Evans or Jones is get them to trash talk one another. For some, it’s gotten to the point where they want to tune it all out, anxious to simply see the fight to happen so the sport can move forward while the involved fighters move on to the next stage of their careers. Evans can relate to such a mindset, also having had his fill of people telling him what Jones is saying.

“I’m just looking forward to fighting him to be honest,” offered Evans. “A lot of the back and forth and a lot of the drama is so old. I’m tired of hearing people say Jon is going to do this to you and he said this about you. It seems everyone has their own opinion. For me, I am just looking forward to getting it on. I had a good experience in Atlanta when I fought Chuck and hopefully it’ll turn out the same.”

No longer training with Jackson in New Mexico, Evans has found a new home and a new family with the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Florida. There, under the tutelage of Mike Van Arsdale, Evans feels comfortable and has formed a bond with many of his new teammates. Following him down to Florida thus far, amongst others, have Melvin Guillard and UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem. Managed by Authentic Sports Management, Evans is at peace with his surroundings.

“Down here it’s more organized and there are a lot more talented guys,” Evans elaborated on his current circumstances. “There’s just a better overall atmosphere down here. I’m a silly dude and I like to joke around. I like to make things a little lighter and funnier. It’s crazy the way things are now and how they were when I first started. I thought things would always be the same, but now things have changed so much. Keith Jardine just came down to train with us for awhile and seeing him was nice. Keith and I said we would never fight and that’s the way things were supposed to be with John, but I guess he didn’t feel the same way.”

Should Evans get by Jones next month and recapture the light heavyweight title the UFC already has an opponent waiting in the wings. 41-year-old Dan Henderson, fresh off of his thrilling five round Unanimous Decision victory over former 205-pound champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, is next in line for the winner of Evans-Jones.

“I definitely think Henderson is next in line,” Evans proclaimed. “I heard he’s going to wait and face the winner of my fight with Jones. I mean it makes sense for him to wait. At his age he has every right to sit out and wait to fight for the belt. These opportunities don’t come around every day. He’s still going strong; he’s out there and still doing his thing.”

Evans is one of many UFC fighters who will be attending the MMA Show Live in Birmingham, England in May. Others scheduled to join him are Brendan Schaub, Frank Trigg, Stefan Struve, Stephen Thompson, and Brittney Palmer. No doubt happy to focus on something other than the Jones rivalry and get away from the spotlight of America, Evans is looking forward to meeting the English fans and seeing some old friends as well.

“I am going to be doing a seminar and a meet and greet with the fans,” revealed Evans. “I had a good time the last time I was in Birmingham to watch the fights. It’s definitely a different vibe over there, but I had a good time. I’m looking forward to spending some time with Schaub; it’ll be good to hang out with some of my old friends again. I watched Brendan go from a guy who came into the gym to get into shape and look where he is now, it’s nice to watch his progression.”

Also outside of the regular realm of the fight business, Evans brother Lance, who once tried out for The Ultimate Fighter and has fought for some regional shows in Michigan and the surrounding areas, has since gone on to enlist in the United States military and is stationed over in Afghanistan. Rashad will miss having his brother around come fight time, but he’s happy to see his sibling doing something he loves.

“He’s in Afghanistan right now, in fact he just went back,” Evans explained. “He won’t be able to attend the fight as he’s going to be there for awhile. He likes what he’s doing, it’s tough being over there and there’s a lot that they don’t show on the news over here. There’s a lot of violence and you never know what’s going to happen. Being away from your family is hard and you never know what you’re going to come back to, it’s tough on the soldiers. The thing about America is we follow fads and it goes that way as far as the troops are concerned. If it’s not cool to support them then people don’t support them and that’s a shame. I miss having my brother around and it’ll be nice to have him home when his time is up.”

Until Evans-Jones meet on April 21 you can keep up with Evans on his Twitter account (@SugaRashadEvans).

Her big break came when she was hired in 2007 to work for the WEC and was moved over to the UFC when the two organizations merged. It wasn’t long afterwards that she discovered she had a legitimate talent for painting with one of her best portraits to date featuring none other than UFC President Dana White. Following in the footsteps of fellow Octagon girls Rachelle Leah and Arianny Celeste, Palmer recently showed off more of her “talents” in the March issue of Playboy magazine.

Life has been good thus far for the 24-year old beauty, but it hasn’t come without a ton of hard work. To keep up a schedule like the one Palmer has an individual needs to remain focused and committed. There’s not much time for a social life especially now that her issue of Playboy has come out. The demands on her time have become even greater, but Palmer is enjoying every minute of it. From traveling all over the world meeting new and interesting people, Palmer is living the dream and she couldn’t be happier.

“Everything has been amazing and the best thing is I truly am an MMA fan,” said Palmer in an exclusive interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “Being part of an organization as big as the UFC and part of the #1 growing sport in the world is something I am so thankful for. I am so grateful to be one of only three girls alongside Arianny and Chandella (Powell). It’s been a great journey and I’m just enjoying the ride. Working for the WEC was great and I am still working with the same people just on a larger scale. There are a lot more events, but being such a big fan that only adds to the experience.”

Getting to sit cageside and witness some of the most historic moments in the sports history is something that Palmer can share with her grandchildren when the time comes. She also gets to know and develop relationships with many of the world’s best athletes while watching them make history. She entered the sport at the right time and it’s only going to get bigger and better over the next few years.

“Getting to watch fighters like Jon Jones who is an amazing athlete, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Urijah Faber, Dominck Cruz, and Clay Guida makes this job that much more enjoyable,” explained Palmer. “There are so many great fighters, there are too many to name, but they all have their own styles and that’s what makes it interesting to watch.”

Palmer is not the typical art prodigy whose talent was recognized when she very young. In fact it wasn’t all that long that she discovered drawing wasn’t just something she enjoyed it was an opportunity to showcase a talent and share it will millions of fans.

Posing in Playboy provides the type of platform that can really push someone into super stardom. Many women have gone on to have great careers in film and on television after posing in the periodical. However, while there are many positives that can come from being in the pages of one of the world’s most famous magazines there could also be some drawbacks as well. Family members can be embarrassed while strangers can be downright cruel and obnoxious. Palmer knew what posing in Playboy entailed and she seems to have no regrets what so ever, realizing the positives far outweighed the negatives.

“It’s been so great and surreal,” said an excited Palmer. “I’m so happy and lucky to be in the situation I am in. This is the happiest I have ever been, my career is on such a hot streak right now. I am counting my blessings because I am so grateful for everything I have right now. Being an art student I am used to being around nude figures so I wasn’t hesitant when I was approached by Playboy. I wouldn’t say this was a dream I had as a little girl, but this is a golden opportunity. My friends and family have been so supportive, they know every decision I have made has helped my career and led me to a better place.”

This coming May in Birmingham, England at the NEC Arena The MMA Show Live will join The Martial Arts Show for the first time. There will be over sixty fighters in attendance including Rashad Evans, Kenny Florian, Jake Shields, Brendan Schaub, Rory MacDonald, Stefan Struve, and none other than Ms. Palmer too. As such, lucky attendees will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the beauty live and in person.

“I am going to be signing autographs for fans,” Palmer said. “I will be giving away some of my Playboy calendars. I am really looking forward to going over there. It’s just another opportunity that this sport has given me. I plan on being in the UFC for many years to come and riding this wave. I am cloud nine and getting to meet my fans makes me even more appreciative of all that I have been blessed with.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/TRACY LEE

The fighters are right downtown and there’s not much to offer here. It’s just office buildings, some State stuff. Most of the cafes and restaurants are just open for lunch or close at 5:00-6:00. So far it seems like everything’s shut down by 7:00. It’s a bit different to what I’m used to, that’s for sure. The fighters, like myself, on the undercard haven’t really been that involved with the media for the event so I’ve had a lot of downtime. I’ve walked a few circles around downtown now. It’s been a pretty easy going week outside of that. I went to the mall today. There’s a really nice and huge indoor/outdoor mall. I went down there by myself and walked around for about three hours and looked around, but I didn’t walk out with anything. It was one of the first times I went into a mall, tried things on, and decided “Eh, I’m not going to buy that.” Usually if I try something on, it’s as good as bought, but I was able to control myself this time around. I’ve gotta say I’m a little proud of myself for that!

I mentioned in my last blog that I didn’t have that much weight to cut. I was about two pounds over last night once I finished a light workout, and I’ve got about five to go today which I can do in one cut – pretty dang easy. However, before I get to that cut, I’ve got a full day ahead of me. I’m up, so I’m going to have a light breakfast and then go for a walk. I tend to go for these walks now in the morning just because I’m used to getting up and walking my dog. My body’s used to it and I like “walking off my meal”. I don’t know if there’s any scientific proof of that working but it’s a mental thing for me if nothing else. After that, I’m going down to the Arnold Classic to sign for LastRoundNutrition.com with Matt Lindland for about an hour or so. After that, I’ll come back and do an Epsom salt bath with around six bottles of rubbing alcohol. I’ll have a pretty warm bath, and that’s how I’ll cut my weight. With only having fiveor six pounds to go, I’ll only sit in there for about 30-35 minutes, let my body finish sweating, and then jump on the scale to check my weight.

If you’ve never done one of these types of baths before, it’s not that different overall to having a regular bath, but the smell of it really hits your nostrils and it’s a strange feeling at first. The first time I did it, I was thinking to myself “What the hell am I doing? Is this really going to work?” I was so nervous sitting in there wondering if I was losing weight or sweating. I guess it’s an old bodybuilder’s trick? It’s supposed to pull all the water out of your skin and not your organs. I learned it from Chael Sonnen. He’s the one that told me about it, and this fight will be the fourth time I do it. I absolutely swear by it now. You feel so much better than getting in the sauna and sweating it out and it makes you look a bit more shredded so that’s another added benefit of doing it, eh?

After the bath, we’ll head over to the Arnold Classic to weigh-in there. We have to check in by 2:15 and then you’ll see me on the scale at about 5:00.

Once that’s out of the way it’ll be time to rehydrate…and eat! I’m looking forward to that first meal. Lindland’s been coming back with a lot of tasty looking stuff from around the area and I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to eat after weigh-ins. I’m going to keep it pretty light. I love steak, but I can’t just eat a big chunk of meat, have it sit in my stomach and keep my body from absorbing anything else, so I’ll probably have just salmon and some light stuff like that. I’ll have some watery fruits like grapes and oranges and some simple sugars (like Fig Newtons). I’ll slowly eat from there. I can’t gorge myself after weigh-ins because my body’s just not used to it. I’m more of a snack-through-the-night type of guy instead of having a giant meal. So that’s what I’m going to do. Relax and snack throughout the night, then onto the fight with Fodor on Saturday!

Before I go, I wanted to tell you a quick story about my nickname “Bam Bam.” I hate to say it, but “Bam Bam” comes from when I was in high school, and when I drank my friends would always say I had this alter-ego. My eyebrows would lower down and my friends would say stuff like “Oh no, here comes Bam Bam!” I’d be all neanderthal-like. I’d be clumsy and crashing into things, always grabbing my friends and wrestling them. Basically just turning into a caveman who knew a thing or two about grappling.

After fight week, I’m headed to Chicago for a bit. I’m hoping to take in a Chicago Bulls game, and, of course, I’ll be eating lots, especially at Maxwell Street. When I was last there, it was really big for Polish food, but I think now it’s big on Mexican. I’m gonna definitely be traveling around trying all the different styles of food. I’ll check in again with you all next week about my travels in Chi-Town, but that’s all for now. Until next week, catch up with me on Twitter @BamBamHealy and make sure to watch my fight this weekend.

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Healy takes on Fodor tomorrow night at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey live from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. This fight will air on the prelim card, starting at 8:00 PM EST on Showtime Extreme. Superchannel will be picking it up in Canada before immediately airing the main card. Check your local listings for more information.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Knowing Strikeforce is back for 2012 is a big weight off my shoulders due to the job security. By having Zuffa come in and take Strikeforce over, and seeing how they run an organization, it’s obvious they’re good at what they do and it’s such a well oiled machine. The difference in communication before/after is night and day. You wouldn’t hear anything from them for six months,and then they’d call you and say “You’re fighting in a month.” It was four of five different guys trying to run the show, whereas now, with Sean Shelby and Scott Coker, it’s pretty cut and dry. It’s hard to see Strikeforce going anywhere but up right now the way things are.

Coming into the fight, I’m the lowest weight I’ve ever been at this point this close. I’m less than ten pounds over, maybe nine and some change. That’s really good for me and I’m thinking I’m only going to have to “cut” maybe 5-6 pounds before weigh-ins. That right there is a pretty exciting prospect. I’ve got things down pretty well now. This is my seventh fight at 155 so it just gets easier and easier.

Last week, I really picked up my water intake, trying to drink two gallons of water a day. It really fills you up and keeps things moving through your body. Over the next week, I’m going to keep it similar to what I’ve been doing by eating clean. I eat six times a day with three bigger meals and three smaller meals. It keeps my body burning stuff. I’ve been using a nutritionist named Troy Sudar from LastRoundNutrition.com and he’s been great. I’ve also added some stuff from the Dolce Diet too because Mike has got some meal options that are really good. As this week progresses, I’ll just make my portions smaller and smaller. With the weigh-ins on Friday I’ll try and do a flush where I’ll try to drink five gallons of water. It just flushes you completely out and you’ll lose 4 -5 pounds. From there, you really cut back that last day and don’t eat a lot before weigh-ins..eat clean, like a lot of spinach and some really small meals. I try to make it so that I only do one weight cut overall.

My fight camp has been great as well. My last fight against Maximo Blanco was on short notice and I had a full camp this time. I’m always in the gym and never stop training really, but with a full camp you really get good time to focus fully on your opponent (as opposed to focusing on just your skills.) With Fodor, I got to watch a lot of tapes to see what he does and try to put some good training or thoughts in my head every time I go to train and really tailor my style to do what I want to do. It’s just so nice to be able to focus on a guy for a full camp.

After my fight with  Blanco, I went to China for six weeks to train some up and comers. Although I went out there to train those guys, I picked up a lot of stuff from them. San Shou is really not a style that many people are familiar with outside of Cung Le. It uses some really interesting kicks and is just a really slick style. I learned a lot from them and a lot of how they were training, so I was able to implement that into my training. I have a little bit of limitation because of my flexibility (or lack thereof lol) but it’s something I’ve been working on since China and I think I’m going to be able to mix it up quite well and keep Fodor guessing.

My brother Ryan is preparing for a fight too. It really helps that we’re both training at the same time. We spar really well together and we’ve been doing a lot of stuff that I brought back from China. He was working a lot off the speed mitt style that Floyd Mayweather does and we’ve been able to mix that all together. We just always seem to be on the same page. We’re able to build with each other, and I think it’s extremely handly. When I head to Columbus he’s staying behind to train. It’s alright though. I’ve got Matt Lindland with me, and he’s my right hand man and someone I prefer having in my corner. I know Ryan would love to be there, but he doesn’t need the added stress of being at the show having to corner me not to mention it’s an awkward feeling to have to do that for your brother.

Before I go, I’ve got to say a bit about my Portland Trail Blazers as we come out of the All-Star Break. They’re going to turn it up in the second half. Their problem is their inconsistency. Some nights they look great and the next night, they just don’t seem to put it together. I see them coming together this second half though. Nate MacMillan is a great coach, and he’s really trying to get that chemistry back going. Joel Przybilla is coming back and truly, I love the Vanilla Gorilla and the way he plays. He’s actually a big MMA guy too. He’s trained with Lindland a little bit, and trained with Duke Roufus too. I think they can finally make it out of the first round of the playoffs this year. Their guards are stepping up, and I see them putting things together now. We can’t keep doing this thing where we ride in the back and barely make it in and get put up against the #1 seed. I think a lot of that depends on how consistent they get their play going. But I’ve got faith. It’s Rip City all the way here!

Let’s do this again soon, maybe from Columbus next week. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter at @BamBamHealy.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/5 OZ

Today I spoke with 21-year-old Alex Morono, a welterweight who will be fighting this Friday night for Legacy Fighting Championships 10 on HDNet. Morono is one of those guys that doesn’t take anything for granted. Mature beyond his years, he appreciates the opportunity he has in front of him and realizes that Rome wasn’t built in a day. He’s willing to be patient and when the times right for him to fight for a bigger promotion he’ll be ready. When it’s all said and done these fighters are pretty much the same, they love to compete and are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.

Bryan Levick: Where are you currently training for your fight on Friday night?

Alex Morono: I’m training at Gracie Barra up in North Houston. My coach Chad Robichaux has two schools and one of my coaches Todd Moore has fought for the WEC, DREAM, and Strikeforce. He actually fought Shinya Aoki at DREAM 6 in 2008. My striking coach Michael Chase Corley has fought some of the best strikers worldwide. We have a great group of guys here in Houston.

BL: How did you get into MMA in the first place?

Morono: I didn’t do much when I was young other than play soccer. I was pretty overweight, but I had a couple of friends who were boxing and training in Jiu-Jitsu. We would always get together and watch the old PRIDE fights and one year I asked for a membership to a boxing gym. I was 15 or 16 and fell in love with it; I lost a bunch of weight and had my first Muay Thai fight at sixteen. I won with a headkick knockout and the rest is history.

BL: What do you know about your opponent Rashon Lewis?

Morono: I know he’s a big strong guy who played college football. We have a mutual opponent and while he lost I ended up submitting the guy in under a minute. I think I’m years ahead of him on the ground and striking, but he’s real athletic and that goes a long way in MMA. Technically I think I’ll smash the guy, but I know I have to deal with his strength.

BL: What area of your game would you say is your biggest strength?

Morono: I think my footwork is my best attribute. I have managed to take very little damage in my fights which to me is always ideal. It was good to start out in boxing and it’s carried over to MMA. I’ve never really been hit that hard in any of my fights. I think I need to work on my wrestling and I’ve been doing a lot to improve in that area. I have noticed since I began focusing on wrestling my cardio and strength have gone up.

BL: What does your family think about you fighting professionally?

Morono: At first my mom wasn’t into it and my dad didn’t care. He used to come to all of my Jiu-Jitsu matches. Now they are all at every one of my fights cheering me along. I don’t think they have ever missed a fight. I know my dad is worried that I’m getting hurt, but I’ve never been injured or taken any serious punishment.

BL: Where do you see yourself in the next year?

Morono: I’m definitely going to take my time; I am not in any rush. My coaches are my guides and since I am only 21 I’m going to take things slow and fight guys that are at my level. This fight for Legacy is great as it’s going to be televised on HDnet. There are some UFC and Strikeforce vets on the card so I’ll be able to get some good experience fighting locally. I really enjoy fighting for Legacy and have been with them since I was amateur.

Make sure to check out the 3-1 Morono’s fight out when things start at 10:00 PM EST. Other bouts include action from UFC alums Pat Audinwood and Gerald Harris.

PHOTO CREDIT – ALEX MORONO/LEGACYFC

Edgar is coming off of two brutal fights against Gray Maynard where, in both bouts, he was nearly finished in the first round only to show unbelievable resiliency in coming back to earn a Draw in the first go-round and a knockout victory in the second. By watching those wars Henderson has taken away a great deal of understanding about his upcoming opponent, a fact he revealed in an exclusive conversation with Five Ounces of Pain.

“The first thing I took away is that he does make mistakes and can be hurt,” stated Henderson matter-of-factly. “He got hurt very badly in both fights in the first round. He does leave openings and make mistakes. He has holes and there are opportunities where you can go after him and throw him off of his game. You also have to take away the fact that he has a huge heart, a very good chin, and a never say die attitude. That’s not something that should ever be discounted.”

With all the publicity surrounding his success in the UFC and his upcoming bout with Edgar, Henderson also has something else to be thankful for. Along with his coach he is now the proud owner of the only gym he has ever trained at, the MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona.

“It’s about 98-99% done, John Crouch and I purchased the gym from the old owners,” said an excited and proud Henderson. “We are not going anywhere; this is where I am going to be at for the duration of my career. In a few years time we plan on opening other affiliates around the country. This is home for me and we hope to offer opportunities to some young fighters in the area looking to make their way in the sport.

“I’ve got the same guys training with me that I had in the beginning,” the 28-year old continued. “For this fight I am bringing in UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz to lend us a hand. He’s a bit quicker and faster than I am. He can emulate Frankie and help me deal with the speed and footwork Edgar possesses. Other than that it’s all the same guys, a bunch of hungry guys trying to make a name for themselves.”

Being so confident in his abilities, Henderson uses visualization as a core component of his training. He puts himself in different scenarios, concentrating on how he can go about getting out of them. The technique also allows him to see himself with his hand raised when the fight is over and done with.

“Visualization is a big part of the mental aspect of my game,” offered Henderson. “I tend to use this three or four times a week. I will get in the cage and shadowbox all the while I am thinking about what I am going to do against my opponent. As the fight gets closer I will get into more specifics and imagine the walkout to the cage, hearing the crowd and the music.

“I will visualize my opponent making his way out to the cage and the Herb Dean or whoever the referee maybe giving us our instructions,” said Henderson, elaborating on what goes into the process. “I can actually hear ‘Big’ John (McCarthy) asking. ‘Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s get it on!’ I will see how my opponent will react and how I counter his counters. The one thing I visualize is at the end of the fight and that is having my arm raised as the winner.”

The former WEC champion also envisions a fight similar to that in the minds of many others as far as a back-and-forth battle likely to earn Fight of the Night honors.

“This fight is going to be good,” explained Henderson. “It’ll be like two cats trapped inside of a bag. He’s a pretty aggressive fighter who moves a lot, but he remains very active and goes after it. He’s not a guy who will get on the bike and not engage. He moves around a lot, but comes to fight each and every time. We both have aggressive natures so you can expect us to get after it and put on a great fight.”

Henderson is a very confident fighter, but throughout the conversation let it be known he truly understands how important the people around him are to his success and how much they have helped him grow as both a human being and a fighter. He spoke very highly of his training partners and his coaches at the MMA Lab, showing that as incredibly skilled as he is he is also equally humble.

Catch Henderson vs. Edgar this Saturday night as part of a seven-fight PPV card including Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields and Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The 12-1 Hendricks, recently announced to a bout with Josh Koscheck at UFC on FOX 3, sat down and spoke with Five Ounces of Pain where he talked about the win over Fitch and his thoughts on a title-run, as well as the support group he has in a great team and loving family who help make him the fighter he is.

“The day before I told (matchmaker) Joe Silva I wanted knockout of the night,” Hendricks admitted on the subject of his UFC 141 win. “I wanted to make Jon Fitch forget his name for one night. The week before everyone was saying I didn’t deserve the fight with Fitch. I was being overlooked by everyone so I used it as motivation. I went in there I’m going to hit him as hard as I could and try and knock him out. Silva smirked at me because no one had finished him.

“As soon as I hit him he fell and then the ref jumped in. The first thing I thought was, ‘This is awesome!’ Then I saw Joe Silva walk in and I asked him, ‘Was that good enough for Knockout of the Night,’” Hendricks reflected. “It’s not something that’s going to happen every time. It was a combination of the anger I had built up and all of the hard work I put in. This was the hardest camp I have ever been through.”

Everyone that Hendricks surrounds himself with he counts as his biggest supporters. He is not one to take anybody or anything for granted. Whether it’s family, a friend or training partner, Hendricks realizes the importance of surrounding himself with good people.

“My wife is my biggest supporter without a doubt,” said the 28-year old. “Then there is my dad, my mom, Team Takedown, all of my managers, everyone who is around me are huge supporters. I like being an open book so if I have something bothering me I like to talk about it. It’s nice to have all of these great people who keep me happy and are willing to listen to me. Keep good people around you and good things will happen.”

Now that Carlos Condit is the interim champion and Nick Diaz is out for the foreseeable future a huge opportunity may just open up for the right fighter. Although the UFC has talked about having Condit face Georges St. Pierre to unify the titles once he returns from injury, the date of such a thing happening is still a long way off. Hendricks has his opinion on how things should go down.

“I have heard a couple of times that Condit may defend the title once before GSP comes back, I don’t know if it’s true or not,” Hendricks explained. “It might just be a rumor, but I’m hoping that it’s not and of course I’d love to be the one to get a shot at it. I want a shot at that belt. I’m 7-1 in the UFC with four KO’s and 9-1 with Zuffa; I’m ready to make that run.

“For four years Fitch was the number two ranked welterweight in the world and I knocked him out,” Hendricks went on, his voice becoming more and more filled with excitement. “The bigger the fight the better I come out. That is the way I was when I wrestled and that’s they way I am in the UFC. The more pressure that’s on me to lose the better I perform. I like to meet my challenges head on. I’m at a point where others believe in me and it makes me feel good. To have Mr. Fertitta and Dana White appreciate me is great, but I know I need to keep performing.”

With Koscheck on the horizon he will certainly get the chance to do just that.

As he has stated Hendricks likes his life to be an open book for the entire world to see. Never one to hold anything back, he does have one secret that up until only he and his daughter knew about. I am honored that he felt comfortable enough to share this with me.

“I will tell you something that no one knows except for my daughter and that is I am a horse half the time,” Hendricks said while laughing. “My daughter will jump on my back and I let her ride me like a horse. I buck around like a Bronco and she’s screams go daddy go! Whenever I have to leave she has as sad look on her face and I have a little saying and it goes, Daddy’s gotta go make some money and she says Daddy go make me some money. That’s my motivation.”

You can follow Johny on Twitter @johnyhendricks or @teamtakedown.

You can visit the Team Takedown site at www.TeamTakedown.com

Author’s Note: Special thanks to Johny’s manager Janet Jenkins for setting this interview up. It was a real pleasure spending time talking to Johny. One of the more memorable conversations I have had with a fighter.

UFC welterweight Johny Hendricks went from talented prospect to title-contender in December after knocking out the seemingly unstoppable Jon Fitch. The win improved his overall record to 12-1 and earned him a recently announced rumble with Josh Koscheck later this year at UFC on FOX 3.

When asked for his take on the future match-up, Hendricks embraced the opportunity and indicated he’ll be looking to finish Koscheck off similarly to the way he took out Fitch.

“I am excited for this fight,” said Hendricks to Five Ounces of Pain. “I figured that I would be fighting him and the only thing I can think of is I hope he is ready to do some stand up.”

Despite being an accomplished amateur wrestler Hendricks has shown a willingness to strike in the past rather than grapple, picking up more than half of his wins by way of TKO in large part due to his one-punch power. In addition to Fitch the 28-year old also holds past knockout victories in the Octagon over T.J. Waldburger, Charlie Brenneman, and Amir Sadollah.

Koscheck has only been stopped with strikes a single time in his 22-fight career while dishing out five TKOs of his own in seventeen total wins.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Before getting to the review aspect of this article here are the basics. The story centers on Nick Davis, a fighter with potential who gets mixed up in a situation leaving him on the run from law enforcement. On top of the general investigation a detective is also personally invested in the case for reasons revealed early on. Davis explains his circumstances to his girlfriend, Nina, and heads to Mexico to try and disappear while she works on clearing his name. While there he adopts the moniker “Joe Palooka” after entering an area event in Tijuana, chokes out their toughest guy, and accidentally causes enough ripples to have word get back to police. The first issue ends with Davis on a storage ship headed off into the sunset.

Issue two picks up with his adventures on the ship where – surprise – there’s an underground fight club featuring the crew. Davis, as you may have already assumed, is involved by the end where he’s again triumphed against a fearsome foe. However, unbeknownst to him, Nina has been located by the cop with the vendetta and is being held at gunpoint as things fade out.

The positives in the pair of pieces definitely outweigh any negatives. Davis is a layered character who stands up to the bad guys, as basic a definition for a superhero as can be offered. However, he’s no saint, and his anger puts him in some bad situations giving him the hint of diversity needed in any interesting protagonist. The artwork is vivid and detailed with fight scenes grounded in reality rather than over the top, i.e. comic-bookish. It tells the tale of MMA in a unique way and is beautifully illustrated in certain instances.

My complaints are minor in nature, as both issues were somewhat short and left me wanting to see more going on between the covers. I’m also hopeful Antonacci branches out in terms of the overall story, as it could feel repetitive to readers if every comic is structured the exact same way. There are only so many “bad asses” Davis can beat on the underground circuit. He needs a rival; someone he can’t beat with his current skill-set who also happens to be a terrible person in real life. What is Batman without The Joker or Superman without Lex Luthor? Introduce a foil and let their feud blossom. Finally, call me a hooligan if you must, but I noticed a distinct lack of profanity. If there is blood and a gun there needs to be curse words. It is MMA and I suspect guys who are sailors by day, fighters by night use the occasional four-letter word that isn’t “poop” or “deck”.

Overall I enjoyed reading Joe Palooka and would recommend people give it a look, especially if they are into both comics/MMA. You can get the digital copy for $1.99 at Palooka.com, truly hard to beat in that format, and I imagine the print versions won’t be much more when bundled together as an introduction to the potential-laden series. It’s also a great way to support a cause that has sponsored guys like Jimy Hettes, Johny Hendricks, Brendan Schaub, and Dan Miller. I was actually hoping one of them would show up but such was not to be. However, I’m under the impression something along those lines is planned for a future issue. Bottom line – don’t be a palooka, buy a Palooka. Or two of them for that matter.

PHOTO CREDIT – JOE PALOOKA

What to do with Maia was the question at hand. There was an immediate call for Brazilian leg lock specialist Rousimar Palhares to face his fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace, but such a scenario would have given Palhares a mere two weeks in between his fight at UFC 142 against Mike Massenzio and the match-up with Maia on the UFC on FOX 2 card. Even though “Toquinho” suffered no damage and needed all of 63 seconds to dispatch of Massenzio, it was simply not going to happen.

Enter undefeated Serra-Longo student Chris Weidman. The Long Island native and two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler was last seen submitting Tom Lawlor at UFC 139 in November. That night he earned his third UFC win in three tries and ran his overall record to 7-0. Taking on anyone in the UFC on two weeks notice is a daunting task, but it’s even crazier when your opponent is one of the best grapplers in the world.

Questions will arise, such as what type of shape is Weidman in physically and mentally; what is his weight, has he been in the gym, etc. These are all legitimate questions and ones that only Weidman himself can answer. Now he has, and as indicated by his attitude he is definitely a warrior ready to make the most of this opportunity.

“I’ve been training and working hard,” said Weidman in an exclusive interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I was preparing to fight April 22, but I got the phone call and I knew I couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass me by. It’s going to be tough, but at this point it’s all mental, being confident and getting my cardio where it needs to be. I’m pretty confident and I know he’s tough, but in the UFC there are no easy fights. I have a lot of respect for Maia, but I’m not going to get to his level of BJJ in two weeks, I have to work with what I have.”

Fans have seen many fighters struggle with weight cuts in the past. Anthony Johnson is the first that comes to mind and he not only had a whole training camp to prepare but he was also moving up a weight class. As such, one would have to think that dropping a decent amount of weight in such a short period of time is not easy and one would be correct in assuming so.

“When I got the phone call I was 216.8 and I am down to 207 now,” explained Weidman. “A week out before a fight I would normally be around 205 so I am not that far off. I’ve had to cut my meals to very small portions and eat really light. I am eating a lot of tuna, grilled chicken and egg whites. The worst part is we are about to have a party at my house right now to find out if my wife is pregnant with a boy or girl. There’s a ton of food here and cake so I have to watch everyone else eat.”

Weidman spoke briefly of how he felt when he got the call to face Maia, laughing, “I was home about to eat dinner, my wife was making Sloppy Joes. “I got a call from my manager that the UFC called and wanted me to fight Maia. Joe Silva mentioned to my manager that the fight was in a week and my manager said, ‘Let me talk to Chris first’. Silva said if I accepted the fight they’d try to make it in March or April, but Maia wanted to be on FOX. I knew I had to take this opportunity and said let’s do it. So instead of eating Sloppy Joes I went and worked out instead.”

Everyone in the sport realizes the magnitude of this card. It may be the second card on network television but this time around it is loaded with three exciting fights as opposed to one. Being from New York, Weidman has a large group of family and friends who will be watching and rooting him on. There’s no doubt the 27-year old realizes the significance of being on this card and he plans on coming out on top.

“I haven’t had time to really wrap my head around it,” Weidman said. “This being the first true FOX card I realize it’s going to be an awesome experience. Getting a win over Demian Maia will definitely change my life and my career. This is a huge opportunity and opens up a lot of doors for me. I could never let this opportunity go.”

Being confident seems to be in Weidman’s nature. He sees himself putting on a great performance and having his hand raised when it’s all said and done. A win here runs his UFC record to 4-0 and will include a former title contender on his resume. So where exactly does a win over Maia place Weidman in the ranks of the UFC middleweights? In line for a title-shot in 2012 according to the self-assured grappler.

“I can see it going three different ways, I can see me knocking him out in the first round, winning by submission or by decision,” revealed a very confident Weidman. “I wish I knew how the outcome would be, but I don’t. What I do know is a win puts me as one of the top contenders. This is such a huge opportunity for me. Whatever the UFC thinks, I am down for. I’ll fight Sonnen or Silva. You never know guys get hurt and you have to be prepared for everything. I visualize MMA being legalized in New York and me winning the title here in NY. I want my title shot at the first MMA event in the state.”

Catch Weidman-Maia as they open the card on Saturday night at 8:00 PM EST with Bisping-Sonnen and Rashad Evans-Phil Davis set for later in the evening.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

On June 26, 2011, “The Spaniard” went from relatively unknown welterweight to a star overnight thanks to a hard-working performance in victory against a very tough Rick Story in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In an interview with FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Brenneman said, “(The win over Story) was the epitome of all the hard work that I put into the sport and life in general.”

Things didn’t go so well for Brenneman in his next bout in October though, as he was defeated in just two minutes and 49 seconds at the hands and feet of Anthony Johnson. “I was disappointed with the fight,” said Brenneman. “I was disappointed that I wasn’t really able to showcase anything. The way the fight developed, I had nothing to show. I didn’t really do anything. I didn’t do anything good and it was frustrating after all the work I put into it.”

Charlie will get a chance at redemption on January 20, when he meets Daniel Roberts in Nashville. Despite the fact that Roberts is coming off two straight losses and Brenneman has fought two highly-ranked welterweights, defeating one of them, he’s not upset with the match up. “I just take it one fight at the time,” said Charlie. “I look more at the individual match up than the name recognition. I’m really excited for it because this match up is really good. I’ve been evolving as a fighter and I really like this fight because I think it’ll make us reach in our back pocket and see what we’ve developed.”

Along with working on his technical skills, Charlie has been reading “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle in order to sharpen his mental game and connect his body to his mind.

“If you’re ready psychically but if you’re out of it mentally, it doesn’t matter one bit.”

One thing that does matter to the Pennsylvania native is his friends and family. No matter where he fights, you can bet that he’ll have a pocket of supporters cheering him on in the crowd, usually making more noise than the rest of the crowd. “I am very fortunate,” said Brenneman. “I have a lot of friends and family who make the trip. This fight in Tennessee will actually be my smallest crowd. I think we only have about 25 or 30 people. I’ve had a lot of people come to a lot of my fights.”

At UFC 141, Johny Hendricks KO’d long-time top welterweight Jon Fitch. That win, along with a victory by Jake Ellenberger over Jake Shields earlier in the year, showed the evolution of a new crop of talented welterweights. Charlie weighed in with his thoughts on the state of the 170 pounders saying, “There’s definitely a changing of the guard. I think Ellenberger is right at the top of the heap, even beyond Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, even though he lost to Condit. I think he’s a front-runner. We just had the Hendricks knockout as well. I wouldn’t doubt that if Ellenberger wins his next fight we could see him vs. Hendricks in a #1 contender fight.”

Brenneman holds an overall record of 14-3 with five TKOs and past wins inside the Octagon against Amilcar Alves and Jason High.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Up until now he has done all of his fighting for the URCC, the most established promotion in the Philippines. He took on pinweight champion Roy Docyogen (who is currently 9-0) in his debut and lost that fight but then went on to post six straight stoppage wins, moving up from 119 lbs to 129 lbs in the process.

Rafols suffered a surprise defeat to Reydon Romero in his most recent fight when, after five and a half minutes of an all-out war which he appeared to be winning, the pace of the fight finally took its toll and he simply ran out of steam.

Despite that defeat he does not intend to change his style and should be even more effective fighting for ONE FC where rounds last for five minutes, as opposed to the marathon ten minute rounds in the URCC.

“I like fighting this way because I like to give my fans something to talk about and remember me by. I want to give an exciting match and I want to set my pace in the ring before my opponent does,” said Rafols in a conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “After that defeat I learned a lot about being an MMA fighter and I will be making some minor adjustments, but that’s it. Just a little more polishing on my techniques and conditioning training, I have always trained to do two rounds of 10 minutes so the shorter rounds should be easy.”

Rafols had originally been penciled in to face Ngoo Ditty, a Muay Thai fighter from Thailand who holds an MMA record of 4-2. A motorcycle accident put paid to that match up and instead the Filipino will be fighting Sung Ming Yen from Taiwan who is currently 2-0.

He claims he is not too bothered about the change of opponent and is just looking forward to fighting for the biggest show in Asia, saying, “The change of opponent doesn’t really matter. I will be sticking to my game plan and training. I am very excited because I have always wanted to fight for my country and this will be my defining moment as a fighter. I was able to watch the first ONE FC show and I just can’t wait to step in that cage and fight for my country, I am very grateful for this great opportunity.”

Filipino people are fiercely patriotic and are immensely proud of Eduard Folayang and Eric Kelly who both posted impressive victories at ONE FC 1, and after five years of learning martial arts Rafols could be set to make a similar breakthroug.

“I started my Martial Arts training back in 2006,” Rafols explained. “When I was 20 years old and I trained with D’Elements Gym under coach Ramonito Pabroa. I started with boxing and Muay Thai, then later on ventured to MMA. Why? Because I grew up with a family of boxers and martial artists and I guess I was influenced by this somehow.”

Despite having a background in stand up fighting Rafols’ has a good ground game with five of his six wins coming by way of submission. He attributes his success as a mixed martial artist partly to his training and partly to the URCC, the organization which gave him his big break.

“The URCC has helped me a lot in my development as a fighter,” Rafols concluded. “They saw my potential and I try not to let them down. I am still signed with the URCC and they have been helping me with my career track and everything else that goes with it. I train twice a day, six days in a week. Right now I’m training in BAMF MMA center under DEFTAC and Pabroa from the D’ Elements gym is also helping me out.”

ONE FC: Battle of Heroes is taking place at the BritAma Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia on February 11.

UFC officials have confirmed Brown’s removal from the card.

Five Ounces of Pain was able to catch up with Brown who explained his condition and offered up a prognosis on when fans might see him back inside the Octagon.

“I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee Thursday,” Brown revealed. “They removed some damaged cartilage on the inside and the outside of the knee. I also had a few bone chip floating around that the took out.”

“The knee has been bothering me for a while then two weeks ago I tore the medial meniscus pretty bad,” the 36-year old continued. “It wasn’t going to heal on its on. I needed it to be fixed so when they went in they kind of cleaned up the entire knee. I should have a full recovery three to four weeks and I’ll be ready to fight again by April.”

Brown got off to a rough start in 2011, losing back-to-back fights in January to Diego Nunes and Rani Yahya, both by decision. After taking a couple of months off to re-group, Brown returned to his winning ways at UFC 133, picking up a unanimous decision victory over Nam Phan.

No replacement has been found for Rocha, who will make his featherweight debut on the card.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/WEC

However, with his mind back on Mixed Martial Arts, the 32-year old Brazilian is ready to get back into the mix starting with unbeaten newcomer Edinaldo Oliveira at the UFC’s return to Rio de Janeiro on January 14.

Five Ounces of Pain was able to catch up with Gonzaga as he prepares for the bout to get, his reaction to hearing from his former bosses at Zuffa, as well as his opinion on Oliveira and what fans can expect to see this time around.

“It was natural,” Gonzaga explained of return to the UFC. “I feel I never left. The UFC is my home, they take care me very good (and) I have a lot of friends there. I am excited to see everyone again!”

As far as his opponent, a 13-0-1 Jungle Fight veteran with eight TKOs, “Napao” isn’t concerned about the relative unknown nature of what Oliveira brings.

“I know what everyone knows,” began the 12-6 Gonzaga. “Ednaldo is though fighter and come from a great camp. But at this point I am not worried about him; I am worried about my training and I am going to be very well-trained for this bout.”

Gonzaga also expects a return to the form that saw him earn a shot at the UFC heavyweight title in 2007.

“I am ready to have a big run in the UFC again and it will start now at UFC 142. I want to thanks those who have been contributing for my training camp here at Team Link. It is going great,” said Gonzaga enthusiastically.

The bout between Gonzaga-Oliveira is expected to take place on the FX-broadcast undercard portion of UFC 142, a show headlined by featherweight champion Jose Aldo putting his gold up for grabs against unbeaten wrestler Chad Mendes.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“The gym opening has been going really well. It’s been stressful in a good way,” Watson told Five Ounces of Pain. “I’ve never been in this position where I’m the one man show doing the administrative stuff, teaching, and training. It’s been open for five months and a lot of people have come in the door. I’ve had some loyal followers. It’s growing and by next year I hope to expand.”

So what made Watson want to leave a gym that included veterans like Matt Hughes and Robbie Lawler? Watson explains the situation by saying, “It’s always been my goal to have my own gym but basically the new ownership bought the gym and the person who bought it had a bad business reputation. So he came in and changed everything and people didn’t like it. He changed it from a happy go lucky atmosphere to a gloomy atmosphere where he was jacking up rates and making us sign 2 year contracts so everyone left.”

He has fond memories about his time at the HIT Squad though, and even draws a comparison between the gym and the Ultimate Fighter house, which he spent time in as part of the TUF 12 cast.

“One of the coolest and unique things was that we had dorms on site so we had people from all over the world come in and stay with us,” said Watson. “It was similar to TUF except that the accommodations weren’t quite as nice and alcohol was still allowed but you weren’t cut out from the outside world. It was expected that if you play hard, you work hard. So you could have a good time but you better show up from training on Monday.”

The dorm rooms at the HIT Squad seem a lot easier than his time in the house, which he described as, “tough.” Expanding by saying, “. After the first couple of weeks there is still that novelty but after that it starts to wear on you and the house starts to become really small really quick. Training is actually the relief from boredom because guys are just walking around the house with their chest puffed out and acting tough and it got old quick. Having no contact with family and loved ones got pretty tough.”

The one thing that Watson enjoyed about being on the reality show was training with UFC champion Georges St. Pierre and the all-star team of coaches that he brought with him. “The training was the best part,” said Watson. “I was really fortunate to have Georges St. Pierre as a coach because he looked at himself as a training partner and not a coach. So he brought all his coaches in and used it as a training camp. He helped us and showed us things and we got to spar and roll with him, so it was a great experience.”

Working as a full-time trainer at his gym, Watson’s own personal training has suffered but his level of knowledge has increased. Watson explains, “A lot of people don’t understand how tough it is to wear both hats. Somewhere a long the line you can’t be great at both so something has to give and something gets short changed. If anything suffers it’s usually on my end because I don’t want to fail my students, so my own training takes a backseat. Teaching helps because you’re forced to learn things at a deeper level because people expect you to answer questions and explain things. It helps but it’s a challenging task.”

While he’s been working hard to get him gym off the ground, Kyle hopes to get back in the cage in early 2012.

“Originally I was hoping to fight at the end of the year but the gym has taken a lot of time out of my schedule to make sure it’s running smoothly so I haven’t been training as much as I’d like. I’ve been training to a certain degree and for a long time my biggest hole as been my wrestling so I’ve been training with a local collegiate team and private sessions with my wrestling coaches so I’m closing that area pretty quickly. I don’t think I’m in fight shape right now but I could be quickly so I need to talk to my manager more and hopefully return early next year.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/WATSONMARTIALARTS

After falling on hard times and being released by Zuffa following seven losses in eight fights, Pulver took a long look in the mirror to try and re-discover himself. It didn’t come to him right away as he continued to struggle to get over a “mental hurdle” but in his last bout, his bantamweight debut against Coty Wheeler, we saw the return of the Jens that fight fans fell in love with.

“I was dialed in as ever in my last fight,” Pulver revealed Pulver in an exclusive interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “I almost got hit with an uppercut because I heard my corner so clearly that I actually turned and looked at them and he fired a shot that nearly caught me. Then I heard the guys say, ‘don’t look at us’ and I remember yelling, ‘MY BAD!’”

Before he dropped to 135 in August, Pulver was once again on the losing end of things back in May when he was submitted in just 22 seconds against Armando Amezcua. In his post-fight interview, Jens defended his desire to continue fighting by saying, “I’ll retire on my own terms.”

Jens defended his comments saying, “I appreciate people saying they want me to retire, as long as they have a good reason and are looking out for me. But, I’m losing to submissions. I’ll be grappling until I can’t walk. They’re safe. I’m not going out there and watching my chin turn to butter and going out there and getting hit by guys not known for power and going to sleep for 10 minutes.”

According to Jens, physically he feels fine, but mentally he hasn’t been at the top of his game in some time. “The mental side of me died a while back and I have to find that guy,” said Pulver.

After over 40 career fights, main events, and UFC titles, it’s hard to believe that Pulver could lack mental toughness, but to hear him explain things, they begin to make sense.

“With so many years losing, I just had tunnel vision where I just wanted out of there. Either I knock them out quick or I got caught and I wanted out. I didn’t want to be in there. It’s like getting into a bad car wreck and when you get back into that card, you just want out. You’re not hearing anything. You’re not even hearing yourself, that inner fire just died. I’ve never been through something like that but it’s a bad situation. This last fight, I’ve never paid more attention to the mental side of things. I even had key words I kept saying to myself like ‘Bojangles’ which is my daughters nickname. So whenever I felt great in practice, that’s what I would say. It dialed me in.”

His victory over Wheeler marked the first time that Pulver had finished an opponent with strikes since 2006. Now training at Team Curran with jiu-jitsu expert Jeff Curran, Pulver has spent a lot of time working on his grappling but says that his striking felt better than ever against Wheeler.

“That was the first time in awhile I was like, ‘Wow, there it is.’ I was setting things up, moving to the right, continuing to circle, making him miss. My defense was on and I could see everything he was about to throw. It took a whole year to get there but it felt good.

“I kept telling myself that I was going to knock this guy out. He’s known for his chin and I was going out there to show everyone at this weight that, ‘I’m here, lets get it poppin’”

Jens is hopeful for a UFC return, but admits that he hasn’t talked to UFC president Dana White in some time. “I haven’t had communications with Dana White in I don’t know how long. That’s a busy guy.” He knows what he has to do in order to make another appearance in the octagon though, saying, “What it boils down to is proof. I can ask for it all day but if I can’t go out there and prove it then wants the point? I just gotta keep knocking people out and see what happens. It’d be a good way to say goodbye.”