Johnny Toetags
12-28-2005, 01:54 AM
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: YVES EDWARDS
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/BKDOTCOM/YVES.jpg
Yves talks about his return to the UFC, the state of Lightweight affairs and putting smiling faces on your crotch...
The uncrowned lightweight king of the UFC, one of THE very top lightweight fighters in the world... and bar none, one of the most exciting athletes you will ever see, Yves Edwards, recently had a chat with our very own Rick Morgan, and it's with great pride that we share it with you now...
--
I would like to start by saying Thank You for this opportunity, Yves. Your name has been a real buzz in the MMA community in the last few years and I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on a lot of issues. You've got alot of supporters on BloodyKnux.Com, this'll be a good holiday treat for them.
First, Lets hear some of your thoughts on a few issues with the UFC.
BloodyKnux.Com: Do you believe that the UFC will bring back the lightweight division anytime soon? And if they do, who would you see staring in that division?
Yves Edwards: I honestly believe that they will. I mean I just signed a three fight deal with them a few months ago, so I’m pretty sure they will bring the LightWeightss back. As far as the star of the division it would have to be me if they pick up where they left off, but if they didn’t then it would probably be one of the guys from one of the TUF shows.
BK: Do you still consider yourself the uncrowned LightWeight UFC champ?
YE: I guess you could say that. I mean I haven’t fought a UFC fight since I won what should have been the LW title fight so yup sure I would still consider myself the champ.
BK: Why do you think the UFC decided to pull the plug on your division? And do you think they were right in doing so?
YE: I’ve been told that the reason is because they could not support five weight classes with so few shows. Were they right? What kind of question is that? Of course they were right when you got super exciting heavyweights like Gonzaga and Jordan and the like why waste your time on fat, slow, no technique having, and no cardio having lightweights that would just be stupid.
BK: Which weightclasses do you think, stateside, offer the most competition and do you think as the sport grows more weightclasses should be added to better diversify the talent pool?
YE: The weight classes are very competitive here until you get up to 185lbs. LightWeight, MiddleWeight, WelterWeight have the best possible matches right now. It kinda falls off after that. I mean at light heavy you got Randy, Chuck, Tito, and Babalu and that’s it, and it gets even thinner at heavy, cause there ain’t nobody, and I mean nobody that’s gonna beat Arlovski if he keeps the same attitude about fighting.
BK: I also want to ask a few quick questions about your thoughts on the PrideFC.
YE: OK
BK:What were your initial thoughts of them? The judging for example and the competition there?
YE: I like their judging there is no 10-point must. If a fight goes the distance each judge writes down the name of the person that they think won or they write draw, I think the way it is here is kinda stupid. I mean if a guy take his opponent down six times and 3 seconds later his opponent is back up every time then who gets the points for that exchange? I think that would be more of an opinion thing not a point thing. Know what I mean? I think the judging in my fight with Hansen was fair, because that was such a close fight and it being a tournament there’s not going to be a draw and Hansen finished stronger. You add all those things up and he wins.
BK: Who is your take to win the GP in your weight class? And the fight between Dan Henderson and Murilo Bustamante?
YE: That’s a tough one to call. Sakurai looks really good at this weight but Gomi has just been so dominate you know. If you put a gun to my head and made me choose I would have to pick Gomi, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Mach becomes the champ. For the Middleweights I gotta pick Henderson. He was competitive at heavy and light heavy and he’s really a middle weight. Yes I know Murilo did those things also but I feel like Henderson had more success there.
BK: Allright, lets get on to the slightly more general questions...
YE: Aight let’s do it.
BK: You've had some classic fights in and out of the Octagon, and many people consider your bout with Joachim Hansen to be a candidate for fight of the year - which of your own fights is your favorite? And on the flipside - which you would like a shot at changing the outcome?
YE: My favorite fight is my second fight with Hermes. I had to dig deep in that one. My son was in the hospital and I wasn’t training properly. ATT got wind of what was going on with me personally, and they actually helped put me at ease to get ready for the fight. So anyway the fight starts and Hermes hits me square in the eye with his first punch, not an illegal punch just right in the eye. Between that and me gassing in the first round I’ve never had to dig so deep to win. The fight that I would like the shot to change would have to be the fight with Hansen. During the fight I didn’t realize just how close the fight was, and then I see the tape and it’s such a close fight. I just wish I would have given the fans my heart in that final minute.
BK: While on the subject of other fighters, is there anyone out there you would like to see across the ring/octagon anytime soon?
YE: One guy that I have a whole lot of respect for as a fighter and would love to test myself against is Takanori Gomi. For one I think our skills make for a very exciting and tactical fight, and probably one of the most entertaining stand up MMA battles any fan or promoter could wish for.
BK: Is there one specific part of your game you feel you would like to be able to advance the most? I would like a somewhat in depth answer. Your sub defense and escape technique is probably one of the best in the game, but where do you see room for advancement?
YE: I definitely want to improve my offense on the ground. After submitting a good ground fighter like Mishima I got kinda interested in this thing call Brazilian Jiu jitsu. It’s this style of fighting on the ground that can make your opponents “tap out”. Essentially beg for mercy and quit fighting. It’s pretty freaking cool if you ask me.
BK: When training for a fight what is your normal training routine consist of and what do you tend to do in the final few days leading into a fight? Guys like Mirko are known to simply play cards, others meditate heavily, Leben claims not to shower, so what is it for you?
YE: My last few days of training are all about focusing on specific strategies for the fight that we’ve worked on in the gym and making the weight. Other than that I’m just chilling and playing video games.
BK: Do you ever go into the web forums and see what people are saying about you? Does it matter?
YE: Nah not really, but I do sometimes see the news articles on some of the websites, but to me it doesn’t really matter what anyone has to say. I mean whether they think I’m going to win or lose I’m still the one that has to go out there and not get tapped or knocked out.
BK: Who in the world of MMA do you see as someone who could possibly be a big star 2-3 years from now who the majority of MMA fans in the US haven't seen much of yet?
YE: I get to go to a lot of the smaller shows and I see lots of good young talent, anyone of whom could be the next superstar of the sport. Although very few of the guys I see at the smaller shows that look good are heavyweights.
BK: How about the welterweight division? Would you ever see yourself fighting at 170 again? How do you think you would fare in the talent-heavy welterweight division and would the weight disanvatage really hamper your success?
YE: Nothing is impossible but I seriously doubt I’ll ever fight at 170lbs again. Those guys are just so much bigger than me. Even Nick Diaz who is a small welterweight is bigger than me. I just don’t see it happening.
BK: What are your thoughts on the Cage vs Ring debate? Which do you prefer and why?
YE: I think that that is an argument for the fans. I mean there very few fighters, in my humble opinion, that care about fighting in a ring or cage. I will say though that there are some guys that fight more and grab it too much for it to be instinct.
BK: How much weight do you have to cut to get to 155? How much of it is science versus mental toughness.
YE: I usually have to cut 13-18lbs to make weight I can get down to 160lbs no problem after that I just suck it up and it’s mostly mental.
BK: So, Yves, how would I go about getting a black belt in Thug-Jitsu?
YE: That’s a very tightly guarded secret, but I’ll tell you that it involves a 10th degree Thug Ninja, a wet table cloth, an orange, and a very hot big breasted female in a plaid skirt. (^_^)
BK: (laughs)Okay, okay... next question - what's the deal with the smiley face crotch?
YE: What my happy pants? That has something to do with the things you need for a Thugjitsu black belt..
BK: Where can I get some smiley faces to put on my crotch?
YE: I heard you can get smiling faces on your crotch pretty cheap in Thailand and the Philippines…Oh you mean like the ones on my shorts um I guess at a hobby store.
BK: (laughs) Okay, so... If you could pick any of the female fighters out there to fight... such as Erin Toughill and Erica Montoya, who would it be and what would be your strategy to get in the best "position?"
YE: I’ve fought Erica Montoya on the UFC: Sudden Impact game on my PS2, and I can’t seem to beat her. Isn’t that fucked up?
BK: Lets do a quick word association game. I'll say a word… you tell me your thoughts.
Dana White - Making Progress in the U.S.
UFC - Where’s my belt?
MFC/Euphoria - Cool Peoples. They always got my back.
Pride - The most unique venue to fight in, in the world.
Hermes Franca - That mother fucker punched me in the eye!
President Bush - I’d fight him for free, and any other politician.
Fedor Emilianenko - I want my mommy!
Manny Reyes Jr. - Who?
BloodyKnux.Com would like to thank Yves for taking time out of his Holiday season to answer our questions, and we encourage you to head on over to http://www.thugjitsu.com/ to learn how you, too, can become a Black Belt In Thug Jitsu.
We would also like to extend thanks to our forum members who contributed in this interview - Tyler Horton, Chris Friedrich, Jordan Breen & Jean-François Pagé.
- Ricky Morgan. (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/member.php?u=8)
Discuss this interview HERE! (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?p=282185#post282185)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/BKDOTCOM/YVES.jpg
Yves talks about his return to the UFC, the state of Lightweight affairs and putting smiling faces on your crotch...
The uncrowned lightweight king of the UFC, one of THE very top lightweight fighters in the world... and bar none, one of the most exciting athletes you will ever see, Yves Edwards, recently had a chat with our very own Rick Morgan, and it's with great pride that we share it with you now...
--
I would like to start by saying Thank You for this opportunity, Yves. Your name has been a real buzz in the MMA community in the last few years and I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on a lot of issues. You've got alot of supporters on BloodyKnux.Com, this'll be a good holiday treat for them.
First, Lets hear some of your thoughts on a few issues with the UFC.
BloodyKnux.Com: Do you believe that the UFC will bring back the lightweight division anytime soon? And if they do, who would you see staring in that division?
Yves Edwards: I honestly believe that they will. I mean I just signed a three fight deal with them a few months ago, so I’m pretty sure they will bring the LightWeightss back. As far as the star of the division it would have to be me if they pick up where they left off, but if they didn’t then it would probably be one of the guys from one of the TUF shows.
BK: Do you still consider yourself the uncrowned LightWeight UFC champ?
YE: I guess you could say that. I mean I haven’t fought a UFC fight since I won what should have been the LW title fight so yup sure I would still consider myself the champ.
BK: Why do you think the UFC decided to pull the plug on your division? And do you think they were right in doing so?
YE: I’ve been told that the reason is because they could not support five weight classes with so few shows. Were they right? What kind of question is that? Of course they were right when you got super exciting heavyweights like Gonzaga and Jordan and the like why waste your time on fat, slow, no technique having, and no cardio having lightweights that would just be stupid.
BK: Which weightclasses do you think, stateside, offer the most competition and do you think as the sport grows more weightclasses should be added to better diversify the talent pool?
YE: The weight classes are very competitive here until you get up to 185lbs. LightWeight, MiddleWeight, WelterWeight have the best possible matches right now. It kinda falls off after that. I mean at light heavy you got Randy, Chuck, Tito, and Babalu and that’s it, and it gets even thinner at heavy, cause there ain’t nobody, and I mean nobody that’s gonna beat Arlovski if he keeps the same attitude about fighting.
BK: I also want to ask a few quick questions about your thoughts on the PrideFC.
YE: OK
BK:What were your initial thoughts of them? The judging for example and the competition there?
YE: I like their judging there is no 10-point must. If a fight goes the distance each judge writes down the name of the person that they think won or they write draw, I think the way it is here is kinda stupid. I mean if a guy take his opponent down six times and 3 seconds later his opponent is back up every time then who gets the points for that exchange? I think that would be more of an opinion thing not a point thing. Know what I mean? I think the judging in my fight with Hansen was fair, because that was such a close fight and it being a tournament there’s not going to be a draw and Hansen finished stronger. You add all those things up and he wins.
BK: Who is your take to win the GP in your weight class? And the fight between Dan Henderson and Murilo Bustamante?
YE: That’s a tough one to call. Sakurai looks really good at this weight but Gomi has just been so dominate you know. If you put a gun to my head and made me choose I would have to pick Gomi, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Mach becomes the champ. For the Middleweights I gotta pick Henderson. He was competitive at heavy and light heavy and he’s really a middle weight. Yes I know Murilo did those things also but I feel like Henderson had more success there.
BK: Allright, lets get on to the slightly more general questions...
YE: Aight let’s do it.
BK: You've had some classic fights in and out of the Octagon, and many people consider your bout with Joachim Hansen to be a candidate for fight of the year - which of your own fights is your favorite? And on the flipside - which you would like a shot at changing the outcome?
YE: My favorite fight is my second fight with Hermes. I had to dig deep in that one. My son was in the hospital and I wasn’t training properly. ATT got wind of what was going on with me personally, and they actually helped put me at ease to get ready for the fight. So anyway the fight starts and Hermes hits me square in the eye with his first punch, not an illegal punch just right in the eye. Between that and me gassing in the first round I’ve never had to dig so deep to win. The fight that I would like the shot to change would have to be the fight with Hansen. During the fight I didn’t realize just how close the fight was, and then I see the tape and it’s such a close fight. I just wish I would have given the fans my heart in that final minute.
BK: While on the subject of other fighters, is there anyone out there you would like to see across the ring/octagon anytime soon?
YE: One guy that I have a whole lot of respect for as a fighter and would love to test myself against is Takanori Gomi. For one I think our skills make for a very exciting and tactical fight, and probably one of the most entertaining stand up MMA battles any fan or promoter could wish for.
BK: Is there one specific part of your game you feel you would like to be able to advance the most? I would like a somewhat in depth answer. Your sub defense and escape technique is probably one of the best in the game, but where do you see room for advancement?
YE: I definitely want to improve my offense on the ground. After submitting a good ground fighter like Mishima I got kinda interested in this thing call Brazilian Jiu jitsu. It’s this style of fighting on the ground that can make your opponents “tap out”. Essentially beg for mercy and quit fighting. It’s pretty freaking cool if you ask me.
BK: When training for a fight what is your normal training routine consist of and what do you tend to do in the final few days leading into a fight? Guys like Mirko are known to simply play cards, others meditate heavily, Leben claims not to shower, so what is it for you?
YE: My last few days of training are all about focusing on specific strategies for the fight that we’ve worked on in the gym and making the weight. Other than that I’m just chilling and playing video games.
BK: Do you ever go into the web forums and see what people are saying about you? Does it matter?
YE: Nah not really, but I do sometimes see the news articles on some of the websites, but to me it doesn’t really matter what anyone has to say. I mean whether they think I’m going to win or lose I’m still the one that has to go out there and not get tapped or knocked out.
BK: Who in the world of MMA do you see as someone who could possibly be a big star 2-3 years from now who the majority of MMA fans in the US haven't seen much of yet?
YE: I get to go to a lot of the smaller shows and I see lots of good young talent, anyone of whom could be the next superstar of the sport. Although very few of the guys I see at the smaller shows that look good are heavyweights.
BK: How about the welterweight division? Would you ever see yourself fighting at 170 again? How do you think you would fare in the talent-heavy welterweight division and would the weight disanvatage really hamper your success?
YE: Nothing is impossible but I seriously doubt I’ll ever fight at 170lbs again. Those guys are just so much bigger than me. Even Nick Diaz who is a small welterweight is bigger than me. I just don’t see it happening.
BK: What are your thoughts on the Cage vs Ring debate? Which do you prefer and why?
YE: I think that that is an argument for the fans. I mean there very few fighters, in my humble opinion, that care about fighting in a ring or cage. I will say though that there are some guys that fight more and grab it too much for it to be instinct.
BK: How much weight do you have to cut to get to 155? How much of it is science versus mental toughness.
YE: I usually have to cut 13-18lbs to make weight I can get down to 160lbs no problem after that I just suck it up and it’s mostly mental.
BK: So, Yves, how would I go about getting a black belt in Thug-Jitsu?
YE: That’s a very tightly guarded secret, but I’ll tell you that it involves a 10th degree Thug Ninja, a wet table cloth, an orange, and a very hot big breasted female in a plaid skirt. (^_^)
BK: (laughs)Okay, okay... next question - what's the deal with the smiley face crotch?
YE: What my happy pants? That has something to do with the things you need for a Thugjitsu black belt..
BK: Where can I get some smiley faces to put on my crotch?
YE: I heard you can get smiling faces on your crotch pretty cheap in Thailand and the Philippines…Oh you mean like the ones on my shorts um I guess at a hobby store.
BK: (laughs) Okay, so... If you could pick any of the female fighters out there to fight... such as Erin Toughill and Erica Montoya, who would it be and what would be your strategy to get in the best "position?"
YE: I’ve fought Erica Montoya on the UFC: Sudden Impact game on my PS2, and I can’t seem to beat her. Isn’t that fucked up?
BK: Lets do a quick word association game. I'll say a word… you tell me your thoughts.
Dana White - Making Progress in the U.S.
UFC - Where’s my belt?
MFC/Euphoria - Cool Peoples. They always got my back.
Pride - The most unique venue to fight in, in the world.
Hermes Franca - That mother fucker punched me in the eye!
President Bush - I’d fight him for free, and any other politician.
Fedor Emilianenko - I want my mommy!
Manny Reyes Jr. - Who?
BloodyKnux.Com would like to thank Yves for taking time out of his Holiday season to answer our questions, and we encourage you to head on over to http://www.thugjitsu.com/ to learn how you, too, can become a Black Belt In Thug Jitsu.
We would also like to extend thanks to our forum members who contributed in this interview - Tyler Horton, Chris Friedrich, Jordan Breen & Jean-François Pagé.
- Ricky Morgan. (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/member.php?u=8)
Discuss this interview HERE! (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?p=282185#post282185)