Johnny Toetags
02-07-2006, 12:19 AM
Exclusive Interview with Kurt Pellegrino.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/toetags/KURT.jpg
Kurt talks about his next fight, the ATT and TUF...
Hermes Franca protégé Kurt Pellegrino begins the year at a fast pace with two fight lined up already. First in February he faces Russian 1992 national Judo Champion, Vadim Kulchitsky, in Reality Fighting 11 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Then in April at Ring of Combat he faces Marlon Sims also in Atlantic City. I've had the pleasure of seeing Kurt fight twice at MFC Euphoria shows, and he brings an unbridled enthusiasm to the ring. Training full time out of Jupiter, Florida with American Top Team spin off Hermes Franca, I caught up with Kurt after his evening practice preparing for his next match.
BK- You have a couple fights coming up, the first on the 11th. What do you know about your opponent?
Kurt- Not much, He's a 1992 Russian National Judo Champ.
BK- 1992? How old is he?
Kurt- He's 37.
BK- And how old are you?
Kurt- 26
BK- That’s an eleven year difference; do you think it will matter?
Kurt- You look at Randy Couture, and you can never really say. I don't think age makes a fighter. If he trains hard enough I don't really think age will be a factor. I don't know enough about this guy. Randy is a great wrestler a great dirty boxer, so you know what to look for. With this guy I don't know what to expect. I'm boxing and Wrestling alot. I'm doing every kind of training you can possibly imagine to prepare myself for this guy.
BK- With the X factor this guy brings, anything is possible?
Kurt- Yeah, I'm doing a lot of boxing so maybe I'll let this guy come to me. Let him walk into something. Maybe surprise him with my throws, then ground and pound which is my specialty.
BK- After Vadim, you face Marlon Sims what do you know about him?
Kurt- Well I started my career off at 155, and he won a belt in Lou Neglia’s( Ring of Combat) show at 174 and I won mine at 164. Now I'm at 170 and I'm going up to 174 to fight him for his belt. All I know about him is he's a Muay Thai guy, and a strong wrestler, and he hits hard. He knocked out Danny Torres, and Danny’s a very good fighter. I'm looking forward to that fight, but mainly thinking about getting past the fight on the 11th first and foremost. I just don't know anything about the guy on the 11th. I have some Muay Thai tapes on Marlon, so after the 11th I'll watch those, sit down with Hermes and work out a strategy. Whether I should stand, or take him down.
BK- You are on a win streak 5 in a row, have you been getting any interest from the big shows, pride or the UFC?
Kurt- I feel like I've paid my dues, I'd really like to face a name fighter and test myself against them either in K-1 Pride Rotr whatever I want step up to fight the great fighters. A winner from the TUF shows, I'm not going to quit until I fight in the UFC. My dream is to fight in the UFC; I'm not really doing it for the money. It's nice to get a great payday, but my dream is to fight in the UFC. We've talked with the UFC before, but my managers want me to fight some more at 170. I'm pretty small for my weight; I've been lifting a lot and getting stronger and bigger. This is the weight I'm going to stay at, unless Pride or K1 wants me to cut to 165, but 170 is the highest I'm going to go.
BK- You’re soon to be wed, and you're managing a fight career and training. How do you juggle all these things?
Kurt- She's my number one fan. She lets me train three times a day, and helps me get through it. She prepares my food and everything. As long as I help clean up the house every once in a while; things are ok. She’s at my side, and comes to all my fights. She comes to all my grappling tournaments and fights. I train full time now; this is my job, my career and my life.
BK- What's going to make the new fans notice you? What will someone who watches TUF think of Kurt Pellegrino?
Kurt- My fans like my personality. I like to dance and have fun on the way to the ring. I dance and jump around. Once you get in the ring it's nothing but business, so I like to have fun. Some people might think I'm being cocky, but I like to have fun before I get punched and beat up. For my fans I like to fight whenever they want to see it. When life gives me an opportunity, I take it. They asked me to fight Jay Palmer, a superbrawl legend. They told me to fight him, and I fought him. I submitted him in three minutes. I'm very emotional after I win. Sometimes I get a little carried away. Atlantic City and I don't really mix well. I lost twice in the state (wrestling) finals in New Jersey, so I hate Atlantic City. When I go there I don't go there to lose. I go there to win, and I'll never lose there again.
BK- How has fighting for the MFC helped with your exposure?
Kurt- I love fighting for the MFC, Miguel is a great promoter. Unfortunately for the March show, I want to fight, but getting married, so I'm scrambling for everything I can, and If I can I'd like to fight a name opponent for Miguel.
BK- MFC has their first title match coming up between Philadelphia Fight Factory's Eddie Alvarez and Yves Edwards protégé Carlo Prater? What do you think of that match up?
Kurt- I want the winner of that match. I'd love to fight for the MFC belt.
Eddie's a real talented kid. I'm looking forward to seeing Eddie fight someone tough. I think Carlo is gong to push Eddie. If Eddie beats Carlo then he's for real. Eddie is a great fighter and good wrestler, and he intimidates a lot of people. Carlo has a lot of fights and won't be intimidated. Getting in the ring for a fight, you're a tough kid no matter what, but going in the ring and the other kid is smiling and laughing and you know you can't take the guy down, and you have to stay on your feet, it's kind of a scary thing. Then when you punch someone in the face, and they shake their head at you! Then you're kind of like "uh oh". A lot of that is what Eddie's doing and he's great, and people get scared. Eddie's a tough kid, and all the fight factory guys, they come ready to fight. I feel really bad I can't fight on the March 4th show. If I can squeeze it in, but it's so close between February and April. I'm scared to do it. I don't know what's going to happen on the 11th, so I have to take one fight at a time. I'm pulling for the best guy to win this one. I don't want to see either of those guys knock the other out in 30 seconds; I want to see a fight.
BK- One of you first wins, Mac Danzig has been on quite a roll since losing to you, do you see giving him a rematch?
Kurt- Yes he has, you know what I beat Mac twice actually. My first fight ever and I think it was his first time too, and it was a controversial thing(cut stoppage), that's why we fought again at the WEC. So I fought him again, and I won a unanimous decision. I wasn't ready for that fight. I think Mac was a better fighter than me. My wrestling won me that fight, but at the time, he was the better striker, I think his Jujitsu was better than mine. I was nothing compared to what I am (now). He was ten times the fighter than me. I wrestled to win that fight. I gassed out, after the first five minutes, and I was scared. The lights, the cameras, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Jeremy Horn you had all these guys there. It was only my third fight, and I wasn't ready. Luckily, all those years of wrestling, I took him down and I have a really good base. I knew if I could take him down it was over. After that fight, I took a whole year out of my career to learn how to box. My Jujitsu now is way up, I'm a black belt now, so my game is a lot better. IF Mac wanted to fight me know, I could never go back down to 155, he'd have to come up to 170. We're actually good friends, I'm proud that he's a Gladiator Challenge Champ and the King of the Cage Champ. Mac knows if he wants to come down here to train, for any of his fights, he's always welcome. I don't think I'd ever fight Mac, unless he called me and said there was an opportunity for both of us.
BK- You mentioned Matt Hughes, the UFC champ. What do you think of him?
Kurt- I think he's the greatest fighter in the world. That guy is such a good fighter. He's smart, and strong. He gets on top of you and you're in trouble. Matt Hughes in my eyes is the best fighter in the world. Getting beat by BJ Penn was the best thing for him. Now look at him. Matt's a wrestler and so am I. When I lost to my Japanese guy it was the best thing in the world. Once you lose, you know what it's like and I won't do it again.
BK- So your nick name is Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino. Why the Batman?
Kurt-From 6 years old too 7th grade, I always came in second, for years. One day my dad and I were running late for a tournament, and I picked the wrong T-Shirt out of my closet. My dad wouldn't buy me a wrestling t-shirt at the tournament, told me to wear it inside out. That day I won, I pinned everyone. It was my lucky T-Shirt all the way up until now, and I still have to this day. It was my brothers, and he was heavier than me, and it still fits me to this day.
Well thanks for the interview and good luck with you upcoming fights, and nuptials!
Talk about this interview HERE. (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?p=321472#post321472)
- Jim "DCBooks (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/member.php?u=270)" Kirkland
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/toetags/KURT.jpg
Kurt talks about his next fight, the ATT and TUF...
Hermes Franca protégé Kurt Pellegrino begins the year at a fast pace with two fight lined up already. First in February he faces Russian 1992 national Judo Champion, Vadim Kulchitsky, in Reality Fighting 11 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Then in April at Ring of Combat he faces Marlon Sims also in Atlantic City. I've had the pleasure of seeing Kurt fight twice at MFC Euphoria shows, and he brings an unbridled enthusiasm to the ring. Training full time out of Jupiter, Florida with American Top Team spin off Hermes Franca, I caught up with Kurt after his evening practice preparing for his next match.
BK- You have a couple fights coming up, the first on the 11th. What do you know about your opponent?
Kurt- Not much, He's a 1992 Russian National Judo Champ.
BK- 1992? How old is he?
Kurt- He's 37.
BK- And how old are you?
Kurt- 26
BK- That’s an eleven year difference; do you think it will matter?
Kurt- You look at Randy Couture, and you can never really say. I don't think age makes a fighter. If he trains hard enough I don't really think age will be a factor. I don't know enough about this guy. Randy is a great wrestler a great dirty boxer, so you know what to look for. With this guy I don't know what to expect. I'm boxing and Wrestling alot. I'm doing every kind of training you can possibly imagine to prepare myself for this guy.
BK- With the X factor this guy brings, anything is possible?
Kurt- Yeah, I'm doing a lot of boxing so maybe I'll let this guy come to me. Let him walk into something. Maybe surprise him with my throws, then ground and pound which is my specialty.
BK- After Vadim, you face Marlon Sims what do you know about him?
Kurt- Well I started my career off at 155, and he won a belt in Lou Neglia’s( Ring of Combat) show at 174 and I won mine at 164. Now I'm at 170 and I'm going up to 174 to fight him for his belt. All I know about him is he's a Muay Thai guy, and a strong wrestler, and he hits hard. He knocked out Danny Torres, and Danny’s a very good fighter. I'm looking forward to that fight, but mainly thinking about getting past the fight on the 11th first and foremost. I just don't know anything about the guy on the 11th. I have some Muay Thai tapes on Marlon, so after the 11th I'll watch those, sit down with Hermes and work out a strategy. Whether I should stand, or take him down.
BK- You are on a win streak 5 in a row, have you been getting any interest from the big shows, pride or the UFC?
Kurt- I feel like I've paid my dues, I'd really like to face a name fighter and test myself against them either in K-1 Pride Rotr whatever I want step up to fight the great fighters. A winner from the TUF shows, I'm not going to quit until I fight in the UFC. My dream is to fight in the UFC; I'm not really doing it for the money. It's nice to get a great payday, but my dream is to fight in the UFC. We've talked with the UFC before, but my managers want me to fight some more at 170. I'm pretty small for my weight; I've been lifting a lot and getting stronger and bigger. This is the weight I'm going to stay at, unless Pride or K1 wants me to cut to 165, but 170 is the highest I'm going to go.
BK- You’re soon to be wed, and you're managing a fight career and training. How do you juggle all these things?
Kurt- She's my number one fan. She lets me train three times a day, and helps me get through it. She prepares my food and everything. As long as I help clean up the house every once in a while; things are ok. She’s at my side, and comes to all my fights. She comes to all my grappling tournaments and fights. I train full time now; this is my job, my career and my life.
BK- What's going to make the new fans notice you? What will someone who watches TUF think of Kurt Pellegrino?
Kurt- My fans like my personality. I like to dance and have fun on the way to the ring. I dance and jump around. Once you get in the ring it's nothing but business, so I like to have fun. Some people might think I'm being cocky, but I like to have fun before I get punched and beat up. For my fans I like to fight whenever they want to see it. When life gives me an opportunity, I take it. They asked me to fight Jay Palmer, a superbrawl legend. They told me to fight him, and I fought him. I submitted him in three minutes. I'm very emotional after I win. Sometimes I get a little carried away. Atlantic City and I don't really mix well. I lost twice in the state (wrestling) finals in New Jersey, so I hate Atlantic City. When I go there I don't go there to lose. I go there to win, and I'll never lose there again.
BK- How has fighting for the MFC helped with your exposure?
Kurt- I love fighting for the MFC, Miguel is a great promoter. Unfortunately for the March show, I want to fight, but getting married, so I'm scrambling for everything I can, and If I can I'd like to fight a name opponent for Miguel.
BK- MFC has their first title match coming up between Philadelphia Fight Factory's Eddie Alvarez and Yves Edwards protégé Carlo Prater? What do you think of that match up?
Kurt- I want the winner of that match. I'd love to fight for the MFC belt.
Eddie's a real talented kid. I'm looking forward to seeing Eddie fight someone tough. I think Carlo is gong to push Eddie. If Eddie beats Carlo then he's for real. Eddie is a great fighter and good wrestler, and he intimidates a lot of people. Carlo has a lot of fights and won't be intimidated. Getting in the ring for a fight, you're a tough kid no matter what, but going in the ring and the other kid is smiling and laughing and you know you can't take the guy down, and you have to stay on your feet, it's kind of a scary thing. Then when you punch someone in the face, and they shake their head at you! Then you're kind of like "uh oh". A lot of that is what Eddie's doing and he's great, and people get scared. Eddie's a tough kid, and all the fight factory guys, they come ready to fight. I feel really bad I can't fight on the March 4th show. If I can squeeze it in, but it's so close between February and April. I'm scared to do it. I don't know what's going to happen on the 11th, so I have to take one fight at a time. I'm pulling for the best guy to win this one. I don't want to see either of those guys knock the other out in 30 seconds; I want to see a fight.
BK- One of you first wins, Mac Danzig has been on quite a roll since losing to you, do you see giving him a rematch?
Kurt- Yes he has, you know what I beat Mac twice actually. My first fight ever and I think it was his first time too, and it was a controversial thing(cut stoppage), that's why we fought again at the WEC. So I fought him again, and I won a unanimous decision. I wasn't ready for that fight. I think Mac was a better fighter than me. My wrestling won me that fight, but at the time, he was the better striker, I think his Jujitsu was better than mine. I was nothing compared to what I am (now). He was ten times the fighter than me. I wrestled to win that fight. I gassed out, after the first five minutes, and I was scared. The lights, the cameras, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Jeremy Horn you had all these guys there. It was only my third fight, and I wasn't ready. Luckily, all those years of wrestling, I took him down and I have a really good base. I knew if I could take him down it was over. After that fight, I took a whole year out of my career to learn how to box. My Jujitsu now is way up, I'm a black belt now, so my game is a lot better. IF Mac wanted to fight me know, I could never go back down to 155, he'd have to come up to 170. We're actually good friends, I'm proud that he's a Gladiator Challenge Champ and the King of the Cage Champ. Mac knows if he wants to come down here to train, for any of his fights, he's always welcome. I don't think I'd ever fight Mac, unless he called me and said there was an opportunity for both of us.
BK- You mentioned Matt Hughes, the UFC champ. What do you think of him?
Kurt- I think he's the greatest fighter in the world. That guy is such a good fighter. He's smart, and strong. He gets on top of you and you're in trouble. Matt Hughes in my eyes is the best fighter in the world. Getting beat by BJ Penn was the best thing for him. Now look at him. Matt's a wrestler and so am I. When I lost to my Japanese guy it was the best thing in the world. Once you lose, you know what it's like and I won't do it again.
BK- So your nick name is Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino. Why the Batman?
Kurt-From 6 years old too 7th grade, I always came in second, for years. One day my dad and I were running late for a tournament, and I picked the wrong T-Shirt out of my closet. My dad wouldn't buy me a wrestling t-shirt at the tournament, told me to wear it inside out. That day I won, I pinned everyone. It was my lucky T-Shirt all the way up until now, and I still have to this day. It was my brothers, and he was heavier than me, and it still fits me to this day.
Well thanks for the interview and good luck with you upcoming fights, and nuptials!
Talk about this interview HERE. (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?p=321472#post321472)
- Jim "DCBooks (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/member.php?u=270)" Kirkland