BloodyKnux
01-11-2008, 06:01 PM
BloodyKnux.Com presents:1 on 1 with UFC Star Marcus " The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g178/dcbooks/MARCUSDAVIS.jpg
One of the hottest fighters in the UFC's 170 lb division is Marcus Davis. Read on as Bloodyknux.Com's Tyler Horton catches up with the Irish Hand Grenade preparing for his bout at UFC 80 against Jess Liaudin...
BK:How were your holidays? Did the season help or hurt your diet in terms of preparing for your upcoming bout with Jess Liaudin at UFC 80?
MD: The holidays were great my kids had a great Christmas. Didn’t hurt me at all. I trained on the Sunday before Xmas to make up for taking off Xmas day.
BK:Have you been employing any new training partners to get ready for Liaudin or has it just been business as usual so to speak with the Team Irish crew?
MD:I started my training with my team in Bangor @ team Irish mma. I had them watch tapes of Jess and mimic his awkward style and risky type submissions. After 3 weeks of training there I left to Sit Yod Tong for 3 more weeks of training and have been working with my coach Mark Dellegrotte and Kenny Florian, Patrick Cote and Jorge Rivera and the rest of the Sit Yod Tong crew.
BK:What is the aspect of Liaudin’s game that has you concerned the most if at all? Striking? Ground Game?
MD: He is good all around but I will smash him quickly if he stands with me so I am preparing allot for the ground- that’s the only way he could possibly win so that’s where I’m preparing the most.
BK:What do you think about steroid use in professional sports in general, and in MMA specifically with the issues that guys such as Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca have incurred over the past year? Is it problematic or just isolated cases?
MD:I really don’t know. I know everyone in my camp is clean but I also know that some guys might not even know that there on the “juice”- did you see the article on Yahoo that said they tested 50 random supplements bought at a GNC and 15 of them had steroids in them and 30% had ingredients deemed illegal by athletic commissions.
BK:You fought 6 times in 2006, but went down to 3times in 07. would you rather be taking more fights, even if it meant a couple of keep busy ones on smaller shows or is just going out and fighting whenever the UFC has an opening ok with you?
MD:I would like to fight 4-6 times a year. I need to stay busy. I would like to have around 15 more fights before I retire.
BK:Your fight with Paul Taylor was quite action packed at UFC 75. Did you feel like you were in danger at all after he dropped you with that high kick?
MD:I was just worried that they might stop the fight not knowing that I was ok. He kicked me in the neck and it made that whole side of my body go numb but my head was fine and still in the fight.
BK:It's clear that you loved fighting in N.Ireland at UFC 72 and then went back overseas to fight in England for UFC 75. Can you let us know how it feels to be leading the charge into these new markets compared to fighting in the US?
MD:It’s awesome. I love to be over there and the people have welcomed me with open arms. I want to own a home there someday. I will always live in America but would love to continue to visit the UK even when I’m done fighting.
BK: Does it feel rewarding to know that you are now starting to be considered one of the top 10 welterweights in the world after working your way up from the TUF ranks?
MD:Yeah I guess. I mean it doesn’t matter where people think I belong. I mean I could have a great fight and walk away upset with myself because I felt I should have done better even if everyone is saying- “that was awesome you did great” what I’m saying is what really matters is what I think about my performances.
BK:What are your thoughts on the confusion at the top of the 170 lb division? Do you feel Matt Serra should have to have given up the belt and GSP should be the full champion instead of an interim one with the injury issues? Do you think you might be waiting quite a while to even get near a title shot providing you get through Liaudin and continue your current winning ways?
MD:1st I don’t and never have cared about the title of “champion” I’m more concerned with the title of “fighter”. SO with that in mind I don’t care who has any belt in any division. My goal is fights not “accessories”.
BK:I wanted to get your thoughts on the main event for the UFC 80 card, BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson. Do you think that it’s basically BJ’s fight to lose or does Joe have a real legit shot to beat him?
MD:BJ takes it if it ends with in 3 rounds after 3 rounds I say Joe gets it. It’s up to BJ and his plan.
BK:One other bout id like your input on is your good friend Tim Sylvia’s upcoming bout against Antonio “ Rodrigo” Noguiera at UFC 81 for the interim UFC HW title. What do you feel the outcome will be?
MD:Tim will be the 1st guy to knock out Noguiera. People will hate on me for saying that but it's true. Tim by KO.
BK:After the TUF2 Finale your record was 3-3, since then you've gone on to rack up 10 wins in a row against up and comers and veterans alike. What can we expect next from Marcus Davis?
MD:You can always expect exciting fights and finishes. I’m here to finish guys OR be finished. No more decisions!
BK:Thanks for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us again Marcus, are there any sponsors or individuals you wish to thank at this time?
MD:Full contact fighter has been with me since TUF2 and I am very happy with the way Joel has been with me. So thank FCF! A huge thanks to my friends (coach and manager) Mark Dellagrotte and Joe Cavallaro.
Tyler Horton
NOTE: I wish to thank our members Joe, PD, and Johnny B for their question contributions to this interview and staff editor Jim "DC Books" Kirkland for his graphics work. Without our member participation, these interviews would not be possible
Discuss this interview and the rest of UFC 80 here! (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30020)
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g178/dcbooks/MARCUSDAVIS.jpg
One of the hottest fighters in the UFC's 170 lb division is Marcus Davis. Read on as Bloodyknux.Com's Tyler Horton catches up with the Irish Hand Grenade preparing for his bout at UFC 80 against Jess Liaudin...
BK:How were your holidays? Did the season help or hurt your diet in terms of preparing for your upcoming bout with Jess Liaudin at UFC 80?
MD: The holidays were great my kids had a great Christmas. Didn’t hurt me at all. I trained on the Sunday before Xmas to make up for taking off Xmas day.
BK:Have you been employing any new training partners to get ready for Liaudin or has it just been business as usual so to speak with the Team Irish crew?
MD:I started my training with my team in Bangor @ team Irish mma. I had them watch tapes of Jess and mimic his awkward style and risky type submissions. After 3 weeks of training there I left to Sit Yod Tong for 3 more weeks of training and have been working with my coach Mark Dellegrotte and Kenny Florian, Patrick Cote and Jorge Rivera and the rest of the Sit Yod Tong crew.
BK:What is the aspect of Liaudin’s game that has you concerned the most if at all? Striking? Ground Game?
MD: He is good all around but I will smash him quickly if he stands with me so I am preparing allot for the ground- that’s the only way he could possibly win so that’s where I’m preparing the most.
BK:What do you think about steroid use in professional sports in general, and in MMA specifically with the issues that guys such as Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca have incurred over the past year? Is it problematic or just isolated cases?
MD:I really don’t know. I know everyone in my camp is clean but I also know that some guys might not even know that there on the “juice”- did you see the article on Yahoo that said they tested 50 random supplements bought at a GNC and 15 of them had steroids in them and 30% had ingredients deemed illegal by athletic commissions.
BK:You fought 6 times in 2006, but went down to 3times in 07. would you rather be taking more fights, even if it meant a couple of keep busy ones on smaller shows or is just going out and fighting whenever the UFC has an opening ok with you?
MD:I would like to fight 4-6 times a year. I need to stay busy. I would like to have around 15 more fights before I retire.
BK:Your fight with Paul Taylor was quite action packed at UFC 75. Did you feel like you were in danger at all after he dropped you with that high kick?
MD:I was just worried that they might stop the fight not knowing that I was ok. He kicked me in the neck and it made that whole side of my body go numb but my head was fine and still in the fight.
BK:It's clear that you loved fighting in N.Ireland at UFC 72 and then went back overseas to fight in England for UFC 75. Can you let us know how it feels to be leading the charge into these new markets compared to fighting in the US?
MD:It’s awesome. I love to be over there and the people have welcomed me with open arms. I want to own a home there someday. I will always live in America but would love to continue to visit the UK even when I’m done fighting.
BK: Does it feel rewarding to know that you are now starting to be considered one of the top 10 welterweights in the world after working your way up from the TUF ranks?
MD:Yeah I guess. I mean it doesn’t matter where people think I belong. I mean I could have a great fight and walk away upset with myself because I felt I should have done better even if everyone is saying- “that was awesome you did great” what I’m saying is what really matters is what I think about my performances.
BK:What are your thoughts on the confusion at the top of the 170 lb division? Do you feel Matt Serra should have to have given up the belt and GSP should be the full champion instead of an interim one with the injury issues? Do you think you might be waiting quite a while to even get near a title shot providing you get through Liaudin and continue your current winning ways?
MD:1st I don’t and never have cared about the title of “champion” I’m more concerned with the title of “fighter”. SO with that in mind I don’t care who has any belt in any division. My goal is fights not “accessories”.
BK:I wanted to get your thoughts on the main event for the UFC 80 card, BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson. Do you think that it’s basically BJ’s fight to lose or does Joe have a real legit shot to beat him?
MD:BJ takes it if it ends with in 3 rounds after 3 rounds I say Joe gets it. It’s up to BJ and his plan.
BK:One other bout id like your input on is your good friend Tim Sylvia’s upcoming bout against Antonio “ Rodrigo” Noguiera at UFC 81 for the interim UFC HW title. What do you feel the outcome will be?
MD:Tim will be the 1st guy to knock out Noguiera. People will hate on me for saying that but it's true. Tim by KO.
BK:After the TUF2 Finale your record was 3-3, since then you've gone on to rack up 10 wins in a row against up and comers and veterans alike. What can we expect next from Marcus Davis?
MD:You can always expect exciting fights and finishes. I’m here to finish guys OR be finished. No more decisions!
BK:Thanks for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us again Marcus, are there any sponsors or individuals you wish to thank at this time?
MD:Full contact fighter has been with me since TUF2 and I am very happy with the way Joel has been with me. So thank FCF! A huge thanks to my friends (coach and manager) Mark Dellagrotte and Joe Cavallaro.
Tyler Horton
NOTE: I wish to thank our members Joe, PD, and Johnny B for their question contributions to this interview and staff editor Jim "DC Books" Kirkland for his graphics work. Without our member participation, these interviews would not be possible
Discuss this interview and the rest of UFC 80 here! (http://www.bloodyknux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30020)