Beltran Remains True to His Game

“I’ve always been a small heavyweight and when you walk into weigh-ins and see the biggest, ugliest, scariest looking guys, that’s usually who I’m fighting that night.” If you’re breaking down Saturday’s UFC Fight For The Troops 2 bout between Joey Beltran and Pat Barry, you assume that neither heavyweight will have to look too far to find the other once the bell rings. It’s no secret, they like to stand and trade as opposed to taking the fight to the mat.

On the canvas, things get a little more complicated. Both of Barry’s mixed martial arts losses have come via submission. Beltran, who has one submission defeat of his own, actually has a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Does that mean that if the opportunity presents itself, he’ll look to try his luck with Barry on the ground?

“I would like to say that I’d take him down and use my jiu-jitsu, but when the fight starts happening, you tend to go where your instincts are, and my instincts are always to scrap,” said Beltran. “The last fight (against Matt Mitrione), you look at round one and I easily got the takedown and I probably should have taken Matt down again. It would have made it more of a boring fight, but it probably would have been a lot easier to win. But when it starts happening, you just go with what you know, and fighting is all I know how to do. That’s what I’m good at and that’s what got me to the big dance, and I don’t plan on changing now.”

That statement is music to the ears of fight fans who have adopted “The Mexicutioner” as one of their favorites due to his tendency to bite down on his mouthpiece and start swinging as soon as he’s called to battle, chin tucking optional.  In 2010, the vet of nearly four years in pro MMA broke down the door to the next level of competition, stopping UFC vet Houston Alexander in January before entering the Octagon himself and defeating Rolles Gracie and Tim Hague before a close decision loss to Matt Mitrione in a UFC 119 bout awarded Fight of the Night honors. It was a stellar year to say the least, but the soft-spoken Carlsbad, California product refuses to get overrun by the hype that goes with being a prospect in one of the UFC’s glamour divisions.

“I just stay grounded, and I know that regardless of how many people are watching and how many interviews you do before the fight, and how much hype is built around the fight, at the end of the night, you’re gonna have to be locked in a cage with another man and go to work,” he said. “So if you’re not ready to do that, it’s gonna be pretty bad for you. (Laughs) And on top of that, you have 20,000 people watching live, and last time millions watching on TV. So you’d better be ready to fight.”

That’s one thing Beltran has down pat, and despite facing a technically superior striker in Barry, the 29-year old’s brawling attack may just be unorthodox enough to give the former K-1 kickboxer some problems this Saturday in Texas.

“It definitely falls into that old cliché, box the brawler and brawl the boxer, and that’s definitely what I’m gonna try to do,” said Beltran. “If I got complacent with who I’m fighting, and for some reason decide to get into a technical match with Pat Barry, I’m sure I’m gonna get eaten up. I have to remember who I am and stay true to myself and I should be all right.”

Yet despite taking a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach to his fight game, in the gym, Beltran used the Mitrione fight as a motivating tool to reassess what he was doing in his pre-fight preparation.

“I went through a change of heart and really analyzed a lot of things, which you tend to do after taking a loss,” he said. “It’s why sometimes a loss is the best thing that can happen to you in MMA. After losing I really sat back and I already knew I was training hard, but it made me question if I was doing all the right things. For the most part I learned that there was still a little bit more that could have been done and I feel that I’ve taken the necessary steps, and even pulled a little back in training because I think I was overtraining a little bit. I always did my own thing and went to like four or five different gyms per camp, getting a little bit from here and a little bit from there. This camp I simplified things and turned up the intensity.”

An even more intense Beltran is a scary thought for future opponents, but then again, facing someone like Barry, who once likened a taste of his leg kicks to stepping on a land mine, is pretty intimidating as well. But Beltran’s healthy dose of respect for his foe doesn’t translate into fear – Barry’s just another big guy trying to take his head off.

“I’ve always been a small heavyweight and when you walk into weigh-ins and see the biggest, ugliest, scariest looking guys, that’s usually who I’m fighting that night,” laughs Beltran, who at 6-1 is actually two inches taller than Barry. “Getting hit by large people that hit really hard is nothing new to me. He can throw his leg kicks and we’ll see what happens.”

If it seems like Saturday’s fight is just another night at the office for Beltran, it is, so consequently the same person who walked into Las Vegas nearly a year ago as a heavy underdog against Rolles Gracie is the same one going to Texas to face Barry. It’s just business.

“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” he said. “I’m a professional fighter, I have the trust of my family, I’m not playing around all day with my friends, I’m training, and when I go to fight every few months it’s to make money to pay the bills. I’ve always had that approach and I haven’t really gotten caught up in the hype of ‘oh, you’re a UFC fighter.’ It’s funny to me that it seems everybody around me has more so than I. I stressed out just as much fighting in small Indian casinos or cages thrown up in nightclubs overnight as I do fighting in the UFC now. The fights mean that much to me, and it’s always been that I’m fighting for my life, regardless of how many people are watching.”

They will be watching though, as a Joey Beltran fight means that for 15 minutes or less, you will be entertained. But what about the future? Is there more in store? He’s positive that there is.

“I really have the outlook that I’m in the UFC, I’m the only person in my family in the UFC, the only person in my city, the only person among my friends,” he said. “So I’m the only person I know who has an opportunity to become the UFC heavyweight champion of the world. I genuinely have the opportunity to do that; it may not be this fight, but I’m here. So if I don’t approach every fight and every opportunity I get to fight in the Octagon with that mindset, then I’m wasting my time and wasting the time of everybody else around me. So I’m going out there to fight Pat Barry thinking it’s one step to getting the title, and that’s the outlook I have for 2011 and from now on. Every fight, I’m inching my way to that title.”

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Marcus Davis - The Fighter Remains

“When people see me at that weigh-in, I think they’re gonna be really shocked,” he said. “They’re gonna look at me and they’ll all freak out. Now I’m the biggest 155er on the block.” As Marcus Davis sat on his stool after round one of his August bout against Nate Diaz, he thought to himself that this is what becoming an “old” fighter feels like.

He bled from a nasty cut over his right eye given to him by his 25-year old opponent, but that was nothing new for a former boxer once dubbed “The Bangor Bleeder” for his tendency to practically start bleeding on his walk into the ring. But on this night in the TD Garden in Boston, it wasn’t his skin betraying him, but his legs.

“What was weird with that fight was that in the first minute or so, I felt fine, and by the end of the first round, my right leg felt absolutely exhausted,” he recalled. “That leg was just dead, and my left leg was tired too. I didn’t know what it was, I didn’t understand; I thought maybe it was all those things you hear about – the first thing to go on an older fighter is their legs. And I started to have those thoughts that maybe it was that.”

Davis, as all true fighters do, shrugged off what was going on and jumped back into the fray. Nine minutes and two seconds later, it was over, with Davis submitted via guillotine choke. His face was battered and bruised, and while he took home a Fight of the Night bonus for his efforts, when asked if he thought that was it for his career as a professional prizefighter, he simply answers, “Pretty much.”

Yet a routine post-fight visit to a new doctor (after he left his previous physician before the Diaz fight) began to give him the idea that maybe he wasn’t done at the age of 37. The new doctor ran Davis through a battery of blood tests and MRIs. The verdict:

“You’ve got a lot of problems,” the doctor told Davis. “That’s the bad news. The good news is that they’re all treatable.”

The first course of business was to change Davis’ diet so he could process food properly. The results were immediate.

“I started doing the treatments and doing what he said. I was 192 pounds when I saw him right after the fight. A couple weeks later, I was down to 180. I said ‘I’m losing weight,’ and he told me, ‘You’re gonna keep losing weight, there’s no way around it. It’s gonna keep dropping off ya.’ Then I’m walking around at 175 and I called (manager) Joe Cavallaro – I’m freaking out man, I’m getting smaller. I can’t compete with the likes of Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, and Anthony Johnson. These guys are monsters, what am I gonna do?”

Cavallaro had a solution.

“You think you can make ‘55?”

Davis consulted with his doctor, who told him that he was going to keep losing weight. The next call went to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.

“Can we take a crack at ’55?”

“Sure,” replied Silva.

And that was that. But Davis’ resurrection wasn’t done yet. Long plagued by bulging C5, C6, and C7 discs, the Maine native finally went in to have those treated and it solved the issues with a loss of strength in his right bicep and the fatigue in his legs. It may sound cliché – but Marcus Davis is truly a new man.

“Everything’s good,” he said. “I’m healthy, I’m not having any problems. I feel really good and optimistic about this and I’m excited to break into 155 pounds in the UFC. Before, I used to not be able to sleep because I was stressed out that I gotta get up and I know that I can’t eat this and I can’t eat that, and I had to train because it was my job and I had no choice. Now I want to do it. I can’t sleep at night because I’m so excited to be able to push myself and do things that I hadn’t been able to do when I was battling through the pain. And I’m pumped up. I’m excited to get in there and train. On the mental side, I’m in a much better place. I’ve always been really good mentally, even when I’ve been hurt or had injuries. I just pretty much say, ‘well, that goes with the territory, this is the job that I’ve chosen, and I just go and do it.’”

For a while – over five years in the UFC to be exact – Davis was able to get by on pure tenacity, heart, and experience. 9-5 in the Octagon, “The Irish Hand Grenade” put together a six fight winning streak from 2006 to 2008, and if you look at the five men he lost to in the UFC (Diaz, Mike Swick, Dan Hardy, Ben Saunders, and Melvin Guillard), there are no cupcakes in that lineup. But with three defeats in his last four bouts, it appeared that time was catching up to him. And while the drop to 155 pounds may be seen as a last ditch effort to turn things around, it will actually serve the 5 foot 10 Davis well physically, and it’s a move many have been calling for him to make for years.

“People have been bugging me about it forever,” he said. “Everybody’s been saying ‘you’re too short, you haven’t got the reach, why aren’t you fighting at lightweight?’ And I heard that all the time. And I was like, it might be because I walk around at 210, and cutting that 60 pounds might be kinda difficult. That’s like a small human child. (Laughs) So it just seemed impossible to me. And my whole UFC career, it’s like clockwork – every time I get on that scale five days before my fights at 170, I’m 185 pounds. I cut that 15 those last five days. I never thought it would be possible (to make 155).”

When this interview was conducted, on December 15th, Davis wouldn’t reveal his exact weight, but would say that he was “below 170.” That would put him way ahead of his usual pre-fight routine, and he promises that when weigh-in day comes on December 31st, people won’t believe their eyes.

“When people see me at that weigh-in, I think they’re gonna be really shocked,” he said. “They’re gonna look at me and they’ll all freak out. Now I’m the biggest 155er on the block.”

All that’s left is to see the new Davis in the Octagon, and welcoming him to the division will be ultra-tough prospect Jeremy Stephens.

“He’s a young, ferocious competitor, a kid that likes to bite down and give it his all,” said Davis of his opponent. “He’s a gamer, and in the past there’s been no guessing as to what his style is and the way he was going to fight. I know he’s trying to change things right now and he’s working on his wrestling a lot right now and he’s doing those kinds of things. With that said, he does have youth and tenacity on his side, but my experience is going to be a big plus for me, and that tenacity might work against him. I might not be that kind of style that you just want to bite down on your mouthpiece and walk into some punches and follow me around the cage against. I think I have a lot of advantages and I’ve been in there against guys that are veterans and not just in the top ten, but in the top four positions. That’s a big advantage. Plus, he’s got more of a boxer style, and I’m a better boxer. But I’m certainly not taking him lightly.”

You wouldn’t expect him to, and that’s something you’ve never seen out of Davis. He’s never been a ‘just show up’ kind of guy. Every fight means something, and every bump, every bruise, and every scar has meaning to him. It’s why he gets up every morning to train, and why he did it when his body was screaming at him to stop. At this point, it’s not a money thing, it’s not a legacy thing. It’s his life, and Davis is proud to call himself a fighter.

“I always fought because I loved to fight,” he said. “I’m a fighter. That’s how God made me, and that’s all I’ve ever known really. Whether it’s fighting and losing or fighting and winning, I fight. I’m just lucky that I get to do it on the greatest stage that a fighter can fight on. I don’t have to prove anything to my family – they know I go out there and take these licks for them and that I fight to provide for them. Obviously they want me to win but they don’t love me any less when I lose. But I’m not out there fighting to prove anything to anybody; I fight because I love to. It is my identity and that’s who I am.”

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TUF 12 Prelims: McGuillotine Remains Unbeaten

LAS VEGAS, December 4 – Everyone knew it was coming, but Aaron Wilkinson still couldn’t stop Cody McKenzie’s guillotine, succumbing to what is growing into one of the most dangerous submissions in the game in the first round of their lightweight bout at The Pearl at The Palms Saturday.

McKenzie, a member of Team GSP on The Ultimate Fighter 12, raced across the Octagon to start the bout, and after a quick flurry, got the fight to the mat. Wilkinson, a cool customer, fought his way back to his feet as McKenzie tried to lock in his signature guillotine choke.

Team Koscheck’s Wilkinson (6-4) was ready for the maneuver, but that didn’t stop the Washington product from continuing to work for it, and with a little over three minutes left, he got, forcing the Liverpool native to tap out at the 2:03 mark. See post-fight interview

Toner vs. Loveland
Late replacement Ian Loveland made the most of his opportunity in featherweight action, parlaying two knockdowns into a unanimous decision victory over Tyler Toner. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27, 30-26, 29-28 for Loveland, who replaced Leonard Garcia in the bout.

Both fighters came out throwing and Loveland got there first with a flurry of shots that dropped Toner. Toner cleared his head quickly, but Loveland did his best to make sure that he remained in control as he pinned his foe to the fence and delivered more strikes until the bell intervened.

Back on his feet to start the second, Toner was able to get some kicks off on his countering foe, but when Loveland’s hands got into the picture, his speed and accuracy put him back in front. With 1:33 left, a spinning back fist from Loveland dropped Toner, and though the Colorado product looked for a submission from the bottom, Loveland’s strikes still ruled the day.

The pace dipped in the final round, as fatigue set in, and neither man was able to make a final emphatic statement before the end of the bout.

With the win, Loveland improves to 14-7; Toner falls to 11-3 with 1 NC.

Chivitichian vs. Watson
Veteran Illinois lightweight Kyle Watson issued Sako Chivitchian his first pro defeat via unanimous decision in a meeting of TUF 12 alumni. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27 twice and 29-28 for Team GSP’s Watson, who improves to 16-7-1; Team Koscheck’s Chivitchian falls to 5-1.

The first round was a competitive one, with the two TUF12 competitors trading stiff strikes in between extended grappling sessions against the fence. A couple takedowns from Watson may have found favor with the judges, but Chivitchian’s more effective standup certainly evened the score.

Watson started to open things up in the second, scoring solidly from long range as Chivitchian pursued him around the Octagon. “The Psycho” still got his own shots in though, making it another difficult round for the judges.

Looking to pull away, Watson scored a brief and sloppy takedown early in the third, but Chivitchian jumped right back up. The Armenia native wasn’t able to capitalize on the scramble though, and as the seconds ticked away, his lack of urgency kept the ball in the busier Watson’s court.

Campuzano vs. Pace
The first bantamweight bout in UFC history saw Nick Pace finish strong and submit Will Campuzano in the third round. See post-fight interview

Pace (6-1) dominated the opening round behind takedowns and Octagon control, rendering Campuzano (8-3) helpless under the smothering attack.

Campuzano got back into the fight in the second, using some crisp standup combinations to put Pace on the defensive. Once the two locked up though, the New Yorker got his bearings back, and he sent Campuzano back to the canvas. And while Campuzano was able to turn the tables in the final 30 seconds, his late spurt wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Swinging for the fences and refusing a touch of gloves to start the final frame, Campuzano got the crowd back into the fight as he went for broke in a quest to salvage the fight. Pace greeted the initial charge coolly with a kick to the head that drew blood from his foe’s nose, and moments later, he scored yet another takedown. This time Campuzano reversed position quickly, and he delivered hard ground strikes while Pace tried to stall for a re-start. Campuzano’s recklessness cost him though, as he sunk in a rarely seen choke that forced the Texan to submit at the 4:33 mark.

“We’ll call it the Pace,” said the Staten Islander with a smile when asked what his finishing move was.

Paixao vs. Garza
Fargo, North Dakota’s Pablo Garza gave UFC fans an explosive introduction to the featherweight division, scoring a single knee first round knockout of veteran Fredson Paixao in the first 145-pound fight in UFC history. See post-fight interview

Garza came out sticking and moving, finding his range and waiting for Paixao to shoot in. And when the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace did, Garza was waiting for him with a devastating left knee to the head that knocked Paixao out before he hit the mat. Referee Steve Mazzagatti jumped in immediately, calling a stop to the fight at the 51 second mark.

After a lengthy look from the on-site physicians, Paixao left the Octagon under his own power, and then was wheeled to the locker room on a stretcher and then taken to a local hospital for precautionary purposes.

With the win, Garza improves to 11-1; Paixao falls to 10-4 with 1 NC.

Attonito vs. Branch
Brooklyn’s David Branch won his second in a row in the opener, outpointing Rich Attonito in a clash of middleweight prospects. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27 across the board for Branch.

Attonito had some standup success early in the opening round, prompting Branch to take the fight to the mat. There, the New Yorker controlled the action while tossing in enough position changes and strikes to keep Attonito from mounting his own offense.

Living up to his nickname, “Raging Bull”, Attonito got in his opponent’s face to start the second, and while Branch immediately locked him up and bulled him into the fence, the American Top Team product stayed busy with knees and short punches on the inside. In the final two minutes, the bout went back to the mat, with Branch again controlling the Octagon real estate.

Branch opened up the third with a takedown, but Attonito scrambled up immediately, albeit with his opponent on his back. Branch got the fight to the mat moments later, and he kept it there until the final minute, when Attonito got back to his feet. Unfortunately, his freedom was short-lived, as Branch kept him pinned to the fence until the final bell.

With the win, Branch improves to 8-1; Attonito falls to 9-4.

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