3/26/08 - By Jonathan Brown for SPRAWL Fight Short CompanyOn April 2, live on Spike-TV TUF 5 veteran Joe Lauzon will try to get one step closer to the UFC lightweight title when he takes on TUF 1 veteran Kenny Florian. The two Bostonians headline an unprecedented three hour UFC Fight Night stacked from top to bottom. In this must read interview Joe give us his thoughts on the battle for Boston, talks TUF, and gives us predictions on how the rest of his TUF 5 comrades will do on the under card. All this and much more in this SPRAWL exclusive. Read more...
JB: How does it feel to be headlining your first main event?
JL: It’s pretty cool! It really didn’t hit me until I started seeing the billboards. They got one right in the middle of Time Square, and there is another one in L.A.
JB: How did training camp go?
JL: Training camp went real well. I went to Hilo with B.J and the guys. It was a very good training camp. I am already in Colorado trying to get use to the air and the altitude.
JB: A lot of people are saying Kenny Florian is a big step up for you. But you have six more fights then him, and have been in there with guys like Jens Pulver and Ivan Menjivar. Do you see this as a big step for you, or just another fight?
JL: It’s just another fight. I understand how people can say it’s a step up. He has had a lot of high profile fights in the UFC. To me it doesn’t matter where a fight takes place. A tough opponent is a tough opponent. I think I have fought some very tough guys, so I’m not taken back by the whole underdog thing.
JB: Do you think him being a veteran of TUF 1 and you being a veteran of TUF 5 just creates an illusion that he is more experienced then you to the public? The way I see it he has just been famous longer then you.
JL: Yeah pretty much man. People just think nothing happens before the Ultimate Fighter. Like it is your first fight ever. They have seen Kenny fight five more times then me, so they assume well he’s more experienced. Public perception is everything. He just has the perception that he has more fights, and more experience then me, so that’s what people are going to believe.
JB: Sean Sherk had a lot of success against Florian from the top position. Is that where you would like the fight to go?
JL: Definately! Your black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will only get you so far when your head is stuffed against the fence, and I’m punching and elbowing you. That’s what we're going to do: try and take him down, put him on the fence, and beat him up. His Muy Thai won’t do any good when he is on his back, and his jujitsu won’t do any good when he’s stuffed against the fence.
JB: What did you think about Kenny’s reaction after his TKO win over Din Thomas by fluke injury?
JL: I think that he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. I mean it was a back and fourth fight. I kind of thought Kenny had the edge. Then the injury happens and Kenny starts jumping up and down yelling “I finish fights!” I thought it was completely unnecessary, especially when a guy gets hurt when he trips. I didn’t like it. It’s not like he got hurt by anything Kenny did. It was just a freak accident, and I thought it was completely unnecessary.
JB: Kenny is a BJJ black belt under Gracie Barra. What belt are you?
JL: I’ve pretty much done everything no gi, so technically I’m still a white belt. I’ll test my white belt against his black belt.
JB: I heard Urijah Faber has been out in Hilo training with you guys. Given your camps success against Pulver do you think Faber has a good chance of beating Jens?
JL: I think he has a great chance. Obviously he does not want to strike with Jens that much, but I think he can take him down and beat him up on the ground. He’s number 1 at his weight class for a reason: he works real hard, trains smart, and he’s a great athlete. Yeah I think he has a great chance.
JB: After the B.J Penn vs. Jens Pulver fight, Jens said, he wanted to come out to Hilo to train with B.J. Did that ever happen?
JL: Nope he never came out. I’m not sure if he is still planning to sometime down the road.
JB: The new Pride organization “Dream” just had it first round of its lightweight grand prix. Some of the stand out fighters in the tournament are: JZ, Aoki, Alvarez, Kawajiri, and Ishida. Who do you think is going to win the tournament? How do these fighters compare to the UFC lightweight division?
JL: A couple of those guys really stand-out. Like JZ he’s an absolute animal! I lost to him twice in the amateurs. He works real hard, is constantly improving, and it shows. There are a lot of good fighters in the tourney, but I’d put the winner of Sherk vs. Penn at the top of the list.
JB: That’s the main event at UFC 84. You have gone on record and said the B.J would stop Sherk in the first round. Why do you think it’s such an easy fight for B.J?
JL: I don’t think it’s an easy fight. I just think Sherk’s biggest thing is the takedown and the ground and pound. I think he will have a real tough time taking B.J down, and if he does I really don’t see him doing much damage. B.J will be in really good shape. His striking will be too much for him. His takedown defense will be too much for him, and his jujitsu will be too much for him. I just think B.J will be better at everything.
JB: In an interview on mmajunkie.com B.J Penn said if you both won your next fights he thinks you deserve a title shot. He said, “I want him to realize his dreams; I would make him fight me." Is that an option you would be open to?
JL: Um, I mean if B.J tells me I have to fight him I really don’t have much choice. I got so much respect for the guy you know what I mean? He wouldn’t want me to pass up an opportunity like this.
JB: Let’s talk TUF 5 for a minute. Was there ever any awkwardness between you and Jens on show?
JL: No not really. We had a chance to talk after our fight, so on the show was not the first time I saw him since the fight. When I first saw him on the show he gave me a hug, and busted on me a bit, so no it really wasn’t that awkward. It was more awkward when B.J asked us to raise our hands if we wanted nothing to do with Jens, and I did. That had nothing to do with Jens I just really wanted to work with B.J.
JB: Why was there so much friction between B.J and Andy Wang on the show?
JL: Mainly because he went against what you can control. You can control your game plan; you can control your strategy. If someone just beats you up that’s one thing, but I mean when you’re not listening to your corner that is really annoying. Even in training Andy wouldn’t do what he was told. He would be told to do something and he would just do the opposite. He just refused to listen to anyone. Then we get a fight that we should have won, but we gave it away, because he just wouldn’t listen. For the whole week he kept promising us he’d go for the takedown, he wouldn’t brawl, or bang with him. In the end he lied about everything and just did what he wanted to do, so I think that was the main thing.
JB: Couple of guys from your TUF class have fights on the under card. Give me your prediction on the Nate Diaz vs. Kurt Pellegrino fight?
JL: I like Nate. He has looked good in all of his fights. His jujitsu is amazing. He has got good boxing, wrestling, and incredible cardio. I just don’t see anyone stopping him for awhile.
JB: How about Gray Maynard vs. Frankie Edgar?
JL: That’s a toss up for me. Gray is bigger, and might be a little bit better of a pure wrestler. But Frankie has been impressively able to handle everyone the UFC has thrown at him.
JB: How about Jeff Fox vs. Manny Gamburyan?
JL: I’ve got to go with Manny. He’s like a piece of iron that keeps driving at your legs, and pounding, and thrashing.
JB: It seemed like he was a pretty bad style match-up for you the first time you fought. Would you like a re-match with him?
JL: You’re right it’s not a very good style match-up. I want to fight him again when I am able to train and do everything properly. Not living in that house, and fighting 3 times in like 16 days. So yeah I wouldn’t mind a re-match with Manny at all. I mean it would be a tough fight, and taking nothing away from him he won the first fight, but I’d like to see how it goes a second time.
JB: How have SPRAWL Sports improved your MMA career?
JL: The biggest thing with SPRAWL is the support they have given me from the start. The way I am: I always like to have the best training equipment, so when I first started out I was buying SPRAWL Shorts. We always filmed all my matches, so I was basically a highlight for a SPRAWL commercial, because I was always wearing their gear. Ever since they have sponsored me they have always been behind me a 100%. They have always been in my corner regardless of the outcome and that has been huge.
JB: Any thing you would like to say in closing?
JL: Just thanks for reading, and go buy SPRAWL Shorts!
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