Archive for category: Interviews

If Mickey Mouse had been born in the YouTube era, he still wouldn’t be as popular as MMA’s biggest rising star, Tommy Toe Hold. With a show that mixes a razor sharp wit with nonstop pop culture references, Tommy has become wildly popular in the world of Mixed Martial Arts by poking fun at every MMA athlete on the planet.

A supporter of Invicta FC from its inception, Tommy gave us all the time he could spare between rounds of GTA V and smashing his animating equipment in a sleep deprived rage. After you finish reading, grab a couple episodes of the show over on YouTube, and then let Tommy know how much he let you down on Twitter or Facebook @TommyToeHold.

Corey Smith: For those few people on the planet who haven’t seen the show, mainly a few World War II prisoners in Siberia, how would you describe The Tommy Toe Hold show?

Tommy Toe Hold: My show is two parts Mark Sanchez butt fumble and three parts iPhone 5S. So basically, it’s massive disappointment, but it’s a complex disappointment. There’s a lot of shittiness going on here. You have to really watch it closely to appreciate how much of a dumpster fire that the show really is.

CS: When you first started producing the show, where did you think it would go? Were you just trying to become more popular on the Underground?

TTH: I thought that maybe my mom would watch the show once. I had no idea that people would even bother to catch it, I’m assuming out of pity and/or the same reason that people can’t stop watching Bob Sapp fight. It’s fascinating. Like string theory fascinating. You don’t really understand what the appeal is, but you just can’t stop.

CS: How much work goes into each episode? Is your show a day late each time because Nick Diaz is your animator?

TTH: Ha! I wish I had some extra help with the animation, even if it was Nick baked out of his mind munching on a veggie pizza. I would say every episode takes about 12 to 24 hours of actual work time to create and roughly six months off my life, so I’d say a few more episodes and I’ll have some type of break with reality, and then the show is going to start getting really good!

CS: With the injury bug striking at will, and carpal tunnel a very real threat, how do you safeguard against injury before each show, but still put out the best product possible?

TTH: I’ll tell you, it’s not easy. Carpal tunnel has crept up on me a few times already. Shooting pain and numb pointer fingers are something I try to ignore by remembering that the joy my show creates will ultimately make a difference in the world, and if that means I can’t use my hands in ten years, then that’s just something I’ll have to deal with.

TTH: I haven’t checked yet, but I’m almost positive YouTube cartoon creators have incredible health insurance. The key for me will be increasing the amount of time between when I say the show is going to be released and when I actual release the show. So for instance, I say the show is Wednesday’s now and they usually come out on Thursdays, so I’d say if I can get them to Monday afternoon I’ll be in a place where the numbness in my hands will be manageable.

CS: Most MMA athletes have some type of routine or superstitions they must perform before their fight. Do you have any before each show? Do you chug a Jolt cola before starting?

TTH: Before each show I like to sleep for about 12 hours and then wake up in a panic because the show was supposed to be released 14 hours previous. Then I have a panic induced breakdown, I break some type of important equipment that I’ll immediately regret only a few hours later, and then I’m finally ready to get the show started! It’s just what I like to do to get things started off right, you know?

CS: Have you ever considered revealing your secret identity? Or is your real voice similar to Mike Tyson’s? Are you in fact Iron Mike?

TTH: Okay, now I’m sad that I’m not Mike Tyson because that would be hilarious if it was revealed that he was the guy behind all of this. I always think it would be fun to have some really important person in MMA claim to be me and take the credit for the show because when people finally find out who I am, they are going to be so disappointed. I’m the least interesting man in the world. I can’t even purchase a bottle of Dos Equis that’s how uninteresting I am. I’m not sure that I’ll ever reveal it because it would be like finding out that Batman was Ben Affleck or something. It would be just too much.

CS: You have been a fan of Invicta FC from its inception. What makes you a fan of female MMA?

TTH: Female MMA is the Wild West right now. Because of Invicta and because of where the sport is, any of these ladies could end up being a megastar like Ronda Rousey tomorrow. One day you’re fighting on the prelim and the next day you’re starring in Fast & Furious 12. It’s all right there and all these women know it, so every single fight is heightened in importance and it’s like home run derby for 15 minutes. I love it. The sense of urgency is incredible.

TTH: The other thing that’s hooked me about WMMA is how much fun everyone is having. That macho bullshit that you get from men’s fighting goes out the window and the event feels more like a party. Everybody is still kicking the shit out each other, but you get the sense that everyone is having a good time.

CS: Past Invicta cards have enjoyed deep lineups, what are a few matchups you would like to see on Invicta FC 7?

TTH: Things I would love to see: Felice Herrig make her debut against Joanne Calderwood; Cyborg Santos versus a tank, literally; Jessica Penne in a rematch with Michelle Waterson; Bec Hyatt fighting anyone on the planet because she is pure awesome inside and outside of the cage; and of course you gotta have Thug Rose. She’s pure excitement and having Pat Barry going insane outside the cage the entire fight is just too much fun.

CS: Invicta FC and TTTHS have used social media greatly to their advantage. What does a successful social media campaign entail? How often are you in Twitter jail? Are you starting to feel like a convict who gets let out only on the weekends?

TTH: I’ll tell you what, if I end up in twitter jail a few more times, I’m not going to be able to adjust to normal society again. They tell me to come back and tweet like I used to tweet, but prison changes you. It changes everything. What were we talking about? Oh yeah, social media campaigns. The key for me is being available to everybody. So it might take me six hours to respond to everybody’s tweets that day, but it makes people feel like I care and they get to know me a little bit. I’m their buddy. Being interactive with people is HUGE. Social media isn’t a bullhorn. It’s not a place where you just leave content for people and call it a day. The people following you want more out of the experience then knowing your latest excuse for why the video is late.

TTH: That is what Invicta has done so well and Shannon too. Very interactive and fun. I feel like I know Shannon and we’ve never met. That is how you do social media and that is what I try to do. I can’t say enough good things about Shannon Knapp. She just gets it. She’s the smartest person working in MMA right now.

CS: If Shannon was able to sign her, who would win between Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino and the female Terminator from Terminator 3?

TTH: Here’s the thing about the chick from Terminator 3: she was a hybrid between liquid metal like T-1000 and the regular metal like Arnold. How is that an upgrade? Liquid metal is pretty much the end all there. It was perfect besides weakness to extreme heat, so that lady has already got some flaws, but I don’t care if she was liquid metal or liquid awesome Cyborg would absolutely decimate her. I’ve never seen someone beat people up like Cyborg. She fights like a Rocky movie. It’s like watching Clubber Lang’s montage in Rocky III where he is just pummeling people but in real life.

CS: Which Invicta FC athlete most reminds you of the Ultimate Warrior?

TTH: Joanne Calderwood. She embodies all things that the Warrior embodies. She’s unstoppable. She has the coolest haircut in the history of the planet. She has a flair for the theatrical, and her wardrobe consists of varying levels of pure 80s like tiger tights. Warrior would wear tiger tights.

CS: If Shannon Knapp ever pulled a Ray Sefo, who would you like to see her step into the Invicta FC cage with and how would that bout go?

TTH: If Shannon was going to pull a Sefo, I would want to watch her fight another boss and I’d want the ratings to be high so I think she should fight Oprah, and I’d put all my savings on Shannon because she’s so smart no matter who the opponent is she would find a way to win the fight. Shannon in the second round via flying heel-hook.

CS: Would you ever consider an Invicta FC athlete for a co-host of TTTHS? Who do you think would most naturally fit that role?

TTH: Bec Hyatt. She is perfect for the show. She’s perfect for any show! She’s adorable, she’s got a great sense of humor, and her accent immediately makes her twelve times cooler than any other athlete that might want to be my co-host.

CS: Lastly, most Invicta FC athletes depend on a team of supporters, coaches and sponsors to help them be successful. Have you ever considered doing the same to become successful? Who would you like to thank?

TTH: Most definitely! I would be nowhere right now without the help from a BUNCH of people. First and foremost: Stephie Daniels from MMA Sentinel. I wouldn’t even have a show right now if it wasn’t for her. I’d be teaching English somewhere. Bruce Buffer has been a tremendous help. Amy Barton, Chael Sonnen, Dana White, Ronda Rousey, Joe Rogan, Bec Hyatt, all the people that have been posting my shows to their blogs and their twitter feeds.

TTH: Gamma Labs. Ariel Helwani for getting me on the MMA Hour, and last but certainly not least, Shannon, Janet, and everyone at Invicta FC. Shannon has been so supportive of the show for so long now and it’s just been incredible. I can’t thank her enough for putting my logo on the weigh-ins and the website on the cage guard. And thank you Janet for rocking a TTTHS shirt! That was so awesome. It’s been an incredible run so far, and I hope I’m just getting started. Thank you for the interview and sorry it took so long to get back to you!

Women’s MMA pioneer Julie Kedzie continues to blaze a path for other fighters as she fights full time and provides commentary for Invicta Fighting Championships.

Commanding universal respect among her peers, and unable to hide her passion for the sport, Kedzie is a welcome addition to all Invicta broadcasts. Despite never commentating or conducting interviews before, Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp chose Kedzie as the face in the cage, and few could argue Knapp could have made a better decision.

Corey Smith: After nearly a decade fighting professionally, everywhere from Indiana to Russia, you recently made your UFC debut. What was that experience like for you?

Julie Kedzie: It was a surreal experience in a way, because it was a relief to finally be in the UFC in that it was such a dream and a goal for so long. But I was very disappointed in my performance. So the only thing that I can do is work harder to represent myself better and show that I am actually a very good fighter and that I belong there.

JK: For me it was a little bit of a road block, but it was a good lesson learned. I lost the split decision, and I didn’t really execute the way I was supposed to out there.

CS: Others fighters have spoken about ‘Octagon Jitters’ in their debuts. Do you believe that was an issue for you?

JK: No I didn’t actually feel ‘Octagon Jitters’ to be honest. Because of my experience working with Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn and fighters on the Jackson/Winkeljohn team, I’ve been backstage at UFC events before. I’ve been under the bright lights before, even though they were never directed at me. I’ve been around it, so it wasn’t as uncomfortable for me.

JK: I really think for me, there was a little bit of a block in my mind. I don’t want to say too relaxed, but something just didn’t quite happen for me.  For me, there are a lot of factors that go into that; it had been a really long time for me since I fought, and I was coming off a really major surgery. But I don’t really believe in making excuses like that, it just didn’t happen for me. I have to do better next time. I don’t think it was ‘Octagon Jitters,’ I don’t think it was ring rust; I just need to do better. All you can do is move on to the next thing.

CS: With world class talent at Jacksons’ Winklejohn’s in almost every weight category, what is the team atmosphere like in New Mexico?

JK: The team atmosphere is probably what keeps me going. That’s the reason I am here in Albuquerque. Not that it’s not a beautiful place, I’ve come to love this town, but the team is the heart of the town to me; it’s the heart of MMA to me.  For instance coming back in after a loss, I know that the only place that I want to be is with my team because they are my family. They are the people that will kind of rag you a little bit, tease you a bit, but also teach you how to win.

JK:  There just such nice people here, there is just this atmosphere of everybody trying to make everyone else better. Even though we are trying to achieve things for ourselves, there is this recognition here that you can’t do that on your own, that you need your coaches and your teammates around you. It’s a very addictive atmosphere. The people that are the most successful are the ones that keep coming back here.

CS: The team boasts an unusually large female contingent compared to most gyms. What advantages do you receive from being able to train with other female athletes as opposed to training with a male athlete?

JK: I think that there are advantages to training with men, and I think there are advantages to training with women. I think one of the main advantages to having talented female training partners, is that I am fighting with them, I’m not fighting men. There is aggression with them, a level of competiveness that exists between two women that doesn’t always exist between a man and a woman.

JK: If you take a 135 pound man like Damacio Page, and put him against a 135 pound woman like me, regardless of how many fights I’ve had, he outclasses me in strength. It’s not that good technique can’t win over strength, but when it’s two women, and you are at the same strength level and the same technique level, you gain a little bit more out of a training partner that way. There is also a lot of inspiration to be gained by watching other female fighters training for fights.

JK: I might lose a fight, but then I watch someone like Holly Holm get an amazing knockout, it makes me want to get back on my feet and cheer for her and then achieve that for myself. There is a competitiveness that’s not to beat each other, but to live up to each other’s expectations of each other. We expect the best from each other, we expect to push, and we expect you to win. That kind of atmosphere really breeds success I think.

CS: When you aren’t training or fighting, you provide color commentary and interviews for Invicta FC. What has that experience been like?

JK: I LOVE it. I absolutely love doing the color commentary for Invicta. I had no idea that it would be something I would like or that I would be good at, but I am and I like it. It makes me feel a connection to the fighters out there. I know I am critiquing their performance, and they may not like what I am doing but it makes me feel like I’m bridging some sort of gap between the fighters and the viewers watching.

JK:  I work with such a great team. I absolutely love King Mo. I love Mauro Renallo, and I loved Bas Rutten when he was there too. It’s such a great experience to work with these knowledgeable people that I have watched for years and have them kind of guide me through and teach me how to represent the sport in a different facet.

CS: Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp has stated she is particularly proud of ‘discovering’ you for the commentary role. Most fans would agree that your positive energy and enthusiasm are a welcome addition. How do you feel you have grown in that role?

JK: I definitely still make mistakes, and I still stumble during interviews and stuff like that. What I’ve learned the most is that you make that connection to that fighter that you are talking to, and you make that connection to the crowd. It isn’t about me, that’s what I’ve learned. I might be too fat in my business suit; I might to be too skinny in my suit. None of it matters. What matters is that the fighter is able to communicate.

JK: After fighting they are out of breath, and crazy exhilarated or totally heartbroken and it’s my job to center them and bring them back. That’s been the most challenging part for me to not make it about me, but to make my questions about them. That sounds really self-centered, but I’m just trying to being honest with you. It’s hard, I have a hard time with crowds and everyone is looking at you, and you’re in the cage. You think ‘everyone is looking at me,’ but they aren’t looking at me, the focus isn’t on me, the focus is on the fighter. That realization made me work really hard to ask the right questions so that people are connected to the fighter.

JK: As far as the enthusiasm, I love MMA. I wouldn’t be involved in it if I didn’t love it. There are times when disappointing things are happening. Of course there is heartbreak, injuries, and these sorts of things that can happen. But at the heart of things we have a really beautiful sport. Just getting to experience people competing at this high level, it’s awesome.

JK:  It’s a beautiful avenue for humanity. I am very privileged. I don’t want to take my position in the company for granted, and I don’t want to take my position in the sport for granted. When fighting is done right, people are completely stripped bare. They show how much they care, how much work they put into it, and that’s MMA at its best. And you see that so much at Invicta, which is incredible.

CS: What do you think an all-female promotion does for Women’s MMA as compared to a card that has one or two female bouts mixed in with male bouts?

JK: Obviously it improves the rankings and the depths of divisions. There are more women competing because they don’t have to compete with men for spots on the card. Beyond that I think it really is the final argument against the naysayers that say women can’t fight. The people that don’t support women’s MMA end up watching an Invicta card, and it inevitably changes the conversation from ‘oh these women can’t fight,’ to ‘these women do better than those women.’

JK: So women can fight, and they are doing it progressionally, and doing a good job. The conversation has changed from women can’t fight to who can beat Ronda (Rousey.) So you see these breakout starts like Ronda and Gina (Carrano) and then you see Shannon (Knapp) and Janet (Martin) band together to give women this avenue. The whole idea that women can’t fight has been made dumb when you see a promotion putting on these fights that are compelling and are evenly matched.

CS: With such an extensive and respected career, do you feel any responsibility to mentor or help younger fighters?

JK: Oh yeah, of course I feel a responsibility to mentor. But you know the best way to do that for up and coming fighters is to lead by example. You look at the pitfalls of my career; I won’t sit here and tell you I am undefeated because that is a lie. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’ve had the best fights in the world. I have had some of the best fights in the world, but they haven’t all been barn burners. Some of them have been boring as hell.

JK: So the only thing you can do is lead by example. I can sit here and talk to girls all day about doing this or that as a fighter, or I could simply not quit.  That’s what I really got going for me, not as a pioneer maybe but as a leader in the sport.  I’m not going to give it up until I am ready to. Until I have squeezed every drop of life out of this sport that I can. Until I have proven myself to myself, I am not quitting. That I think is the best example from my career that I can show them. That’s the best way that I can mentor young fighters.

JK:  It seems like an easy answer, but it’s really hard. I’ve put my time in, and I could retire, but there is no way in hell I am going to do that. I am fired up to be the best fighter in the world and the only thing I can say to the up and coming fighters is that it’s their responsibility to do it. Lead by example.

CS: What are your general fan interactions like?  Are there any differences between fans of male and female MMA?

JK: There are some people that are exclusively female fans, and there are some that are just creepers and gross. Then there are some that are just trolling trying to get you to yell at them, and there are some that are just trying to pick fights with you just so they can get attention. But I think that male fighters have trolls and creepers as well.

JK: In general though, my fans are incredibly nice and I love interacting with them. I don’t mind a Twitter fight here or there, but I do end up blocking the super negative people. I have a lot of people after my fights that tell me I suck. I have a lot of people during my commentary for Invicta that tell me I suck. I usually block them, because I don’t have time for people that just want attention by insulting me.

JK: There are people that want to talk to and ask why this is or that, and I feel very happy when I have a moment to sort of explain things. I can be mean, and maybe make fun of people sometimes if they are just fishing for attention. I try not to be a bully, but I am definitely a person who likes to fight back a bit. I don’t go out of my way to insult anybody, but if someone goes out of their to insult me or my teammates, I’m very protective of my teammates, I get pretty mad.

JK: For the most part, the fans of female fighters, they go to all the Invicta events, they talk to all the fighters, and they’re amazing. They had the least available to them in this sport for the longest time, and I have respect for them. They are the ones at the end of the day that pay the bills. MMA itself is a very accessible sport still. We’re not on this level where we have ten thousand bodyguards walking down the hall.

JK: You can still walk up to a fighter and say ‘Hey can I can take a picture with you?’ or ‘Hey can I get your autograph.’ I like that. There is nothing different from me than them. We’re the same. I just happen to be doing the action that they like. I’m sure they can write or draw something that I would like. It’s just who is doing the art, and who is doing the appreciating of the art. I think you have to have respect for that connection.

CS: Outside of the gym and the world of MMA, what types of activities do you enjoy?

JK: I have a wonderful dog Bailey. I work at the gym, so I’m around MMA almost 24/7. I very much enjoy reading. I love to read. I love animals. I’d love to go to Africa someday on safari. Zoos can kind of be sad places, I’d love to see animals in their natural habitats. I love animals. Someday I want to have a big ranch like Cowboy (Cerrone) has, and just fill it with dogs and children. Just a dog and children ranch, have them running all over the place. That would be great. I’m usually a pretty solitary person though, I go home and I like to be alone, have my music, have my TV shows, and have my book. I love being with my dog, I love reading, and I love going to the gym.

CS: Whenever you decide to take off the gloves for the last time, what will you have wanted to have accomplished at that point?

JK: I want the UFC belt. If we are talking about physical, material things, then I want the belt. I want the UFC belt. And I am going to fight for it, until I can’t fight for it anymore. I am going to achieve it; I am going to get that belt. In terms of other things, I want to make sure that I fought the fights I was supposed to fight and that I fought as the fighter I was supposed to fight as. I don’t want to look back at my career with regrets.

JK:  With someone that has had so many losses and gone through so many ups and downs, it’s easy to fall. But I’m not going to let that happen to me. I’m not going to look back on my career with regrets and say ‘I shouldn’t have done that, or I shouldn’t have fought that person.’ Hopefully before I hang up the gloves, I have another career I can make a transition into. That’d be nice!

CS:  Lastly, whether you are commentating or fighting, it takes a team to succeed. Who would you like to thank?

JK: First and foremost I always want to thank Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, Israel Martinez, John Wood, and all my teammates at Jacksons Winkeljohn MMA. They are the ones that keep me going.

JK: I would like to thank Fear the Fighter, Hayabusa, Ikon Motoring, and the Fight Dentist. Those are they guys that really supported me.

JK: Friends, family, and teammates. All of them.

JK: And my dog Bailey!

Ever evolving Claudia Gadelha makes her Invicta FC debut July 13^th, at Invicta FC 6 against fellow world traveler, Japanese standout Ayaka Hamasaki.

Believing that the key to continued success in MMA depends upon the evolution of your skills, Gadelha takes advantage of the talent present on her team, famed Nova Uniao. A lover of martial arts since she was a teenager, Gadelha will need every aspect of her game to defeat current JEWELS champion, Ayaka Hamasaki on July 13^th.

Corey Smith: How did you first get started in the world of martial arts? How did it advance from there?

Claudia Gadelha: When I was younger I was always interested in martial arts but my parents would not let me train. I started working out at 14 years old; I used to cut class just to go to the gym. Then when I was 16 I went to an MMA event in my city, Mossoró and that’s where I met Jair Lourenço(head coach at Nova Uniao in Natal.)

CG: He invited me to come to Natal and to train in his academy. At that event they had 2 women fighting and after watching I knew I wanted to fight. From there I started training Jiu Jitsu 3 or 4 times per day, then competing every weekend. After winning a lot of championships I had my first MMA fight at 18 years old.

CS: Brazil is known as the birth place of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and the homeland of the famed Gracie family. What is the MMA community like in Brazil?

CG: With the presence of the UFC here now in Brasil, MMA is exploding and growing faster than ever.

CS: You currently train with Nova Uniao, with among others world champion Jose Aldo. How many women currently train with the team? What does being around that kind of talent level do for your overall game?

CG: Well, there are only 3 women on the team, including myself. Having this kind of world class talent around me on a daily basis is truly a blessing. Training with these guys I learn what it takes to be a champion, not just physically but the mental aspect as well, and how to carry myself like a true professional.

CS: Training camp injuries have been an issue for you in the past, and in general in MMA. How do you manage to maintain a full fight camp but also minimize training injuries?

CG:  When playing a sport like MMA injuries are very normal, especially when training and fighting at a high level. At Nova Uniao we train smart and that is important to staying healthy. I have learned to listen to my body and that has helped tremendously.

CS: You are currently undefeated with a record of 9-0. If you were to self-critique your career so far, what would you say has been your biggest area of improvement?

CG: I think that I am just trying to evolve with the sport. When I started MMA I was mainly a Jiu Jitsu fighter, but as time has gone on I have tried to evolve into a more complete fighter and I am working hard everyday to keep evolving. The level in woman’s MMA in getting so high and being able to evolve is such an important factor.

CS: This will be your first fight in the United States, and also for Invicta FC. How has your experience been like so far with the company? Are you anticipating any added difficulties with travelling to the United States?

CG: Working with Invicta thus far has been an absolute pleasure, it is so great to be apart of an all female organization like Invicta. I am very excited to fight in America. I know the crowd and people really love MMA and I am excited for this opportunity. It won’t be a problem for me traveling to the USA to fight. I lived in Texas, have traveled there to fight Jiu Jitsu and other things, so I am used to these things.

CS: You were originally slated to face Joanne Calderwood at Invicta FC 6, until an injury to Invicta champion Carla Esparza led to you now facing current JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki. What are your thoughts on the opponent change? What are the differences in preparation for Hamasaki vs. Calderwood?

CG: Opponent change is something I am used to by now, this has happened with me quite often in my career. The difference in their two styles has been the main thing, Joanne a striker and Hamasaki a grappler. My training has remained pretty much the same with the exception of sparring. I went from sparring with top strikers to sparring with people looking to take me down. People to mimic the game of Hamasaki.

CS: The bout will also likely determine the next number one contender. Does that entail any added pressure going into the match?

CG: No, I don’t feel any added pressure. I am doing everything I need to be prepared physically as well as mentally.

CS: What is your mindset like on the night of the fight? Are there any superstitions or routines that you perform?

CG: I keep a calm mind and maintain my focus. I don’t have any kind routine or traditions, I take things as they come and listen to my music.

CS: Who generally accompanies you to the cage? What type of instruction do you like to receive from your coaches?

CG: I usually bring Renan Barao with me, he is a very experienced fighter/current UFC champion and close friend. He really knows my game and how to support me with the weight cut, the fight and everything that goes along with it. It’s a blessing to have such an experienced corner man.

CS: Outside of the cage, what types of activities do you enjoy? What helps you to mentally recharge during training camp?

CG: I love to spend time with my family in Mossoró. I love riding motorcycles. And I love anything that makes me laugh; laughter is the best medicine to recharge me during my fight camp.

CS: MMA is as much a team sport as it is an individual one. Who would you like to thank?

CG:  First off I have to thank God for giving the body and mindset it take to play this sport. And my family for supporting me always.

CG: Andre Pederneiras, Jair Lourenço, Alessandro Gelke and all my sponsors.

CG: And my fiancée for always being patient with me and being by my side.

The always loquacious and entertaining Leslie Smith appears in the Invicta cage once more on July 13^th at Invicta FC 6, looking for her third Fight of the Night award.

Dropping down a weight class to 125lbs for the first time, Smith looks to go straight to the front of the line with a win of fellow 125 pound contender, Jennifer Maia. The winner will get a crack at Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak, and Smith will settle for nothing less than a referee stoppage at Invicta FC 6 to get her shot at the champion.

Corey Smith: You are fast becoming a fan favorite in Invicta FC, with two past Fight of the Night honors. Is that a natural result of your style? Or are you trying to entertain the fans as much as possible?

Leslie Smith:  Thank you!  I love getting to fight for such an enthusiastic crowd! Invicta fans are the best; whether they are in house, or streaming the fights over their internet, their enthusiasm is palpable and it keeps me amped.

LS:  I am lucky in that my instinctual fighting style is very exciting.  I have to keep it fast paced to keep myself entertained, the biggest challenge in keeping to a slower pace for me is ignoring the little voices in my head that say “just jump in there and punch her in the face!  Hurry up! This is boring!”

LS: I have never consciously thought, “Will the crowd like this?”  But I am a pretty big fan of exciting fights so trying to keep myself happy is pretty much the same as trying to keep the fans happy.

CS: Cesar Gracie trained fighters tend to have a reputation of being aggressive and pushing the pace. Do you think that this is a product of a coach training these traits into his fighters or fighters finding a coach that fits their natural style?

LS: That’s a good question, like of  nature vs nurture on the GracieFighter team.  I think both factors play in to determine the style of fighting you see in my teammates and myself.

CS: How much do you benefit from having regular training partners such as Sarah D’Alelio and Alexis Davis, as opposed to women that have to train primarily with men?

LS: Every fighter that is successful is going to find the advantages to their available resources and exploit them to their fullest, or else they wouldn’t be successful.  There is no magical combination of training partners or super secret moves that guarantee a win, there are just fighters that make the most of what they have available and that becomes a skill in itself, making the most of whatever is available.

LS:  I benefit from having Sarah D’Alelio and Alexis Davis in my camp because it is motivational for one, but also because they give me a broader frame of reference when evaluating my opponents’ skills versus my own.  I can see how everybody Sarah and Alexis have fought matched up to them in the past and compare it to my experiences with Sarah and Alexis.

LS: Another advantage to the close proximity of other fighters that are doing their thing in Invicta just like me is that it is a permanent reminder that there are hundreds of other women trying to take my spot in Invicta.  And I like them.  It helps make going to practice more fun when you like your training partners.

CS: Training camp injuries are common place in MMA. How do your coaches manage your training to maintain the proper amount of learning but also minimize over training or accidents?

LS: That is quite the balancing act and I am always trying to push the limit.  It can be hard to train at the max without injury or overtraining, in fact sometimes you have to fall over the edge to learn how close you can come.

LS: My team of coaches are experienced in each of their different departments and always trying to understand the interplay of all the different techniques used in fighting and training to give me a more cohesive and effective training camp.

CS: You recently decided to drop in weight class down to 125. What prompted this decision?

LS:  I have had a very easy time cutting weight the past few fights and if I didn’t explore my abilities at a lower weight class I would feel like I wasn’t pushing myself to step out of my comfort zone.  I wonder if some people might think I am looking for an easier fight by fighting at a lower weight.  I am know my job is to show up at the weigh ins at weight, after training as hard as I can to get ready for a fight.

LS:  When I get in the ring it is playtime so I look at this fight as more of a challenge than any other fight because play time is play time but I am going to have to work harder to get to that point.  I have fought at 145 in the past and spent most of my time at 135 but I really want to take my fighting to the next level and to do that I need to challenge myself in all departments.

CS: At Invicta FC 5, you lost a close decision to Sarah Kaufman. Many felt that you should have won that fight. How confident were you as you awaited the decision?

LS:  I was very confident I had won my last fight but when I don’t finish a fight I forfeit any right to complain about a decision (if any right ever existed, which I doubt).  I have been focusing my training on fighting to a finish and nothing short of a ref stoppage will make me feel successful after this next fight.

CS: Shortly after Invicta FC 5, you signed a multi fight contract with the organization. What motivated you to make Invicta your home for the foreseeable future?

LS: I signed with Invicta because they have belts that I want.  I want a belt at 125 and then I want the belt at 135.  I am proud to be a part of a promotion that takes good care of their fighters and I appreciate the way they market us.

LS: I think that the more successful I can be, and the more visible to the rest of the world, the stronger an image of femininity I can contribute to.  I feel like Invicta is the place for me to do that right now and when my contract is up I will look to go wherever I can keep contributing as much as possible.

CS: Your upcoming bout at Invicta FC 6 will be against Jennifer Maia, in match with title implications. How familiar are you with Maia? What are you expecting out of the fight?

LS: The winner of my fight with Maia gets to fight Barb Honchak for the belt and I have been studying Maia’s fight history to be as prepared as possible.  I expect her to bring it, she is an intense fighter, I have no illusions about Maia being the kind of fighter to tap out to strikes.  She has been bigger than many of her opponents and she is used to bull dogging her way into dominant positions  but she isn’t going to be able to do that this fight.  I am prepared to fight her wherever the fight may lead us.

CS: Does the bout having title shot implications carry any extra pressure for you?

LS: I put more pressure on myself to be better than I was yesterday than any kind of title shot implications can hope to compare with.

CS: On the day of the fight, do you have any superstitions or routines that you have to perform?

LS: I like to eat a lot of cheese and tuna and onions so I can be extra smelly so the person will want to get out of the cage with me.  Subliminal stuff.

CS: Who generally accompanies you to the cage? And what type of advice do you like to receive from your corners during the fight?

LS: My coach Alessandro Ferreira and my boyfriend Kevin Lum have been at every single Invicta fight with me so far.  I get so wrapped up in the moment that I don’t know exactly what Alessandro and Kevin do, but I know it works to get me feeling good and ready.

LS:  Sometimes we’re so in tune with each other that they can be yelling instructions during a round and I will execute their commands exactly and afterward I will not be able to distinguish between thoughts of my own and their advice.  I am lucky to be so in tune with my corners.

CS: How much MMA do you watch purely for enjoyment? Are there any non team mates that you are big fan of?

LS:  I watch MMA whenever I can but to be really involved in a fight I have to have some kind of connection to the fighters.   I really enjoy watching fighters who I am familiar with so I always pay more attention when women fight or when people I have met and seen them train fight. So Brandon Vera, Mark Munoz, Jacare, and Manny Gamburyan, are all more fun for me to watch than people I have never met.

CS: What is the best advice you have ever received from a fan?

LS: The best advice I have ever received from a fan would probably have to be to ignore the bad and not put too much value on the good.   It wasn’t one particular person that said the two things together but as Invicta fights get more and more coverage and people are paying more attention to me and my fights I have been getting more feedback, both positive and negative.

LS:  Luckily, when people are hating there has always been someone around to point out the fact that they’re just being  haters.   I know that when people are saying good things I have to keep in mind the fact that I haven’t arrived where I want to be yet, and listening to praise isn’t going to get me any closer.

CS: Lastly, MMA is as much a team sport as it is an individual one. Who would you like to thank?

LS:  I want to thank Cesar Gracie, Alessandro Ferreira, Jongsanon, Yuzo, Travis Lee and Mark Wine for excelling in their respective departments of jiu jitsu, mma, muay thai, boxing, wrestling and strength and conditioning and helping me get better in each department.

LS:   My sponsors, Loyalty Before Royalty, Hella High Oakland, Spighter.com and Brentwood Embroidery and Screenprinting have all helped me in more than just monetary ways.

LS: My boyfriend Kevin is pretty much the best boyfriend ever and I am eternally grateful for his love and support, I couldn’t have gotten here by the same path without him.