The cage has long been the proving ground for MMA, the fastest growing sport in the world, and none more prestigious than UFC's Octagon. Making its Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi this Saturday, the UFC pulls no punches with two title fights from the best MMA fighters in the world. Mohammed N. Al Khan tackles both champs with a few questions
BJ Penn, UFC Lightweight Champion
1. What does UFC 112, the breakout MMA event in the Middle East mean to fighters like you and the UFC as a whole?
It is a great honour. I've fought in different places before and it is always great to help grow the sport, to be a pioneer.
2. With UFC 112 being an outdoor event for the first time, will that in anyway affect your performance or training for this fight?
No, I train outdoor a lot as I live in Hawaii. I've also fought outside before, when I fought Renzo Gracie. It really doesn't make that much of a difference to be honest, although the walkout is a great experience outdoors seeing all the people and being able to see the sky. It is very different in terms of feel, but the fight itself is the same once you get into the Octagon.
3. What truly excites you about MMA?
I think the unpredictability. You've seen fights where one guy is the better boxer and he's winning, but then the fight hits the ground and it all changes. There's always something someone does which is better or different to you so you have to keep thinking in there.
4. Do you think MMA will be as big as football in terms of fan base in the future?
Soccer is very big, but our sport could get there too. I think MMA is the most exciting sport there is.
5. What is the toughest part in training for this fight?
In the past I didn't like training. I would train for an hour, and then leave go do something else. So training was the hardest part of training for me! But after a party once I thought ‘Why I am doing this? I could be great at MMA, it is time to train hard and take this seriously.' And since then I've started to push myself harder in training, doing different things, and paying better attention to diet and strength work. I think it has shown in my fights.
See the fighters spar before the big day:
6. You're a Ju-jitsu black belt and world champion as well as a formidable striker; what other martial arts would you like to add to your arsenal?
There's always something to add or change in your style but for MMA BJJ and striking and wrestling are the main bases you add other stuff to. I bring in different martial artists from different backgrounds to camp. We can all learn something new no matter how long we have been training.
7. A win is a win but which do you find more satisfying KOs or submissions and why?
It depends. For me, it doesn't matter. What matters is defending my belt and hopefully in impressive style. I never go in thinking about winning one way or the other, just beating the other guy.
8. What is your opinion of Frankie Edgar, what do you expect from him and what do you believe is his weakness?
He's very hungry and has good chain wrestling. Each fight you see a different fighter with Frankie. But I think I have advantages in some areas and I am also bigger than him and could make that count in the fight. He's a gentleman and I respect him and his skills a lot.
9. How did your losses affect you mentally as a fighter? And do you take that with you in your other fights?
I don't like to lose. It was part of that process where I knew I wasn't getting the best out of myself
10. Would you be willing to fight George St. Pierre at Lightweight or catch-weight?
I don't think he could cut any weight, but that would be a good idea for me. I would probably have to go back to welterweight for that fight to happen again. It is the fight I want.
11. You are currently widely considered as the #1 Lightweight fighter in the world; do you agree with that? Who do you feel is #2?
Right now Frankie Edgar is No.1 in my mind until I beat him, that has to be your mentality as a champion. You are always the challenger trying to win your belt.
12. You are at the top of the Lightweight mountain; where do want to take your career from here?
I've spoken to Dana White about going back to welterweight. It is something we're thinking about but I haven't looked past UFC 112 on Yas Island. That's pretty much all I think about.
13. If weight wasn't an issue, who would you like to fight and why?
I've fought big guys like Lyoto Machida before, giving up a lot of weight. It was a challenge for me and I enjoyed it. I used to want to win titles in all the weights, but now I think clearing out one or two divisions is a great legacy over a number of years.
14. Whose fights do you enjoy watching? Is there anyone in MMA that you feel is a rising star?
There's always guys coming up. There are kids in the gyms who are grappling like they were born doing it. The sport is evolving all the time.
15. If you were not a fighter what would be your dream job?
I don't know what I'd be doing if not for this. I had no plan, I was asked to do BJJ by my father and I did it. Everyone told me I was good at it, and then I met Dana and he asked me to fight in the UFC. I thought I would do it once, just to do it, but one fight because another and here I am 10years later. I never expected to do this for a career, so I really don't know what I would have done if I hadn't discovered this.
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Anderson Silva, UFC Middleweight Champion
1. What does UFC 112, the breakout MMA event in the Middle East mean to fighters like you and the UFC as a whole?
It means a lot, to help the sport grow across the world. This is the first time in the region and it is a great honour to be on such an historic card.
2. With UFC 112 being an outdoor event for the first time, will that in anyway affect your performance or training for this fight?
No, the Octagon is the Octagon. If it is cold I may warm up a little more in the dressing room.
3. What truly excites you about MMA?
There are so many ways to win or lose in this sport, it is constantly changing tactics like chess.
4. Do you think MMA will be as big as football in terms of fan base in the future?
Being Brazilian, I hope so!
5. What is the toughest part in training for this fight?
I like training. I have my good friends with me and we work hard. If I didn't have them with me it would be tougher. I wouldn't like to train where every day is the same. It would get boring.
6. You have a black belt in BJJ; yet you hardly ever use BJJ or submissions in your fights (your last submission win was a rear naked choke against Dan Henderson). Why is that?
I use whatever technique I need to do well in a given situation in a bout. Sometimes you have to wait for an opportunity to win to present itself like it did against Dan Henderson. Other times it is a little harder and you must be patience.
7. Initially you were set to fight Vitor Belfort, who is a great striker, but he got injured and Demian Maia, an expert Ju-jitsu grappler, stepped in. Their styles are total opposites; how has that affected your preparation for this fight?
Not really. I train with some of the best BJJ experts in the world and training BJJ is always a major part of my camp.
8. What is your opinion of Demian Maia, what do you expect from him and what do you believe is his weakness?
I know he is a very good challenger, very dangerous and unpredictable on the ground. We have strategies to deal with him, but we won't underestimate him and think BJJ is his only plan to win.
9. You have completely dominated the Middleweight division, do you feel that you are no longer being challenged in this division? If so are you getting bored or frustrated with Middleweight? What do plan to do about it?
I only want super-fights in this stage of my career. I wish to remain UFC Middleweight Champion, I am very honoured to represent the sport as champion. But I want big fights, be that at middleweight, light heavyweight or even heavyweight.
10. You seem very comfortable as a Light-Heavyweight, are you going to be looking for more fights in other weight classes?
Yes. For the right challenge yes.
11. Is the Welterweight division something that you might be interested in? Are we ever going to see you fight George St. Pierre in Welterweight, Middleweight or at catch-weight?
I am getting a little older and 185lbs is a little tougher than it was a year ago. 170lbs is impossible for me. George is a great challenge for me but I don't know if it can happen.
12. You've said before that you don't want to fight people in your training camp (Lyoto Machida or the Nogueira brothers), why is that? And what if you were told you had to?
No, never. They are my brothers and brother don't fight.
13. You've tried your hand at boxing, do you plan to box again?
I would like to box Roy Jones Junior, who I admire very much as a boxer. I would do so out of respect for him and his skills. It would be a great honour.
14. What other sports (combat or otherwise) would you like to try to compete in professionally?
Being Brazilian I grew up with football, but my love has always been different martial arts.
15. If you were not a fighter what would be your dream job?
I used to work in MacDonalds. I liked it because the people were nice and I could get Big Macs for free. I love Big Macs. I always have two the night before any fight. I love them
