Yuma, AZ – (April 14, 2011) —Bellator Fighting Championships heads west to the Cocopah Casino for Bellator 41 airing LIVE on MTV2 this Saturday. Bellator 41 features Bellator Featherweight World Champion Joe Warren, Bellator Bantamweight World Champion Zack Makovsky, as well as Marcos Galvao, Chad Robichaux, Patricio Pitbull, Wilson Reis, Kenny Foster, and Daniel Straus. Below you will find quotes from each fighter.
Joe Warren
I don’t know much about Marcos Galvao. I’ve seen him fight and I know he has some experience under his belt, but I’m not worried about him at all. I’m going to run right through him like it’s nothing. I’m going to have no problem with this guy.
My number one objective in this fight with Marcos Galvao is to make sure that he experiences a tremendous amount of pain. I’m going to impose my will on him until he breaks down, gives up, taps out, or I knock his ass out standing. I’m feeling really comfortable with my hands right now and I’m feeling really confident on the ground, so I’m ready for any situation. I know he’s a jiu-jitsu guy, but I don’t think he’s ever stepped foot inside a cage with someone like me.
I noticed that Marcos Galvao hasn’t finished anybody with a submission, and all I train with is finishers. I’ve had Daniel Aguilar and Rani Yahya here training me for this fight, and those guys actually finish their fights. At the same time, I know what he’s good at and I’m definitely concerned about it, but that’s not going to be on my mind inside the cage. It’s not going to slow me down for a moment.
Marcos Galvao has trained with a lot of great fighters, and he’s fought a lot of great fighters too. I’m not taking him lightly for one second. I’m going to take his heart and beat the hell out of him. This guy’s in serious trouble.
No one’s going to stop my takedowns anywhere near my weight class. It’s just not going to happen. But this is not a game. It’s a war out there. I’m a wrestler at the core, but I can honestly say that I’m a fighter now, and not just a wrestler. I’m just excited to get back out there and to continue getting better and better. I’m looking for a nasty knockout or submission.
I feel like the most wanted man in Bellator right now. Listening to some of these interviews with some of these different fighters I’ve beaten before – they want to kill me. It’s nice to be back in that situation. It’s a situation I’m used to because it’s a role I was used to playing during wrestling. I’m very familiar with having to beat people that have been training for me, so I’m used to having to take it a couple steps further than them. So it’s a good thing. I’m glad I’m in their heads.
I brainwash myself on my way to the cage. That’s what champion’s do. They can pull themselves away from a situation and put themselves where they need to – mentally – to win. That’s one of the lessons I learned wrestling at the Olympic Training Center at the very top level of the sport. You can be in bad situations – feel like crap or whatever – but you still need to get the job done, period. So on my to the cage, I need to talk myself into that. I need to brainwash myself. that’s where “The Baddest Man on the Planet” came from. Before I used to wrestle I would need to tell myself, ‘I’m the baddest man on the planet! Nobody can touch me!’. Now that I’m in MMA, I tell myself that I’m the baddest 145’er on the planet, and I just continue to say it until I’m in an entirely different mindset. I’m just used to being in that violent intensity. It’s a comfort zone for me. Not for a lot of other people. I stay focused and I push. Some people can’t bring themselves to that point and then return to a controlled, focused state. They go crazy, lose their mind, and then they get tired. I’m not doing that. I’m just getting my mind warmed up to the point where my body is. It’s not a very comfortable place to be, but it’s just where I need to be to win.
In the first round of my title fight with Joe Soto, he just kept hitting me with that uppercut-hook, so really I was just trying to stay on my feet. I was just trying to take deep breaths, but then he just kept hitting me again and again. It wasn’t hurting me at all, but it was blinding. It just kept coming and I couldn’t get away from it. Then by the time I got back to the corner, I was back. Scott Jorgensen asked me how I was doing and I told him, ‘I’m fine! I have four more rounds!’. Scott just kept saying, “You’ve got to throw the overhand right!”, so I took a deep breath, went back out there, pushed, and did what I had to do. I knew when I first hit him with that big punch that it was one of those moments you don’t get many of during a fight. Most of the time in a fight, it’s the guy that makes a mistake that loses. there are some people – like me – that can get in one of those bad situations, make a mistake, and still win, but these are not normal things to do in a fight. You make a mistake in a fight, usually it’s done. So when Joe Soto dropped, I just remember my brain screamed ‘Finish!’, and I just jumped on his ass. I didn’t even know I was punching him when he fell down because I was in a daze, but it was exactly what I needed to do.
My intensity level and my focus make me “The Baddest Man on the Planet”. You know I’m a competitor. The bottom line is that you’re going to see me win every time and it doesn’t matter how it happens. The baddest man on the planet gets the job done.
I plan on holding on to the Bellator Featherweight World Championship and dropping down to take the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship this year. That’s the plan, and I’ll be holding on to that Bellator Featherweight Title for as long as I fight.
I’m training hard to compete in the 2012 Olympics. I’m going to compete at the World Team Trials on June 9th, then I’ll be fighting for the rest of the year before I try to make the US Olympic Team Trials here in December. One step at a time, but I’m healthy and strong, and there’s no reason I can’t do it.
Marcos Galvao
Joe Warren is a great fighter. The fact that he’s a champion on a big show like Bellator shows how good he is. He’s beaten some really tough guys on his way to the title, so I know he’s a very dangerous fighter.
Of course I dont know Joe Warren personally, but from what I’ve seen of him on television, I think he needs to be a little more humble. I definitely think he should respect other athletes more than he does.
I definitely see myself as the underdog in this fight with Joe Warren. It’s no secret that I’m going to be a huge underdog. But that’s fine with me. All that does is make me hungrier and want to work that much harder.
I’m going to shock a lot of people this Saturday night against Joe Warren! Without a doubt. I know there will be a lot of people in disbelief. I believe in myself so much that I have a lot of friends and family coming to this fight from New York to see me win.
To be honest, I don’t see many obvious holes in Joe Waren’s game for me to exploit. I know Joe is an excellent fighter and wherever this fight goes I’m going to be ready.
Zack Makovsky
I never even made it to a state tournament when I wrestled in high school. Then when I wrestled at Drexel University as a walk-on my first year of college, I just got my ass kicked every single day. I was just getting smashed. I almost considered not wrestling anymore because it was just such a different level than I had ever experienced before. Then I started training twice a day over the summer – training with the best guys I could – and slowly but surely I began getting better and better every year before I ended up as the captain of my team my senior year. When it was all said and done, I ended up graduating in the top 20 all-time career win list with Drexel. Who knows where I would be right now if I decided to quit wrestling as a freshman.
I’ve been training a lot with Wilson Reis for this fight against Chad Robo. They both have similar body types and they’re both primarily jiu-jitsu guys. Wilson and I actually became friends after we first fought and we’ve trained together a lot since that fight. He helps me a lot with my submissions and I try to help him with his wrestling, but Wilson’s wrestling is really underrated. He’s very dynamic and all over the place. I have a lot of fun training with him.
Chad Robichaux’s a dangerous submission fighter, but this isn’t straight jiu-jitsu. When you mix it all together, it’s a whole different game. It doesn’t really matter who the better striker or grappler is, because it’s all about how you put it all together. I think me and Chad are both top players in jiu-jitsu, so I think whoever ends up in the top position on the ground will have the advantage. I think I’m the better wrestler, but I have to mix everything together, and that’s what I plan on doing.
I honestly believe that Chad [Robichaux] doesn’t want to be on his back. Of course I don’t want to be on my back, but if it happens, it’s not like the fight’s over or I can’t get up from there. Ideally I don’t want to be on my back, but I’m definitely not going to be freaking out if I end up there at some point. I’m ready for whatever he decides to do. I truly feel like MMA is all about who puts it together the most effectively, and not who’s better at each individual art.
Chad’s definitely a lot different than my previous fights for Bellator. My previous opponents have all wanted to keep their fights standing, where Chad is going to want to take the fight to the ground. That’s one of the things I love about MMA the most, that I get to fight guys with distinctly different body types and strategies.
I know Chad [Robichaux] has never gone three five-minute rounds, so I’m not sure how his conditioning will be over a long, grueling fight. I know most of his fights have ended early, so it will be interesting to see where his gas tank is at. I keep a very high pace, I think I’m going to be a lot faster than him, I’m very well rounded, and I plan on using those advantages in this fight.
I want to dominate everyone I compete against, but at the same time, I don’t feel like I have to make any kind of statement. I just want to continue getting better and do the best I can every time I enter the cage. I don’t pay attention to the rankings because I feel like that’s going to put extra pressure on me.
I want to challenge myself. I feel like adversity brings the best out of me and makes me better. I’m always looking for new challenges and I’m glad that Chad [Robichaux] is going to bring something different to the table than the last couple opponents that I fought. I want to be seen as well rounded. The kind of fighter that can deal with any opponent in any situation.
Chad “Robo” Robichaux
When I got back from Afghanistan the last time, my family and jiu-jitsu were the only things that grounded me. Training became my therapy. The only logical thing for me to do when I got home – which was my life passion – was jiu-jitsu. It brought me back full circle. It made me healthy again and has me enjoying life. My time as a marine in Afghanistan was really tough but I couldn’t be happier with where I am today.
I think that the fact that Zack [Makovsky] has lost twice by submission exposes a vulnerability. I feel like I will have the advantage if the fight goes to the ground. I don’t think he’s capable of submitting me. I’m not relying on going out there and submitting Zack in the first round, but I’m definitely going to be pushing to finish this fight from the opening bell. Getting a decision is never my plan. I’m going to be pushing to finish Zack every second that I’m in the cage with him.
I know Zack [Makovsky] has been training with Wilson Reis, and Wilson’s just a phenomenal jiu-jitsu guy. Zack is no rookie to the sport. He’s going to be tough to submit. Anybody that has the level of wrestling and athleticism, it’s complicated to submit guys like that.
The good thing about fighting a guy like Zack Makovsky is that there’s a lot of video tape out there for me to study on him. I know he’s won a lot of his fights with his ground game and athleticism, and he’s not going to have that advantage over me. he’s not going to be bullying me around or tossing me all over the cage like he’s done to some of his other opponents. I think he’s going to be really surprised when I put my hands on him.
I think Zack’s really going to have his hands full with my wrestling. I’m sure he’s going to think he’s the better wrestler on paper. He probably underestimates my wrestling, and that would be a big mistake on his part. But even given his wrestling experience, he’s still not the same level of grappler I am.
Ed West has great jiu-jitsu, but he doesn’t have great jiu-jitsu against a guy like Zack Makovsky. Zack’s fight against Ed worked well for him stylistically, but Zack’s just not going to have that same advantage when it comes to this fight with me.
I’m feeling really confident about how I match up with Zack [Makovsky], and really confident about the fight. My camp couldn’t have gone any better and I’m looking to become the first person to upset a Bellator Champion. Zack’s a great competitor – he’s a really tough guy – but it’s just not going to be his night. I think a lot of people are going to be surprised. Zack Makovsky’s not leaving that cage with his hand raised. It’s just not going to happen.
Patricio Pitbull
I’m friends with Wilson [Reis], so fighting him is definitely not something I like, but I understand that it’s a part of the job. However, even though we are friends, it won’t change my performance in the cage one way or the other. Friends or not, it’s my objective to win.
I see this fight with Wilson [Reis] as my duty. I have to fight him because he’s in my way in this tournament, and that’s what I’m going to do.
I’m always confident every time I fight, but the fact that I beat Wilson [Reis] before doesn’t affect me either way. That fight is in the past. I see Wilson as a new fighter now.
I know I’m going to be fighter a tougher, more improved version of Wilson Reis this time around. In Wilson I see a much more experienced and explosive guy with a huge desire to win.
I know Wilson [Reis] is going to be better than the last time I fought him, but I have also improved my game a lot since then.
The fact that I have my brother at my side at my fights makes me feel much more comfortable. Being in the finals with him would be something tremendous for our family. It’s the dream of our entire lives. The dream we were building and working for ever since we were children is now coming true as adults. Of course, the dream is to both become Bellator World Champions, but not JUST to become world champions. We will do our best to win both of our tournaments, win the Bellator World Featherweight and Lightweight Championship belts, and – if it’s God’s will – keep them for as long as we can.
Wilson Reis
The biggest difference between the Wilson Reis that fought Patricio Pitbull last year and the Wilson Reis that will be fighting Pitbull on Saturday night, is that I’m stronger and more well prepared than I’ve ever been before. I’ve really gotten better everywhere, so Patricio’s going to have to deal with a more experienced Wilson Reis this time.
I have no excuses for my previous defeat to Patricio. He was the better fighter that night. However, I wasn’t able to train as much as I wanted to because I wasn’t healthy. I was like 50% going into my first fight with Patricio because I was limited with what I could do in the gym. But now I’m super healthy and I know I’m going to be really hard to stop.
I’m in really great shape right now, physically. My training got a lot more intense, a lot better. I moved my camp down to San Diego and I’m just really happy with where I’m at right now. I’m feeling really sharp.
The fact that Patricio [Pitbull] and I have fought before is going to end up helping both of us in this rematch. I know his strengths and he knows my strengths, but we’ve also both gotten a lot better. I know I’m going to be fighting a better version of Patricio Pitbull this time, but he’s going to be fighting a much better version of me.
I was friends with Patricio even before our first fight. We were hanging out and talking the day before, but that’s normal for me. I’m a friendly guy. Then during our last fight Patricio and I were hanging out a lot the day before and the night after our fights. He’s a really cool guy. Just a regular person. Him and his brother, Patricky, they’re both really cool. But the thing is, Patricio and I are both chasing the same dream so we know that there’s not going to be any friendship inside of the cage on Saturday night. We’re going to touch gloves and then we’re bth going to try to get where we need to go. But after the fight, we’re still going to be friends. I like Patricio a lot.
Kenny Foster
I’m definitely anticipating a battle in this fight with Daniel Straus. He’s a grinder. He’s a really tough guy, but our styles clash. We’re both explosive, powerful featherweights and I think that’s going to make for a really exciting, high-volume fight.
I know I’m going to be stronger than Daniel [Straus]. I’m going to be looking to catch him with a big bomb. I definitely think I’m a lot stronger than Daniel so I’m going to be trying to drop bombs on him. I want to take him out.
If Daniel [Straus] gets close to me I’m going to put the clamps on him and give him a dose of his own medicine. I’ll grind him down. I’ll put him on the cage, take him down, and then I’ll beat him up on the ground. I definitely think my ground game is better than Daniel’s.
Most of my fights in my career have ended the same way my fight with Eric Larkin ended. I would clip them with something on the feet, then I would follow them to the ground and submit them. I’ve been doing exactly what I did to Eric Larkin throughout my entire career.
Daniel Straus is seasoned and tough, and he definitely has a lot more experience than Eric Larkin did, so I’m going to be prepared for a three round battle. At the same time, I’m going to be looking to finish this fight early. I want to just completely overwhelm him. I’m just going to keep trying to finish, finish, finish – and I think eventually my strength and power is just going to overwhelm him.
I know Daniel has fought a lot of tough guys, but I just don’t think any of those guys were as ferocious as me. Daniel’s definitely going to find out really quick that he’s in the cage with a totally different animal on Saturday night.
Daniel Straus
Kenny [Foster] is used to pushing the pace and I’m used to pushing the pace. Just like in all of my other fights, I feel like this fight with Kenny is going to come down to the heart. I just feel like I have way more heart than Kenny does.
Kenny’s a strong dude but muscles don’t win fights. If he feels like he wants to try to muscle me around in our fight, I’ll just use that to my advantage.
If Kenny [Foster] thinks his strength is going to allow him to win this fight, that I’ll just adjust my strategy accordingly and use it against him. No matter what he does, I’m going to figure it out and I’m going to beat him.
I’m not going into this fight with Kenny Foster hoping to win a decision. With this fight being so close to the finals, I definitely want to finish him as soon as I can. If I can go out there and finish Kenny quickly, that would be great. That’s always the plan.
I want this fight more than Kenny Foster does, and that’s going to make the difference. Just like in all of my victories up to this point, my heart will be the deciding factor on Saturday night.
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