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Heading into a title fight, your opponent usually doesn’t change three times, but that is something World Series of Fighting (WSOF) lightweight standout Justin Gaethje had to deal with. Gesias Cavalcante was up first, then Lewis Gonzalez and now Richard Patishnock will be the man standing in the way of the division title.
The Colorado fighter said it doesn’t really matter who it is, since his training is always focused on himself and not his opponent.
“It’s all the same, I will stick to my training camp,” Gaethje told MMAmania.com. “It’s one thing that I’ve always done, just focus on myself and not really worry. I like to see the pace, and if they are right handed or left handed. Those are the only two things I really like to know. I’ll use the same game plan I have for the last two guys, and that’s try to knock him out.”
Some fighters may get angry and upset at the change of opponents. Not Gaethje. The undefeated fighter just takes from his experience as an amateur, where a lot of his fights were often scrapped or had opponents drop out at the last minute.
“These are things that I have experienced as an amateur. I’m not saying that they are ducking me by any means, but as an amateur I did have that, where guys would pick the fight and then look me up and drop the fight. That happened a lot. I learned then to not focus on my opponent and just focus on my own training camp and make sure I’m prepared. I believe if I’m 100-percent prepared, there is no one that can beat me at my weight.”
The Team Grudge member said he is “really excited” to fight for the inaugural WSOF 155-pound title, and it’s something that he has been “working his whole life towards.” Things are happening fast for the 25-year-old fighter. His first fight for WSOF was in March of last year, and less than a year later, he fights for gold in his eleventh professional fight.
He admits there were some tough times coming up as an amateur, but now that he sees where he is and the opportunities that have come his way, he is motivated more than ever.
“It was tough at first, you start fighting as an amateur, you put the wins on the board and you don’t really see much progression in your career,” Gaethje said. “But now I’m seeing the progression and it’s making me that much more hungry to continue to do what I’m doing. I love doing this, fighting for a living. It’s very gratifying to see it paying off, paying off for my family, paying off for my fans, and everyone who supports me.”
Also paying dividends for the lifelong wrestler is the work he’s put in as far as his striking game is concerned, particularly his leg kicks. Gaethje won his second fight in WSOF over Brian Cobb by technical knockout from leg kicks, and put his newfound arsenal on display in his win over Dan Lauzon at WSOF 6.
Gaethje credits Grudge head coach Trevor Whitman and assistant coach Jake Ramos with the development of his leg striking prowess, and shares his philosophy on why he likes to attack those of his opponents.
“Anybody that’s competed in pretty much any sport, the main thing that you have to have is your leg,” Gaethje said. “If you don’t have your legs, you are not going to be able to perform like you want to. You are not going to be able to drive off your legs, you’re not going to be able to defend or get out of the way. There is nothing you can do with no legs,” he continued.
“A strategy that has been with me is going after those legs right from the get go. If they want to wrestle, I’m a wrestler, that’s where I came from, so I’m not scared for them to take a shot on me when I do kick. I think that’s why I have been so successful is because I can really commit to my leg kicks and I don’t have to worry about being defensive right after I throw a kick. I welcome them to shoot and then I’ll end up on top and then we can go from there. I’ve just been working on that a lot.”
The undefeated lightweight is focused on his next fight against Patishnock, but he has thought ahead at some of the benefits of being a champion.
“One great thing about being the champion,” Gaethje says. “I don’t think I need to pick anyone out. Whoever thinks they want to give it a shot to get that title and take it from me, then that is who I’m definitely going to want to fight.”
Another WSOF lightweight who seems to be destined to clash with Gaethje at some point is Nick Newell. Born as a congenital amputee, Newell has created quite a buzz by continuing to rack up wins despite his deficiency. He won XFC lightweight title before coming over to the WSOF, where he has won both of his match-ups. Gaethje was asked about a potential matchup against Newell.
“I know Nick Newell is looking forward to that opportunity and I think he will get that opportunity soon,” Gaethje said. “I’m looking forward to taking on all comers. I don’t take anything away from him at all. He definitely deserves everything he’s getting right now, all the hype.”
The one element that the Colorado-based fighter has always possessed is aggression. He moves forward and is always willing to trade and mix it up. It’s one of the main reasons for his rising popularity and why he is fighting for the WSOF title.
When you are undefeated, the pressure to win always becomes greater each and every time you fight. When you are an undefeated champion — which Gaethje will become should he dispatch of Patishnock at WSOF 8 — the stakes raise even more. Gaethje preached that he will never play it safe, or switch up his style to ensure more victories.
“I can promise you that you will never see that from me,” he vowed. “I mean, I take pride in being undefeated, of course. The one thing is every fight I go in there, is to not lose. I do not want to lose. I wrestled my whole life, and I’ve lost many, many times, and it does suck. This is a different sport and I’m in a position where it’s going to be hard to beat me right now.”
“I love where I’m at, and I’m more hungry than I’ve ever been in wrestling or any other sport in my life. I’m looking forward to defending my record, honestly, with everything that I have. Just like any of us, we want to be considered the greatest ever and I have the opportunity, right now, I’m on a big platform, and I have this undefeated record. No one is going to take that from me, they’re going to have to work their ass off to take that from me.”
Team Grudge is opening the New Year with a Bang. January features Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje’s Lightweight title bout on January 18th live on NBC Sports. On the same Card Grudge Fighter Tyler “The Evolution” Stinson a.k.a “Hippie Samuri” will be making his World Series of Fighting debut. Out of the four fights airing live Team Grudge will be featuring two of our stars.
Article from MMA Junkie:
The main card for World Series of Fighting 8 now is set with the addition of a fifth bout to the lineup.
Valdir Araujo (14-4) will take on Tyler Stinson (25-9) in a welterweight bout on the card. A person with knowledge of the fight card confirmed the fight booking to MMAjunkie. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the bout has not yet been announced by the promotion.
Both Araujo and Stinson will be making their debuts with the promotion.
Featuring a Justin Gaethje vs. Lewis Gonzalez headliner with the promotion’s inaugural lightweight title on the line, World Series of Fighting 8 takes place Jan. 18 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The main card airs live on NBC Sports Network following prelims that will stream on MMAjunkie.
Stinson has won back-to-back fights after a two-fight skid in Strikeforce that saw him drop decisions to Tarec Saffiedine and Jordan Mein, both of whom went on to the UFC. The Grudge Training Center-based Stinson has seen action for Bellator and Titan Fighting Championship, as well, and has 23 of his 25 career wins by stoppage with 17 knockouts.
Araujo, who has 11 of his 14 career wins by stoppage, has won three straight and six of his past seven. His resume includes a 1-1 Bellator record. In 2013, after a 25-second knockout loss to current WSOF welterweight Marcelo Alfaya in January, Araujo won three straight, all by finish, to wrap the calendar year at 3-1. It will be a home fight for the Miami-based fighter, who turned 29 earlier this month.
With the addition, the latest WSOF 8 card includes:
MAIN CARD
Justin Gaethje vs. Lewis Gonzalez – for inaugural lightweight title
Anthony Johnson vs. Mike Kyle
Jessica Aguilar vs. Alida Gray – for inaugural women’s strawweight title
Grudge Training Center seems to have so many endless fighters with championship potential, (both amateur and professional) that it’s difficult to keep up with all of them. The first one of these young stars to win a belt may be Justin Gaithje, who is exactly a month away from fighting for his first title. That fight will be held in Hollywood, Florida on January 18th and will be on national TV NBC Sports, the world series of fighting. Justin exudes confidence talking about any upcoming fight and says that win or lose he’s going to have a ton of fun in his first chance at a belt. He appears very calm and is full of confidence when talking about this huge fight but without any of the cockiness so many athletes seem to revel in and there is a huge difference between the two words.
Justin is twenty-five years old and has been fighting professionally for two years after three years as an undefeated amateur. Both wiry and muscular Justin weighs in at one-hundred & sixty eight lbs. and stands five feet ten and one half inches, he just looks like he knows how to fight. He fights at 155 lbs, and has a few pounds he will easily drop through his grueling training regime. Anyone who’s worked out with Justin or watched him workout knows his athleticism is off the charts; one of my favorites is to watch him work on his tornado kicks. He starts out some thirty feet from the speed bag, rushes in and pulls off a 360 degree spin, before kicking the speed bag (usually a minimum of a foot above his head) with exploding force, and before long Trevor Wittman (T). will need to buy a new speed bag. Seeing him perform a couple of these tornado kicks will tell you all you need to know about Justin’s athletic ability. He promises to use one of these tornado kicks in the ring someday.
Justin grew up in rural Arizona, close to the New Mexico state line and just north of Mexico. Justin talks with fondness about being raised by his Grandmother, who spoke only Spanish. Justin is extremely proud of his Hispanic heritage, something a lot of people don’t know about him. He feels his Hispanic heritage and upbringing has been a huge advantage for him both inside the ring and outside it. Gaithje is a German name and Justin is equally proud of his German genealogy. Justin is also very close to his twin brother Marcus, who serves as third in his corner. His home was mountainous, different from Colorado but every bit as beautiful.
Justin has been fighting since he was four years old and has always known he would end up inside the ring. He has an amazing twenty-one years of fighting experience and feels confident that no one he ever faces will have more experience than he’s had. Justin reached the state finals four times in four years of high school, twice winning first place and twice taking second. While in College, Justin set a record at UNC by being the first All-American in school history, this record will stand forever. Justin humbly downplays the record saying UNC wasn’t always a division one school but regardless, he was the first All-American at a school that produced Tampa wide out, Vincent Jackson. An accolade that can never be broken and none-the-less one he can be proud of.
I was able to sit down and talk with Justin last week and this is what he had to say.
Mk-Justin, your last fight in Florida was a pleasure to watch, you totally annihilated your opponent so there were a lot of positives for you. You also displayed a spinning crab like move on a couple kicks that seemed to wow everyone, congratulations.
JG-Thanks, that was a fun one for me, he was a tough matchup as well as having a tough guy reputation, and I enjoy fighting those hardnosed types. That move you are talking about is one I just learned from T. and was one I totally adlibbed, it’s called the spinning elbow.
Mk-So Justin, after an exciting and highly successful wrestling career, when did you learn Martial Arts and kickboxing?
JG-Later in my college career one of our coaches brought in a bunch of MMA guys to work out with the UNC wrestlers and that’s where it all started for me, it’s also the natural progression of things since there is no Pro wrestling after college, MMA or boxing are your only choices other than the Olympics, so I sort of knew I’d be going that way.
Mk-What did you study at UNC?
JG-I took Criminal Justice for two years before realizing I didn’t want to prosecute or persecute people for something I may have done myself, and maybe ten times over. After two years I switched to Human services which is more along the lines of rehabilitation, I’d like to help people, particularly at risk young people.
Mk-How did you find Grudge gym?
JG-Grudge was recommended to me by one of my old coaches. I was so impressed by T., Jake Ramos and all the positivity, that I have been here ever since and I will stay with T., Jake, and Grudge gym for the duration of my career. We are a perfect match; I know those guys give me 100%, so I have to give the same back to them. My first two fights I hadn’t even trained or anything, I relied solely on my wrestling skills and experience and was fortunate to have won them both. After that I got with T. and he’s been my coach since that first day.
JG- T. and Jake compliment and work well with each other. Both are extremely positive people and both are really good at pushing me. I am just like everyone else and can get lazy at times but these guys push me at just the right time and in just the right way. I always try my hardest to give my coaches 100%, I try to give them my undivided attention and hope they know and appreciate my devotion. I know those guys have had to be consumed with fight training like I am consumed by fighting. If you really want to be the best at something it will have to consume you, and that
is what it takes to reach the top.
Mk-How do they match up with your College coaches?
JG-It’s not really possible to compare the two. In college, your coach is more like your boss. With T. it’s more like family, T. obviously has his own family but he really does treat his fighters like they are part of his family so you just can’t compare the two. When you are on scholarship at a division one school it’s more of an employer employee relationship and is so different you just can’t compare them.
Mk-In my time here I have heard several fighters, coaches, ex fighters, pros and amateurs alike say that Trevor Wittman is one of the top five, or three, or even top two trainers in the world, meaning he’s right up there with Freddie Roach. Agree or disagree?
JG-Oh I agree! He’s right up there with the top two or three most definitely. He gets a little more out of me than I thought I had, I always want to please him, and he has so much knowledge. He has trained so many great fighters and has learned from each one so that he has this vast reservoir of knowledge to draw on, no matter what situation comes up. Both T. and Jake are super positive people and their positivity can’t help but wear off on whoever’s around them. It’s really contagious.
Mk-I was surprised to hear how many fighters were victims of bullying at one point in their lives, were you ever bullied?
JG-I can’t say I was bullied, I may have been a little bit of a bully at times but it was more like punching your buddies in the shoulder, stuff like that. If I didn’t clown around with you, we weren’t likely friends.
Mk-T. and I have talked about this quite often and his theory is that it’s all about attitude, looking people in the eye when you talk to them, stance, little things like that. He said he’s never known of one of his fighters ever being in a street fight and gives credit to attitude.
JG-Exactly, bullies don’t want a challenge.
Mk-Yes, bullies want the easy victory and will sniff out the weaker ones or the ones who lack self-confidence.
JG-Believe me, I want them to pick on me instead of the weak, I wish they’d pick on me but they don’t. I am sure T. is right about street fighting, I know I have never been in a street fight.
Mk-Can you tell us about your workouts and what your work week is like?
JG-Sure, I workout six days a week, heavy sparring on Tuesdays, technical sparring on Thursdays, we have a technical Martial Arts class Monday through Friday as well. It comes out to about 2-2&1/2hrs. a day, six days a week. If I am having a super intense workout I may just go two hours but usually it’s closer to three hours. This doesn’t count my roadwork and for my January 18th fight with Luis Gonzalez I’ve been putting in a lot of roadwork to get my legs stronger. This one will be a five rounder and that’s a very long time. We all know the legs are the first to go, so I am working extremely hard on building my legs.
Mk-Is Sunday a day of rest for you?
JG-Not exactly, T. has been taking me on runs to Red Rocks and Mother Cabrini Shrine on Sunday mornings as well as two weekday runs for a total of three a week. I’m feeling great and am confident that as long as I’m healthy and 100% physically and mentally there won’t be anything to worry about come January 18th.
Mk-As we age we begin to realize the importance of a healthy diet and proper nutrition, do you have a nutritionist on your team?
JG-No I don’t have a nutritionist per se but I work with a firm out of Longmont Colorado called Max Muscle and they give me easy to read dietary lists that tell me how many meals I need and what to eat for carbs and protein. They also give me a variety of supplements. I didn’t always eat healthy but I am pretty good about it now. I eat a lot of fish, steaks, and chicken and healthy foods. I have a little processor that lets me juice my fruits though I haven’t juiced my vegetables yet, just fruits.
Mk-I don’t know if you remember this, but a few months ago I talked with you about scouting opponents and how important it was to learn all you can about an opponent and maybe alter a game plan based on an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Your response surprised me, you said one needed to be careful with that or you could lose from worrying and adjusting too much, or changing styles by getting away from your own strengths. Do you remember that conversation?
JG-Yes, my game plan is the same for every fight, attack, overwhelm, and win. Truthfully it’s all about not losing for me. I like to know if my opponent is a righty or a lefty what pace he will set and that’s about it. I feel it is more important to fight to your strengths and not their weaknesses. I’ve had this same game plan since I was four years old and am going to stick with it.
Mk-I have heard many coaches say after a fighter lost a fight that this guy or that guy needed to lose a fight for a myriad of reasons. So he won’t fear losing so much, he’s too cocky, he doesn’t work as hard as he used to, etc. etc. How can you learn these valuable lessons when you’re an undefeated fighter, both as an amateur (7-0) and as a Pro (10-0)?
JG-Mark, I have lost some 60 to 70 fights in my career. I’ve been fighting for 21 years and have had that lesson painfully driven home too many times and it is the absolute worst. Losing is dismal; I had to admit the other guy was better than me on that day, in that place. I suffered through some really difficult times when I doubted my abilities and I did it some 60-70 different occasions. The guys who need to learn from losing are guys who haven’t lost yet. Trust me, I have learned that lesson well.
JG-When you play team sports it’s very different when you lose. You might have played well and your team lost, you might say this guy or that guy blew a layup or whatever. When you lose a fight it’s on you and you alone. You have to face the defeat and suffer through that pain on your own and it is the toughest part of fighting. When you win it feels great but even then you know how important and how much credit your corner and coaches deserve. It is always a team victory but the defeat feels like it’s yours and yours alone and losing is terrible but it can be a motivator.
Mk-Where do you see yourself after your fighting career is over?
JG-I want to use whatever fame and credibility I have from being an MMA fighter to reach at risk kids. I want to use my college degree as well but I know how kids look up to fighters, in fact I have already been able to help a couple of them and it really felt good to me. That’s the plan, the better my career is the more kids I can reach. That is a huge motivational factor for me, helping kids.
Mk-Will MMA or fighting be a part of your future?
JG-No, other than improving my chances of reaching at risk kids I’m not looking to be a coach or anything like that. I want to help kids, particularly troubled ones and that is my dream after my fighting career ends. My education will enable me to come up with my own way or program but my fighting fame is what I think will help me reach out to them.
Spending forty minutes listening to Justin was an enlightening as well as a humbling experience for me. Justin is mature beyond his years yet still has enough little kid in him to be a real joy to hang around. Justin has numerous friends and admirers from Grudge and many other places and is popular among his fellow fighters. He can be both playful and deadly serious. He will outwork the most diligent and is extremely grounded when it comes to his future and present life plan. He spreads credit among his team, reminiscent of a humble Manny Perez. I hope everyone reading remembers to mark the calendar for January 18th, Hollywood Florida and the World Series of Fighting MMA Title Fight, undefeated Justin Gaithje vs. Luis Gonzalez. Also Justin’s fight wear and T shirts are available at Grudge gym gift shop at 59th and Sheridan, or through www.grudgewear.com on line, remember purchasing these products shows your support of Justin and Grudge and let’s your friends know who you are rooting for. As always write me with any questions or comments, ringwrap56@gmail.com. Mark D. Kilburn
World Series of Fighting continues to add talent to its roster, and welterweight Tyler Stinson and light heavyweight Teddy Holder are the latest athletes to sign exclusive multi-fight deals.
MMAjunkie today confirmed the new deals with World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.
Both fighters are expected to make their promotional debuts in early 2014.
Stinson (25-9) is a former Bellator MMA and Strikeforce fighter who was been fighting professionally since 2006. “The Evolution” is a Kansas native who currently boasts a two-fight winning streak that includes back-to-back first-round knockouts over Rob Kimmons and Zac Kelley. The 27-year-old is currently working with Grudge Training Center, and 23 of his 25 career wins have come by way of stoppage.
Meanwhile, Holder (8-1) is a 27-year-old Tennessean who has been fighting professionally since 2008. Holder took a near-three-year break from competition between 2009 and 2012 but has since returned with a vengeance, racking up six wins in less than 24 months.
Holder currently boasts a seven-fight winning streak, and he’s never fought past the opening round of a bout. In fact, he boasts three career wins of 60 seconds or less and his average career fight time is just 1 minute and 42 seconds.
World Series of Fighting’s next event takes place Jan. 18 in Hollywood, Fla., and feature two championship matchups.
World Series of Fighting will crown its first lightweight champion on Jan. 18 when two undefeated fighters collide.
Justin Gaethje (10-0) will face a dangerous Lewis Gonzalez (9-0) for the World Series of Fighting’s inaugural lightweight title in the Jan. 18 event titled “World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Gonzalez,” which takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
The co-main event features hard-hitting light-heavyweights Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (15-4) and Mike “MAK” Kyle (20-10-1) in a bout that has been postponed twice due to injuries. The highly anticipated fight, now almost a year in the making,is sure to produce an absolute explosion in the decagon.
“This past year has been incredible for World Series of Fighting, and I’m proud to be able to carry that success over in the start of 2014 with this incredible lightweight title fight,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “I know that both of these guys have great wrestling backgrounds, but their striking is so impressive. I can’t wait for this one.”
The 25-year-old Gaethje is a member of Colorado’s Grudge Training Center and has already earned World Series of Fighting wins over Dan Lauzon, Brian Cobb and Cavalcante. Fighting professionally since 2011, Gaethje is undefeated in his first 10 career fights, and nine of those have ended via stoppage, including eight by knockout.
“I think some of my toughest fights have been against wrestlers, and I know that’s where my opponent is strong,” Gaethje said of his new adversary. “He also has a ton of heart. I see this fight being action-packed from the second the cage door shuts until one of us gets the finish.
“I don’t think there is any way this one goes five rounds. I see a lot of opportunities for some big kicks and knees, and I give my word to the World Series of Fighting fans that Lewis and I will give them one hell of a show.”
Turlock, California’s “Lethal” Lewis Gonzalez is a top prospect in the sport training with the MMAGOLD Fight Team. Gonzalez was impressive in his World Series of Fighting debut this past August, when he beat established fight veteran Antonio McKee.
Gonzalez has won seven of his nine fights by stoppage and saw three of his five submission victims tap due to strikes.
“I’m honored by the opportunity to get in there and bang for the lightweight title,” Gonzalez said. “Justin is a tough competitor and a great wrestler. You can expect both of us to be coming forward the whole time and meet somewhere in the middle.”
With the addition to the card, World Series of Fighting 8 now includes:
Justin Gaethje vs. Lewis Gonzalez (For inaugural lightweight title)
Anthony Johnson vs. Mike Kyle
Cody Bollinger vs. Tyson Nam
Today we are talking to Josh ‘Cuddly Bear’ Copeland, another one of the many up and coming fighters from the Grudge Training Center, working his way up the ladder. Josh’s friendly face and boyish good looks belie the sheer power behind his many technically sound punches, his Ju Jitsu background will help him if and when someone takes him to the mat. He is a natural athlete and has played baseball, football, basketball and track, throughout Jr. High, High School, and College so although he has been training in MMA for a relatively short period, (4 years) he has risen through the ranks rather quickly, even before his victory over Richard Foster he was ranked #1 in the state on certain websites, so if you haven’t heard of him yet, you will. He is an undefeated MMA heavyweight who now sits at 6 wins and 0 losses, a perfect record.
His most recent battle with Richard Foster is his only fight that’s lasted past round one. Josh is 30 years old and stands 6’ 1” tall, weighing around 270 lbs. He’s the type of man most describe as a gentle giant, he looks you in the eye when speaking and has no use for excuses. His honesty is refreshing and his face lights up like a lighthouse when holding his nearly four month old son, Aiden.
I caught up with him last week after he used a thundering right hand to batter, bleed, and bash, the taller, longer, lankier, and likewise undefeated Richard Foster from Washington State just ten days ago; here is what he had to say once we caught up with each other.
Mk-Josh, thank you so much for talking to me today.
JC-You are welcome sir.
Mk-When did you come to Colorado or are you a native?
JC-I came here in October 2009 after being born in Idaho and growing up in Arkansas and I love Colorado, it’s a great place to live!
Mk-When did you start fighting?
JC-I had my first amateur fight in 2010.
Mk-Did you ever wrestle in either high school or college?
JC-No, I grew up playing and concentrating on football, basketball, and baseball. I was also on the track team in Jr. High and High School and I threw the discus and shot put, in College I threw the shot put.
Mk-So you’re a natural athlete?
JC-I don’t know about that-
Mk-I’ve watched you workout, no doubt about it Josh, you are a natural athlete, what made you start fighting?
JC-I had never really given it much thought and but been doing Brazilian Ju Jitsu for five years at Travis Lugter’s in college in Texas, when I met a kid named Justin Wren who was MMA fighting at the time. We became best friends and workout partners as well as roommates and as I helped him get ready for his fights, he told me he thought I should give it a try. He felt that even though I had been doing it for a short time, that I could not only compete but win against fellow amateurs. He’s the one who got me thinking about it, the more we worked out together and I really enjoyed preparing him for his fights, the more I thought about fighting.
Mk-So Justin inspired and urged you to pursue your dreams as well as helping him pursue his?
JC-I began Ju Jitsu in 2005, in spring of 2009 Justin got on the show ‘Ultimate Fighter’ where he met Trevor Wittman and Rashad Evans. After the show ended Trevor invited Justin to come to Colorado and train at Grudge gym so when he got home he said, “We are moving to Colorado!” and that’s how I came to Grudge and Colorado. I was sick of Texas and so fortunate to be welcomed by Trevor and I’ve been training at Grudge ever since.
Mk-All the trainers at Grudge that I have met and either worked with or watched them work with others, seem to mirror Jake Ramos and Trevor Wittman by deploying a type of positive reinforcement training method. For instance, I had never boxed in my life and my first day of working with Jake he found something positive that I was doing and talked about it, praised me for it, instead of harping on the thousands of things I had done poorly. I soon found myself working harder and trying harder than ever before, in any sport. They got more work out of me in less time than any old school coach ever did. I’ve witnessed this time and time again at Grudge, have you noticed this and would you agree?
JC-Definitely, one hundred percent, that’s what attracted me to Trevor. Growing up I had my share of old school coaches and I am not motivated at all when I am hollered at. I’ve never responded well to negative reinforcement, I need positivity to reach my maximum ability. Everyone’s different and I’ve had coaches who screamed at me and there maybe athletes who need that and respond to it but I don’t. I’ve responded well to Trevor’s and the entire Grudge teams’ positivity.
When I first came to Grudge, Trevor was super busy with an entire stable of top rated fighters, Brendon Schaub, Nate Marquardt, Justin Wren to name a few, and I felt I had a long way to go just to be worth his time, so in the beginning I worked out alone or with Justin, or in classes for a great deal of the time. I needed to improve my skills before I’d be training with Trevor one on one. I took his classes but didn’t begin working with him one on one until around 2011.
Mk-From what I’ve seen of the Grudge fighters is that there is more than just a tremendous work ethic, these guys train so much harder than what you’ll see in other gyms and I’m guessing that it is due to this positive reinforcement they get from the Grudge trainers. Honestly, these guys truly go the extra mile to please their trainers and it is a pleasure to see.
JC-Yes, absolutely, for me when I am in the cage fighting I don’t want to win just for me, I want to win for my family, trainers, for Grudge, and for my team. It is such a great team to be a part of!
Mk-Josh, I know your friends and fans will love to hear what your work week is like, would you mind walking us through your workouts?
JC-Certainly, Monday I have a private kickboxing with Bryon Youngs from 9:30-10:00, then from 10:00-11:00 I have kickboxing class, then I meet with Loren Landow from 12:00-1:00 for strength and conditioning training. In the afternoon I will either train clients or go see Dr. Ben Cowan at Action Sports and Spine for recovery or adjustments.
Tuesdays, I begin with a private lesson with Trevor Wittman from 9:30-10:00, heavy sparring from 10-11:00, I go teach classes at night and may have a late night workout class as well. I also work with Bryon Youngs from 3:30-4:00.
Wednesdays, I start with striking class with Trevor Wittman from 10:00-11:00, from 12:00-1:00 I do more strength and conditioning with Loren Landow and then at 6:00 we do Grappling, which is wrestling and Ju Jitsu at the 303 training center.
Thursday, Tech spar and wrestling from 10:00-11:30, I teach more classes afterward and see Byron Youngs again 3:30-4:00.
Fridays, MMA training 10:00-11:00, I work with Loren Landow from 12:00-1:00 on more strength and conditioning. I work with Grudge’s Luke Caudillo and Tony Basile from 303 training center, on wrestling 4:00-5:00 pm.
Saturdays, I hard spar from 10:00-11:00 and by then I am pretty tired and Sunday is my day of rest.
Mk-That’s a long week Josh!
JC-I’m usually pretty tired come Sunday.
Josh beamed as he told me about his four month old son Aiden and wife Christina, they are obviously the most important thing in his life. They met each other at Grudge gym and have been together 2 1/2 years. Josh also went to Boyce Bible College for two years in Kentucky studying Youth ministry, and two more years at Dallas Baptist University, where he majored in Christian studies.
Mk-So basically Josh, you either workout or teach workouts six days a week?
JC-That’s it!
Mk-Do you have to worry about your weight?
JC-One of the neat things about being a heavyweight is not having to worry about your weight so much and of course it’s always better to eat healthier things, but it isn’t a big concern and doesn’t worry me.
Mk-Thanks for speaking to us today Josh, and good luck in the future.
VANCOUVER – World Series of Fighting will crown its inaugural lightweight champion at WSOF 8 on Jan. 18, and after a brief switch of opponents, Justin Gaethje (10-0) will take on Lewis Gonzalez (9-0) for the belt.
Gaethje was originally slated to face Gesias Cavalcante at next month’s event. However, “JZ” recently withdrew from the fight due to an injury and the promotion would seek a replacement.
Repeated calls to Sefo for confirmation, as well as clarification on his previous comments, went unanswered Thursday night..
WSOF 8 is scheduled for Jan. 18 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. In addition to the championship fight, Anthony Johnson faces Mike Kyle and Cody Bollinger meets Tyson Nam.
Gaethje is an undefeated prospect who fights out of Colorado’s Grudge Training Center. Since making his professional debut in August 2011, Gaethje has rattled off 10 straight wins, including nine by way of stoppage. Gaethje has already competed three times for WSOF, earning wins over Dan Lauzon, Brian Cobb and Cavalcante.
Gonzalez is also undefeated in his young MMA career, having defeated longtime veteran Antonio McKee in his WSOF debut earlier this year. The 26-year-old has won all but two of his fights by stoppage, including four first-round finishes.
Giovanni Merceron is another one of the highly talented boxer from the Grudge fighter factory. Trained by one of the best tandems in the game, Trevor Wittman and Jake Ramos, Gio is presently training almost daily at grudge gym. One of the friendliest fighters you will ever meet lots of us figured that was Trevor’s vivacious smile wearing off but both Jake and Trevor. say Gio had that smile and attitude before they ever got hold of him. Gio is an extremely hard worker who is either working out or working other people out since he also works full time as a group fitness boxing and personal trainer. Although three thousand miles from home Gio remains very close to his mother and two sisters, speaking with them often. Another subject that makes his eyes light up to talk about them. On those rare days off Gio likes to be out exploring Colorado, checking out its sceneries, hiking, snowboarding when in season, and other fun outdoor activities. Gio is from Haiti originally, and having gone through his citizenship attainment process, he is glad to be done with it as it was a lengthy 10 year process. His friends and coaches all comment on how lucky they are to have him here and could not say enough good things about him. Although just suffering his first loss as a pro, Gio has already bounced back and regained that hunger and desire all champions have. If you have not yet seen Gio fight, I can tell you I have and he’s worth every penny. His next fight, once finalized, will be announced here. I caught up with Giovanni Merceron last week at Grudge Gym and this is what he had to say.
Mk-Where are you from Gio?
GM-Originally, Haiti-
Mk-How long did you live there?
GM-I lived in Haiti for almost ten years.
Mk-Where did you live when you first came to the U.S.?
GM-Florida, we moved to Florida and the weather is the same as Haiti, it’s the tropics.
Mk-When did you come to Colorado?
GM-I came here three years ago because I’d had enough of the tropical climate. I was sick of the heat! I wanted to experience the different seasons and to know what it’s like having snow. I moved to Colorado, and love everything about being here. Christmas is my favorite holyday, and growing up never having a snowy and cold Christmas, Colorado is making the magic happen for me.
Mk-When you do get a little time to yourself what do you like to do?
GM-I love being outdoors, hiking, exploring different mountain towns and discovering unique things about them, checking out the sceneries, mountain biking, snowboarding when in season, camping, done some rock climbing and bouldering a hand full of times, and just fun outdoor activities.
Mk-Gio, did you come out to Colorado specifically to box?
GM- Not really. I came here for a change of scenery.
Mk-Did you start your boxing career in Florida?
GM-Yes I did. I signed myself up the day after turning 18 and fought for about three years. Because I wasn’t a citizen at the time, I could not advance in national tournaments. I could only compete at the state Level. So I took about 3 years off from competing, to finish school, and to wait for the citizenship process to finalize. I later on moved here, then started boxing again.
Mk-Tell us about school, is that where you got your personal trainer background?
GM-I graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise science and Health promotion. I wanted to be a strength and conditioning coach. I got an internship with Bommarito Performance Systems, who hired me after graduating. There, we trained athletes from the NFL, NHL, MLB, the collegiate level as well as high school. It was fun, and I was with them until I moved here.
Mk-Can you tell us how you found Grudge and Trevor Wittman?
GM-Yes. I trained on my own for a bit once I got here. I checked out different gyms around town but mostly trained on my own. I kept hearing Trevor’s name and Grudge from different people I’d ask about boxing gyms. I finally stopped by to check it out but didn’t get to meet Trevor. I just assumed it’d be like every other gym so I continued on my own. I still kept being referred to him by different people. I was finally able to arrange a meeting with him and we bonded immediately. I joined the team and the journey began.
Mk-Can you tell us your record as a pro and as an amateur?
GM-19-3 as an amateur and I am now 3-1 as a pro.
Mk-Those are both really nice records Gio, do you mind talking about the tough fight you just lost a couple weeks ago?
GM-Thanks and no I don’t mind at all Mark. It was a good fight. Technicalities on my end resulted in the outcome. It’s all part of the learning and the mastering of this sport. We’re learning and improving with every experience. I’m not taking anything away from him. He brought a great fight and got the decision that night. He’s a talented fighter and a very respectful guy. I have plenty of respect for him.
Mk-Let’s remember too Gio that you are also a very talented fighter and are very good on that defensive side of boxing, you are extremely hard to hit!
GM-Thanks man-
Mk-I’m not going to drop names but I have heard from several people how close this fight was, I was unable to catch it but I heard you made all your trainers very proud of you on this night, you fought well against a very skilled opponent and my question is, you have lost so few fights, can and will you learn more from losing a close fight like this one more so than you could from winning it, do you agree with the statement, ‘You learn more from losing than winning?
GM-For sure. I’d agree with that.
Mk-Gio, I heard how respected this guy was and it seems you are fighting better and tougher opponents each time you fight.
GM-Yes the skill level is definitely going up, and we’re ready for it.
Mk-Do you run as part of your training?
GM-I do. Mostly closer to fight time. I alternate between sprint interval and steady pace running days.
Mk-Do you also have a full time job like almost all the other fighters down here?
GM-I do. I am a group fitness boxing instructor and personal trainer.
Mk-Can you tell us about your Family Gio? GM_I have my Mom and two younger sisters out in FL. They’re great.
Mk-Can you share some of your dreams and goals with us?
GM-Sure. My ultimate goal is to be the undisputed world champion. Another dream of mine is to visit and explore multiple countries in each continent, and get to experience that with my mom and sisters and other special people in my life. I also have other business ideas that are in the planning phases right now, which I’m working toward getting going.
Mk-What about nutrition and diet, things I think are super important when it comes to training?
GM-It’s important to feed the body properly for it to perform at its best. I’m definitely into juicing and eating more real foods in general. I don’t refrain myself from having let’s say pizza or something when I crave it, but it’s just not part of my regular diet. I do have a major sweet tooth though. For chocolate precisely. Anyone who’s somewhat close to me will tell you that that’s my weakness.
Mk-When’s your next fight? GM-Mid January Mk-Thanks so much Gio, we will see you around the gym…
