My experience is very short and somewhat simple since MMA Big Show Champions was my amateur debut. I've got the San Shou fights at the Arnold last but that is pretty much it. I'd like to think I train like a veteran champion though.

 
So how long have you been a Mixed Martial arts fighter? Technically 6 months. I've been wrestling and boxing since I was a kid. Picked up kick boxing in 2005 and other disciplines like Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu this year.

 
What is the best fight you have been in so far and what happened? MMA, not really a hard fight yet. I've had one MMA fight. I won by submission in about 39 seconds. I would say besides that the toughest fight I've had in competition would be in the finals at the 2006 Arnold Classic. It couldn't TKO the guy. He basically survived punishment for 3 rounds.
 
Who was the toughest guy you've come up against so far? The toughest guy(s) I've gone up against would be my sparring partners and trainers. As far as competition, I guess the guy that survived the fight at the Arnold last year. No disrespect intended. I just haven't had the opportunity to face the competition I've wanted. 
 
 
What are your plans for the future? My plans for the future as a fighter are to get as many quality wins as possible in some of the regional shows so that I may have the opportunity to perform at the next level in the near future.

 
What is your training schedule like? My training schedule consists of an equal balance of all facets necessary to be my best. I train 7 days a week unless my body tells me I need a day off. That rarely happens. Mon, Wed, Friday I start out with strength conditioning. This includes approximately 700 to 1000 reps of band work, free weights and plyometrics. After that I do 6 rounds of mitts incorporating punches, knees and kicks. I end up with one of two options. Either bike for 9 miles and climb 50 flights of stairs or run 3 miles and then hit the bike. Tuesday and Thursday I do some light sparring for about 10 or 12 rounds, hit all of our striking bags and grappling dummies for another 10 rounds or so and end up on the bike, stairs or roadwork after that. Saturdays I attend our Jiu Jitsu and MMA classes at our gym from about 10:00 am until 12:30 pm. Sundays is the hard sparring day. We work on anything from just boxing to submission grappling to wrestling to MMA. I like to get in around 20 rounds or so. I like to through some Cross Fit and the "300 Spartan" work out  in whenever I can also.

This is my typical week. When I'm training for a fight we kick up the intensity a few notches.

 
What do you eat day to day? I'm pretty strict with my diet on a daily basis. I try to get at least 350 grams (body weight x 2) of protein a day by way of protein shakes and bars, tuna, fish, or chicken. My carb intake is typically around 250 - 300 by way of rice, baked potato or pasta. I drink at least a gallon of water per day. This all changes when I'm cutting weight. Protein and water go up and the carbs go down.



How difficult was your transition from college wrestling to MMA? The transition from wrestling to MMA was easy. I was actually always a fighter at heart that became a wrestler. I learned early  in MMA training that I was surprisingly comfortable from my back and  where not to put my head IF I shot in for the take down. The Jiu Jitsu has really grown on me well.

 
How did you handle the stress of your first fight? I used it as fuel. That guy was there to steal what I worked for. The training, the pain, the dieting, the time away from my family. Yeah.....it was all his fault but he just didn't know it.

 
What do you listen to or do to prepare yourself right before a fight? All heavy metal and maybe some hardcore gangster rap.

 
Who in the UFC would you most like to fight and when? Roger Huerta.....yesterday. Wanna know why? I respect the guy a lot. I just think I can beat him. I'd kinda like to beat Clay Guida's hair off too though.