Hello Willy, great to have you in the studio with a few burning questions for the fans!
Question #1: You joined GAMMA when they just formed the 145lbs division; however you previously spent time in the 155lbs division, why did you make the decision to move down to 145lbs?
Willy: The decision to move to 145 just seemed like the right move. I had a good run at 155 in a respectable org in London, moved to Vegas to join GAMMA, won one at 55 and had some dude get stuck in an airport somewhere and had a no contest in the next one. But the level of competition in GAMMA was so much higher than I had experienced before. I took a couple fights in the GAMMA: Contenders organization and just dominated there, but still didn’t feel like I was at the same level as the top 155’ers in GAMMA. But when they merged with **fill in name of other org here** and started a 145 division it seemed perfect and I jumped at the opportunity. And I’m glad I did, I feel so much quicker and healthier now. I’ve switched to a completely Vegan diet and if the truth be told, I’m only a couple pounds off from making 135 now. So if they ever open a 135 class I may have to become a threat in 2 divisions!
Question #2: You spent time in the GAMMA in the GAMMA: Contenders before signing a permanent long term deal with GAMMA, do you recommend young, up and coming fighters to first develop their skills in the Contenders or develop on the independent scene first?
Willy: I definitely recommend the Contenders org. Not only do you get to fight in Vegas, which is like the fight capital of the world, but if you do well you have a direct pipeline to one of the top fight organizations in the world. The independent scene is a racket. I have got friends who kicked ass but bounced from one org to another because you never knew what you were going to get, as far as match ups or fight frequency. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that they’re aren’t good orgs out there; but as a young fighter the stability of a feeder org can’t be beat and let’s face it, the gym selection in Vegas is the best in the world. I mean I was almost 25 when I had my Contender fights, and the independent scene can be great if your established and can draw a good wage, but not for a young kid. Better to be competing with other guys around your same level then bouncing around.
Question #3: You had a title fight with Auguste Grimm in your first 145lbs bout, a fight you lost. Do you feel you can once again get to that form and compete on the top levels of the division?
Willy: Absolutely, don’t forget I won the next 2 after that. I know my last couple fights haven’t been up to expectations, mine or my fans. But I feel like I still have it. That loss to Alotadik, man it kind of messed with my head. I had so much emotion tied up in that fight that I lost my focus. And I think it carried over into my next fight too. But I started seeing a sports psychologist and she really helped me get my head right, and now I feel like I’m back to my old self and ready to get back on track.
Question #4: The 145lbs division is wide open, Diego Sanchez just lost the title and we have had several title exchanges already. Who do you think the best fighter in the division is at the moment?
Willy: Me, of course. I don’t mean to sound arrogant or anything, but as a fighter you have to believe that you can beat any man out there or you’re in the wrong business! I’m not taking anything away from these other guys, and the old adage stands that in MMA anyone can beat anyone else on any given night. But I honestly think I can beat any man in the organization given the right preparation and game plan.
Question #5: You have an old rivalry with Lik Alotadik, you both exchanged some harsh words about each other in the past via the public channels and twitter. You had a critical fight between each other to decide who represents GAMMA at 145lbs for the Olympics a fight he won. What went wrong there and are you looking for a rematch at some point?
Willy: Well actually it was for 135 division in the Olympics, which is one of the reasons I can almost make that weight now. Well, like I mentioned earlier I was too emotional and lost focus. And I’ll admit he was a lot better than I expected on the ground, so… I guess I relied too much on what I knew about him from when we were young, and didn’t pay enough attention to what he had done since. Me and that guy go way back, like to the beginning of my career in London. But really, he was never a threat to me on the ground, but he was able to defend and get back to his feet better than I expected. I don’t know what else to say. A rematch is always a possibility, but I’m not looking for it specifically. It’s true I don’t really like him, so I’d welcome another shot at him, but my focus is on the title. If he gets it before me or I need to get through him for another shot at it, then great. But I won’t go out of my way for a rematch.
Question #6: Lik performed above expectations in that event getting to the Bronze medal fight. Do you think he deserved to get there and what do you have to say about Lik?
Willy: Well that’s the thing about fighting in a tournament isn’t it, you only advance by winning so who deserves what doesn’t really matter does it. Just who beats who. But what do I think about him? I think he’s the same street punk who wandered into the gym I trained at in London all those years ago. Listen there are 2 kinds of people who compete in professional MMA; you have martial artists like myself who love the beauty and competition of martial arts and who try to live Bushido, and those who think they are tough guys and just want to compensate for their low self-esteem by punching people and reinforcing their tough guy self-image. I’ll let you guess which Lik is.
When he first showed up I tried to help him out and get him on the right path, but he didn’t want help. He wanted to run his mouth, backstab people, and show off what a tough guy he was. He’s a rude, disrespectful, loudmouth, asshole. But he can fight, the Olympics proved that. And If I can get on a soap box for a minute, everyone nowadays seems to have forgotten that you don’t have to like someone to respect them. At least in their capacity to perform a job. Do I like him or respect him as a man, HELL NO; but do I respect his ability as a fighter, well we all saw what happened when I didn’t.
