FightHype.com recently caught up with UFC lightweight title challenger Hermes Franca to discuss his upcoming clash with lightweight champion Sean Sherk. Check out what he had to say about his training, his strategy for thee fight, and much more.
PC: First off, since I haven't spoke with you previously, congratulations on your win over Spencer Fisher to set up this fight with Sean Sherk.
HF: Oh, thank you buddy.
PC: How's training going for your fight against Sherk at UFC 73?
HF: Training is going hard. I can't wait to fight. I've been training for like 3 months, so I want to fight. I don't want to train no more.
PC: What do you expect from Sherk in this fight?
HF: He's the champ. He's professional, you know? Of course he doesn't want to give it up. He's going to come out strong. I'm training for that because I don't want a surprise. I've been training for 5 rounds like I need to do and I expect him to come strong and fast. I think he'll try a lot of takedowns and he'll be trying to block my submissions, you know? I'm training hard; I don't want a surprise.
PC: It's no secret what Sean wants to do, but we've seen you mix it up. You're a hard puncher and you have great submissions. What can we expect to see from you on July 7th?
HF: I don't have like a real gameplan, you know? I want to show a variety. I want to work my hands and my sprawl. I want to let him feel my pressure. I want to come with pressure. I will come to fight. If he takes me down, that's cool because then I'll look for submissions. If he wants to exchange punches and kicks, I'm here, let's do it. I want to surprise him. I want to let him feel my strength and say, "Oh man this guy is strong; he punches hard."
PC: Sherk hasn't fought in a while. Is that more reason to jump on him and test his stamina and see if he has any rust going into the octagon?
HF: Yeah. I don't know. I think timing in this case means nothing. It's more of a case in the head. If you stay focused and concentrate on what you need to do, you will be ok. I think he's going to do that. I think he's in shape. He hasn't fought in 11 months, but he took care of his shoulder first. Now he's ready to go. I don't want him thinking about an advantage, like he hurt his shoulder or he's been fighting for a long time. No, no. I need to think that I'm fighting the #1 lightweight in the world and that's what I put on my mind.
PC: You are on an 8 fight winning streak and I'm sure this would be your biggest win to date. What would it mean for you to become the UFC lightweight champion of the world?
HF: Of course it's going to be a hard fight, but it's going to be my opportunity. This fight can change my life and I'm one step away from the belt, but any fight for me, I don't like to put on pressure. All of my interviews I say this because I don't like to put on pressure. Of course I'm always thinking about, "Ah man, if I win," but at the same time I'm thinking, "Ah man, if I lose." So I think about it both ways. I don't want to disappoint myself by just thinking about the belt and thinking I'm going to win because if I get my ass kicked, I'm going to feel so down. I don't want to put any pressure on me. I just think about it both ways and let's do it.
PC: I think this is probably the best MMA card I've ever seen. How does it feel to be a part of it?
HF: Ah man, that's great, you know? To know a little bit about myself, in 2005, that was a horrible situation, you know, with my fights. I came back and I came in strong. I did in 2006 what is hard to do nowadays. I came in and fought 8 fights in 2006 and that means everything. This is my life. I fight and I'm in shape right now and I'm ready to go, but like I said before, I don't want to put pressure on me, it's just another fight. I'm happy because I don't want to lose. No one wants to lose, but the UFC is getting big. You can fight and it doesn't mean you have to win or not, you know what I mean; before it was hard because it was like 3 UFC'S in a year. If you got your ass kicked, then you were looking for a smaller organization to fight in. Now it's like 3 UFC'S in a month, so now it's no pressure. I always say to the guys to do their best because you're going to fight again. I know I'm going to go hard because I know I'm still going to have a job. I'm happy because MMA is growing fast and I'm a part of it.
PC: You like to wing wild punches from all angles. Will we see your jab more in this fight to take advantage of the reach you will enjoy?
HF: Yeah, definitely. A lot of guys ask me if I'm going to throw my overhand right and things like that. I don't want to do that because I'm like a regular boxer and I want to get better and better and better. When you step in the cage, sometimes you can't control yourself. You start to go crazy and try and finish a guy with one punch. I want to fight rounds and I want to go hard. Especially since 5 rounds is too much. More than being in good shape; I have to fight smart. That's a good point.
PC: Sean is a very strong lightweight. Are you getting good wrestling in your training camp?
HF: Oh, yeah, yeah! I have some very good wrestlers. My fight camp is good because I have a lot of lightweight guys to help me and that helps a lot. Sometimes it's hard to train against guys that are 185, but when I have lightweights like Kurt Pellegrino and Rich Clopton, and I have 2 more black belts and 2 more wrestlers around the lightweight division, that makes me feel so good. It makes me feel comfortable. Thank God I have enough and a lot of what I need. Rob Kamen is here for like 2 months and he's been helping me everyday. He's so professional and I learn a lot from him. Every day I learn something. I think it's going to be a good fight.
PC: They've had a lot of upsets in the UFC this year, but a lot of people wouldn't consider you're winning to be too big of an upset. Are you coming into this fight with an underdog mentality?
HF: I think so. I always like to be the underdog. I don't work with pressure, believe me. I don't like to train with pressure, so make me feel good and be the underdog. I think a lot of guys are talking about upsets, especially a surprise like Gonzaga beating Cro Cop and Serra beating St. Pierre, but it's a fight man. Especially now because, day by day, everybody knows everything. Everybody knows Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, boxing and Muay Thai. Day by day, in less than a year, you are going to see that a guy that can defend his title like 4 times is going to be considered incredible. I don't know if you're going to be able to hold your belt for 4 or 5 fights. They're like 40 guys in the lightweight division, so if you have the belt, you're going to have to fight like every 2 or 3 months.
PC: Hermes, it's been a pleasure speaking with you and I look forward to talking with you again after the fight. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
HF: Yeah, I want to thank all my fans for their support. All of those guys are real nice and always send the messages and I want to do my best and I always do. I do my job.
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