"I've basically went from the guy who was supposed to fight for the title after earning his shot to the guy who is fighting for the title just because the champion got called to the big show, it doesn't feel the way it should feel. Basically, I was replaced because Prater was a bigger name than I am so we have to be real here, which is all I know how to be. Everyone is expecting and hoping he will beat me so they can have their 'big time' champ; I get it and plan on making everyone unhappy that night," stated MMA lightweight Dominique Robinson as he talked about his upcoming clash with Carlo Prater at PFC 13 on May 8. Plus check out what he had to say about training with Nick Diaz, Frank Shamrock, who he thinks will win their matchup and much more.
PC: How is everything going my man?
DR: Everything is okay. Right in the middle, I guess, with the economy the way it is and life being...well....life.
PC: You recently signed to fight Carlo Prater for the PFC in May. Have you started training yet?
DR: I'm actually just getting in some family time before I start my training next week because once that hits, I won't have time for much, as I'm sure you can imagine. If I start next week, I'll have a good 5-6 week camp. Add to that my natural Creole-boy stamina and I'll get the results of a 6-7 week camp. Put it this way, catch me anytime of the year and I may be fat, but I can go three 5-minute rounds.
PC: Where do you train and who are some of the guys you train with?
DR: I jump from place to place because I don't really have a team to call my own where everyone, the fighters and trainers, are like, "Hey, Angel has a fight. Let's get on his ass." Basically, Urijah Faber, Jake Shields, Nick and Nate Diaz, and Bob Cook and Javier Mendez always have their doors open to me to be a beat-up doll for them so I guess that's how I get my training done and I'm greatful to them for at least that. I do have one coach though, Felipe Martinez. His faith will pay off.
PC: For someone who has never seen you fight, how would you describe your style? What do you bring to the table?
DR: Well, since I basically teach myself, I have taken the things I like from my favorite fighters, like Bas Rutten, Frank Shamrock, Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Norifumi Yamamoto, Fedor, Alistar Overeem, Melvin Manhoef and others, and ended up with, well, I guess a style like a smaller Thiago Alves, who is also a favorite fighter of mine (laughing). If I ever get to train under any of those guys, excluding Frank, little hearts would float out of my eyes and I'd do whatever they told me to do.
PC: This has to be the perfect situation for you because nine times out of ten, if you're replacing someone in a fight, you typically get about a 3-week notice. It must be nice to replace Cobb with plenty of training time?
DR: Well, the first thing I'd like to clear up here, since this is a touchy subject with me, is I'm not replacing Cobb. I fought and beat two of the most experienced and credentialed lightweights the PFC has, earned my title shot and I somehow got replaced by Prater because he is the "big time" guy. Cobb just so happens to get called to the UFC so then they decide to give me the title shot I earned which, quite frankly, pisses me off. Why have rankings that don't mean anything? I just don't get the politics and favoritism in this sport...makes doing certain things not worth it and it transfers over to sponsors, training, etc.
PC: You've had a couple of fights for the PFC already. How does it feel to be fighting for their title?
DR: Well, since I've basically went from the guy who was supposed to fight for the title after earning his shot to the guy who is fighting for the title just because the champion got called to the big show, it doesn't feel the way it should feel. Basically, I was replaced because Prater was a bigger name than I am so we have to be real here, which is all I know how to be. Everyone is expecting and hoping he will beat me so they can have their "big time" champ; I get it and plan on making everyone unhappy that night.
PC: Carlo has a ton of experience, but he was knocked unconscious in his last fight. How important is it for you to jump on him and try to make him remember that scene from the Larson fight?
DR: Rushing people isn't really my style, nor his, so I think it will be a methodical fight until I analyze him and begin to systematically break him down piece by piece. I'm sure, in his mind, he's like, "This is my first fight at 55. I'm bigger, I'm stronger, I have more fights, I'm better." The only one I agree with, until he beats me, is that he has more fights than me and even if he beats me, I'll say he was better that night! Oh, and if he's going off my Sherdog record, which is incorrect, as it is on most guys, then he's getting a false since of security as far as my experience goes. Getting myself fights was part of how I learned, on top of watching all those videos and being big time fighters beat-up doll (laughing). But to answer your question, I'm not as big as Larson, but I assure you, everyone tries to hold me in fights for a reason.
PC: He is also cutting to 155 for the first time. Do you think that will be another advantage for you or do you think him being the bigger man could pose problems for you?
DR: I'm Southern, bro, and Rampage will tell you us Southern folk are strong as dog shit! So that won't be a problem for me. Put it this way, did Diego Sanchez seem the same to you the first time he cut to 55? Or did Mike Swick seem the same to you the first two times he cut to 70? Or Joe Riggs to 70? You get my point.
PC: If you could choose the perfect ending to your fight with Prater, how does it end?
DR: We touch gloves, I throw a punch like Larson did, except right-handed, he goes down, I bless him, hug my coaches, go to an afterparty with my friends and random freaks and eat.
PC: I understand you did some training with Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz. Who do you like in their fight and what did you learn from those guys?
DR: From Frank, I learned a lot about stamina, the dark inside of the sport, self-promotion and how strong the human mind really is. From Nick, I learned jiu jitsu and some of it's many subtle intricacies. Style-wise, the match goes to Frank, but one thing Frank is weak against is the positions of jiu jitsu so if Nick places the positional game and doesn't let his violent temper make him go toe-to-toe, then he will win a decision. A lot of people don't know, but weight-wise, Nick is actually the bigger man, though Frank is much more powerful. Take it from me.
PC: Good luck against Prater in May. Is there anything you want to say in closing? Anybody you want to thank?
DR: You know I'm an Oakland boy now so I'ma give a million shoutouts (laughing). I wanna thank my sponsors: Unbreakable Mouthpieces, Ink Junkeez, Chase Chevrolet, Madbeatings, Kyoujin Industries and my web designer, myspace.com/reenalynn. I'd also like to thank my few friends, Good Squad member Tony "den dun it" Dominguez, Trina for always cooking and building my mental toughness, Jen for making sure my head doesn't explode, Norma for watching over my prize possession, Bills for bein'...Bills (laughing), Chuck, my cousin Fetti Loco, Adrienne, Julie, and Aracely for always bein' there for me through all their BS, my BS, and the trials and tribulations of life. Oh yeah, thank my new manager at Sandro Gelke. Pssstt...Shooto, Pancrase, Felipe Martinez and of course you Percy and FightHype.com, Thanks. Told you not to let black folk give shoutouts (laughing).
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]