"He's 8-1 in the UFC and wants a run for the welterweight title. It is gonna be an honor to fight him. Unfortunately for him, I am gunning for the belt myself and believe I have the skills to beat him and move up the ladder. It is gonna be a war and that gets me really excited because the fans are gonna get what they pay for. I don't see it going to the judges to be honest with you," stated UFC welterweight Ben Saunders as he talked about his upcoming clash with Mike Swick at UFC 99. Check it out!
PC: How is everything going Ben?
BS: It's going great. I am fighting for the UFC, living my dream and couldn't be happier.
PC: How has camp been going and does it change anything having to break camp to leave for Germany?
BS: My training camp has been great! I feel in phenomenal shape and as of now, I have no injuries, which is very rare. I was dealing with the rehab from a broken big toe, but I had enough time to let it heal completely prior to my camp and things have gone very smoothly, knock on wood.
PC: Is this your first international fight and if so, are you looking forward to it or would you prefer to remain in the States?
BS: Yeah, this is my first time out of the States ever so it is going to be very interesting and I'm really looking forward to it. I personally love fighting back home in the States, but I always wanted to see the world and knew, eventually, my fight career would be my reason for doing so. I plan on checking out Europe for a bit after the fight as well, so it should be really fun.
PC: Your Muay Thai clinch and knees were phenomenal in your last fight against Wolff. That was Anderson Silva like. Is that something you've been working on and will you try to implement some of those tactics against Swick?
BS: I keep hearing the Anderson Silva comparison and it's flattering and pretty funny. Then, of course, you get the critics saying Anderson only needed so and so many knees and I needed like fourty to put my guy out, but I'm not Anderson Silva. I'm Ben Saunders and we aren't the same person and never will be. I don't really plan out anything; I go with the flow and that's how things flowed for me on that given night. Maybe my next fight, I'll be more precise, maybe not, it depends on the situation. As precise as his shots were, I don't believe mine were any less effective. I just believe my knees were connecting, whether it be his face, body or arms, they were connecting and in turn, doing damage. It makes it hard to strike back when you're too busy defending. That was my thought process while throwing out that many knees. Was I completely aiming them all at his chin or nose? No, I wasn't. I was throwing them in numbers, damaging everything I hit, making him not know where to block and my strategy worked. As for Swick, of course he has to worry about my clinch, but that's why I love this sport so much. That is only one aspect of my arsenal. He has much, much more to worry about. I believe I am dangerous everywhere, including my standup, my clinch, my wrestling and my BJJ; that's why it's mixed martial arts. Lucky for me, I've been studying Jeet Kune Do concepts all my life. I feel it allows me to adapt to any situation or opponent.
PC: What do you think of Swick as a fighter and more than that, as a welterweight?
BS: He is a very good fighter. I have tons of respect for him. He has done a lot in his career to help the UFC and our sport grow. He's 8-1 in the UFC and wants a run for the welterweight title. It is gonna be an honor to fight him. Unfortunately for him, I am gunning for the belt myself and believe I have the skills to beat him and move up the ladder. It is gonna be a war and that gets me really excited because the fans are gonna get what they pay for. I don't see it going to the judges to be honest with you.
PC: He's undefeated as a welterweight, but I gotta say, I haven't been as impressed with him at welter as I was with him at middleweight. This will be his fourth fight at the weight class now. Do you think it is just a matter of him getting acclimated to the weight?
BS: I think what worked for him in the past was his speed, but dropping a weight class gives up some of that advantage in my opinion. Most guys are smaller, but have more speed at welterweight, which is probably why he hasn't been able to get off like before. Also, he might be losing some power in the cut. Who knows? I don't believe he will have an amazing amount of speed on me. He also won't have a height or reach advantage that he's used to. I believe I will be the bigger and stronger of the two, so in all honesty, I feel I have a lot more advantages. Stylistically, it was probably a bad matchup for him, but great for the fans. It's gonna be a chess match of skill, heart and determination. Three characteristics I feel I have plenty of.
PC: He has very fast hands and to clinch him, you may have to go into the blades of the helicopter so to speak. Is there a way to nullify his handspeed to get this fight where you need it?
BS: Like I said before, I don't believe his hand speed will be that big of a difference, especially with the lack of a reach advantage, which he has had in almost all his other fights. It means I can hit him without getting hit and close the distance easier than him. He needs to be worried about my blades. The clinch is only one aspect and not something I feel I have to get. People seem to think that because I used it so well in my last fight, that it's my bread and butter. I love the clinch and feel very confident there, but it is by no means my best and only form of attack. I am a striker at heart and believe I can stand and bang with the best of them. That's why I fight for the UFC to test myself and see where I am and where I am going. But I am evolving as a mixed martial artist, adding submissions, takedowns, ground and pound and additional striking to my game. I just keep getting better.
PC: You're undefeated as a professional and 3-0 in the UFC. This is by far your stiffest test. What do you feel you have to do to remain unbeaten against Swick?
BS: I need to go out there and do what I do best; go out there and whoop that ass. I love what I do and it gets me hyped up just thinking about it. I don't have to be there, I want to be there. If he beats me, he beats me. There is nothing I can do or say to change that, but I'll be damned if I beat myself by doubting my skills in any way. I'm confident and come June 13th, I'll be well-prepared to take that stiff test and hopefully prove to myself and the world that I truly do belong in the UFC.
PC: What do you feel is your biggest advantages going into this fight?
BS: My mentality. I don't care who you are or weight class you're in. You can't beat me until you prove it. That and my heart. I have been through wars where I didn't feel I could go on, but I sucked it up and pushed myself to the end, never giving up. Of course I believe in my skills; that's just part of my mentality.
PC: A win over Swick could be huge for you as far as your spot in the rankings. Where would you like a win over him to place you in the division?
BS: Well, since he is not considered a top 10, but some might say he is a top 15 as a welterweight with his record and a win over Davis, I would hope a win over Swick moves me up the ladder to bigger names in the division. Becoming 4-0 in the UFC will have me begging Joe Silva for a Top 10 if I win in impressive fashion, which I believe is very possible.
PC: You've averaged about two fights a year consistently. Would you like to become a more active fighter?
BS: Of course, I wish I could fight every month or two, but realistically, the body can only take so much and the UFC is the BIG show so they are always booked up. If my injuries stayed at a minimum, I would love the chance to fight as often as possible. Hell, financially it would make life that much easier also (laughing).
PC: Good luck in June. Is there anything you would like to say in closing? Anybody you want to thank?
BS: I just want to thank all my teammates, friends, family and fans for all their help and support. I want to thank Paul Rodriguez for setting up my training camp; this guy is the next Greg Jackson. Thanks to TapouT for all the support and gear. Thanks to American Top Team. I truly believe we have the best fighters in the world. I want to thank Dana White and Joe Silva for giving me the opportunity to test myself against the best in the world. Lastly, I have to thank my homie Bruce Lee for opening my eyes to Jeet Kune Do concepts at the age of 8 years old. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be the man I am today. RIP.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]