Curly Howard
10-27-2003, 07:26 PM
Reported By: Boxing Insider - 10.27.2003 02:16 AM
*************.com interview with UFC Commentator Eddie Bravo
*************.com: Tell us how you first became involved with the UFC?
Eddie Bravo: I became involved through Joe Rogan. He’s a very good friend of mine, and he works for the UFC. There was a spot open for post-fight interviewer -- I don't know if they were completely happy with Lisa [Durgen] or not, but I ended up taking her spot. That's pretty much it.
*************.com: What are your thoughts on Tim Sylvia testing positive for steroids -- and how do you think it was handled?
http://www.*************.net/mma/ufc/UFCfamily.jpg
Photo: Dana White (back) Joe Rogan, & Eddie Bravo at UFC 44 After Party
Eddie Bravo: I think Tim handled it beautifully. He admitted to taking steroids. He said he was sorry and that he regretted taking them. I think that's why he received only a four-month suspension, which is not that long. He did get his title stripped, which I think is . . .
*************.com: He actually gave up his title. He said, "Here's my title, I don't want it." He could have actually kept the title, but he didn't want to taint the championship.
Eddie Bravo: Wow.
*************.com: He was very much a stand-up guy.
Eddie Bravo: Well, he handled it perfectly. And four months -- it is a four-month suspension, isn't it? It won't be too long before he'll be back in the mix. I'm sure he's going to get a title shot -- maybe within eighteen months. He's definitely one of the most dangerous guys on the planet, so I'm sure he'll work his way back up.
*************.com: What are your thoughts on the UFC 45 revolution -- the 10th anniversary show?
Eddie Bravo: I'm looking forward to it. I look forward to every UFC. Whether the card is stacked with big names or a bunch of rising stars, I am always excited about the UFC. Anyone who has anything negative to say about the UFC -- especially on the internet -- it's obvious that they work for rival shows. How could you say anything bad about the UFC unless you're a competitor. There wouldn't be any of these MMA websites if it wasn't for the UFC, as a matter of fact there wouldn't MMA without the UFC.
It's pretty obvious who these jealous people are complaining about the organization and the sport. Most people I know enjoy it and love it as much as I do, - the greatest show ever created! I look forward to every single one.
*************.com: What do you think of the Yves Edwards vs. Din Thomas match?
Eddie Bravo: That's going to be interesting.
*************.com: How do you see it unfolding?
Eddie Bravo: Wow. Din Thomas has been with the American Top Team for a while, and he's gotten his ground game together. To be honest with you, though, I think Yves has a better ground game and a better stand-up arsenal. Yves Edwards' stand-up is top notch -- you know, pound for pound, one of the best strikers in the business. I really have to go with Edwards in that one.
*************.com: Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg?
Eddie Bravo: That's one of the fights I'm looking forward to the most. I really can't tell who's going to win that one. It's similar to the Randy Couture-Tito Ortiz fight, where, whoever wins the wrestling game -- whoever ends up on top -- is going to get the decision. I don't think there's going to be a submission or a knockout. I think it's definitely going to go to a decision. It's going to be just as exciting as Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz.
It's all about whoever gets the top position consistently. Frank Trigg is a world-class wrestler and Matt Hughes isn't too shabby himself. We'll see, -- whoever ends up on top!
*************.com: Matt Lindland vs. Niko Vitale?
Eddie Bravo: In the first fight, it was really a kind of weird ending...
*************.com: Matt Lindland knocked himself out.
Eddie Bravo: Yeah. He basically knocked himself out, so we really can't take too much from that fight. I assume Matt Lindland will take Vitale down and end up on top. But, Vitale has a good ground game and his guard is solid. He might be able to submit Lindland. However, Lindland is a strong wrestler and very difficult to submit. That fight is a hard one to call. I can see Lindland on top -- with Vitale at least trying to submit him off his back.
*************.com: Phil Baroni vs. Evan Tanner?
Eddie Bravo: Evan Tanner is going to want to take Baroni down and ground and pound him like he did to Elvis Sinosic. Can he get Baroni down? That's the question. Baroni is a pretty good wrestler with deadly hands. We saw what he did to Dave Menne.
It's either going to be a Baroni knockout or Evan Tanner ground and pound decision. That's the way I see it.
*************.com: Tank Abbott vs. Wesley "Cabbage" Correira?
Eddie Bravo: Interesting fight. Cabbage is going to stand with Tank -- or at least that's what he told me, and Tank doesn't want to go to the ground. So, they're both going to slug it out. Cabbage is known to have an iron chin, but is it strong enough to take Tank's right hand? I'm not sure. Cabbage took a lot of right hands from Tim Sylvia, and we know now that Sylvia's right hand is no joke.
It's going to be a very entertaining match. They're both going to stand and try to take each others' heads off. In the end, I think Cabbage will get the knockout.
*************.com: What are your thoughts on Randy Couture as the UFC champion? How do you feel Randy Couture represents as the UFC poster boy?
Eddie Bravo: I think he's the perfect guy. Joe Rogan referred to him several times in the broadcast as "Captain America." That's perfect! That's what he is. He's not a ****-talker. He's just a hard worker, and he out-hustles everybody. I think he's the perfect spokesman for the UFC. Plus, he's over 40 now and I think America likes heroes in their 40s. Look at what George Foreman did. When he came back, everybody was behind George Foreman. They wanted to see him win the title again. In that respect, I think Randy Couture is the perfect UFC champion.
*************.com: Have you and Joe Rogan tried [Light Force] supplements -- Dr. Parson's miracle supplement drug that they were talking about during the broadcast.
Eddie Bravo: No.I definitely haven't tried it.
*************.com: Would you like to?
Eddie Bravo: If they're free. . . I mean, I am a supplement freak....Come to think of it, I do remember that Joe did receive some products. And if he did, I am sure he's tried it by now. Joe Rogan and I are really into supplements. We take all our vitamins and minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids -- we take all that.
*************.com: You and Joe Rogan train together? What is your relationship with Joe Rogan like?
Eddie Bravo: I met him at Jean Jacques Machado Jiu-Jitsu Academy. After a while, I started giving him private lessons and we became friends from then.
*************.com: What is his involvement, as you see it, with the UFC, exactly?
Eddie Bravo: Not only is he the Color Commentator, but he does a lot of press for them. He gets on Howard Stern and talks about the UFC for twenty minutes. Whenever he does radio shows he always brings up the UFC. He's a perfect spokesperson for the UFC. He's been doing stand-up comedy for thirteen years, he's a professional speaker, and no-one's more passionate about the sport than Joe Rogan is.
When Zuffa hired him, I don't think they expected to get the “Ultimate Commentator” -- which Joe is. At first, I think they were happy to get a celebrity who knew something about the sport and could draw some attention based on his popularity. What they ended up getting was the best Color Commentator in the business. He's the best without a doubt.
Check back on *************.com/MMA this Thursday for Part 2 of our interview with Eddie Bravo. Eddie will talk to about being the only American to beat a Gracie, the UFC's 10th anniversery show and more.
*************.com interview with UFC Commentator Eddie Bravo
*************.com: Tell us how you first became involved with the UFC?
Eddie Bravo: I became involved through Joe Rogan. He’s a very good friend of mine, and he works for the UFC. There was a spot open for post-fight interviewer -- I don't know if they were completely happy with Lisa [Durgen] or not, but I ended up taking her spot. That's pretty much it.
*************.com: What are your thoughts on Tim Sylvia testing positive for steroids -- and how do you think it was handled?
http://www.*************.net/mma/ufc/UFCfamily.jpg
Photo: Dana White (back) Joe Rogan, & Eddie Bravo at UFC 44 After Party
Eddie Bravo: I think Tim handled it beautifully. He admitted to taking steroids. He said he was sorry and that he regretted taking them. I think that's why he received only a four-month suspension, which is not that long. He did get his title stripped, which I think is . . .
*************.com: He actually gave up his title. He said, "Here's my title, I don't want it." He could have actually kept the title, but he didn't want to taint the championship.
Eddie Bravo: Wow.
*************.com: He was very much a stand-up guy.
Eddie Bravo: Well, he handled it perfectly. And four months -- it is a four-month suspension, isn't it? It won't be too long before he'll be back in the mix. I'm sure he's going to get a title shot -- maybe within eighteen months. He's definitely one of the most dangerous guys on the planet, so I'm sure he'll work his way back up.
*************.com: What are your thoughts on the UFC 45 revolution -- the 10th anniversary show?
Eddie Bravo: I'm looking forward to it. I look forward to every UFC. Whether the card is stacked with big names or a bunch of rising stars, I am always excited about the UFC. Anyone who has anything negative to say about the UFC -- especially on the internet -- it's obvious that they work for rival shows. How could you say anything bad about the UFC unless you're a competitor. There wouldn't be any of these MMA websites if it wasn't for the UFC, as a matter of fact there wouldn't MMA without the UFC.
It's pretty obvious who these jealous people are complaining about the organization and the sport. Most people I know enjoy it and love it as much as I do, - the greatest show ever created! I look forward to every single one.
*************.com: What do you think of the Yves Edwards vs. Din Thomas match?
Eddie Bravo: That's going to be interesting.
*************.com: How do you see it unfolding?
Eddie Bravo: Wow. Din Thomas has been with the American Top Team for a while, and he's gotten his ground game together. To be honest with you, though, I think Yves has a better ground game and a better stand-up arsenal. Yves Edwards' stand-up is top notch -- you know, pound for pound, one of the best strikers in the business. I really have to go with Edwards in that one.
*************.com: Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg?
Eddie Bravo: That's one of the fights I'm looking forward to the most. I really can't tell who's going to win that one. It's similar to the Randy Couture-Tito Ortiz fight, where, whoever wins the wrestling game -- whoever ends up on top -- is going to get the decision. I don't think there's going to be a submission or a knockout. I think it's definitely going to go to a decision. It's going to be just as exciting as Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz.
It's all about whoever gets the top position consistently. Frank Trigg is a world-class wrestler and Matt Hughes isn't too shabby himself. We'll see, -- whoever ends up on top!
*************.com: Matt Lindland vs. Niko Vitale?
Eddie Bravo: In the first fight, it was really a kind of weird ending...
*************.com: Matt Lindland knocked himself out.
Eddie Bravo: Yeah. He basically knocked himself out, so we really can't take too much from that fight. I assume Matt Lindland will take Vitale down and end up on top. But, Vitale has a good ground game and his guard is solid. He might be able to submit Lindland. However, Lindland is a strong wrestler and very difficult to submit. That fight is a hard one to call. I can see Lindland on top -- with Vitale at least trying to submit him off his back.
*************.com: Phil Baroni vs. Evan Tanner?
Eddie Bravo: Evan Tanner is going to want to take Baroni down and ground and pound him like he did to Elvis Sinosic. Can he get Baroni down? That's the question. Baroni is a pretty good wrestler with deadly hands. We saw what he did to Dave Menne.
It's either going to be a Baroni knockout or Evan Tanner ground and pound decision. That's the way I see it.
*************.com: Tank Abbott vs. Wesley "Cabbage" Correira?
Eddie Bravo: Interesting fight. Cabbage is going to stand with Tank -- or at least that's what he told me, and Tank doesn't want to go to the ground. So, they're both going to slug it out. Cabbage is known to have an iron chin, but is it strong enough to take Tank's right hand? I'm not sure. Cabbage took a lot of right hands from Tim Sylvia, and we know now that Sylvia's right hand is no joke.
It's going to be a very entertaining match. They're both going to stand and try to take each others' heads off. In the end, I think Cabbage will get the knockout.
*************.com: What are your thoughts on Randy Couture as the UFC champion? How do you feel Randy Couture represents as the UFC poster boy?
Eddie Bravo: I think he's the perfect guy. Joe Rogan referred to him several times in the broadcast as "Captain America." That's perfect! That's what he is. He's not a ****-talker. He's just a hard worker, and he out-hustles everybody. I think he's the perfect spokesman for the UFC. Plus, he's over 40 now and I think America likes heroes in their 40s. Look at what George Foreman did. When he came back, everybody was behind George Foreman. They wanted to see him win the title again. In that respect, I think Randy Couture is the perfect UFC champion.
*************.com: Have you and Joe Rogan tried [Light Force] supplements -- Dr. Parson's miracle supplement drug that they were talking about during the broadcast.
Eddie Bravo: No.I definitely haven't tried it.
*************.com: Would you like to?
Eddie Bravo: If they're free. . . I mean, I am a supplement freak....Come to think of it, I do remember that Joe did receive some products. And if he did, I am sure he's tried it by now. Joe Rogan and I are really into supplements. We take all our vitamins and minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids -- we take all that.
*************.com: You and Joe Rogan train together? What is your relationship with Joe Rogan like?
Eddie Bravo: I met him at Jean Jacques Machado Jiu-Jitsu Academy. After a while, I started giving him private lessons and we became friends from then.
*************.com: What is his involvement, as you see it, with the UFC, exactly?
Eddie Bravo: Not only is he the Color Commentator, but he does a lot of press for them. He gets on Howard Stern and talks about the UFC for twenty minutes. Whenever he does radio shows he always brings up the UFC. He's a perfect spokesperson for the UFC. He's been doing stand-up comedy for thirteen years, he's a professional speaker, and no-one's more passionate about the sport than Joe Rogan is.
When Zuffa hired him, I don't think they expected to get the “Ultimate Commentator” -- which Joe is. At first, I think they were happy to get a celebrity who knew something about the sport and could draw some attention based on his popularity. What they ended up getting was the best Color Commentator in the business. He's the best without a doubt.
Check back on *************.com/MMA this Thursday for Part 2 of our interview with Eddie Bravo. Eddie will talk to about being the only American to beat a Gracie, the UFC's 10th anniversery show and more.