One-On-One With the IFL's "El Guapo" - Bas Rutten

Q: Can you give us your overall thoughts about the recent event held at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT?

A: I thought it was a really good show, I checked the internet and the response, and all the people thought the same, a great night of MMA action!

Q: The next IFL event is due to feature the new hexagon shaped ring, “The Hex”. Do you feel this will change the dynamic of the IFL and also do you think the fighters will be able to adjust?

A: There are no corners so you can’t lock your opponent up anymore, so you need better technique, that, together with the “no elbows” rule (in the IFL) will make for more technical fights.

Q: Next week CBS is going to air the first ever MMA event on primetime television on May 31. Can you give us your thoughts on how this will take MMA to the next level?

A: If it’s going to be a success, which I think it will, it will affect MMA for the better. More TV stations will be interested in showing it. People who never watched it before have now a chance of seeing it for the first time. Once those people also start to understand a little bit what really goes on the fight, it will even get bigger. Some people won’t like it, though, and will think whatever they think and turn it off. But that’s the same as when I am zapping and see “shooting darts”, I keep on zapping, it’s not my cup of tea. But if they are interested and keep watching, this will get better and better because there is SO much that people don’t know yet of what goes on during a fight, one little mistake and it’s over, you lose.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your role as VP of Fighter Operations for the IFL?

A: I am just using my connections that I gathered over the years and I have a lot of them to open doors. I never screwed anybody over in my life, plus having been a fighter myself opens a lot of doors. So if we need to talk to a good fighter outside the company, whether it’s Cro Cop, Nogeira, Couture, Barnett or anybody else, I probably already have their number and if not, I have it in 10 minutes, I call them and we talk.

Q: Two years ago you came back and fought Ruben Villareal and put on a good performance. Do you have any plans to fight again?

A: Nope, old injuries came back. Tendonitis in both arms, torn ACL/meniscus, popped a rib and pulled my groin muscle. That didn’t make training fun anymore, so I hung up the gloves.

Q: Everyone is talking about Kimbo Slice, but some MMA fighters question his ability against top level competition. How is his training progression coming along?

A: Really good, he trains hard and is a natural athlete, very nice guy and fun to be around, treats everybody with respect, I see a good future for him.

Q: What can we look forward to during the second half of 2008 for the IFL?

A: We will continue with putting on great events. The last two were very good, the ones before were also, but you're only as good as your last fight is what they say, right? That means that a show is only as good as their last show. Having the shows live plus having title fights every show is also very good. I have high hopes!

Q: In the entire sport of MMA is there a dream match-up you would like to see happen?

A: Couture and Fedor I really would like to see.

Q: Is there anything you would want to tell the people who don’t realize the intense training MMA athletes endure?

A: I had a really good actor in my gym training with me for one time, I won’t say his name. He asked me about endurance and power training. I told him I mixed both up. He asked me how? I told him that normally my guys do a circuit of six minute rounds and we do seven of those rounds and than I asked him if he wanted to try half a round only, so three minutes. After three minutes he was screaming, I mean screaming. He shouted “Oh my God, I could never do this, oh my God, this is insane!!” and he went on and on. And that was only a three minute round.

Q: Now that Pride has ended we see a lot of fighters from Pride in the UFC. We’ve always wanted to see Pride vs. UFC fighters and now it happens almost every UFC card. Will we see any IFL fighters in the future square off with fighters from the UFC?

A: If I would know that, I would play the lottery. Time will tell. People around the world have to realize that outside the UFC there is more great MMA in the world. Once they realize that, other companies will be big also, once other companies get big then there will come the question who’s the best fighter in each weight class in the world, and the only way to find out is to co-promote. But that takes time. The UFC is so huge right now, why would they do a co-promotion? Why put other companies in the spotlight if they don’t have to?

So again, time will tell.

I want to personally thank Bas Rutten for taking the time to do this interview, and I also would like to thank Jerry Milani, Marketing Manager of The International Fight League, for making this interview possible.