Credit To:Fighthype
FightHype.com recently caught up with UFC lightweight contender Spencer Fisher to talk about the staph infection that forced him to pull out of his scheduled fight against Din Thomas in September. You don't want to miss his thoughts on how well his replacement, Kenny Florian, will do against Thomas, his predictions for UFC 74 and much more. Check it out!
PC: First Spencer, thanks for the Sam Stout fight. It was another Fisher classic!
SF: Thank you!
PC: How is everything going with you health-wise?
SF: I had a staph infection in my knee and it's completely healed now.
PC: How long will this keep you sidelined?
SF: I had to stay off of it and out of the gym for 3 weeks.
PC: What exactly is a staph infection?
SF: I'm not really sure. It's called MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), the medical term for it. It goes from person to person and Drew (McFedries) had it really bad. He had to get a piece of his leg taken off and it was pretty nasty.
PC: I'm sure you were ready to take the Din Thomas fight after your win over Stout. How disappointing was that for you to have to pull out?
SF: Very! Din is a crafty guy that has been around for a long time and I think style-wise, I match up with him well. I think he would've tried to stand with me and then basically pull guard. I was looking forward to that fight.
PC: Had you begun training for Din already?
SF: Yep. I sure had. I started having trouble with my knee and it began to swell up and get worse. Drew went to the hospital with his and we figured out what it was. I tried to catch it as early as I could, but it ended up blowing up and they had to put me on antibiotics. They ended up having to stuff some gauze in it. It was pretty nasty.
PC: Who do you contact to let the UFC know that you have to pull out of a fight?
SF: Well I called my manager and then I talked to Joe Silva and it was back and forth. Was I going to be able to fight? Yes or no? I was still planning on fighting, but I didn't realize how contagious this stuff is, so I couldn't.
PC: I know you just touched on it, but had the fight with Din taken place, how do you think it would have gone?
SF: I think he would've tried to stand up just to get the takedown. He took down Jeremy Stephens in their fight, so I'm almost certain he would've tried to take me down. Stylistically, I just think I'm so much faster than he is and a more well-rounded striker than he is.
PC: Who do you favor in his fight with Kenny Florian?
SF: You know, Din has been around for a long time and he's fought tough guys. I think Kenny Florian is just becoming an all around better fighter and he's always working on his weaknesses. I think you're going to see Kenny take it with a minute left to fight in the third round.
PC: After rewatching the Stout fight, do you retract your comment that you thought it was a draw?
SF: Yeah, after watching it. I just didn't know how it would look on the scorecards because I was cut a lot and bleeding. My corner was telling me, "you're killing him every round, but if you want to take him down, then take him down." You don't know what's going on really, so you just listen to your corner. Watching it over, I definitely out pointed him.
PC: I think that was the most well-rounded Spencer Fisher I have ever seen with the way you mixed things up. How do you feel about your performance?
SF: I loved it. The kind of fight that I wanted to leave on peoples mind. I wanted people to leave and say, "Wow!" I wanted people to be talking about me and remembering my name from that fight.
PC: Were you surprised that nothing you hit Sam with put him down?
SF: Yeah I was surprised. I was real surprised, but he's a champion kickboxer so I'm sure he's had his head rang a couple of times. In the third, I clipped him, but he got right back up and kept fighting. That's just the kind of fighter he is. I knew from our first fight that going into the fight, if I was in shape and the shape that I need to be in for every fight, that it will be difficult to beat me.
PC: Did you train any differently for the Stout rematch, because you really looked sharp?
SF: No, not really. I went to Thailand and of course I threw more kicks in this fight and that's probably from being in Thailand, but I train the same way every time. I really just focused on my conditioning. If I'm in great shape, it's going to be hard for somebody to beat me, unless they try to lay on me for three rounds and no one wants to see that.
PC: I know I say this to you every time we speak, but you really seem like you enjoy what you do for a living?
SF: I do. Dana was talking to us in the locker room before the fight and he said, "You're the main event. Go out there and fight like it." I try to fight like that in all of my fights. Especially the live shows. To be in a main event in the UFC is like a dream come true. Walking into the cage, I'm smiling and happy because I want to fight. It turned out perfect.
PC: You are one of the most relaxed fighters I've ever seen in the cage. What do you do preflight? Are you that relaxed or is that when you get your nerves out?
SF: I'm a pretty emotional fighter. I've had enough fights now to where it gets a little easier, but I still get pretty worked up for it. I calm myself and then I go out to the cage and I'm ready to fight and let it all hang out and that's the kind of fight that people want to see. People don't want to see us lay on the ground or try and outjab our opponent. They want to see a fight.
PC: I know we'll see you in the cage soon, but how big of a setback was this for you?
SF: Huge. If I could've had that fight, it would've been a huge step up and I don't see how they could've denied me a title shot with a win. It was definitely a setback and now I have to work my way back up. I hate to miss out on the payday as well (laughing).
PC: Were you surprised that both Hermes Franca and Sean Sherk tested positive for steroids?
SF: Yes, I was.
PC: What is your take on the reasons for the appeal and Franca taking it for an injury?
SF: Everybody has their own story. I'm not one to say whether they should or shouldn't have. We all have our own issues. Hermes made it public and I could understand why he did it, although I don't condone it.
PC: After your fight with Stout, you went back to your hometown. How did that go?
SF: I'm from a small town where everybody knows everybody. Ever since I was younger, I was taking martial arts and a lot of people thought I was pursuing a wrestling career, but now that MMA is so huge, they understand what it is now and they are happy to see me achieve my dreams because I have been so into martial arts.
PC: Who do you like in the fights this Saturday at UFC 74?
SF: We were talking about all of those fights. I think with Randy, every time you bet against that guy, he pulls something out, but I think against Gonzaga, it's different because he's a good grappler and that's what Randy has trouble with; Ricco and Josh Barnett. I think Gonzaga beats him. I can see St-Pierre winning, but I can also see Koscheck taking him down for 3 rounds. Koscheck works out with a great team and they will have a great scheme. I think Pellegrino beats Joe. He has better standup. He's a better wrestler and I think he'll be in better shape.
PC: Hurry back. It's always a pleasure to speak with you. Is there anything you want to say to your fans in closing?
SF: Thanks for their support.
Link:
http://fighthype.com/pages/content72...ac74dd654d9f64
Spencer Fisher Interview
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