MA legend Rutten discusses new documentary

[Dan0]

Fighter, trainer, commentator and actor were already prominent job descriptions on the résumé of mixed martial arts legend Bas Rutten. However, Rutten recently added co-producer to his lengthy list of roles in combat sports, thanks to his involvement with a new MMA documentary titled Potent.

Available for purchase at PotentTheMovie.com, the documentary is a an insider's look at what it takes to be a successful mixed martial artist and features testimonials from Rutten, Frank Shamrock, Dan Henderson, Shawn Tompkins, Mario Sperry, Dean Lister and many others.

Lister's interview is especially revealing, as he does a great job of articulating the thought process that takes place in the mind of a grappling genius. Another highlight is former UFC middleweight champion Murilo Bustamante's statements about how even the most proficient Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners must continually evolve in order to remain on top in a field where the competition is constantly making adjustments.

Rutten, who was born in the Netherlands, also expressed a philosophy very similar to Bustamante's as he discusses at length how he was never afraid to question the training method of his teachers so that he could develop even more effective technique.

CBSSports.com recently had the opportunity to speak with Rutten about his training theories, how he became involved with the film, a change in his role with the IFL, what's next for his star pupil Kimbo Slice, and more.

CBSSports.com: You're the producer of a new MMA documentary, Potent. It's an inside look at the mentality of a successful fighter in MMA. How did you get involved with this project?

Bas Rutten: Livia and Aaron Mello-Fisher came up with the idea for the film and I was one of the first guys they really wanted to interview for the documentary. While we were doing it, I said, "Listen, are you going to ask the same questions you've asked me to all the other fighters?" They said "Yes" and I said, "Man, I think you've got something really good here." We continued to talk and I became involved in the project and that's how it came together. And when I saw the finished product, I was just blown away by it.

Q: You're quoted a lot during the course of the film. One thing you talked about is how one should never view himself as a master when it comes to MMA because it implies that there is no more to learn and that you should never stop learning. Before MMA you were involved with traditional martial arts, which has an abundance of Senseis, Sifus and Masters. How do you feel about the way many traditional martial arts styles are being taught?

BR: I believe in the structure but I don't believe in the fact that they don't grow. I believe that everything evolves and that they should, too. If we remember boxing from the old days in England, they were standing with their hands in a strange position. Everyone gets better and traditional martial arts should adapt themselves to the times. And they need to because otherwise the interest in those martial arts from the people will be gone.

Q: You are the co-owner of Legends in Hollywood and train a lot of fighters. What do you ask them to call you during classes?

BR: Bas.

Q: Just Bas? You don't even ask them to call you "Sir?"

BR: I am a fifth-degree black belt (in Kyokushin karate) and officially you're a "Siem." ... You have those guys walking around that you have to call "Grand Master so-and-so," and I never did that. I refuse to call somebody a Grand Master because I don't think that you're ever a Grand Master. Like you see in the documentary, you never stop learning. You can never say you're a Grand Master because to me, that means you know everything. But you can never know everything.

Q: I wanted to throw a hypothetical situation at you. You have two prospective students at your gym. One is very tough mentally and willing to do whatever is necessary to improve but is limited athletically. The other is a great athlete with skills that you cannot teach but just isn't tough. As a trainer, who would you rather work with?

BR: The mentally tough one, the guy who doesn't quit. When you train a guy and you put everything you have into him and then when they compete they don't perform because they are afraid, they kind of know it themselves. Those kinds of fighters know when they are going to quit before the situation even happens, and they shouldn't be fighting because it's kind of a waste of time. ... I would choose the guy who may not be overly talented but can fight through adversity because he will never quit.

Q: Can you name a well-known fighter that was a great athlete but never lived up to their potential because they weren't strong enough mentally?

BR: The perfect example is Mark Kerr. He was at his peak at a time when the testing wasn't there -- and not the testing for steroids with him, because I truly believe that wasn't the case. I think that mentally he couldn't do it without pain killers. Once they started testing for that stuff, he kind of lost it.

Q: You're currently the voice of the IFL so I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you what you think about the IFL's decision for 2008 to do away with city-based team affiliations in favor of team-based affiliations?

BR: I think it's good. I'm all for it. In the beginning I was afraid they were going to take away established identities of the existing teams like the "Anacondas" and the "Silverbacks," but they won't be doing that. For instance, we could see the "Xtreme Couture's Anacondas." And the change will allow for teams outside the league to compete, such as Tito Ortiz's Team Punishment.

I see it as a good thing because right away it redirects the focus to the gyms. And if you really think about it, we had the Los Angeles Anacondas and nobody on the team was actually from Los Angeles.

Q: I know you only threw Randy Couture's Xtreme Couture gym out there as an example, but is there a strong possibility that Xtreme Couture will be fielding a team in 2008?

BR: I'm pretty sure. I know Randy and he's very competitive. His team just wants to compete in mixed martial arts and those guys don't care where they compete; they want to compete everywhere, let's face it. I think that it's good and I think for sure that we're going to see a team from Xtreme Couture.

Q: A lot of other changes are anticipated. Has the IFL informed you as to whether your role might change?

BR: Yes, I'm going to be more involved with decision making, which I also see as a good thing. They said, "Bas, we have you right here and we don't think we're using you enough considering you have such a large influence in mixed martial arts." Of course, they were already using me as a consultant but now they will be talking with me much more.

Q: The World Grand Prix finals on Dec. 29 in Uncasville, Conn., will feature a rematch between Chris Horodecki vs. Shad Lierley, this time for the lightweight title. Horodecki won the first meeting via unanimous decision in June. Do you expect the style and the outcome of the match to be any different than the first fight?

BR: Yes. Personally, I think that Shad Lierley is not going to keep it on his feet this time. If he plays his cards smart, he's going to shoot and go for the takedown. Shad is very good on the ground as he's a phenomenal wrestler. He took the fight to the ground a few times in the last fight. I think going to the ground will be the game plan for Shad, but I still think the match will be high-paced because in the last fight when Shad took Chris down he couldn't keep him down. So the fight is going to be a spectacular fight but stylistically I think it's not going to be as much of an all-out brawl like it was last time.

Q: You're one of the primary trainers for Kimbo Slice, so I wanted to also ask you if you had heard anything new pertaining to him and when he might be fighting again?

BR: He wants to only train now with Randy Khatami, my boxing trainer here (at Legends Gym), and myself. He listens so well and never wants to leave and the results are so good. We just have a real good connection with him inside and outside of training.

Q: Has he mentioned to you that he'll be fighting again in February?

BR: Yes.

Q: Have you discussed an opponent at all?

BR: No, absolutely not. We would really like to have Sean Gannon, the guy he lost to on the Internet, because they changed a lot of rules with that fight. That fight was purely boxing and suddenly knees started getting involved and the choke holds and he started clinching, and that was not just the match. I think it's really been bothering Kimbo and I think he wants revenge.

That match is high on the priority list and hopefully Tank Abbott is one, too. Apparently he made some videos and said some things about Kimbo. When you put those videos out I think you should not only just bark but you should fight and take the fight.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/mmaboxing/story/10516359/1