By Anton Sokoro (special to Fight Hub TV/Fist-ta-cuff radio)
Shine Fights COO Jason Chambers calls his 155 lb. division “a growing lightweight division.” If you ask me the division is well past growing and could be seen as already grown. With a stable of fighters consisting of names like Charles Bennett, Din Thomas, Drew Fickett, Junior Assuncao, and more, one could see why I say the stable is far from just now starting to grow. The addition of Efrain Escudero opens doors for Shine Fights to have some huge wars on their hands between some of the vets and the 24 year old signee.
We were lucky enough to sit down with Efrain and talk a little about the recent signing and what he thinks the new contract could do for him. Continue reading for 10 questions with Efrain Escudero.
FightHubTV: First off thanks for giving us a little time and congrats on the new signing. Tell me what it means for you to be signed with Shine Fights.
Efrain Escudero: You know Shine is a great organization that has been under-rated for a long time. Since being signed with them, I have shown them more attention and their fighters. They are no joke, there are a lot of tough fighters in there. This organization is going to slowly grow to be in the top, right now I am excited to be signed to be a company like them and I’m just ready to Rock and Roll you know. I’ve been training really hard and I’m just trying to get better. I wanna let all the Shine fans and everybody know what I am capable of.
FHTV: You kind of touch on one of my other questions. People might not know this, but Shine Fights has a stacked 155lb division. With you coming on board Shine just deepened that weight class, but who do you think the most dangerous man in that division is?
EE: The most dangerous guy is Drew Fickett, did you see his last performance at the tournament. You know when that guys is pounding you out and is on his top game he’s dangerous, really dangerous at 155 he is really dangerous.
FHTV: That being said Efrain you got guys like Din Thomas who are dangerous on the mat, Krazy Horse who is just well, Crazy.. Who do you want to fight for your first opponent, cause it’s not like you are the new guy to the sport. Coming in with a 13-2 record it’s not like you are a rookie, so who do you want for your first match?
EE: Well, I heard you were trying to get signed with Shine Fights so let’s make it happen. Ha-ha just kidding man. No I don’t really mind, it doesn’t matter regardless. The only person I don’t, that for sure I don’t want to fight is Drew Fickett. He’s my coach, my mentor, one of my brothers and you know that is probably one of the guys I wouldn’t fight. Other than that lets get it on, let’s do it, I just need a fight regardless less practice, the 155 weight class is only getting bigger and I’m only going to get better. Regardless of who it is, I’m in there to fight.
FHTV: Hell Yeah I just wish that other fighters would take note of that attitude. I hate the fact that you have guys that are trying to come up in this sport, who are trying to make a name for themselves that just don’t want to fight the real tough fights. They would rather have fights that help pad their record and they aren’t being fighters. Fighters don’t choose who they fight, they just FIGHT!
EE: Yeah you know that’s what this sport is starting to become, guys are worrying about records and things like that. You know I do this cause I love the sport, what I’ve learned from my past, when we step in the octagon, you don’t have time to think you have time to react. It’s just having fun in there, I don’t dislike the guy… Okay well some of them. We’re gonna go out there and put it all out there. I’m having fun this is what I love to do. I have a college education I don’t need to be fighting, I do it cause I love it.
FHTV: That’s bad bro, I love to hear and make note that this sport is very educated and that the majority of fighters are intelligent guys. I think that is one thing that doesn’t have enough light shined on it, is how educated this sport really is. What’s your degree in bro?
EE: My degree is in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology. Actually I just started my Masters now at Grand Canyon University where I got my Bachelors’ at. I just have to think about it this way, I can’t always think about fighting, I would go crazy ha-ha; I need a lil distraction here and there. Bars can only be so much of a distraction. It will keep me educated and on my toes, I mean I have to go and write a long paper. You gotta sit there and remember, hey you might have an early practice or an early tryout you can’t go out and party.
FHTV: Like I said with a 13-2 record it’s not like you are new to the sport. With where you have been as of this point in your career, how do you feel you can grow as a fighter with Shine Fights?
EE: You know growing as a fighter with Shine Fights; I think it’s a great opportunity. Like I said there is a grip of talent in here and there is guys in here that are bad with something to prove. That’s where I want to be, you know where the guys have something to prove. You know not where guys want to run around and protect themselves. I am in there to put on a show, I’m ready to take names and move up the ladder. I know being with Shine it’s just going to lift me up more and more and more. Every time I walk into that octagon I know that I am slowly moving up the ladder more and more.
FHTV: Okay so I want to talk perfect world here, it’s your time for a title shot. Who is standing opposite of you across the cage?
EE: I don’t know, I really don’t know. Like I said I have a lot of respect for Drew, I don’t know if I would be able to step into the cage against him. I mean that’s the guy that brought me into MMA. I guess I will go out on a limb and say Din Thomas. He is a really tough opponent and is really slick off his back and has really slick Jiu-Jitsu & he is a guy that leaves it all on the line.
FHTV: Okay Efrain I want to talk about what it’s like signing with a new promotion. I mean what goes through your head as a fighter through the process.
EE: A sign of relief, that I get to continue my journey. Like I said I love to fight, but when you are a independent contractor and you’re working from fight to fight and you’re not signed with anyone big it’s kind of hard. You’re out there looking for fights and trying to get your record back up there, honestly dude when you’re not signed with anyone it’s kind of hard. Shine came and opened the doors and I thought it was the perfect home for me. It was a sigh of relief. Now I can start looking at the roster and thinking about who I am going to fight and go from there.
FHTV: What would it mean for you to become the 155lb Champ of Shine Fights.
EE: I joined this sport to be the champion of something, regardless of what promotion it is in. I want to be in the top of this sport. For me to be able to come out there and be the champ; it would be a dream come true. (He starts to Yawn) and it’s not about being the champ. Anyone can be the champ, a real champ defends his title. Not letting go once you’ve become the champ. You know keeping your composure and defending your belt. So if I win the belt great, I’ve achieved one of my goals. For me being the champ means coming out and defending my title.
FHTV: Hey bro no doubt, I love the attitude. Oh and quit frickin yawing this interview isn’t that boring… Cmon.
EE: Naw bro, but this ride is… I travel about an hour to practice every day. It’s like an hour there and an hour back. That one hour is needed, you know that alone time. I get a chance to just sit back and listen to music and stuff you know.
FHTV: Yeah bro that alone time is a time a man can really find out who he is.
EE: Oh yeah especially when you are thinking…… Do I really want to go to practice (Laughs).
FHTV: Speaking of things that hinder you and such. What do you think it is that can keep you from being the Champ for Shine Fights?
EE: I think the only thing stopping me is myself. I can push my body to the limit and I can perform it, but when I go out there and don’t perform and mental block myself is the only thing stopping me. Regardless, yeah it is true there are better guys then me out there, but when it comes to that point it’s no longer about how good you are; it’s about how bad do you want it.
FHTV: Yeah they might be better then you on a Sunday, but it really only matters are they better then you on fight night. I got two more questions for you, before I let you go. With the new deal is your plan to go in and just win fights or do you want to go in and rip people’s heads off to prove a point?
EE: I am going to go out there and do what I need to do. My goal is to go out there and get W’s. I’ve learned from the past, if you lose you go home or to your hotel room and think I could’ve and man I should’ve done this. I’ve realized that is a sucky feeling and I don’t ever want to have to feel that again ever in my entire life. That’s what I have to do, leave it all on the line. Every time I step in the cage, I have to go in there and go non-stop for 15 minutes, let the judges and scores do their thing.
FHTV: Last question before I let you go, what would you like to say to those doubting you right now and also those that have supported you through all of this.
EE: To those that doubt me. We all make mistakes, but everyone likes a comeback and that’s what I am going to do. The guy that they said was nothing, as long as I have my family and friends and everybody that’s the way I am going to do it. I am going to go out there and do this cause of me and cause I love it and if the fans want to be with me, they’re with me. All my love and respect goes out to the fans because without them we wouldn’t be where we are at. The bottom line is though, when you go home at night you’re by yourself and when you are eating dinner, you’re eating dinner with your loved ones. All those people that doubt me, I’m coming back stronger and don’t miss a fight. I am not going to leave with anymore regrets. For all those people that do support me, I want to thank all of you. That is when you know when you’re a true fan. If you’ve been there for the good times and the bad times, when you stick behind me that’s what drives me and makes me. You know the times that you want to make those people happy, when you go out and leave it all on the line. I do it for those people , I want them to be proud of me and be happy cause I’m gonna go out there and leave it all on the line that way they get a good fight from me.
FHTV: Alright mane, I want to say thanks for giving us some time, anyone you want to give a shoutout to sponsorship wise?
EE: I want to thank my main sponsor MTX Audio for all of their support and always being there. I want to thank my family and friends and of course Shine Fighting. I want to thank all my fans and tell all those people who don’t believe in me to not miss my next fight.
