By Monta Wiley:
When a fighter’s back is against the wall the only alternative to counteract the dilemma is to bulldoze through the obstruction to continue your designated course. Coming off two consecutive losses, it was a make or break situation heading into the Bellator Lightweight tournament for Brent Weedman. Bouncing back from his past misfortunes with an incredible victory over JJ Ambrose in the quarter-finals match, the Kentucky native looks to continue his pathway in his quest for the gold.
Fight Hub TV spoke with Brent as he gives us an in-depth look on his motivation going into the tournament, his impressive victory in the quarter-finals, and what type of champion he would like to be for the Bellator organization.
FHTV: Coming off two consecutive losses do you feel in a sense you were underestimated heading into the competition?
Brent Weedman: I don’t feel like I was underestimated but I certainly felt the pressure coming off back to back losses. The pressure to correct my course so I won’t get cut from the company was the biggest issue for me. As for the average fan, I didn’t get a good feel if I was being underestimated or not but I defiantly had a chip on my shoulder and felt I had something to prove.
FHTV: The losses combined with the opportunity to fight in the tournament, how important was it for you to make a great showing going into the event?
Brent Weedman : It was really important to make a great showing. The biggest thing for me was in 2011 I went 1-in-2 which included a lackluster win against Dan Hornbuckle. So it was really crucial for me to get a strong finish heading into this fight.
FHTV: Now your first round opponent was the very experienced JJ Ambrose. How did you feel initially heading into the fight?
Brent Weedman: I felt really good. I felt quick and very efficient at this weight. It took a lot of training for me to fight at this weight class. I trained hard and did a lot of cardio which made me have a lot of energy as oppose to my past fights like the one against Lozano.
FHTV: How did you feel about your overall performance in the fight?
Brent Weedman: I felt I showed my power standing where I was able to drop JJ seconds into the first round with a jab. When we went to the ground I felt dominate and in control the entire time. Even when JJ had me in a Darce choke I was able to counter with a sweep and as the match progressed I was able to finish with a great submission thus putting a stamp on my performance.
FHTV: Now was the Von Flue Choke finish something you’ve been working on in preparation for the fight or was it something that you saw open that JJ was able to give you?
Brent Weedman: It’s a little bit of both. I didn’t do any extra training on it for this particular fight however it is a move I use a great deal in jiu-jitsu tournaments and in the gym. It was in the second round where JJ gave me numerous opportunities to go for it before I was finally able to sink it in to finish the fight.
FHTV: Now moving on to the next round you have about four weeks to prepare. How do you balance time in terms of a rest period as oppose to getting back to training for the next fight?
Brent Weedman: I’ve done this before during my fights with Jay Hieron and Dan Hornbuckle where I had to get right back to training. Although I’ve allowed myself a 30 hour window to eat, get off the diet and be with my wife to celebrate a bit, this time around I’m jumping right back into it. As a matter of fact right after this interview I’m going straight to cardio training. The way I see it is I didn’t take any serious damage in the fight with JJ which makes me perfectly fine to get right back in the gym.
FHTV: How is Brent Weedman keeping himself motivated physically and mentally heading into the semi-final round?
Brent Weedman: The physical motivation comes from the toughness of the opponent. Thiago is a really tough guy with great kickboxing skills so I really got my work cut out for. So knowing this is at the end of this new trail that I’m on pushes me to work harder in my training. The mental aspect I don’t have to worry much about . Having a kid on the way, a new family, financial responsibilities, and most importantly the thought of wanting my child to see the correlation between putting hard work in the results will come with it. These things along motivates me in life to push myself so I can be a great example when my kid grows up.
FHTV: Finally with the ultimate goal of winning the tournament and hopefully taking the belt away from Michael Chandler, what type of champion would you like to be in terms of representing the company?
Brent Weedman: I’m a fighter for the fans first and foremost. I like to see myself as an open guy. Being able to communicate with fans on Facebook and Twitter to hear their compliments and responses on how I inspire them has been great. In all I’m just a normal guy who happens to do a weird thing for a living but it’s cool to be able to make a connection with the fans. So if I become champion I want to be the type of individual who isn’t on a pedestal and just be a normal dude continuing to keep an open connection with the fans.
FHTV: Before we end this interview would you like to thank anyone?
Brent Weedman: I would like to thank my management SuckerPunch Entertainment they do a ton for me. I would also like to thank my sponsor Clinch Gear, Alienware, and Battleware. Whether my fights have been televised or not these companies are still willing to sponsor me which I am very thankful for.
Photo Courtesy: Eric Coleman
