Fight Hub TV caught up with Gareth Joseph (7-3 MMA) who has a big bout taking place this April 22 at WEFMMA in the sunny state of Florida. Gareth is an up and comer who took on the big a little bit too early in his career. He took those bouts he lost as a learning experience and since then has been on a winning streak. Basing his primary base of operations at Victory MMA in San Diego, Joseph hopes to mark another win on his record as he takes on Brett Chism.
By Dustin De La Torre
FHTV: You are taking on Brett Chism on April 22 in Florida what are your thoughts on the fight and your opponent?
GJ: It is probably going to be a great stand up fight. I know he likes to stand and bang a lot, but who knows I may take him down and work from there. I have been training for everything and I am ready to put on a good show.
FHTV: How do you feel about getting to fight on the same card as a Hall Of Famer like Ken Shamrock who is headlining the fight card?
GJ: It is a great honor getting to fight on the same card as Ken. Hopefully I can get a chance to meet him.
FHTV: You are from Florida, are you expecting to have a lot of friends and family in attendance?
GJ: Yeah I have a lot of friends in Florida still and a lot will be coming down from Georgia to check out the fight. So I should have a good amount of people there for me.
FHTV: Will that add any more pressure?
GJ: It makes the fight a lot more fun knowing I have family in friends their supporting me.
FHTV: After a fight what do you usually do?
GJ: Usually get something to eat, it all depends what time the fights end. Some times you get out of their really late like at midnight after waiting for your paycheck or other stuff you have to do. By the time you get out a lot of people are going to bed or have been partying all night and are too drunk to even talk to you. We usually go to brunch the next day and hangout and celebrate.
FHTV: What do you know about your opponent? And what can we expect from him?
GJ: I’ve actually fought on a few cards with him and have met him a few times, he is a cool guy. But once we get in the cage I am all business. I know he has ended a few fights with some knock outs via punches and kicks so I will look out for that. I also know he has been stopped before.
FHTV: Knowing that he does have a few stoppages via punches and kicks does that change your game plan at all?
GJ: Nope not at all. I have fought many guys that have won via kicks and punches so that does not worry me.
FHTV: What is your favorite striking technique?
GJ: My left hook! I have a powerful left hook.
FHTV: This is your 14th fight coming up, how have you changed as a fighter from fights 1 and 2 to 14?
GJ: I have changed immensely. Since I have been out here in San Diego training, every aspect of my game has just increased to a new level everyday. I actually look back at the DVDs from my first few fights and ask myself what was I thinking? I am a completely different fighter from fights 1 and 2.
FHTV: Talk about some of the guys you are getting to train with here at Victory MMA?
GJ: Dean Lister. He is a great guy that I get to train with all the time. We also have guys like Jeremy Stephens, Toby Imada and Miles Jury who is on the Ultimate Fighter; before he got hurt we trained a lot. We also have a lot of unheard of guys that are making their way up.
FHTV: Is that one of the great things about fighting out of a place like San Diego where there are tons of good fighters who people haven’t even heard of yet and you are working with them all the time?
GJ: Yes, San Diego is stacked with talent. We are lucky enough to have a cool gym were people want to come and train with. A lot of the guys from Alliance come in like Phil Davis and some other guys. We also have Joe Duarte who comes in often to train.
FHTV: Rolling with Dean Lister do you think he lets you get in advantages positions just so he can work his way out of it?
GJ: Always, he lets you think that you have the upper hand and he turns the tables quickly. It’s just like he’s playing mind games with you. He’s a genius on the ground.
FHTV: How does it feel when he turns it on?
GJ: Oh man its crazy. He is like the Albert Einstein of BJJ when you roll with him. Always a few steps ahead of you, he makes me feel like a kid sometimes.
FHTV: At what point did you realize you were going to stick with fighting and continue this as a career?
GJ: After my first fight, after my name was called that I had won it. It was the best feeling ever and I was hooked from then on. I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.
FHTV: How did you start your Martial Arts training?
GJ: I was a wrestler growing up. I got into a few street fights and had a cousin call me saying “I heard you like to fight. Start training and I will get you a fight.” He hooked me up with a promoter friend of his. I then took a fight on two weeks notice and the rest is history. I just kept training and fighting.
FHTV: As a wrestler did you ever shy away from getting punched? You always here that BJJ guys or Wrestlers hate the contact and want to avoid it.
GJ: It is bad to say but I have punched many times in the face without gloves. It hurts but it just wakes you up and lets you know that it is for real and you aren’t just playing around. I am not going to say I like getting hit in the face but it is not a horrible thing. I can think of worse things
FHTV: What’s worse?
GJ: Moving. I hate moving! It is one of the worse things ever. All the packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, it is just a pain.
FHTV: Starting your camp what do you weigh?
GJ: I start about 215 and make my way down to 185. I am pretty much on a paleo diet; no breads, no glutens, a lot of fruit, veggies and nuts.
FHTV: You see a lot of fighters changing their diets as a part of their training regiment how do you feel about that?
GJ: Oh yeah it is huge. I actually eat a lot more veggies and fruits now. I try to cut back on the red meat. It is not rocket science or anything. Red meat takes a long time to process so I try to stick to a lot of fish and chicken but you still need those animal proteins.
FHTV: Would you like to thank any one?
GJ: I want to thank my manager Bryce Armendariz for doing such a good job, Victory MMA, my other job Las Jarras for letting me take time off to fight, FightHubTV.com and Fist-ta-Cuff Radio, WEFMMA for giving me the fight. I appreciate everything so far.
