Post by Kliquid on Feb 21, 2011 20:58:08 GMT -5
Hey everyone, I just finished doing an interview with Jason Reinhardt and I wanted to show it off! Hahaha.
Also, I was hoping to get some feedback on maybe how I could improve for the future. This was the first fighter interview so maybe some more experienced people will have some suggestions on how I can structure my questions to allow for even better responses?
Thanks,
Nick
UFC 127's Jason Reinhardt Interview: "I'm Gonna Smash This
in' Guy"
UFC 127's Jason Reinhardt may be one of the best fighters in the world that many fans have never heard of.
Reinhardt made his UFC debut at UFC 78 back in Nov. 2007 when he lost the first fight of his professional career against Joe Lauzon. Reinhardt fought twice over the next two months, winning both fights, but has not had a professional fight since Jan. 2008.
Until now.
UFC 127 will mark Reinhardt's return to the UFC and may be the most important fight of his career. I was fortunate enough to have a chance to get some questions answered from the veteran fighter before his fight against Tie Quan Zhang this Saturday.
Nick Caron:
Jason, thank you again for taking the time out our your schedule to do this interview. I know that you’ve been training very hard for your upcoming fight at UFC 127!
Jason Reinhardt:
No problem. I always have time for the fans. Without the fans, we don't fight. Period.
Nick Caron:
You’ll be fighting Tie Quan Zhang at UFC 127 on Feb. 26 but this fight was actually originally scheduled to take place at WEC 51 last September. Can you tell us a bit about what happened with the Colorado State Athletic Commission that forced the fight to be cancelled at the last minute?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, we were supposed to fight Sept. 30 in Colorado. But about 10 days before the fight it was suddenly canceled. They said I wasn't allowed to fight with my contacts in. They said, of course, I passed all the other physicals, but my eyesight was basically overlooked. The Colorado commission wouldn't allow me to fight with my contacts in. I fought for 11 years with my contacts in.
It was very disappointing, and financially rough, because I had spent all this time on the road training. But I just picked myself up and moved forward.
You have 2 choices: You can sit around and cry about it, complaining; or you can decide to do something about it and fix the problem. I had the (eye) surgery and my eyesight is perfect, and here we are. I'm now fighting in UFC 127 in Australia. I couldn't be happier!
Nick Caron:
The canceled fight between you and Zhang at WEC 51 would have taken place at 155-pounds, but the fight at UFC 127 is now set at 145-pounds. Would you say that 145-pounds is closer to your natural weight, and do you feel this gives you an advantage?
Jason Reinhardt:
145 is definitely closer to my weight, because most of my whole career I fought at 135. Although, back in the day, guys would always come in weighing 10, 15, 20-pounds over. I'm old school, bro!
The weigh-ins back in the day were very relaxed, and not watched properly. I've been fighting bigger guys my whole career. So, this could possibly give me an advantage. We are about to find out.
Nick Caron:
You’ve said before that this is perhaps the most important fight of your career. Certainly I don’t expect you to give away specifics on your game plan, but did your training for this fight at UFC 127 differ at all from others in the past?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, my training was very different. I have a team who is truly behind me. I have the most incredible coaches at the Wand Fight Team that a fighter could ever want. That makes a huge difference. I'm a completely different fighter now, verses in the past. I'm way way more mentally prepared. I'm not such a basket case. I'm at peace with everything.
Nick Caron:
There is some talk among the MMA community that the UFC is hoping to use Tie Quan Zhang to penetrate into the Chinese market with a win. As a veteran with an incredible 20-1 career record, do you feel that you are being disrespected as a fairly big underdog in this contest?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, I do feel I'm being disrespected. First of all, my official pro record is 21-1, but who's counting right (laughs)? Yes, I feel I'm being overlooked. All you have to do is look who is coming out first—me! Why? I have the better record, I am the UFC veteran. Boy, I'm gonna smash this (censored)in' guy, and people are gonna (censored). Then what? Huh?
I do want to say though, I respect the UFC, and how well they have treated me. This is a business, bro. It's all good. I understand the business. But, make no mistake about it—it's put an extra fire under my ass. Trust me. After I beat this guy, maybe they will want to promote me in China, and I will be the Chinese poster boy?
Nick Caron:
Perhaps the most impressive thing in your professional career is that you’ve never gone the distance. Jon Fitch will be main eventing UFC 127 and has taken some heat for his high number of judges’ decisions as opposed to knockouts and submissions. Do you believe that finishing fights is an important part of an MMA fighter’s job or would you be just as satisfied by grinding out a decision if it got you a win?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, I do feel finishing fights is important. I personally like to take risks in fights. I always have.
I love Jon Fitch's style though. I don't think he's boring in the least bit. He's fighting studs man. Sometimes it's not easy.
But yes, I will always go for the kill. It's my personality. But honestly, I will do what it takes to win this fight. I'm literally fighting for my life here. My future. I have to win. There is no second place.
Nick Caron:
Last, I want to ask you about your friend, Will Ribeiro. For those who are not familiar with Ribeiro’s story, he is a former WEC fighter who was critically injured in a motorcycle accident in Dec. 2008 that put him into a coma. He has since made a remarkable recovery but each day is a struggle. Can you give us an update on your friend’s condition?
Jason Reinhardt:
Will is in bad shape. He does need our help. I would like to try and figure a way to help get him to the United States for rehab. After my fight, I will focus on this. I've been in touch with my good friend who is Brazilian and he is going to personally visit Will in a few weeks, and we will see. I will know more then.
Please everyone, pray for Will. He's one of our own. We can't forget him.
Nick Caron:
Are there any ways that fans can help with Will’s road to recovery? Perhaps somewhere to send donations?
Jason Reinhardt:
There's no donations you can send at this moment. Just a lot of prayers, man.
Maybe we will set up a way to give donations to will in the future. I'm definitely going to look into that, and see what I can do. It's just a very sad situation. Will is going to be with me in spirit for my fight, which will make me fight even harder!
Nick Caron:
Jason, thank you again for your time! Have a safe trip to Australia and best of luck in this very important fight!
Jason Reinhardt:
Thank you very much. Always a pleasure.
Also, I was hoping to get some feedback on maybe how I could improve for the future. This was the first fighter interview so maybe some more experienced people will have some suggestions on how I can structure my questions to allow for even better responses?
Thanks,
Nick
UFC 127's Jason Reinhardt Interview: "I'm Gonna Smash This
in' Guy"UFC 127's Jason Reinhardt may be one of the best fighters in the world that many fans have never heard of.
Reinhardt made his UFC debut at UFC 78 back in Nov. 2007 when he lost the first fight of his professional career against Joe Lauzon. Reinhardt fought twice over the next two months, winning both fights, but has not had a professional fight since Jan. 2008.
Until now.
UFC 127 will mark Reinhardt's return to the UFC and may be the most important fight of his career. I was fortunate enough to have a chance to get some questions answered from the veteran fighter before his fight against Tie Quan Zhang this Saturday.
Nick Caron:
Jason, thank you again for taking the time out our your schedule to do this interview. I know that you’ve been training very hard for your upcoming fight at UFC 127!
Jason Reinhardt:
No problem. I always have time for the fans. Without the fans, we don't fight. Period.
Nick Caron:
You’ll be fighting Tie Quan Zhang at UFC 127 on Feb. 26 but this fight was actually originally scheduled to take place at WEC 51 last September. Can you tell us a bit about what happened with the Colorado State Athletic Commission that forced the fight to be cancelled at the last minute?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, we were supposed to fight Sept. 30 in Colorado. But about 10 days before the fight it was suddenly canceled. They said I wasn't allowed to fight with my contacts in. They said, of course, I passed all the other physicals, but my eyesight was basically overlooked. The Colorado commission wouldn't allow me to fight with my contacts in. I fought for 11 years with my contacts in.
It was very disappointing, and financially rough, because I had spent all this time on the road training. But I just picked myself up and moved forward.
You have 2 choices: You can sit around and cry about it, complaining; or you can decide to do something about it and fix the problem. I had the (eye) surgery and my eyesight is perfect, and here we are. I'm now fighting in UFC 127 in Australia. I couldn't be happier!
Nick Caron:
The canceled fight between you and Zhang at WEC 51 would have taken place at 155-pounds, but the fight at UFC 127 is now set at 145-pounds. Would you say that 145-pounds is closer to your natural weight, and do you feel this gives you an advantage?
Jason Reinhardt:
145 is definitely closer to my weight, because most of my whole career I fought at 135. Although, back in the day, guys would always come in weighing 10, 15, 20-pounds over. I'm old school, bro!
The weigh-ins back in the day were very relaxed, and not watched properly. I've been fighting bigger guys my whole career. So, this could possibly give me an advantage. We are about to find out.
Nick Caron:
You’ve said before that this is perhaps the most important fight of your career. Certainly I don’t expect you to give away specifics on your game plan, but did your training for this fight at UFC 127 differ at all from others in the past?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, my training was very different. I have a team who is truly behind me. I have the most incredible coaches at the Wand Fight Team that a fighter could ever want. That makes a huge difference. I'm a completely different fighter now, verses in the past. I'm way way more mentally prepared. I'm not such a basket case. I'm at peace with everything.
Nick Caron:
There is some talk among the MMA community that the UFC is hoping to use Tie Quan Zhang to penetrate into the Chinese market with a win. As a veteran with an incredible 20-1 career record, do you feel that you are being disrespected as a fairly big underdog in this contest?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, I do feel I'm being disrespected. First of all, my official pro record is 21-1, but who's counting right (laughs)? Yes, I feel I'm being overlooked. All you have to do is look who is coming out first—me! Why? I have the better record, I am the UFC veteran. Boy, I'm gonna smash this (censored)in' guy, and people are gonna (censored). Then what? Huh?
I do want to say though, I respect the UFC, and how well they have treated me. This is a business, bro. It's all good. I understand the business. But, make no mistake about it—it's put an extra fire under my ass. Trust me. After I beat this guy, maybe they will want to promote me in China, and I will be the Chinese poster boy?
Nick Caron:
Perhaps the most impressive thing in your professional career is that you’ve never gone the distance. Jon Fitch will be main eventing UFC 127 and has taken some heat for his high number of judges’ decisions as opposed to knockouts and submissions. Do you believe that finishing fights is an important part of an MMA fighter’s job or would you be just as satisfied by grinding out a decision if it got you a win?
Jason Reinhardt:
Yes, I do feel finishing fights is important. I personally like to take risks in fights. I always have.
I love Jon Fitch's style though. I don't think he's boring in the least bit. He's fighting studs man. Sometimes it's not easy.
But yes, I will always go for the kill. It's my personality. But honestly, I will do what it takes to win this fight. I'm literally fighting for my life here. My future. I have to win. There is no second place.
Nick Caron:
Last, I want to ask you about your friend, Will Ribeiro. For those who are not familiar with Ribeiro’s story, he is a former WEC fighter who was critically injured in a motorcycle accident in Dec. 2008 that put him into a coma. He has since made a remarkable recovery but each day is a struggle. Can you give us an update on your friend’s condition?
Jason Reinhardt:
Will is in bad shape. He does need our help. I would like to try and figure a way to help get him to the United States for rehab. After my fight, I will focus on this. I've been in touch with my good friend who is Brazilian and he is going to personally visit Will in a few weeks, and we will see. I will know more then.
Please everyone, pray for Will. He's one of our own. We can't forget him.
Nick Caron:
Are there any ways that fans can help with Will’s road to recovery? Perhaps somewhere to send donations?
Jason Reinhardt:
There's no donations you can send at this moment. Just a lot of prayers, man.
Maybe we will set up a way to give donations to will in the future. I'm definitely going to look into that, and see what I can do. It's just a very sad situation. Will is going to be with me in spirit for my fight, which will make me fight even harder!
Nick Caron:
Jason, thank you again for your time! Have a safe trip to Australia and best of luck in this very important fight!
Jason Reinhardt:
Thank you very much. Always a pleasure.
