411Mania Exclusive Interview with Jamal Patterson
Posted by Lotfi Sariahmed on 07.10.2007
The IFL Semifinals are three weeks away as the New York Pitbulls take on the Tokyo Sabres and the Los Angeles Anacondas take on the Quad Cities Silverbacks to determine a champion. In 411Mania's continuing coverage leading up to the event, Lotfi Sariahmed got a chance to talk to New York Pitbulls light heavyweight Jamal Patterson! Get his thoughts on the fight, his career, the IFL's financial situation and more in this exclusive interview!
Jamal Patterson burst onto the MMA scene in the IFL in April of 2006 beating Matt Horwich by submission. He's started 3-1 in the IFL and all three of his victories haven't gone past the first round. Jamal Patterson and the New York Pitbulls will take on the Tokyo Sabres on August 2nd in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Patterson will take on Sabres light heavyweight Vladimir Matyushenko. Patterson recently took the time to talk to 411Mania.com about his fight in the semifinals and his career so far in the IFL.
411Mania.com: So I was reading up on your MMA career so far, I saw the IFL's website had your nickname as "The Suit." I found out soon after that's because you work for a dental company. How did you find your way into MMA?
Jamal Patterson: I was a wrestler all through high school and wrestled one year in college and I was playing football through college. When I was done playing football, I wanting something do. I started training jiu-jitsu and it kind of took off on its own. I was actually looking to start fighting MMA and Kurt Otto (Commissioner of the IFL) was actually one of Renzo's (Gracie, Patterson's coach) students and the next thing you know, I was fighting MMA.
411Mania.com: So how have you dealt with balancing your work with the dental company and your work training for your fights?
Patterson: It's difficult but it's doable. It's difficult from the standpoint that you don't have much time, I get up at 6 in the morning and work out and then I work my full job then I go to the boxing gym and jiu-jitsu late at night. I usually don't get home until 10:30, 11:00 at night.
I work my full job then I go to the boxing gym and jiu-jitsu late at night.
411Mania.com: How did you go from training MMA to landing on the Pitbulls with Coach Renzo Gracie?
Patterson: I'm one of Renzo Gracie's blackbelts. I've been working with Renzo for the last five years. I've been one of his better 205-pounders and he wanted me to compete for his team. So I did and whatever Renzo said I did.
411Mania.com: It's just an easy transition to make when you have Renzo leading the way.
Patterson Exactly. And I've competed in Abu Dhabi and some of the top jiu-jitsu competitions in the world so I had a lot of experience from a grappling standpoint. So he knew I'd be able to make the transition very well and at that point I had already starting boxing and doing things like that. I come from a boxing background anyway.
411Mania.com: Getting back to the fight side of things, you're still a relatively new fighter to the sport. How would you describe your fighting style to the casual MMA fan? What would you say your strengths are?
Patterson: I would say I'm pretty explosive and athletic. I'm probably one of the most athletic guys in the IFL. I like to bring a lot of action and I'm fun to watch. I could go for a submission or a knockout and I'm always pressing the action so I'm always an exciting fight to watch.
I'm probably one of the most athletic guys in the IFL.
411Mania.com: There's a thought that MMA isn't really a team sport and despite the IFL's successes some fans still criticize it and call it a "gimmick." Have their been any issues for you fighting in the IFL?
Patterson: No I love it. I think they are a great organization. I like going to battle with four of my teammates that I've worked out and trained with. I think our team is one of the few teams that we're actually buddies and we train together as friends. A lot of the other teams are just handpicked across the nation which I don't think is quite fair but that's just the way the cookie crumbles.
411Mania.com: Lets get into the business side of the IFL a little bit. There's been a lot of talk about the IFL's financial issues and despite all the success the IFL has had in the last year or so, they still don't air live events. As a businessman yourself and a fighter, is this something that concerns you? Or do you say, "Oh Gareb (Shamus) and Kurt (Otto) will handle that."
Patterson: If anyone has any sort of a business sense they'll realize that it doesn't take one year to start a company up and running. You look at the IFL stock and it'll shoot up and it'll go down but that's how IPO stocks work. Obviously we're gaining momentum and I'm sure they have a three or four-year plan. We're not even close to our three-year goal yet. We're halfway there. I think we've progressed very well. People of course want to say that "we're losing money we're losing money" and I'm sure we are. Every company does when they start up. I think we've got a lot of momentum going and I think we have some great leaders. Gareb's (Shamus) a very forward thinking person and a great CEO and a great businessman. I'm sure he'll be to able to get this thing going. But of course the stock is going to drop. I know people that say, "I've seen it as high as $15." And I say, you know what I work for a company, it's stock is at 28 and we're a $300 million company. So here you're talking about a company making no money that was at 14 not because of earnings all because of special membership involved. I don't think it's a worry for me. I think people are getting a little crazy because they saw the stock at $15 and now it's at $1.50. That's where it should be; it should be at $1.50 or $2.00 not at $14 or $15.
I work for a company, it's stock is at 28 and we're a $300 million company.
411Mania.com So really for you it's all a matter of patience. Everything will work itself out.
Patterson: Yes, it'll work itself out. As long as we have good leaders and a good staff that keep working, it'll work itself out. MMA is really gaining a lot of momentum the last couple of years. Our fan base is growing and growing, we just need to capture it. I think there's room for us, there's room for the UFC, there's room for a lot of leagues out there. We just have to capture that audience and just keep growing on it.
411Mania.com: Lets get into your fight for the semis. How has training been going?
Patterson: It's going great. I came off an injury (a torn quad), my injury's over. So I'm 100% now training harder than I ever have before. I'm training with a strength and conditioning coach for the first time ever. That's definitely increased my strength and conditioning. Vladimir's (Matyushenko, his opponent) very strong, but I'm a strong guy too. So I'm not worried about it.
411Mania.com: These are the semifinals so obviously all your work now is that much more important. On top of that, you're also facing your test to date in Sabres light heavyweight Vladimir Matyushenko. Are you handling this fight any differently? Is there any pressure or is this just another fight?
Patterson: It's just another fight. I go into every fight this way. If there's pressure on anyway in this fight it's on him. He's the one with the name. I'm the new guy out there trying to make my name. If anyone is feeling pressure it's him.
411Mania.com: How about fighting just a stone's throw away from your hometown in Hoboken? Does that make anything different for you?
Patterson: There will be a lot of friends there. But my friends are my friends regardless of if I win or lose. Yes, I want to put on a good show for them but I've competed in sports all my life. If my friends aren't going to like me because I lost then guess what, I don't want to deal with them.
If my friends aren't going to like me because I lost then guess what, I don't want to deal with them.
411Mania.com: Now on a quick side note because I have to ask, how many Jamal Patterson fans are you bringing with you to East Rutherford?
Patterson: There will be a lot. There's already three buses full. One from my hometown, one from my alumni association then one from the gym. So it should be a good fan base out there.
411Mania.com: Lets get back to your opponent for this fight, Vladimir Matyushenko. What are some of his strengths that you have to look out for in this fight?
Patterson: Vladimir is a very strong wrestler. He has some very good ground and pound. So right now I'm working on my wrestling and wrestling defenses and I'm also improving on my jiu-jitsu.
411Mania.com: I actually interviewed Matyushenko last week and when I asked him about fighting you, he said you would be his toughest test so far in the IFL. But he also said that because of his experience, he could fight anybody right now. He said it was like playing golf on different golf courses. What do you think you bring to the table that's different from anyone else he's fought?
Patterson: I think my jiu-jitsu level is a lot higher than anyone else he's fought. So he doesn't have any time to go for a submission. I also think in terms of all the athletes he's fought I have a lot better hands, I'm a better boxer and also a better wrestler. I'm going to defend myself and I'm not going to make it easy for him. And I'm going out there as if it were just another fight. The pressure is on him.
411Mania.com: What about the experience factor in this fight? What role do you think that plays in this fight if any?
Patterson: You know in my first fight my opponent had 27 fights and I had zero and I still won.
411Mania.com: Taking a look at the rest of the team match-ups, I see three big fights in your match-up against the Sabres. Obviously there's you and Matyushenko at light heavyweight but then there are the lighter weight guys going at it as well. Erik Owings will be fighting Savant Young of the Sabres at 155 and your welterweight Delson Heleno is fighting Antonio McKee. Talk about those two match-ups a bit and the keys to victory for both of them?
Patterson: Well I don't know what's going on with Erik. But Delson is an extremely strong fighter, he's a tough guy to beat and he doesn't get tired. The key is to prepare for the long fight with guys coming after him. He's going to have a tough fight. I could see Delson winning for sure.
411Mania.com: Putting what happens at the semifinals aside, there has been a lot of talk about this Grand Prix the IFL wants to put on for the individual fighters. Has anyone told you anything specific regarding the details to this tournament? Will you be participating or do you not know anything yet?
Patterson: I'm not in it because I got injured. When I got injured I only had one fight. If I had won my second fight I would have gotten in but I was injured.
411Mania.com: Before we wrap this up Jamal, how do you see your fight against Matyushenko going and your team match-up against the Sabres?
Patterson: I think it's going to be a close fight. I think it could be 3-2 either way. My fight against Matyushenko is going to be a long war of a fight. I think I need to wear him down and get him tired then show him what I could do in the 2nd or 3rd round.
I think it's going to be a close fight. I think it could be 3-2 either way.
411Mania.com: Now one of the questions I have to ask, there's one big organization out there, the UFC. Once your contract with the IFL ends up running out, is there any thought that maybe you take your chance in that other organization or is this something where you're just committed to the IFL. Or is it something that you haven't put much thought into yet?
Patterson: I really haven't put much thought into it. Right now I'm committed to the IFL, they've treated me well. They treat their fighters very well; they're guaranteed a certain amount of fights throughout the year and I like that. I like being able to know that even if I have a bad day I can still come back and fight five weeks later instead of getting beat and never show up in the UFC ever again. Then I'll be fighting in small shows the next two years to get my name back up there. So I enjoy fighting in the IFL and hopefully I'll stay there. I like training with my teammates.
411Mania.com: Is there anything else you'd like to add before we wrap up?
Patterson: I've been training hard getting ready for this fight and I want to put on a good show for the fans out there.
