411mania MMA Interview: Jeff “Big Frog” Curran
Posted by John Curry on 06.02.2008
Preparing for his fight with Mike Brown on June 1st, the WEC’s Jeff Curran sits down with 411’s John Curry to discuss fighting, the WEC, Supplements and training the Chicago Blackhawks.
As one of the most experienced Featherweights in the sport of MMA, Jeff Curran is an underappreciated legend in the sport. A fighter who has his hands in many different pots, including coaching, his gym, real estate and occasionally laying carpet, Jeff Curran is a jack of many trades which expand outside the realm of fighting. This week Jeff took time from training for his fight with Matt Brown on June 1st's WEC event to discuss what exactly his life is like.
411ManiaMr. Curran, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join 411mania. Please tell our readers about your pre-mixed martial arts life?
Jeff Curran "Sure. I had a difficult childhood. My parents divorced when I was ten and my dad moved away. Unfortunately my stepdad was nothing to brag about so my life kind of fell apart. I started playing baseball and hockey to keep myself busy when I wasn't working at the family flooring business. I mean I laid my first carpet when I was seven years old. I used to lay carpet all the time when I was growing up and even after high school. I still have the tools so every so often I have to load them all up and go to work. I started taking up ju jitsu in 1992 and spent the first five years training with Carlton Gracie Jr. I then went and trained Muay Thai kickboxing with my mentor Pedro Sauer. Jui Jitsu was really my focus. I won a gold medal in the National Ju Jitsu tournament. Overall I have had well over 150 matches in jui jitsu only fights. "
411Mania Can you tell us what your daily routine for training is? What do you spend most of your time working on?
JC "Every day has a different schedule. I have to factor in my other responsibilities, such as my gym, coaching, my businesses, my family and more, so it isn't the same every day. My schedule normally goes, 2 times a week I have strength training in the morning, 3 days a week I run six miles a day. I grapple every day, hit pads 3 days a week. I try to mix it up a little and factor in some nontraditional training. We do plate pushes where we push 45 pound plates up and down the mat floor. We have tires that weigh 350 pounds and 250 pounds. We flip them down and drag them back. We also use some bungee cords, I think everyone has adapted them into their training. In regards to what I spend most of my time training on I would have to say on speed stuff like plyometrics and heavy strength training. I just try to be as fast as I can be. The one thing I do that I think a lot of people ignore is I stretch for at least an hour every day."
411ManiaI understand growing up you were pretty good at hockey. Now I have received information that you have an agreement between your school Curran Martial Arts Academy in Crystal Lake, Illinois and your hometown Chicago Blackhawks hockey team. Can you tell us about that?
JC The Chicago Blackhawks are excited about training with us. Basically their players during the offseason will come down and train like a fighter would. We are going to work on boxing and offseason conditioning and just everything that we do as fighters. They are technical in their sport and they want to come down and take on another sport that has a technical side. I love the sport of hockey and have always loved the sport. Every once in a while we stop by an open rink and play some hockey with everyone who is there. I hope that we can build a relationship with them and they give it back to me by letting me be a part of their team in some aspect. "
411ManiaHow do you think this collaboration with help the image of MMA?
JC "There is no doubt that hockey players have a respect for what we so as MMA fighters. I mean they know what it is like to fight but there are limited things they can do in a NHL fight. I hope to bring some knockouts to the NHL. *laughs* I think that with me crossing into the NHL with the Blackhawks who are one of the established hockey teams in the history of the NHL will show the world that MMA fighters are respected athletes. I also think working with an NHL team will show how other sports respect the way we train. I mean I have a really good strong training team and regiment. I have been at the top of my weight class for the past six years. I think if they are interested in training with me that shows exactly where I stand as an MMA fighter. I have a great respect for them and their sport. I am nowhere near the skill set that NHL players have to do what they do but I think I have a great set of skills in MMA. I think this will just show the world that other sports respect us as fighters and as athletes and how we train."
411Mania A lot of people might not know but you have had well over 40 fights in your career. I would say that makes you experienced. How does that experience help you in the WEC?
JC "Actually, I have had over sixty fights. I have another 12 fights that I can name off the top of my head that weren't counted because they were before Sherdog and these other online fight record sites were around. I have fought at 185, 170, 160, just about any weight division I could get a fight in. My win record is somewhere over 40 wins. I think having this experience makes me feel more comfortable going into my fights in the WEC. I am ready to fight anyone."
411ManiaBut what about those who say the WEC is the UFC's minor leagues?
JC "The WEC is a real organization. I mean we are owned by the same company. I think people think that the WEC is the minor leagues because the hardcore fans watch the fights on PPV while free tv brings in new fans who are not as familiar with the fighters as hardcore fans are. I guess when you are not on PPV people see it as a 2nd class organization. The thing they have to know is we have a lot of great fighters and two weight classes that the UFC doesn't have. (the Bantamweights and the Featherweights) So in a way we have two weight classes on them. *laughs*"
411Mania I understand you have a supplement line coming out that will be the only one specifically geared towards MMA Fighters, can you tell us a little about that and when it will be coming out?
JC"My personal trainer, David Davis, came to after about two years of people asking me about my supplement regiment came to me about it, talking about everyone wanting to know what I do. Asking what they should take, when should they take it and everything. At the time David, who has a degree in sports management, was having my supplements custom made to fit my fighting style, some were for weight gain; some were for cutting weight or bulking up. One day he comes to me and says we should sell these to people. I just kind of laughed it off. He told me that we have over 300 students and other MMA fighters want it. I asked him what it was going to take to make this happen. What are we going to create and focus on? So once we put it all together, my agent Brian said why don't we market it to fighters because that is who it is for. I said yeah. I mean if you look at my supplements they are a lot like the sport of MMA. MMA is a no nonsense approach to martial arts with all the crap taken out of it. My supplements are the same way. We have removed all the crap and fillers that you don't need and we don't have these fancy names. You can check it out for yourself on the web atBig Frog Nutrition. We'll be selling a pre-workout mix, a post workout mix, a meal replacement formula, a greens mix, and a daily muscle formula. We aren't going to focus on muscle building supplements as were are trying to help fighters not build bodybuilders. They are going to be available on my website and at fitrx.com which is one of the top 5% in supplement sales. There is a lot of interest in the supplement. The problem I am having is that many fighters want it for free so I am trying to balance that. I hope it goes well enough that I can put some money into my fighters pockets when they fight local fights. I just want people to know it isn't a miracle drug. You still have to work out, eat right and train hard. These will just help you as you go along."
411Mania I saw you just the other night on Versus on the Tapout program promoting "Sunshine". Tell us a little bit about working with the Tapout guys?
JC "The Tapout guys are cool as hell. They really love the sport and have been fortunate enough to be creative in their marketing and merchandising to be successful. They travel around the United States to watch fights all the time. But they are real people though, they have families like the rest of us, they are fun, goofy people by nature. They get tired like everyone else."
411Mania One of the things I always ask in an interview regards submissions. I know that you have won most of your fights by TKO or knockout but I have to ask, what is the most painful submission you have ever been put in either in practice or during a fight?
JC "The most painful submission I have ever been caught in was 14 years ago this guy I didn't really get along with caught me in an armbar at a ju jitsu tournament. He had more experience than me at the time and just caught me in it and snapped my arm. In my professional MMA career I have only been submitted once and that was against Uriah. It still bothers me but that night it just wasn't meant to be. I guess the moon and the stars were not aligned that night. *laughs*"
411Mania Tell us a little bit about Curran Mixed Martial Arts academy. I understand you are adding on to it?
JC "This is my final move. I just signed the papers last Thursday. The building is a 24 thousand foot building on three acres of land near my hometown. I have room to add additional 7500 square feet if I wanted and we have a huge parking lot. There are 12 thousand square feet for training space and 15 thousand square feet for weight training. The plan right now is to move in the second week of July."
411Mania Tell us a little about your tattoos. Do any of them have special meaning?
JC "My one tattoo on my right arm is a sleeve of a samurai slaying a dragon with some Bushido Kanji worked into it. My left arm has my name, the "Big Frog" artwork, my wife and my son's name in script on my arm. The most recent one I have is a modern version of the Curran family crest which is on my calf. It means a lot to me because my cousin has it on his back and my uncle is going to get it done."
411Mania Your nickname is "Big Frog." Where did that nickname come from?
JC "I had a tattoo on my back of a frog because I really grew up loving frogs as we lived by a lake and they were hard to catch. When I was 19 or 20 I got the tattoo of the frog. Some of my Brazilian friends started calling me "Big Frog" because of it. Now it's kind of down to "Frog". I know it isn't the killer nickname like "Rampage" or "Killer" or anything but I am not that kind of fighter."
411ManiaTell us do you have any pre-fight or post fight rituals?
JC " My prefight ritual is a meal after weigh in, then getting some good sleep and the day of the fight I just chill and work on getting my head right. I don't have any superstitions really. After the the fight I just try to come back down to earth and relax. As a younger fighter I remember trying to make up superstitions but as I got older I realized it was more work than it is worth."
411Mania How do you celebrate after winning a fight?
JC "Go drinking. *laughs* I just go hang out with family and friends and drink some Corona's with limes if they have them, I also go for some Jameson Whiskey."
411Mania You are fighting on the June 1st Faber vs. Pulver fight in Sacramento. You have fought Uriah. How do you see the Faber/Pulver fight going?
JC "I really can't predict it. BJ (Penn) proved me wrong on (Sean) Sherk. I really thought Sherk was going to win. In this case I would really like to see (Jens) Pulver win. At the same time I think whoever ends up on their back will lose. If Uriah thinks he can stand up with Jens he will lose. Trust me on this Jens and I went three rounds exhibition style for the fans before. It's just really hard to predict. They both have great ground games, but I have to say that I think whoever ends up on their back will lose."
411Mania You are fighting Matt Brown on the same card. How are you preparing differently for Brown?
JC "It's no secret he is a good wrestler so I have been working on my wrestling a lot. I think I would have the edge in the standup game. I hope he wants to stand up with me. No one wants to bang with me and I consider it a strong point of mine. I could use a KO or a nail biter of a fight. *laughs* I just don't think this is going to be one of those kickboxer type fights although I hope it turns out to be one of those fights."
411Mania As an avid WEC fighter and fan, tell us what is the one fight you are looking forward to seeing this year?
JC "The rematch between me and Uriah. *laughs*. I'd love to fight Jens, even though he is my friend, and see how much I match up with him. As far as the fight I am looking forward to it would have to be the Oscar v. Mayweather rematch. I think Oscar is going to be a totally different fighter this time around."
411Mania Before I let you get back to sparring and training, what is the one thing you want our readers to know about Jeff "Big Frog" Curran?
JC "To sum it up I want people to know that I have a great wife, two kids, three houses I rent out, four businesses I run and two dogs. If I were to focus on fighting only it would be a different world but I am always striving to be better and provide for my family. From the beginning I have been busy, I have moved my gym eight times in eleven years. What I want people to know is I started it all from scratch. I used to help set up the cages at my own fights. I grew up with a story, but I don't go out and share it with the public. I have had my share of poverty, abuse and drugs in my life. I have come through my share of problems and I am damn proud of it."
Quick Hits
411Mania Worst job you ever had?
JP" (without hesitation) Laying carpet."
411Mania Tougher sport MMA or Hockey
JC "Man, that's a hard one. That's two totally different worlds. I have a harder time playing hockey so I think it is a tougher skill for me. Fighting comes natural for me but I don't know which is tougher. All professional sports train hard and play hard."
411Mania What is something no one would guess about you?
JC "I am scared shitless of dogs. Everybody has a damn dog. I don't trust other people's dogs. I will change my running pattern to avoid a dog."
411Mania Do you have a guilty pleasure?
JC "I love to snack on junk food, mainly ice cream."
411Mania who do you look up to and why?
JC" I look up to my dad, My dad passed away at 40 years old, I was 18. I watched diabetes kill him for 5 years. To see what he went through for all that time and keep his personality really motivates me."
411Mania Favorite Singer?
JC "Chris Cagle is in my IPOD now, but I like just about everybody."
411Mania Favorite day off activity?
JC "Spending time with my 14month old son and my wife." 411Mania Favorite movie?
JC "Most recent one was Ironman" Big fan of Braveheart, Good will hunting, those types of movies are more my speed."
411Mania Toughest sparring partner?
JC " Bart Palaszewki, Season 1 IFL Champion from the Silverbacks. He's a badass he's everybody's toughest sparring partner."
411Mania Mr. Curran, I want to thank you for taking time to introduce yourself to our readers and we wish you the best of luck in the future. Before we go is there anyone you want to give a shout out to? JC "Yeah, I would like to give a special thanks to Tapout, Fairtex, Fitrx.com, MMA Warehouse, Pedro Sauer, Dough Mango. Brian Butler from Suckerpunch Entertainment for busting his ass for me. My manager Monte Cox and my wife for putting up with me."
