411mania Exclusive: Updates on Justin McCully, Kendall Grove, and Matt Hamill
Posted by Caleb Newby on 07.18.2007
Tito Ortiz gives 411mania the latest on Team Punishment fighters...
Tito Ortiz recently spoke to 411mania and revealled some new information about several members of Team Punishment. Below is a portion of the interview. Check out the full 411mania exclusive interview with Tito Ortiz here.
411Mania.com: Let's move to your Team Punishment camp for a bit. Are you still working with Kendall Grove and Matt Hamill? How is training going for their respective fights taking on Patrick Cote and Michael Bisping?
Ortiz: Unfortunately I've actually parted ways with Matt. I know he's in Cincinnati working hard. He's doing his own thing training with his guys. It's kind of hard for him to come out to California especially with a wife and kid. Matt Hamill is working at Cincinnati working hard. He's doing his own thing. Kendall Grove is actually in Las Vegas training with Couture for his fight against Cote. We're actually pretty excited because we just signed Kendall to a contract with Team Punishment clothing so we'll be taking care of him for a while.
411Mania.com: You were so high on Kendall as his coach during the third season of The Ultimate Fighter. Now that he's had another year or so of training and fights since the Finale, how far do you see him going in that middleweight division?
Ortiz: I mean I think he's done a really good job so far. He can only really become more dominant. He keeps growing as a fighter and I think he could really do some damage. I think Kendall could be a world champion at middleweight.
411Mania.com:Are there any other Team Punishment fighters doing anything you want to tell us about?
Ortiz: Well there's Tiki Ghosn, he's going to be fighting in the WEC on Versus coming up (August 5th with Blas Avena as his rumored opponent). Rob McCullough will also be fighting on Versus with the WEC (their September 5th card rumored to be against Rich Crunkilton). Then there's Justin McCully too who's set to fight in September but we don't know who he'll be fighting yet.