Los Angeles Anacondas Post Fight Press Conference!
Posted by Lotfi Sariahmed on 08.03.2007
All the news you need to know from the Anacondas!
Following the end of the Sabres v. Pitbulls team match-up, each of the four teams came in one after the other to field questions from the media. These are some of the highlights from the Anacondas press conference following their loss to the Quad Cities Silverbacks.
Los Angeles Anacondas Alex Schoenauer On his fight with Mike Ciesnolevicz
I don't know what fight the judges were watching. I took him down and I dropped him twice. He didn't drop me and he didn't have me in any trouble. I think it was kind of ridiculous. I could have been more aggressive in the fight of course but I thought I did what I had to do to win the fight. I controlled the fight. I took him down. I was dominating. How do you lose a fight when you drop the guy down twice and you take him a bunch of times? I don't know.
Shawn Tompkins On whether the team was fully represented
First of all, the beauty of MMA and why we all watch it is that anything could happen at any time. It's a tough sport. It's like Jay Hieron always says it's the hurt business. That's what happens. The fact that we had two of our top guys injured and out that sucks. But that's the way it's going to be. Next season is going to be even tougher for all the teams because the level is going up in the IFL. It's a great organization and we're getting great fighters. The fact that I had Chris Clements and Harris Sarmiento on my team tonight taking those replacements, I have to say I've never been more proud to have those two guys represent those two open spots. You guys could count on seeing those two guys back in the IFL. It's tough, but it's what happens. I'm proud of my team. It's not how you fall, it's how you get back up. I guarantee next season we're getting up fast and hard.
On this training camp not being the same before this fight
I don't know too many fighters out there that could handle one of my training camps other than my own guys. There were a couple of guys on the team that didn't come out to the camp but they had other camps set up. Benji Radach stayed in Washington and I was more than happy to have him stay out there because I know Dennis Hallman and I respect him very much. To me that was fine. Those kinds of things are going to happen. Krzysztof Soszynski stayed with a very good friend of mine, Dan Henderson, and trained with him. So I don't know how just the fact that they're not with me doesn't mean they can't fight. We have to train four (he meant five) fights not two fights. These guys know how to fight. The rest of the guys were with me and we did our thing. Harris took this fight on basically four days notice. Up until the guillotine I thought he was whooping Bart's ass. Chris Clements I think got a bad referee's stoppage. So I could be really sad and down but at the same time I just saw two brand new stars coming into the IFL. I think Kurt Otto was really happy with them and I hope so. And it was Pat Miletich, what could you say? He's got top guys and they're dangerous at all times.
On the Silverbacks being their main rivals
It's obviously a back and forth thing. We've had times where we thought that we got screwed over in fights with them and they've had times where they thought that they got screwed over. The Grand Prix is a beautiful thing because we're going to solve a couple of problems that we have with them in November. But we were the top team in the league this season for a reason. We're going to be even better next year. We're going to make some adjustments and we're going to take over this whole organization. The Anacondas are here to stay and we're going to get those rings.
On potential lineup changes for next year
We're going to make some adjustments but the thing with the Anacondas is that we're more than just a team we're a family. I'm in it for the long run with them because I know they're in it for the long run with me.
On their 2007 season
It's been a great season for us. We've made some superstars and have a lot of fans now. We're growing with the IFL. It was a disappointing finish but again like I said earlier, in a sport like this where you create a team atmosphere and the fighters are coming up to this level there are going to be injuries. We dealt with two injuries this year and other teams will have to deal with that too. You can't fight every other month and not get some guys hurt.
Chris Clements On the stoppage in his fight
I was kind of shocked actually. I didn't even know what was going on when he stopped it. I wasn't hurt from the punch at all. He dropped me I have to give him that. I don't remember the punch and I didn't feel it. I was on the ground and I saw him trying to punch me and I moved out of the way of both punches. I was getting back to my feet then I felt a hand on my back and I didn't know what he was stopping it for. I had no idea he was stopping the fight.
Benji Radach On his opponent Gerald Harris
He's a tough wrestler. I kind of expected him to be a top-level grappler. Excellent Power. Every time I had him in a guillotine and every time his feet touched the ground it seemed like I was up in the air. He's just a really dynamic, explosive and fast wrestler. That's my background too. I wrestled my whole life. So I knew that I was going to give him some trouble. The thing that separated us I think was that I have a little more to bring to the game. I have more experience. I was able to stop his wrestling enough to where I could start throwing some other things in there. I threw a curveball in his game.
On his future in MMA
At the beginning of my career I started and two years later I was fighting in the UFC. I didn't have a lot of confidence. I was a young kid with a hard punch and good wrestling. Then all these injuries hit me and I had a lot of time to think. It prepared me mentally. Now I'm coming back with a different attitude with more confidence and strength and I'm building confidence as I'm going. I really want to get that belt this year. I've never stayed in one organization long enough to get the belt. I've fought in the UFC, King of the Cage and never stayed long enough to get the belt.
Chris Horodecki On being a spectator for the fights
It was tough. I've never been more nervous for a fight than I was tonight and I wasn't even fighting. My heart was racing the whole time. It was disappointing but we'll take it for what it is. It was a learning experience and we're going to make sure we come back strong. At the Grand Prix we're coming for the belts. We're going to build four champions.
Krzysztof Soszynski On his quick KO loss to Ben Rothwell
Like an idiot, I just went straight at the #1 heavyweight in the IFL. I don't think I even had my chin down. He just clipped me and I went down. He knocked me down to 205, that's for sure. I think this was my last fight at heavyweight. I'm going to give the 205-pound weight limit a chance and see what happens. I was 229 lbs for the weigh-ins and I'm eating seven meals a day. Alex (Schoenauer) was weighing more than I was when he was cutting. So I think its time for me to go down to 205 and see what I could do there. Fighting these monsters giving away 50, 60 pounds all the time is kind of rough. I had a great fight against Dan Christison but when he laid on top of me it was so hard to move that 50 pounds extra of weight. I got caught and I'll never make that mistake again. This is probably the worst moment of my career and from now on it could only get better right.
It was at this point during the Press Conference where one reporter wished Soszynski a Happy Birthday. He turned 30.
Kurt Otto then announced the Fight of the Night from the Silverbacks v. Anacondas match-up and that went to Benji Radach and Gerald Harris. He presented Radach with a check for the accomplishment.
