Interview

(Calm down, Shane. It was a hypothetical question. I'm not saying you are a character from "Sex and the City." I'm just asking, if you were one, which one do you think you'd be? And don't say Carrie. Everybody says Carrie.)

Thanks to the thus far undefeated University of Montana football team (go Griz), Shane Carwin was honor-bound to answer our questions and yours in an email exchange this week.  “The Engineer” may be a no-nonsense sort of guy once he steps in the Octagon, but fortunately for us he has a sense of humor about himself outside of it.  With his UFC heavyweight title fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 106 drawing closer, we asked Carwin about everything from his reaction to Lesnar’s pre-fight trash talk to whether he can reliably use a normal-sized cell phone with his giant hands.  In the end, we felt that we came away with a greater understanding of this man of few words.

CP: What’s your reaction to hearing Brock Lesnar criticize your past opponents and your Division II wrestling title?  Do you think that there's a significant difference in the quality of competition you two have faced in your respective careers?

SC: Brock seems to think selling or hyping a fight means disparaging one another’s opponents.  I think anyone who is fighting deserves the respect of other fighters, especially a champion.  I do not think Brock respects MMA or MMA fans.

As far as my collegiate accomplishments compared to his, saying D1 is better than D II in wrestling is a ridiculous comment.  There are plenty of elite wrestlers that did not even compete in college.  The fact is Title 9 and many other factors (like lack of fans) keep wrestling on life support and being a great wrestler does not guarantee you a scholarship.

I hope Brock knows Dana did not send me a script to go by.  I am coming for that belt.

(Photo courtesy of MySpace.com/scottthelionheartblevins.)

Back in February, we interviewed Indiana-based fighter Scott "LionHeart" Blevins about his unrelenting quest for MMA glory, despite the fact that he's never won a professional fight. Less than two weeks after that interview was published, Blevins was arrested on suspicion of child molestation, and suddenly it looked like there was something much darker behind the quirky and inspirational story of LionHeart. Now out of jail and awaiting trial, Blevins spoke exclusively with CagePotato.com to discuss the legal battle he's facing that could put him in prison for the rest of his life.

CAGEPOTATO.COM: It’s good to talk to you again, Scott. Where have you been the last six months?
BLEVINS: Kosciusko County Jail.

The news report that first came out said you were arrested after a two-month investigation. Basically, they said you molested a girl under the age of 14, then helped police arrest three marijuana dealers. What exactly happened the day you were arrested?
Well, on October 14th I had emergency surgery, and then on the 17th my wife and kids asked to go to this guy’s house for a birthday party that was put on for my daughter. And that night she was molested by the guy, and as soon as I found out — which wasn't until December 29th — I immediately rushed her to the emergency room to be checked for a rape kit, etc. And the police officer that we called, his name is Terry, he tried to say that my daughter was lying. He just didn’t believe it. He tried to say that she was coerced.

The night I took her to the emergency room, the Mentone cops came and talked to the guy who actually molested her, and from my understanding, he accused me to escape from what he did to my little girl. My daughter’s 11 and she’s been taking Tae Kwon Do, learning the honesty and faith of martial arts, and she has never lied throughout her martial arts career.

So your daughter has never changed her story in saying that it was this other guy who molested her, right?

(Tate vs. Elaina Maxwell on her previous Strikeforce appearance.)

A few weeks ago Miesha Tate thought she’d be facing Kim Couture at the Strikeforce Challengers event on Showtime this Friday night.  But when Couture pulled out due to “personal reasons” and Tate posted a MySpace bulletin informing fans that “Sugar Free’s” impending divorce from former UFC champ Randy Couture was to blame, things got sticky in a hurry.  

Now instead of facing the 1-1 Couture, she’s facing the 8-0 (all by KO or TKO) Sarah Kaufman, and the fight has grown considerably in magnitude.  Here she talks about the change of opponents, her path to MMA, and what it’s like trying to make it as a female MMA fighter.

This seems like significant change in opponents, and on fairly late notice.  How did that affect your preparation for this fight and what the fight means for you?

It was kind of strange at first, the idea of going from Kim Couture to Sarah Kaufman.  Obviously it’s quite a jump.  I think I have a lot more to gain from this fight.  She’s a very tough and worthy opponent.  I have the opportunity to beat someone who has an established, undefeated record.

Do you think the only reason Kim Couture got this fight in the first place was because of her last name?

ATT boxing coach Howard Davis Jr. talks Chuck Liddells retireme - Watch more Funny Videos

American Top Team boxing coach and Olympic gold medalist Howard Davis Jr. spoke with me about his work with Chuck Liddell prior to his UFC 97 loss against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.  Contrary to what some people believe, Davis said he really did work with Liddell for about two and a half months, and while he didn’t change his style he did try to add a couple tools to Liddell’s game.  Here Davis talks about what Liddell’s recent loss means for his career, and whether he thinks the former UFC champ should call it quits like Dana White is insisting he do.  He also touches on the addictive “drug” of being a world champion fighter, and why he thinks Liddell has seemed more vulnerable in recent bouts – and it’s not because he’s getting old.

(Fence grab is at 10:18, the alleged illegal blow comes at 17:25. Props: MMA Share.)

Benji Radach has filed a formal appeal with the California State Athletic Commission through his agent, Ken Pavia, challenging his TKO loss to Scott Smith on the April 11 Strikeforce show in San Jose, California.  We contacted Radach earlier today to get him to explain, in his own words, why he’s appealing the loss and what he hopes to accomplish.  Here’s what he had to say.

CagePotato.com: If you could Benji, sum up for me the main points outlined in your appeal.

Benji Radach: There are two main points.  One, in the second round I had him in a guillotine, choking the piss out of him, and I thought I was just going to choke him unconscious.  But he grabbed the fence and used it to pull us into a scramble and get out of the choke, which is illegal.