King of the Cage - Mike Low's LOWKICK

Welcome to the first installment of Mike Low’s “LowKick”, a new, bi-weekly look at the world of MMA. My name is Mike Low, and twice a week, I’ll be giving you, the King Of The Cage fans, interviews with fighters or just my opinions on the current goings on in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

Interview with John Cole

Before I get into the interview, I would like to thank Terry Trebilcock for giving me the opportunity for LowKick and to John Cole as well, for putting up with my sick interview skills (insert your little rolling eyes icon here).

My first venture into LowKick is focusing on one of the match-ups happening at the upcoming KOTC Collision Course show, featuring John Cole vs Thomas “The Wildman” Denny. Today, I am interviewing the first fighter in the bout, John Cole.

ML: John, thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me! How did you become involved in MMA?
JC: I grew up in Iowa, been wrestling since I was in second grade. I watched the first UFC, and I just knew it was for me. I knew that was my calling.

ML: What drives you when you get into the cage? When you walk through that door, does something change in your mind, you know the way you look at things?
JC: As soon as I’m back stage, walking out, I’m in another zone, I’m so focused. I climb in there, and I do it for the fans. I have this really strong fan base, real loyal fans. Because they know I’m going to bring it. It’s going to be exiting.

ML: That’s what my next question was going to be, how does the crowd affect you?
JC: I don’t hear the crowd, you know. People tell me it’s real tense, the crowd and all. But I’m so tuned into my corner, tuned into one voice. My corner, that’s all I hear.

ML: What does your daily training consist of?
JC: We’ve been doing a lot of sparring. I’ve been back at it, I haven’t trained this hard in years. We’ve got a real strong team, you know, we’ve got world champions walking around every day, and we’ve got up and comers, that you know, they’ll keep you on your toes.

ML: When you do train, you know, walk me through a normal day for you.
JC: We’ll warm up, get a good warm up, a lot of running, push-ups, jumping jacks, you know, do some crunches, abs. Go through that, get a good sweat on, then usually during the day class, just warm up, jump some rope too, then glove up and start sparrin’.

ML: How many hours a day do you train?
JC: Anywhere from two to six, it just depends. I like to go non-stop, not getting any breaks.

ML: Aside from your normal training, does your training change once you take a fight, and you know who your opponent is?
JC: Oh yeah, definitely. Especially just in my mind alone, just knowin’ it’s him, I’ve got to train so much harder. Actual fight training when you’re getting ready for a fight is way more intense, the intensity level just comes up.

ML: When you find out who your opponent is, do you train for his weakness is, or do you keep training your strengths?
JC: Pretty much stick with the basics, keep it simple. Just try to overwhelm him with my strength and athletic ability. But, yeah it does at times, but like I said, I’m just going to go back to blood and guts here and see what happens. That’s what I’ve been most successful at. Do a lot of sparring.

ML: Are there any rituals you do before a fight? Like some guys might have to put a specific glove on first, or do something like that?
JC: Nah, I don’t have any rituals. I’m just real focused in the back, and try not to think too much.

ML: Is there anything you’d like to see added or taken away from the game to improve the game?
JC: I would love to see knees to the head on the ground again. I think they took away a big weapon from us, being a wrestler. But I think it’s pretty much set.

ML: Where do you see the sport going in the next 5 years?
JC: All these kids are doin’ it now, it’s getting crazy.

ML: Especially with all the new promotions popping up left and right.
JC: It just keeps building every year, I never thought it would come to this. It’s growing so fast. I mean, I knew it would eventually, but I thought it would take… it’s already overtaken boxing.
ML: Over the last three years, it’s just become so huge, it’s not even funny.

ML: If you could choose one song to enter the cage to, what would you chose?
JC: “Mama said knock you out”. I like that song.

ML: Thank you for your time and I’ll give you the mic and let thank whoever you want to thank or say whatever you want to say…
JC: I’d like to thank all my teammates here at Millennia Jiu Jitsu… Rommy, Batis, Chuy, Chad Davis, and all the guys here. John Alessio, I got to train with him a little bit, he’s out in Vegas now. I’ve got a good, solid group of guys here, I’d like to thank them and thank my parents.

John Cole will be fighting Thomas “The Wildman” Denny at KOTC “Collision Course” on Sunday, August 5th at the Soboba Casino. The Cole/Denny fight will be one of 20 exiting fights King Of The Cage has planned for the evening. If you don’t have tickets, get them fast! The event is almost sold out!

Check back in the next couple of days and we will have an interview with the other half of this, bound to be, action packed fight, Thomas “The Wildman” Denny!