At Last Word on Sports we’re always trying to look beyond the game, and bring our readers a different level of sports. Recently, we’ve been taking a look at some of the MMA fighters in the game who are not at the centre of the cage, but are well on their way to getting there.
We caught up with former TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) contestant, Steve Magdalano, to talk with him on his recent fight at BAMMA USA, and some of his thoughts on some current issues in the world of MMA today.
What got you started in the fight game in the first place?
My story probably starts like a lot of people… I grew up watching kung-fu movies, pro-wrestling and I just always idolized fighters in general – like boxers, pro-wrestlers. I loved watching action movies, so growing up when I saw the UFC, they all looked so cool, that it was just like emulating my heroes, and I just wanted to be that, because I admired it so much. It felt like it was the closest thing you could get to all of that (action moves, etc…) without getting shot at.
Was there any person that was your inspiration or mentor as you came into the fight game?
Who I looked up to… well, his career has kind of gone down hill a little, but I started out at Gracie Academy Training here in Torrence. That said, I always kind of liked Ken Shamrock when I first started off, because he had the look of a fighter; he had a real cool look to him, almost like a real pro-wrestler. When I saw him in the first UFC’s (Ken Shamrock), I thought, ‘man that’s cool – he’s pulling out some weird leg locks, I wanna do that!’ However, I lived in Torrence, and the Gracie Academy was right here so that was really my first real foray into into actual MMA training.
People I really looked up to and idolized were guys who were really well-rounded, like Sakurai and Frank Shamrock – guys who could really do everything. They could do a little grappling, and knew a little bit of the striking game. I liked well-rounded guys, because I thought they were the most exciting fighters. So, that’s what I try to emulate in my own style.
Was there anyone who got you into your first gym?
For me, I would say it was my brother. Even though he wasn’t really into the fight game, he was the one who showed me my first UFC. I was just a little kid doing tae-kwon-doe, and then I saw the first UFC and I saw all the traditional karate guys getting their asses kicked. I thought, “I wanna do that”. So, he (my brother) is the one that kind of led me into it (MMA), and he showed me my first kung-fu movie and pro-wrestling match . So he kind of showed me the way into it.
Where would you say your fighting technique is grounded?
My fighting-stlye I would describe as very well-rounded. I can choose my fighting style based on who I am fighting against. But, I think just because I’ve been so confident in my striking game lately, most of the time I’ve been keeping it on the feet. Especially lately, in the last couple of years, I’ve gone up against a lot of grapplers, but I felt like their striking wasn’t on par with mine. A lot of grapplers – especially Brazilians – are really relying too much on their grappling and their striking never really comes along.
What has been the highlight of your career to-date?
That’s actually kind of difficult. My third KO felt really good. I’d had three KO’s in a row, so that was really big.
Also in 2008, I won the New Blood Tournament in Japan, and that was at the end of the two years in Japan, and that was a real accomplishment. I think I’m a much better fighter now, but it was great because I couldn’t speak the language when I got there, and I didn’t have a gym. It was actually really frustrating the first couple of months, and somehow I managed to maneuver my way and find a good gym and great set of training partners, and they really helped me.
It all kind of culminated with me winning the Pancrase Tournament, which I think was my biggest accomplishment. It was brutal because they kind of expected me to win, so it was kind of a lot of pressure.
You recently had a fight at BAMMA USA. You fell a little short on the judges scorecards, what do you think went wrong?
You know, I am still trying to figure it out. I really expected to win it, and a lot of people really expected me to win it. He had a really good game plan, he was elusive and he picked his shots, and he kinda stayed away. I thought he had that training style, but thought I would deal with it. He has good movement, but I thought I could counter it. I was a little flat at the beginning, and my movement has really been better before; it just wasn’t on par that night, it was a little slow. It’s just a little frustrating because I know I do much better than that in practice, and I just couldn’t live up to my own expectations of what I could do. I still feel like I could’ve won that match, I just couldn’t get going for whatever reason.
Hats off to him, though. Southpaws are always tricky, and most of them aren’t really like him. Most of them come in, and it’s really easy to counter. He was more like, ‘keep you at a distance’ and ‘go kind of long’, and he really just had great movement. He fought the fight at the kicking range.
With that said, are their any key adjustments that you will be making to your game going into your next match-up?
I think it will depend on who I go against. I think my style is really good on guys who come in on me, and I think I am really good at countering guys.
This guy (I just went up against) I had to chase a bit, and I usually like to counter, but I knew he liked to counter too. So, we were kind of in a stalemate at the beginning of the match-up, until I finally started to press the match-up a little. If I have to fight him again, and I want to fight him again, I would definitely have to adjust a few things. I still haven’t watched the fight because I can’t bring myself to see it, but I will probably watch it soon and kick my ass over it.
Every fighter is a little different, and everyone of them is a little bit like a puzzle. So, I think I would have to adjust my strategy accordingly.
You train over at PKG. How would you describe the environment over there?
In the past year I’ve trained a lot with Chad George, and it’s been great training with him because his movement is so good – he’s in and out a lot. However, this last camp I trained a lot with Dominic Clark. He’s getting ready for a fight and he’s a really great guy to spar with because his boxing has gotten so crisp. I wish I could’ve trained a little more with Chad this time out, but he just had back surgery so he’s out of commission a little, but he would’ve been a great partner to train with for this fight. However, they’re all great training partners: Chad George, Dominic Clark and Mac Danzig, too.
If you could fight anyone in the world right now, who would it be?
I think you want to fight the best, so if i could fight anyone it would Jose Aldo. I’m not saying I could beat him, but you want to see where you stack up. I think every fighter should choose that guy because we see him as the best at 145lbs; but I’d just really like to try my hat at him and see where I stack up against him, see if I could at least give him a run for his money for a round or two.
You had the opportunity to appear on The Ultimate Fighter (in the elimination round). Given the opportunity, would you do so again?
I would probably, and again everyone wants to get to the UFC, so I would do it again. It would be very difficult weight-wise, just because now I am fighting at 145lbs, and before I was fighting at 155lbs. Just because of the logistics of the show, and you have to fight so often at a weight class, and 155lbs I could do, but for me to make 145lbs it really takes an eight-week to six-week process to get down to that weight. So, it would be hard for me to do 145lbs, but I could do it – although, it would take the strength of God on my shoulder! I would definitely, definitely do it – this is my chosen passion and profession, so I would do whatever it takes to get to the big show.
If you were to go back on TUF, who would be that top guy that you would want to learn a few moves from?
There’s a lot of good guys out there. I think a lot of guys would probably say GSP, just because he has such a well-rounded game.
Probably even Nick Diaz, just to see what he does. His boxing is really good, and I really like to learn from that.
However, I’d probably say GSP. He just seems to have all of the coaches in every area . He just has a staff that covers all of the bases. He himself seems to put together everything so well. So, I would say him, first and foremost.
A lot of guys have been using “trash talk” to get that fight or championship match-up they want. What’s your stance on this? Is it something you would consider doing?
I don’t know where I stand on it, because I kind of understand both sides…
On one hand, if you’re a good trash talker like Chael Sonnen, you’re putting yourself in front of more quality opponents just because you can talk the talk a lot better than some quiet guy. So to that end, you’re putting yourself over a line just because you’re good on the mic.
But then from a fans perspective, some of them might really like that, just because a guy like Chael really sells himself well, and can really sell a match well. Chael really makes you want to really cheer for him or against him, but either way you want to see him fight.
But naturally if I was in the same weigh-class as Chael, I think I might be a little PO’d, much like Vitor (because they’re getting passed over for a shot).
Nick Diaz recently stated that he thinks he could take GSP in a second match-up, and even said he thinks he could beat Anderson Silva. Do you think this is just Nick Diaz being Nick Diaz, or do you think there is some validity to what he is saying?
I think it’s more Nick Diaz being Nick Diaz. I think he could probably do a little bit better than he did, but I don’t think he could beat GSP. GSP really showed that he had his number. He popped him in the face with the jab a lot. I think it would just be more of the same if they fought again. GSP is really good at controlling you, his wrestling is way better than Nick. It was in the later rounds when GSP began to tire a little bit that Daiz managed to stop the takedown, but in those beginning rounds even if Diaz had his top take-down defence in play, I still don’t think he would be able to stop GSP.
Although with Anderson, I don’t know how that would play out. I think he would have a better chance against him. I think Anderson would still beat him, however, a guy like Anderson isn’t going to try and wrestle him, he’s just going to strike with him so, you never know.
Speaking of Nick Diaz, do you think they should test for marijuana in MMA?
I don’t really have a big opinion. I’m kind of weird because I think I am one of the only Californians who has never tried the stuff – I know, that’s really shocking. That said, I don’t think it’s an enhancer at all. If I go against an opponent who does I don’t really care one way or the other. If I go against an opponent that uses PEDs or steroids, I do really care about that. I think that PEDs and steroids are much more detrimental to the sport; we’re in the business of hurting people, and it kind of gives you the upper-edge where you can essentially really hurt your opponent. Something like marijuana on the other hand, I don’t really think that’s giving anyone the extra edge. I wouldn’t really care about Nick Diaz and his poison of choice. I don’t really think it plays a part in the outcome of the fight.
This upcoming season of TUF will be coached by two women. Do you think women’s MMA is here to stay?
I think it’s here to stay. Especially now that girls see how big you can possibly get in the sport. I think you’ll see a lot more girls getting involved in MMA. Especially now that you see how big Ronda Rousey is and how famous she is, so I think the girls thing is here to stay. I still think it’s going to build itself up slowly, because right now they only have the 135lbs class, and I think it will be awhile before they can have another – I truthfully don’t know.
I think women’s MMA is here to stay, but I think you can say that women in general are not as well-rounded as guys. Not anywhere close. The girls are good. Ronda Rousey is great at judo and her arm-bar is awesome, but then you don’t see a GSP-type fighter that is good at everything. We don’t have that GSP-girl yet that is good at every facet of the game, and I think that will take a while yet.
We want to to thank Steve for taking the time to talk to us. We appreciate all of his candour during this interview, and definitely look forward to seeing him back in the cage… and leaving with his hand raised.
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