JOE LAUZON TALKS ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS MMA, FIGHTING IN THE UFC, AND FACING KENNY FLORIAN

Posted on | March 16, 2008 | 3 Comments

JOE LAUZON INTERVIEW

By: Rich Bergeron

They are two local Massachusetts stars who have not only achieved World Class sporting superstardom, they’ve also been feverishly passing on their skills to the next generation of hard charging Massachusetts MMA warriors.

Joe Lauzon and Kenny Florian are the hugest hometown heroes in a state that’s quickly becoming a breeding ground for the fastest growing sport in the world. One of MMA’s and the UFC’s most respected coaches is Mark Dellagrotte from the local powerhouse Sityodong gym in Somerville, MA; Dellagrotte’s protege and fellow trainer is Florian; the only man on the planet who’s beaten Kimbo Slice on tape–Sean Gannon–is from the Boston area; and the UFC’s upcoming “The Ultimate Fighter 7” season features Massachusetts natives Erik “Chainsaw” Charles and Buzzard’s Bay’s own Pat Schultz as part of the 32-fighter starting pool.

All but two of the above MMA experts (Gannon and Florian couldn‘t make it) graced Plymouth Memorial Hall Saturday March 5, 2008 for Untamed 19 to see thirteen thrilling cage battles go down in the town where the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

Joe Lauzon even emigrated back from Hawaii and gave up warm breezes and long training sessions with BJJ Legend and UFC Icon B.J. Penn to coach 8 of his Team Aggression fighters Saturday, who went 4-4 on the evening. Lauzon’s brother Dan Lauzon was also supposed to be on the card, but a staph infection put a stop to that plan. He was also there supporting Team Aggression, which Joe himself reports as having about 20 fighters under their wing.

“We have an incredible local scene,” said Lauzon before his last fighter’s performance in the main event of the night. “It’s one of the busiest circuits out there.” He pointed to shows happening all over the state, sometimes two or three times a week, sometimes two shows in one night. It’s the kind of rise to power, prominence, and promotional strength for Massachusetts mixed martial arts that Mike Goldberg might call “meteoric.”

At merely 24-years-old “J-Lau” is already a local, national and international legend. Lauzon may get to cut yet another notch in his belt and further solidify that legend if he can depart Colorado April 2nd on a Rocky Mountain High by defeating his new cross-town rival Kenny Florian. It’s Bridgewater vs. Boston with top billing on Spike TV‘s UFC FIGHT NIGHT 13, marking the second time Lauzon will appear on the network and the ninth straight UFC fight for Florian.

Catapulted onto the grand stage by his knockout bomb connecting flush to the face of Jens Pulver at UFC 63 in September of 2006, Lauzon went on to prove he was no flash in the pan overnight sensation. During his last appearance on Spike TV Lauzon dispatched Brandon Melendez by Triangle Choke in the 2nd round as part of The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale card.

Sitting in My Xyience seats at UFC 78 in November of last year, I almost missed him dispatch Jason Reinhardt in what seemed like the blink of an eye. He was done for the evening after less than a minute and a half of work and came out of the cage without a mark on him. Reinhardt never saw the rear naked choke coming until he was tapping out from Lauzon’s tightening grip.

As for what he thinks of his next showdown in the octagon with Florian, “It’s gonna be a good fight,” said Lauzon. “I have a little more experience, but Kenny’s been in the limelight a lot more in the UFC. I‘m looking forward to it. We both knew it was coming. I went to one of his seminars about a year ago. He‘s a great fighter.”

Lauzon certainly speaks the truth. Both fighters have only three losses, but Lauzon has 16 wins to Florian’s 8 (according to Sherdog). The bulk of Florian’s fights have been on the grand UFC stage. Though he’s not getting any younger at 32, he’s always in perfect physical form for his fights. He’s only suffered two losses at the UFC level, and both came against legends of the sport (Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez). Lauzon, however, has the advantage of spending tons of time learning from another UFC legend, a guy he calls “the best.” Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Grandmaster B.J. Penn has adopted Lauzon as his understudy and brought him out to train in tropical Hawaiian temperatures he always hates to leave behind.

“It’s nice going to Hawaii,” said Lauzon. “It’s tough coming back here where it’s so cold.”

Yet, his homecoming had a purpose. He had a busy night screaming instructions at his own understudies from his cage side perch, his pupils posting a .500 record on the evening with four big wins and four losses that Lauzon wasn‘t ashamed of at all.

“All the fighters who lost still had great fights,” he said.

Since coming back from knee surgery and rededicating himself to perfecting his submissions with Penn, Lauzon has become known for more than just the one punch knockout. Poised to take down yet another of the UFC’s preeminent heroes when he meets Florian in the cage on April 2nd, Lauzon is excited about the level of exposure this contest represents. “Everyone can see it on Spike,” he said. “And to headline it and be a main event fight is awesome.”

As for what he considers his ultimate goal in the sport, he wants to “keep improving. Not because I have to, but because I love it.”

Joe Lauzon’s Computer Science degree could have confined him to an office if he hadn’t entered the sport that made him a household name. He can always look back and wonder what might have been, but he’s convinced he wouldn’t change a thing. He explained that he knows if he chose a different path he wouldn’t have to train so hard and wouldn’t have to be punched in the face so much. “But, I get to do what I love,” he added. “This is a great sport, and so many unpredictable things can happen. This sport never gets stale to me.”

Taking only one round to tear down his last two world class opponents, Florian is certainly nobody to funk with. It won’t be fun and games for Lauzon even if he does win. Florian will be facing an uphill battle, too. He’ll have to snap a six fight win streak of Lauzon’s in order to pull out a win for himself on the old familiar free TV stage.

As for my pick, I always like to go with a guy on a roll. I’ve seen Florian fight on TV, but never in person. They’re both phenomenal fighters who show no signs of fading talent, but to watch Lauzon fight is to witness pure, unadulterated skill in action. Though it’s Randy Couture who goes by the nickname “The Natural,” it’s Lauzon who lives by it.

For those who might disagree check out this highlight reel from 2005 courtesy of joelauzon.com:

STAY TUNED FOR A FULL POST-FIGHT REPORT FROM UNTAMED 19 INCLUDING AN UNPRECEDENTED PRE-GAME HIGHLIGHT REEL