10 Questions with Miguel Torres

Miguel Torres hardly needs an introduction. Once a pound for pound stand out known for his wild wars in the WEC, he now finds himself fighting for contention in the UFC's busy bantamweight division. Following his recent win over Nick Pace, he took some time to answer a few of our questions.

Chad: You were obviously a little pissed off with your opponent coming in heavy at UFC 139. Did that anger help inside the cage at all?

Miguel Torres: I cut about 15 pounds the week of the fight. That particular day I was already one pound away, and in my zone where I was going to do some work. Got a phone call about 20 minutes from 2pm, saying Pace couldn't make weight. I said, "How much will he be over?" The answer not only upset me, it infuriated me, but I digress. My fury did not motivate at all during that fight. I am a much more mature and intelligent fighter than I used to be. Anger clouds judgment, I used the motivation of my daughter's future and all the sacrifices I've made as motivation.

Chad: Do you have any post fight rituals, or is there anything you really look forward to after a fight?

Miguel Torres: The biggest thing I look forward to after a fight is coming home to see my daughter, eating a home cooked meal, and playing double dragon. Being gone from home for 2 months is rough, so those are things I look forward to the most.

Chad: Now that you've got a second win in the UFC, is there anyone in particular you'd like to fight?

Miguel Torres: I don't have any beef or grudges with anyone. I will fight whoever is put in front of me. I am a professional fighter and it is my job to do this. My management and trainer are the ones who deal with that, my only job is to be in shape, be healthy, and to kill.

Chad: There's been some criticism from MMA fans about the new "safe" Miguel Torres vs. the old wilder Torres. What do you think of all this?

Miguel Torres: I get a lot of shit from fans about my new style. I don't believe I had a style in the past, hence the attitude I carried in the cage. And yes that style brought me to where I am now, but times were a lot different, and the level and strategy of my opponents has been raised very high. I am an old dog who is learning new tricks every day. Its one thing to criticize a fighter, but it's another thing to stand against him in a cage when it is locked, knowing your pay, health, and history are all on the line. The new Miguel Torres is still an animal, and when it has to come out, it will. The only difference is that now I don't have to make every fight a war, when in the past it was all I wanted. In all honesty, my body, mind, and career would not have lasted long with that attitude. What people say doesn't mean much to me when I compare it to my health, and my daughter's welfare.

Chad: You once said fighting yourself is like fighting an octopus in quicksand. Would you describe a fight with yourself differently today?

Miguel Torres: Fighting me on the ground is still like fighting an octopus in quicksand, only difference now is that this octopus knows how to wrestle, and has more tricks. For some reason judges appreciate defense more than offense. If strikes and submission attempts were valued I would pull guard in the first 5 seconds. I am a beast on the ground.

Chad: Of all the disciplines in MMA, which one would you say is your favorite, either to use in the cage or just to practice?

Miguel Torres: Out of all the disciplines, my favorite are striking and BJJ. Out of those two, I could never pick one over the other. I love both. Wrestling is my new mistress, but only out of necessity. The one thing I hate about wrestling is the abuse it puts on the body, that shit gets rough. But it is a necessary evil that makes the rest of my game more dangerous.

Chad: Since Urijah Faber dropped down to 135, there was talk about you two fighting, but lately that hasn't been mentioned at all. Is that a fight that's still on your radar?

Miguel Torres: A fight against Urijah will have to happen one day, just needs to be in each other's sites. We both have our eyes set on capturing a UFC title so I am sure our paths will cross.

Chad: Do you have any other hobbies or interests you'd like to pursue when you're finished fighting?

Miguel Torres: After my fighting career I would continue to teach my students, grow my gym, and train fighters. Working as an analyst, movies, fashion, restaurants, clubs, MMA events. I have a lot of paths waiting on me when my career winds down from MMA, but I will never be out of the scene.

Chad: You had a memorable career in the WEC, what early fight stands out to you most now?

Miguel Torres: The fights I remember the most are against Maeda and Mizugaki. For some reason I made those fights personal wars, and those were the nicest guys I ever met in my life. Those were some crazy times in my life, and I fought as such.

Chad: Who inspired or influenced you most earlier in your career?

Miguel Torres: The thing that inspired me the most in my career were my parents. They worked so hard for me and siblings so we could have a roof over our heads, and food in our bellies. They were the essence of sacrifice to me, and made me understand this at a young age. All I did was take that attitude, and brought it to MMA. Who knows, if I found poetry or music as exciting as MMA, we would be having a different conversation. With that attitude you can accomplish anything.

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