I'm Fighting This Saturday on MTV2!

I got asked this on the MMAJunkie forum and thought I would re-post it here, because I really feel it might help everyone better understand who I am, where I come from, and how I think. =)

Ben, reveal as much or as little about yourself as you like. Just wondering in Hindsight, any misgivings about stepping out of the Ellenberger fight and "up" in to the Fitch fight. That took some balls dawg. Did it maybe stall the momentum you had going off the Davis fight,…. or not. It’s been awhile, does it bother you, do you want it back, have you let it go ? Any other thoughts???
How and what most attracted you to JKD, and B.L.s philosophy, how do you employ that philosophy in life, and training?

Not trying to interview you on the interwebz. Again, as much or as little, just curious. 8-)

"Absorb what is useful; Disregard that which is useless" – Bruce Lee

- Sorry to copy and paste my last response, but I believe it sums up my thoughts and opinions perfectly… I have no regrets, just wish the UFC saw my potential and gave me another shot, other than that it was necessary for me to improve and become a better fighter and martial artist. I may have been stubborn about wrestling. But I was never close minded and always knew it was necessary but thought putting time into other areas of my game could or would make up for the lack in that department, mainly cause of the fighter I wanted to be for me, the fans, and overall the entertainment value of the sport that i personally consider the greatest sport of all time. I wanted to be that figure that helped bring are sport to the next level, and I guess that is still a possible reality. It is just gonna take a lot more hard work, dedication, determination, and perseverance. I was clearly wrong with my thoughts on wrestling, I may find it boring but that doesn’t take away from it’s effectiveness and relevance in our sport, and since then have done extensive research and training on the subject.

I’ll admit it is the hard lesson learned… Trying to maintain a style that is exciting and that also gets me the "W" is and always will be my #1 priority. But when the win is so desperately needed to keep your job, it sucks that I would even have to consider a different tactic. Once again I am stubborn and choose the high road and stick with what has made me who I am. A fan 1st. I go out there and fight the way I would like to see myself fight if I was a fan in the stands. Certain match-ups may or should require other tactics, but you live and you learn. I have learned that I can fight for the "W" only and keep winning or I can train harder than ever to continue to up my game and my style to allow me to continue my path of fighting for entertainment. I blame myself and push myself harder. If it back fires, I will just continue to learn and improve. I can’t take back my decisions, nor can I change the past. But I have learned a lot, so much so that those losses were in fact a huge learning experience and have made me that much better. I love what I do, and realize if it was a self defense or street fight or my life was actually at risk, I might choose a more intelligent approach. But since this is a sport and a spectator sport at that… I will continue to fight how I feel me and my fellow fans would better enjoy. :D

As for what Jeet Kune Do and Bruce Lee mean to me and how it has impacted me and my training that’s pretty simple… I am a martial artist my 1st introduction was through Karate with my brother and Tae Kwon Do with my best friend. Both of them were huge Bruce Lee fans and well it became a part of me. The man was a genius and ahead of his time. He in my opinion was the first true mainstream Mixed Martial Artist ever. His philosophies can adapt to every part of life, not just fighters, or martial artists. But to anything and everything. No matter who you are or what you do, most of his philosophies if looked at with an open mind cab be utilized. Because of him I was never close minded and always open to other styles and ideas, it was because of Bruce Lee that my learning curve was not hindered and I was able to learn at an exceptional rate. I have almost been self taught my whole life, taking what is useful to me, my body type, and my style, and discarding what is useless. One thing I am a firm believer of is every technique works no matter how dramatic, or unpractical, or over exaggerated it may be. It doesn’t matter what style or system it comes from. They all work, but each individual depending on your size, strength, athletic ability, ect will determine whether or not it is practical for you. That is something I see most people are blind to. You can’t knock kung fu or tae kwon do, they are legit. It is their close mindedness that leaves them vulnerable. If you learn about every other style only to know what to expect and how to counter, or defend or attack, you can be successful at what you do. But if your ignorant or blind to that, it will be ur downfall and you will be destroyed and then surprised at why u lost or why ur tactics, techniques, or style was ineffective. My training and style is about entertainment, brutality, simplicity, effectiveness, and above all unpredictability. I am still a student and will never master any art especially mine, cause I realize the truth. That truth is that I will be learning something new till I die, and there is no way to truly master anything.

Hope that helps give you some insight onto who I am and how I think. :D