Mousasi Bumps to 205, New Year’s or Affliction Next
Tim Leidecker Oct 16, 2008
Five weeks have passed since the biggest night of Gegard
Mousasi’s young career, and the toasted middleweight awaits his
next assignment in Japan on New Year’s Eve or a possible U.S. debut
for Affliction in January, though he’s asking for a bout in the
light heavyweight division.
At Dream’s middleweight grand prix finals on Sept. 23 in Tokyo, the 23-year-old kickboxer needed just 3:43 to submit Dutch nemesis Melvin Manhoef and knock out Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, considered the world’s best jiu-jitsu player at 183 pounds. That was 3:43 combined, mind you.
After a quick seminar and his attendance at the seventh edition of
the M-1 Challenge in England, the Iran-born Armenian’s feat is just
now soaking in for him.
“I have only just realized what I have achieved,” the adopted Dutchman told Sherdog.com. “It’s nice to get some attention now after fighting in all those different organizations. In order to stay on top I will have to continue beating a lot of good fighters, so I have to stay focused and train hard. I am still very hungry, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Beating Melvin really felt good, because I had openly challenged him many times and obviously I didn't want to lose face,” he said. “I really wanted to prove to the Dutch fans that I am also one of the better mixed martial arts fighters out of Holland and there’s no better way to do that than beat a guy who is as loved and admired over here as Manhoef.”
With Kang, Manhoef and Jacare out of the way, the grand prix king has nearly cleaned out the Dream middleweight division. The obvious question arises: Who is left for him to fight in Japan?
“There are plenty of good middleweight fighters in Japan, but Akiyama is the only big name left in Dream that I haven’t fought yet,” he said. “Unfortunately for me, he is dead set on fighting [Hidehiko] Yoshida on New Year’s Eve and that leaves me on the outside looking in.”
As a result, Mousasi (24-2-1) said he and his team decided to move up a division the day after Dream 6.
“There is no reason to push me to the 185-pound limit anymore,” he said. “It just isn’t healthy for me to stay at middleweight. Instead I will let my body grow and get bigger and heavier.”
The “Young Vagabond” had plans to move up to the light heavyweight division all along. After an easy first-round TKO over Brazilian slugger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos at the now defunct Canadian promotion Hardcore Championship Fighting in February, Mousasi was originally looking to fight Santos’ compatriot Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at an HCF show in late spring or early summer. That was when Dream came calling and invited him to join the tournament.
A rumored bout with former UFC standout Vitor Belfort is still a very real option for Affliction’s Jan. 24 return to the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Belfort, who recently dropped into the middleweight ranks himself, took out Terry Martin with an impressive second-round knockout at Affliction “Banned” last July.
“My manager has good contacts with Affliction and he said that there may be the possibility for me to fight Vitor in the United States,” said Mousasi. “I really want to fight for Affliction, but I still have a commitment with Dream, so I don’t know exactly which show I will be competing at next –- on New Year’s Eve in Japan for Dream or for Affliction in January.”
While he waits, Mousasi is back working the door of a Dutch nightclub part time. This is a fate he shares with 95 percent of all European fighters. Be it bouncer, firefighter or car mechanic, even world-ranked fighters like Mousasi have to look for side gigs to afford training.
“It’s really difficult to live on MMA alone, because the sport isn’t that big in Holland and we don't have the same sponsors that American fighters do,” explained Mousasi. “We also get paid in dollars at Dream and due to the current world economic situation, the dollar is worth much less than the Euro, which, pardon my language, really sucks too.”
During his three-month hiatus from the ring, Mousasi said he’ll try to expand his training horizons.
“I am going to Thailand soon to train with Fedor [Emelianenko],” he said. “He is playing in a movie there and I will also get a small role in it. My priority is to work on my standup game though.”
And despite his rising star in Japan, Mousasi will await word of his next bout in the peace and quiet of his hometown of Leiden in South Holland, where few people recognize him on the street. For now.
At Dream’s middleweight grand prix finals on Sept. 23 in Tokyo, the 23-year-old kickboxer needed just 3:43 to submit Dutch nemesis Melvin Manhoef and knock out Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, considered the world’s best jiu-jitsu player at 183 pounds. That was 3:43 combined, mind you.
Advertisement
“I have only just realized what I have achieved,” the adopted Dutchman told Sherdog.com. “It’s nice to get some attention now after fighting in all those different organizations. In order to stay on top I will have to continue beating a lot of good fighters, so I have to stay focused and train hard. I am still very hungry, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”
Mousasi’s semifinal bout with countryman Manhoef was a battle for
appreciation and respect. Choosing to train outside of the famous
Dutch kickboxing gyms, Mousasi felt a lack of love and recognition
from the fans there.
“Beating Melvin really felt good, because I had openly challenged him many times and obviously I didn't want to lose face,” he said. “I really wanted to prove to the Dutch fans that I am also one of the better mixed martial arts fighters out of Holland and there’s no better way to do that than beat a guy who is as loved and admired over here as Manhoef.”
With Kang, Manhoef and Jacare out of the way, the grand prix king has nearly cleaned out the Dream middleweight division. The obvious question arises: Who is left for him to fight in Japan?
“There are plenty of good middleweight fighters in Japan, but Akiyama is the only big name left in Dream that I haven’t fought yet,” he said. “Unfortunately for me, he is dead set on fighting [Hidehiko] Yoshida on New Year’s Eve and that leaves me on the outside looking in.”
As a result, Mousasi (24-2-1) said he and his team decided to move up a division the day after Dream 6.
“There is no reason to push me to the 185-pound limit anymore,” he said. “It just isn’t healthy for me to stay at middleweight. Instead I will let my body grow and get bigger and heavier.”
The “Young Vagabond” had plans to move up to the light heavyweight division all along. After an easy first-round TKO over Brazilian slugger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos at the now defunct Canadian promotion Hardcore Championship Fighting in February, Mousasi was originally looking to fight Santos’ compatriot Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at an HCF show in late spring or early summer. That was when Dream came calling and invited him to join the tournament.
A rumored bout with former UFC standout Vitor Belfort is still a very real option for Affliction’s Jan. 24 return to the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Belfort, who recently dropped into the middleweight ranks himself, took out Terry Martin with an impressive second-round knockout at Affliction “Banned” last July.
“My manager has good contacts with Affliction and he said that there may be the possibility for me to fight Vitor in the United States,” said Mousasi. “I really want to fight for Affliction, but I still have a commitment with Dream, so I don’t know exactly which show I will be competing at next –- on New Year’s Eve in Japan for Dream or for Affliction in January.”
While he waits, Mousasi is back working the door of a Dutch nightclub part time. This is a fate he shares with 95 percent of all European fighters. Be it bouncer, firefighter or car mechanic, even world-ranked fighters like Mousasi have to look for side gigs to afford training.
“It’s really difficult to live on MMA alone, because the sport isn’t that big in Holland and we don't have the same sponsors that American fighters do,” explained Mousasi. “We also get paid in dollars at Dream and due to the current world economic situation, the dollar is worth much less than the Euro, which, pardon my language, really sucks too.”
During his three-month hiatus from the ring, Mousasi said he’ll try to expand his training horizons.
“I am going to Thailand soon to train with Fedor [Emelianenko],” he said. “He is playing in a movie there and I will also get a small role in it. My priority is to work on my standup game though.”
And despite his rising star in Japan, Mousasi will await word of his next bout in the peace and quiet of his hometown of Leiden in South Holland, where few people recognize him on the street. For now.
Related Articles
