| Strasser Discusses His Fight, Gym, and Promotion, and Vents About Regulating MMA in WI |
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| Written by Maxwell Destree | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thursday, 19 November 2009 08:15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Earlier this week WCS spoke with Strasser about his upcoming match in Costa Rica. Strasser explained that he received a call a couple of weeks ago, and that this fight seems like a good opportunity for both him and his gym.
When asked about his opponent, the welterweight said, “I know he’s shorter and stockier, he’s a jiu-jitsu guy, he’s probably more ground than standup.”
Strasser explained that he has taken the fight in order to help build a relationship with a gym down in Costa Rica. He said, “They want me to help train down there, like a sister school to help exchange fighters.”
The ex-UFC fighter said that he is in good shape, and that he doesn’t tend to train specifically for his opponents. “I’ve been trying to help other people out for their fights” he says, “so, I’m in pretty good shape, and I’ve been doing 2 a days.” He elaborates, “Bottom line is you have to be in shape. You have to be in good shape so you can adjust your game plan as it happens.”
When asked how much longer we can expect him to fight, the thirteen-year veteran speculated, “I’ll fight if it helps our gym, our show, who knows how many more I’ll have.”
In talking with the owner of his Freestyle Academy he also gave us some insight on what to expect from other members of the gym. He informed WCS that Jameel Massouh is training for an upcoming bout for WEC 45: Cerrone vs Ratcliff, and that David Olivia has a bout coming up in Poland.
Strasser said that Brian Geraghty (whom he claims is the best coach in the world) will be fighting in Costa Rica on December 5th as well. Geraghty will definitely be busy, as he is also slated for the Main Event of the upcoming Freestyle Combat Challenge on November 28th.
The Freestyle Academy owner/coach/fighter explained the difficulties of three professions rolled into one. He says, “When you run a gym its not teaching. There’s a lot of things overhead that people don’t realize, if it was just teaching it would be a perfect job. Not everyone training in MMA can be a teacher, and just because someone is a good teacher doesn’t mean they will be a good owner.”
The Freestyle Combat Challenge owner also hinted at a big move for the promotion that is in the works. The promoter informed WCS that he’s been working on a deal to bring his Freestyle Combat Challenge over to Japan. He states that there is a major sponsor over there that is interested in bringing the promotion over seas. If the deal can get worked out, it would be a great opportunity for fighters from the area to get international experience.
Towards the end of the interview; when asked if there was anything else he wanted to say, Strasser stated that he wanted to go on record about the current push to regulate MMA in Wisconsin. The thirteen-year MMA veteran says that, “I am completely AGAINST the commission.”
The fighter/promoter uses the National Football League (NFL) as an example to show that MMA does not need government regulation. He explains, “The NFL is self regulated. They have a union, that’s what we should do, have a fighters union.”
The idea of government involvement in anything can be an un-nerving idea for anyone. Strasser stresses that, “If you look at what the government does some is good, but most is horribly bad. If anyone has dealt with the government (implying the states regulating body) in Florida, it’s horrible.”
The ex-UFC fighter went on to address the notion that; without regulations, the UFC, WEC and Strikeforce promotions won’t come to our state. He argues, “The UFC won’t come without a commission? They go to England, there’s no commission there. How do you think the Thiago Alves vs Matt Hughes fight happens (referring to UFC 85: Bedlam where Alves weighed in four pounds overweight), they call it a catch weight. The UFC wants a monopoly.”
In summing up his argument Strasser admits, “I’m scared of the government running something we should run ourselves. We’re adults, everyone here is an adult, the government just causes bigger problems.”
With so many things in the works for Strasser the fighter, the promoter, the coach and gym owner, it would seem that the last thing he want's to add to his list of things to do is having to deal with a government run regulatory body.
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Comments (9)
Nate Schafer
said:
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WCS announced earlier this month that Dave Strasser will be fighting on December 5th in Costa Rica. We managed to catch up with the fighter/coach/gym owner/promoter to talk about training among other things going on, and in the process, Strasser went on record about his feelings toward MMA regulations in WI. His view might surprise you.
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... Good luck to Dave in his fight. So who is his opponent? In regards to the commission views, I'm pretty sure they never would've let a guy like Dave with a Sherdog record of (24-8-4)and UFC experience fight a guy who's (0-1) on Sherdog like his last opponent at FC34 so I see where he's coming from despite not agreeing with him. The fight was far from competive and his opponent never stood a chance. They guy tapped out in like a minute after Dave smashed his cup in the guys mouth. |
The Captain
said:
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Captain Dave always standing out by being logical and reasonable, I think people should really start to question the unanimous support regulation is getting when a veteran as experienced as Dave (in all areas of the sport including the business end) is as apprehensive as he is. The sport should regulate itself, period, and it has the means to do so... |
robert SWEET
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... yeah,with a commission he is probably less likely to get away with offering fighters money to fight and then not pay them.i also doubt he will be able to put his fight cards together 10 minutes before his show starts. |
WaRdaWg3
said:
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... Nate, I assume you are referencing the bout with Steve Conley in which Dave won via cup to ribs strike. Conley has fought several times and if you are looking up fighters records, many bouts have not made it to the listings. Oh, and for the record, Dave wasn't wearing a cup! |
WaRdaWg3
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... Robert, you must be the only person to ever claim that Dave doesn't pay his fighters for bouts. Also, you act like other promotions don't have to scramble last minute to get a fight based on someone no showing or getting injured while shadow boxing in the back. I've been asked to take fights while I have been at other promotions as a spectator. I concede to agree with you in regards to the commission not allowing last minute replacement fights. So many fights that have take place recently and in the past would have never happened. Thus, spectators paying for fights that won't happen due to unforeseen circumstances. I believe that regulation is important for the safety of the competitors, but not so sure a commission is the answer. |
Jameel Massouh
said:
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... How people get the nerve to hate on Dave is beyond me. I've never known Dave not to pay someone for fighting. Hell, I've been payed for all of my fights on his show despite years of not paying him gym dues, which would have been enough anyways. The guy's a pioneer for mma in WI, just look at the track record of fighters who have started at his gym, gone through his gym, etc. I grew up 2 minutes from the gym, born and bread there as a fighter with nothing special to offer and 5 years later I'm in the WEC after winning big fights in several countries the world over. Also, I'm not saying I am for or against a comission; I really don't know enough, but I think there is room for debate at least. Japan doesn't have an athletic comission, and mma/other martial sports have done very well there for years (Pride, K1, Pancrase, Cage Force, etc.). But, a comission has its benefits too, ensureing fighter saftery and medical checks. |
knowledge of the knuckle bang
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... i personally know of 3 people who fought for dave and he did not pay...will not go to another show of his. |
The Captain
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... Dave has been putting on shows for over a decade, there are thousands of fighters nationwide who will swear by his credibility. Go to any national MMA event with Dave and you can see, talk to fighters, trainers, managers from around the nation, even around the world, and they will vouch for Dave as an athlete and a businessman. Knowledge, you should give names, and specifics, if you are going to implicate someone you should also have the fortitude to give names of witnesses or evidence...until then you have no credibility. |
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