On May 24th Sean Sherk (32-2-1) will step into the Octagon after 10 months to try and regain his title from BJ Penn (12-4-1) at UFC 84: Ill Will.
For those of you that may be new to the UFC or MMA in general: Sean Sherk was the former lightweight champion. However, after his successful title defense against Hermes Franca, lab tests came back positive for steroids.
Sherk has maintained his innocence throughout the entire ordeal and is now on track to prove to the world that he deserves the belt.
Some people might be familiar with my article "UFC: Sean Sherk Doesn't Deserve A Title Shot... At Least, Not Yet". So it is safe say that there was a little trepidation about getting the chance to interview the champ at his training facility Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy. It was actually the first time that I was hoping someone hadn't read an article of mine.
Sitting down with Sean for the interview (which can be see at this link at fighters.com) there was no indication that he had read the article, or perhaps he didn't care. Either way, I wasn't there to bring up my initial sentiments. I was there to interview a former champ that was cool enough to sit down with me.
At 1:30pm Sean had already gotten up, gotten his kids ready for school, prepared all his meals for the day, rolled for an hour with fellow Academy members (including BoDog welterweight champ Nick "The Goat" Thompson and WEC fighter Brock Larson) and done a half hour of speed bag work.
Frankly, I wasn't sure what to expect from Sean. Though he stands only about 5'6", it is solid muscle. At a week out from the fight I just can't imagine there is that much more weight he could loss. Something about being able to see the veins in the chest of the person you are interviewing is intimidating.
However, Sean was very open with the interview. I wasn't interested in the steroid allegations. Frankly, I just don't care anymore. He is getting a second chance and if he didn't deserve it, I really don't think that Dana White is that hard pressed to find lightweight contenders.
I was actually more interested in his feelings about the upcoming fight and his opponent BJ Penn.
Without actually giving the interview word for word I can say this much, Sean just wants to get back to fighting. He has been a professional fighter for about 9 years and a wrestler since he was 7. Combat sports is what he knows and what he loves. His only two losses are against arguably the greatest welterweights (lest we forget that Sean is a lightweight) of all time: Georges St.Pierre and Matt Hughes.
And this fight is really about anticipation. Partially for Sean to get back into the Octagon, partially for his to finally fight BJ Penn, but also to really see who the best UFC lightweight is. There are arguably better lightweights in the world, but these two are at the top in the UFC.
MMA fans have seen Sherk walk through some of the most vicious offenses in the game. He is one of few people to endure Kenny Florian's elbows and he is the only fighter to go all five rounds against Matt Hughes.
And there is BJ Penn. With a name like "The Prodigy" he can't be a slouch. His jiu-jitsu is incredible and his stand-up has vastly improved. The real question is his conditioning. Can BJ really weather Sean for five rounds?
All of BJ's losses have come in the 3rd round or later. And Sean Sherk has gone gone the distance and won his last three fights.
So, what was it like to interview Sean Sherk? I suppose it was like interviewing anyone else. He was cool enough to grant the interview despite being a week out from one of the biggest fights of his life, to a guy I'm sure he's never heard of.
And while I have my trepidations about his getting an automatic title shot, that really isn't for me to decide. However, it does make me wonder, should he lose, will it be because he didn't take a warm-up fight?
Oh yeah, and did I mention that the interview can be found here at fighters.com?
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2 months ago
That is cool he let u interview him a week before the fight. I think Penn will beat him in rd 2 or rd 1. I know Sherk wants it to go five rounds lol. Let's hope it won't be a decision. Sherk's fights have not been the most exciting to say the least. Tito's fight vs Machida might be very boring too. Looking forward to UFC 84 though nonetheless!
from 2 months ago
Yeah, the level of excitement in both fights will be questionable. I would really like to see Sherk come out and show the fans something more than he did in his last 3 fights. But I would also like to see Penn compete at the same level cardio wise and make for a solid fight. I actually wouldn't mind watching this one go the distance, as long as (as Bryan put it) it is a lot of ground and pound and not lay and pray.
2 months ago
I usually hate the lay n pray and almost throw my beer at the screen whenever i see it in effect, however i am rooting for tito and sherk to both pull off wins via ground n pound or lay n pray, although i think they are both probably going to lose. good interview though.
from 2 months ago
As usual, I have to agree with you on this one. However, I think that styles will make for a little bit more action. Sherk can control with his strength and speed, but BJs jiu-jitsu will make it hard for him to hold a cross-face. If it is a guard battle it is going to get bloody.
2 months ago
I like how you plugged the interview. I wonder how often fighters scour the internet reading articles about themseves and their fights. I know that some guys post on forums and some know hardly anything about other fighters on the same card as them.
You've seen Sherk's fight against Hughes, right? I think if Sherk had gotten that takedown in the fourth round, he would've ended up winning the last three rounds and the title. Many people overlook the fact that he is the only guy to have taken Hughes all five rounds, while winning two of them.
This fact is especially impressive considering who Hughes has fought and beat. Yet in MMA, it's all about how the styles match-up, and Sherk matches up pretty well against Penn, due to his wrestling and cardio. If Sherk survives the first two rounds, he will win.
It's funny though how all the Sherk fans and Penn haters are praying that BJ will gas. That's because few people can win the first round against a fresh Penn (neither GSP or Hughes did in both their fights).
from 2 months ago
I think that Sherk fans hope he will gas because they know their history. BJ is incredible dangerous in the first two rounds, but has shown weakness in later rounds. Sherk has finished fights in all rounds, but has shown that he can stay strong and control the action for all five.
2 months ago
I think that Sherk fans hope he will gas because they know their history. BJ is incredible dangerous in the first two rounds, but has shown weakness in later rounds. Sherk has finished fights in all rounds, but has shown that he can stay strong and control the action for all five.
2 months ago
I think it has to go deeper than the third round for Sherk to win. I think Sherk has to bring it into the championship rounds to really wear BJ down, I think Penn has good enough conditioning to get deep into the third round without gasing. And I expect BJ to finish the fight by knockout or submission in the first two-three rounds. He knows that's what he has to do and I think he'll look to finish and succeed in doing it.
2 months ago
Jon-
I read your interview with Sean Sherk. Great job. That had to have been a great experience for you. I'm going to try to run down some fighters at the miletich camp in davenport, IA (tim sylvia, jens pulver) or at the new HIT squad facility in granite city, IL (matt hughes, robbie lawler). Both of those are within a couple hours of where I live.
The goal is to interview tim sylvia about his upcoming fight with fedor.... i'll take what i can get though.
Wish me luck.
from 2 months ago
All the luck in the world! Those would be two incredible camps to get in with!
There is a branch of Miletich camp in the Twin Cities, but I don't know how often Pat or some of the bigger names make it up. I'm hope to get an interview with Roger Huerta next prior to the UFC in August. Then maybe (dare I say it) and interview with Brock Lesnar. God, I love this sport!
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