Some readers may recall an interview from last month which profiled a budding MMA fighter named Cleburn "The Spartan" Walker. This marks the second installment (or "Round Two") that tracks Walker through his budding MMA career. Now sporting a professional record of 4-1, the 185lb fighter will enter the cage again this coming Saturday night (August 23) at the FireLake Grand Casino in Shawnee, Oklahoma, competing for the organization, Freestyle Cage Fighting.
"The Spartan" took some of his time to chat with me, weighing in on his last fight, an unusual training partner, his coaches, and his emotions just before a fight.
On His Last Fight and Opponent
David Mayeda (DM): Congrats on your last fight. It was less than a month ago, right? So talk me through it. How’d round one go?
Cleburn Walker: Yeah, it was on July 26. From what I heard he was a really accomplished boxer. He boxed for the navy and stuff like that, so my game plan was to come right out and work for the clinch and go for a takedown. Completely to my surprise, he clinched up with me immediately. So I was just listening to my corner, and I worked him up against the fence and took him down pretty quickly. He was doing a good job of stalling me ... holding my hands and things like that and basically preventing me from gaining anything on him. But basically he was playing defense the whole time while I was playing offense, so eventually I had my way with him.
DM: And round two?
Cleburn Walker: I won at about 2:24 of the second round with a guillotine choke. He was tough. He was a big, strong, tough guy. I mean he was a bit shorter than me, but he was really stout and really built. And at one point in the fight, he picked me up and slammed me right on my head, and I don’t remember too much after that, which means he knocked me out for just a second.
DM: So he shot in on a double-leg or something to pick you up?
Cleburn Walker: No, we were in a scramble on the ground and somehow he just stood up with me. I really can’t recall exactly how it happened. I need to see the tape to see where I made that mistake, but he completely picked me up and turned me upside down and slammed me right on my head ... He actually came up and stayed with me this past weekend and trained with me. And then this coming weekend, I’m gonna be working his corner and be a commentator at the event.
DM: That’s an interesting story right there. So you’ve befriended your last opponent and you’re basically working with him now.
Cleburn Walker:
0 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete