Tony
11-03-2008, 08:40
On April 2, two Ultimate Fighter contestants will go face-to-face when season five star Joe Lauzon takes on season one runner-up Kenny Florian. The two will be competing in the main event of a stacked UFC Fight Night card when the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Colorado.
For Lauzon, it’s just another fight, but a fight that he knows he needs to be ready for come April 2.
“I'm not going to get caught up in it all. To me, it’s just another fight,” he said. “It’s nice that they are using my fight with Kenny as the headline fight, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to train hard and do my job.”
Both fighters are coming off wins. Lauzon defeated Jason Reinhardt at UFC 78 in November. He has a 16-3 MMA record and has won his last six fights. His biggest win to date in the UFC was when he spoiled the return of Jens Pulver at UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn by knocking out “Little Evil” in the first round.
Florian's last fight was in September when he defeated Din Thomas at a UFC Fight Night event. He's won three straight fights since his decision loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 64 in a bout for the lightweight championship.
Lauzon knows that Florian is good on the ground and standing. However, he believes that Florian is a good match up stylistically.
“Kenny is very good. He is great on the ground and has submitted a bunch of guys, but he has great striking too,” he said. “I think we match up pretty well style-wise and I think you are going to see a dog fight from start to finish.”
Lauzon knows that Florian is one of the bigger names in the UFC lightweight division. “J-Lau” believes he needs to pressure Florian in order to come out on top.
“It's all about pressure,” he stated. “Kenny and I are both going to bring the pressure and whoever weathers it from the other better is going to come away with a win.”
To prepare for the fight, Lauzon has been working with his Ultimate Fighter coach, current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, with whom Lauzon continues to adjust his fight game.
“Working with B.J. has been amazing. Every day I get to go out and work out with the lightweight champ of the UFC,” he said with exuberance. “I have learned everything from small training habits to ideas on fighting and technique.”
A win for Lauzon would definitely help his continual climb up the lightweight ladder, but he intends on keeping his focus on the fight.
“A win over Kenny is huge for me, but I am not even gonna think past April 2 until the time has come,” he stated. “First things first, I'm gonna deal with Kenny before I look any further.”
There is a plethora of choices for Lauzon to face if he wins this fight. He will fight anybody the UFC sends his way, but his loyalty to Penn is much more important than a title shot against his mentor.
“I would much rather be part of the team here than go off and fight B.J.,” Lauzon said. “I am looking long term and I don't think B.J. wants to hang around 155 for very long anyways.”
The UFC Fight Night card is stacked with great fights. The card features such fighters as Karo Parisyan, Matt Hamill, Clay Guida, Spencer Fisher and many more. Lauzon is personally, as a fan, looking forward to April 2.
“I think it’s an amazing card from start to finish,” he said. “Karo, Nate (Diaz), Manny (Gamburyan), (Tim) Boetsch, Spencer (Fisher), Gray (Maynard), Clay (Guida) and (Frankie) Edgar. This card is packed with fights I am dying to see.”
The time is now for Lauzon to shine even brighter than before. On April 2, we'll know if that's the case.
YouTube - Joe Lauzon - Training in Hawaii (http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=-sO7A7IFVv0)
YouTube - Joe Lauzon - Training in Hawaii 2 (http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=xYkS5cshw-E&feature=related)
YouTube - UFC Kenny Florian talk bout his fight Vs Joe Lauzon April 02 (http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=rwKK9CUSe6E)
For Lauzon, it’s just another fight, but a fight that he knows he needs to be ready for come April 2.
“I'm not going to get caught up in it all. To me, it’s just another fight,” he said. “It’s nice that they are using my fight with Kenny as the headline fight, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to train hard and do my job.”
Both fighters are coming off wins. Lauzon defeated Jason Reinhardt at UFC 78 in November. He has a 16-3 MMA record and has won his last six fights. His biggest win to date in the UFC was when he spoiled the return of Jens Pulver at UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn by knocking out “Little Evil” in the first round.
Florian's last fight was in September when he defeated Din Thomas at a UFC Fight Night event. He's won three straight fights since his decision loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 64 in a bout for the lightweight championship.
Lauzon knows that Florian is good on the ground and standing. However, he believes that Florian is a good match up stylistically.
“Kenny is very good. He is great on the ground and has submitted a bunch of guys, but he has great striking too,” he said. “I think we match up pretty well style-wise and I think you are going to see a dog fight from start to finish.”
Lauzon knows that Florian is one of the bigger names in the UFC lightweight division. “J-Lau” believes he needs to pressure Florian in order to come out on top.
“It's all about pressure,” he stated. “Kenny and I are both going to bring the pressure and whoever weathers it from the other better is going to come away with a win.”
To prepare for the fight, Lauzon has been working with his Ultimate Fighter coach, current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, with whom Lauzon continues to adjust his fight game.
“Working with B.J. has been amazing. Every day I get to go out and work out with the lightweight champ of the UFC,” he said with exuberance. “I have learned everything from small training habits to ideas on fighting and technique.”
A win for Lauzon would definitely help his continual climb up the lightweight ladder, but he intends on keeping his focus on the fight.
“A win over Kenny is huge for me, but I am not even gonna think past April 2 until the time has come,” he stated. “First things first, I'm gonna deal with Kenny before I look any further.”
There is a plethora of choices for Lauzon to face if he wins this fight. He will fight anybody the UFC sends his way, but his loyalty to Penn is much more important than a title shot against his mentor.
“I would much rather be part of the team here than go off and fight B.J.,” Lauzon said. “I am looking long term and I don't think B.J. wants to hang around 155 for very long anyways.”
The UFC Fight Night card is stacked with great fights. The card features such fighters as Karo Parisyan, Matt Hamill, Clay Guida, Spencer Fisher and many more. Lauzon is personally, as a fan, looking forward to April 2.
“I think it’s an amazing card from start to finish,” he said. “Karo, Nate (Diaz), Manny (Gamburyan), (Tim) Boetsch, Spencer (Fisher), Gray (Maynard), Clay (Guida) and (Frankie) Edgar. This card is packed with fights I am dying to see.”
The time is now for Lauzon to shine even brighter than before. On April 2, we'll know if that's the case.
YouTube - Joe Lauzon - Training in Hawaii (http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=-sO7A7IFVv0)
YouTube - Joe Lauzon - Training in Hawaii 2 (http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=xYkS5cshw-E&feature=related)
YouTube - UFC Kenny Florian talk bout his fight Vs Joe Lauzon April 02 (http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=rwKK9CUSe6E)