James Brum after Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 fight "tapping is not an option. It is either escape or go to sleep"

James Brum talks to Kingdom MMA after defeating Olivier Pastor at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8

by Ben Heather @benheather

Last Saturday night Cage Warriors visited the Mirbeh Sports Hall in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates for Cage Warriors Fight Night 8. James "Job Done" Brum went in to the fight looking to extend his winning streak and make it six wins in a row, that streak dates back to September 2011. As it turned out Brum got exactly what he was hoping for when he defeated Olivier Pastor by Unanimous Decision. Today Kingdom MMA caught up with Brum to discuss the fight and what plans he has for the future.

Ben: How does it feel standing here today having got the win on Saturday night?
Brum: All the hard work and sacrifice is paying off and it feels great to get another WIN and extend my WINNING streak to 6 fights and remain unbeaten in Cage Warriors. I can't do this without the great team I have behind me at Gym 01.

Ben: Did the fight pan out the way you expected it to on Saturday?
Brum: Although Pastor has not been finished in over 18 fights going into last Saturday's bout I believed I would TKO him in the second or third round. I didn't expect to almost lose the fight in the first 30 seconds with that mean guillotine of his. That was tight to say the least!

I would have liked to have pushed the intensity a lot more during the fight, especially in the last round but I had been feeling ill all weekend. Watching some of the footage back you can see how bloated my stomach was during the fight. It was a miracle I was able to save the projectile vomiting till after the fight.

I would have liked to have got the finish but considering the calibre of opponent in Pastor and the fact I wasn't feeling 100 %, I'm happy I got the WIN. Judging by the crowds reactions during the fight I think they enjoyed the fight too.

Ben: Did Pastor fight as you has prepared or did he surprise you with anything?
Brum: I had a great camp with my team mates at Gym 01 so felt I was prepared for wherever the fight went. All the boys did their best to mimic Pastor's fighting style and literally take my head off in sparring. I didn't expect him to look for the takedowns as much as he did and thought he would look to want to stand and bang. I have real good takedown defence as seen in previous fights and was able to keep the fight standing.

One thing that did surprise me was how well he did at getting back up to his feet after I took him to the ground as in previous fights he has worked off his back. Then again I wouldn't want to be working off my back with 'Job Done' raining ground n pound on me.

Ben: How close did you come to tapping when Pastor locked in the guillotine? Looking back at the fight your face went purple so it looked very tight.
Brum: I apologise for giving my fans an early scare. I think they all thought he is either getting out of this or we are about to see Brum go to sleep.

That guillotine was on real tight and I think most fighters would have taken the easy way out. But I'm not your average fighter. I'm not prepared to let anyone take away everything I've worked on so tapping is not an option. It is either escape or go to sleep.

Ben: What were you thinking when he got you in that situation?
Brum: I had a million thoughts running through my head but tapping wasn't an option. I went to a happy place and  grit my teeth and fought the hands. It is important to keep calm in those situations and listen to your corner team.

Ben: Now you have won your last 6 fights where do you go from here?
Brum: I'm taking a couple days off to detox and get rid of this stomach bug or whatever I have passes through my system and then I'm going straight back into training and improving my skills. People like to poke fun at how much I balloon up in weight in between fights. From now on I'm going to walk round a lot leaner (I can hear the boys saying yeah right) but you never know what opportunities may come your way. I want to be ready to take whatever opportunities come my way.

Ben: When would you like to fight again?
Brum: It is up to Ian Dean, the match maker at Cage Warriors and my management company Intensiti Fight Management to decide when my next fight is and who my next victim is. IntensitiFM have done everything right by me in steering my career and I look forward to moving onwards and upwards together.

Ben: Do you see yourself as the European #1 Bantamweight after beating 5 of the European top 10 ranked fighters in your current run of 6 wins?
Brum: I believe I am the #1 Unsigned Bantamweight in Europe, period! I am the 2012 Cage Warriors Fighter of the year and AddictedMMA Fighter of the Year. No other bantam has fought the calibre of opponents I have in the last 15 months. I am undefeated in Europe's biggest promotion and 5 of those WINS were away from home, outside of the U.K.

Most of the guys with "good" records around me in the rankings have never fought more than an hour away from their homes. Try flying and travelling for 15 hours before you make weight etc and taking risky fights on Europe's top show, not hand picked fights in front of the same judges and refs in your local Liquid n Envy nightclub where the promotion only wants their ticket seller to win.

The only fighters above me in Europe are in the UFC.

Ben: If you could fight anybody next, in Cage Warriors or outside who would you want to fight?
Brum: If I could pick a perfect scenario I'd really like the opportunity to fight David Aranda for the Cage Warriors belt. He's 9.0.0. and the only European ranked above me in some rankings. The winner would surely be on the UFC's radar.

I doubt that will happen though, I think there's a tournament being set up for the CW belt and Aranda will very likely continue to pad out his record instead of losing his "O" to me.

I'm not discounting how good he is but I have him beaten everywhere, I'm fitter, stronger, faster and more technical. Also lets be honest here, he's only beaten 2 good fighters, the rest have been average at best. I think if I fight him he'd "shoot from the weigh ins".

Ben: Next up for Cage Warriors is a big Welterweight title fight, in Pendred vs Mills, how do you see that one playing out and who do you predict walks away with the belt?
Brum: I will definitely be tuning in to watch this fight. Both Pendred and Mills are very talented and dangerous fighters. I'm a big fan of Pendred so my money is on him. I believe he will be victorious and the Champion will retain his title.

Ben: What do the next few months hold for James Brum?
Brum: I'm going to be in the gym, grafting and adding new skills to my repertoire in order to achieve me dreams. I will be helping my team mates prepare for their upcoming fights on Shock N Awe on the 27th July and whatever opportunities that come their way. Apart from training and improving I would like to devote some time to seeing my parents back home in London.  I also look forward to continuing my Coaching role at Gym01 and helping to grow the gym and mould future stars.

I train as close to full time as possible but still have to work a security job at night in order to pay the bills. I have made some great friends and contacts during my fights in the Middle East and the Gulf. If IntensitiFM can help me arrange it I would like to head out there for a few days to conduct MMA training seminars and boost the image of Cage Warriors and MMA in the Middle East and create brand awareness for Gym 01.

Ben: Would you like to say thanks to anyone?
Brum: I would like to thank Ian Dean, Graham Boylan, Paul Dollery, Shadi Tahboub and the whole of the Cage Warriors crew for putting on yet another great show and allowing me to fight on Europe's biggest promotion.

Thank you to Mum, Dad and Liz for their continued support.
Thanks to Bri and the #Gym01Monsters and Coaches for all my fight preparation (www.gym01.com).
I would like to thank my good friend and Strength & Conditioning Coach Lee Waite (@LeeProedge).
Thank you to Tommy Lakes for the quality Behind the Scenes Video of myself at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd7-5T5LwCE
Thank you: Gill Leeman, GLS Sport Massage  (http://www.glsport.co.uk/).
Thank you to my sponsors Ectomuscle (@ectomuscle) for quality supplements and fighter V-Pack only available at www.ectomuscle.co.uk. Now available in the U.S.A too at www.ectomuscle.com, Funkygums.com (@funky_gums), London Fight Store (@londonfight) and Little Red Creative (http://www.littleredcreative.co.uk/)

Thank you to Kingdom MMA for the pre and post fight interviews
Thank you to James from all at Kingdom MMA for taking the time to answer our questions again. We all look forward to seeing you in the Cage Warriers cage very soon.

Jack Mason speaks to Kingdom MMA after "the highlight of my MMA career so far"

Jack "Stone" Mason post fight interview after Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 win

by Ben Heather @benheather

Today Kingdom MMA had the opportunity to catch up with Jack Mason after he beat Collin Reuter at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. This fight was the main event of the night and Jack Mason managed to pick up the unanimous decision win.

Ben: How does it feel standing here today having got the win on Saturday night in the main event of Cage Warriors Fight Night 8?
Mason: I feel extremely happy and privileged to have been given the opportunity by Cage Warriors to headline such a great international card. It was definitely one of the best experiences in my life so far and I would probably say it was the highlight of my MMA career so far!

To fight in front of the great fans in the UAE, to fight in front of the Sheikh of Al Fujairah and having the show streamed all round the world was a huge privilege and something I appreciate greatly.

Ben: You initially missed weight on Friday? Was this due to the travel or do you have an explanation for missing weight?
Mason: I missed weight initially because the scales I took with me to monitor my weight cut got so wet when I was getting in and out of a hot bath constantly that the reading they were giving started to become faulty. I tried using some old ones we found in the hotel but they were not calibrated to the official scales and although I thought I was on weight when I got to the official weigh in I was obviously over!

This is my fault entirely as I should have been more prepared or at least careful with my scales that I took with me. I weighed in for the official weight within the time limit allowed so I did make the official weight limit on my final attempt.

This was the least amount of weight I’ve ever had to cut to make Welterweight so I’m a little embarrassed it was even an issue!

Ben: Did the fight pan out the way you expected it to on Saturday?
Mason: If I’m honest it played out almost exactly as I had envisaged. It was a fight where I had a lot to lose against a very dangerous and short notice change of opponent so I had to ensure I stuck to my game plan to guarantee this victory. Trust me Reuter hits like a train so I really didn’t need to risk any extended exchanges on the feet with him.

Ben: Did Reuter fight as you had prepared for or did he do anything to surprise you?
Mason: He fought exactly as I had prepared for him, I maybe didn’t expect him to telegraph his overhands so much but that’s not something I am going to complain about! His submission defence was pretty good too, he ‘hand’ fought really well when I had control of his neck which stopped me from getting the chokes I was fishing for.

Ben: You mentioned after the fight that you were disappointed that you could not finish the fight, now a couple of days have passed are you still disappointed?
Mason: Yes I’m still a little disappointed that I didn’t get the finish as I feel like that maybe I haven’t done my job properly if I don’t. Reuter was a tough dude but I’m sure that I have the skills to finish anyone that I face so I’ll be looking for the finish more and more in future fights.

Ben: Have you had chance to watch the fight back, how do you rate your performance?
Mason: Yes I managed to catch the replay on www.cagewarriors.tv on Monday night and was pretty happy with how the fight went. Obviously I’m very critical of myself and can see lots of mistakes or opportunities that I didn’t take in the fight but all in all I’m happy with my performance.

I’ve still got plenty of tools that I haven’t used yet such as a straight right hand so I’ll be looking to show much more diversity in my strikes and attacks next time out. I’ve been getting plenty of ribbing from team mates about how I fought as they know I can do a lot better so that just keeps me motivated to keep improving.

Ben: Now you 7-1 from your last 8 fights where do you go from here?
Mason: Wow, 7-1? I didn’t really think of it like that! I’m just focusing on my next fight to be honest and I’m back training already. My goal is to earn a shot at the Cage Warriors belt by the end of this year so I just want to keep facing tough guys on Cage Warriors and keep beating them.

Cage Warriors FC has the best Welterweight division in the world outside the UFC so I’m just happy to be on their roster and taking on new challenges in every fight.

Ben: When would you like to fight again?
Mason: I’d really like to fight on the Cage Warriors 57 event 20th July 2013 in Liverpool at the Echo Arena. I love fighting for Cage Warriors and I’ve never fought at an arena show in my career yet so it would be a dream come true, plus Liverpool is a great night out!

Ben: If you could fight anybody next who would it be?
Mason: I’ll leave that one up to the main man Ian Dean. He’s the best matchmaker in the business. There are no easy fights on Cage Warriors so whoever I face it will be a tough fight for sure.

Ben: At some point do you want to get the chance to fight David Bielkheden your original opponent for the fight on Saturday night, before he was forced to pull out?
Mason: Yes, I’d love to fight Bielkheden in the future, I put a lot of work into preparing for him. Hopefully his injury heals up soon, he gets back fighting and then we can get matched up later this year.

Ben: I saw on twitter today that you are already back in training? Is that something that you always do or do you normally have a break after a fight?
Mason: Yes I’m back training already! I rarely take time off training after a fight, I may slow down the intensity somewhat but if I have no injuries after a fight then I really don’t see much point in taking time off. I love to train anyway so it’s never a chore and there is so much to learn in MMA there’s always something new to cover. I always think to myself that whenever I take time off training then that’s the time that my next opponent will be getting better than me, so I can’t let that happen!

Ben: A big topic lately seems to be the design of the gloves for MMA fights, do you have any issues with the gloves or do you think they could be improved in any way?
Mason: I’ve never had any issues with the gloves on Cage Warriors, the Rival gloves they use are the best on the market and I use them day in day out for training anyway. To be honest there are some bad gloves on the market but it’s rare for a professional show to be using poor quality gloves and I’ve never really experienced issues with any gloves I’ve used in a fight.

Ben: Would you like to say thanks to anyone?
Mason: I’d like to thank all my training partners and coaches at BKK Fighters, Tsunami Gym, Ministry of Martial Arts and Laurence Irving Strength & Conditioning for giving up their time to train with me and of course my girlfriend and family.

I’d also like to say a huge thank you to my sponsors, please check out their websites and follow them on Twitter:
www.britishfighter.co.uk                        @BritishF1ghter        
www.mmaxtreme.co.uk                         @MMAXTREMECOUK         www.qntuk.com                                    @QNTUK
www.funkygums.com                            @FUNKYGUMS
www.mmamindpower.com                    @MMAMINDPOWER
www.ignitept.co.uk                               @LI_Strength

Thanks very much to www.KingdomMMA.co.uk for the interview, it was a pleasure.

If you’d like to keep updated on my training and future fights then please check out my website www.jackstonemason.com and follow me on Twitter @JackStoneMason

James Brum Interview "On Saturday night I am going to FINISH Oliver Pastor and show the world I am the BEST unsigned bantamweight in Europe"

Kingdom MMA Interview James Brum ahead of his Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 Fight against Olivier Pastor

by Ben Heather @benheather

Kindom MMA caught up with James Brum after he weighed in today and asked him a few questions. Brum is fighting Olivier Pastor tomorrow night at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Ben: You have won your last 5 fights giving you the 2nd 5 fight win streak of your career and have never lost fighting for cage warriors (4-0) does the streak give you extra confidence heading in to your fight on Saturday?
Brum: The hard work I put into my training and the team of coaches and training partners I have at Gym 01 give me the confidence I need. Yes on the night it is me alone in that Cage but without all the prep and hard work I would not be where I am today. Like Coach Brian Adam's says "Hard work equals great rewards".

Ben: Unlike the first 5 fight win streak of your career all of your last 5 wins have come via decision. Although it must be said 4 of those were against guys ranked inside the European top 10. Have you thought about this and do you think there is a reason for them all going the distance?
Brum: Of course there are no easy fights but there are easier fights or routes fighters choose. The fighters that pad out their record with bums will soon get found out when they reach the big shows. Fighting in Cage Warriors you don't get an easy fight, hence four of my last 5 being against European top ten ranked opposition. At this level no one is looking for an easy way out and therefore every opponent is difficult to put away. What people have to realise is in each fight I have dominated and devastated my opponents in a way no other previous fighter has.

Ben: Does this put extra pressure on you to want to go out and finish the fight to prove to the fans that you can still finish fights?
Brum: I never go into a fight with the aim being to WIN by decision. I believe that sets you up with a negative mentality. In all my fights I have looked for the finish. I know its there and soon the fans will too.

Ben: Both of your losses have been by rear naked choke, is this something you have worked on since you last lost?
Brum: Those losses were along time ago. If you watch the James Saville fight you will see how far I have come since those losses. James Saville and the AVT team have a sick ground game and in that fight Saville had my back and put me in some bad positions which I was able to escape and reverse.

Ben: That last loss was in Sept '11 vs the now well known rising star of UFC Erik Perez, did you learn anything from this loss?
Brum: What many people don't realise is that I took that fight on 2 weeks notice when no other Bantamweight in the country would. It was also the first time I fought without my coach in my corner. My focus was on making weight and I had little preparation for the actual fight itself. Yes Perez was the better man on the day and I'm not saying I would have won but I believe that fight would have gone a lot differently and we would have had an absolute war. The Gym 01 Monsters step up to take fights other fighters wish to avoid. For example my team mate Matt Hughes has stepped up on 10 days notice to fight alongside me and Mike Ling this weekend against a very formidable opponent. Something a lot of fighters would be quick to avoid.

Ben: Do you think a win on Saturday night will put you in a position where your next fight will be for the vacant cage warriors bantamweight title?
Brum: I want to be the best and having the title means your the number 1 and because the Cage Warriors gold is held in such high regard promotions such as the UFC start to take notice of you. Ultimately it is up to my management company. I would love to fight for and WIN the Bantamweight Title this year but if Intensiti Fight Management said they wanted me to fight another 5 top ten European and International fighter's before they felt I was ready then I would do that. They have done everything right by me and I have every confidence in them in leading my career.

Ben: 2 of your last 3 fights have been held in Jordan, do you see this as an advantage as you now know what's it like to prepare for a fight with all the travel for this fight in the UAE?
Brum: I am getting use to the travelling side of things now but I don't see it as any real advantage as Pastor has travelled and fought across Europe and the Middle East too. 

Ben: Do you prefer fighting on home soil or fighting away from home?
Brum: Of course I love having home support and having my friends and team mates come and watch me fight live. I know they miss the atmosphere of seeing me fight live in the U.K. However I love the fact I am able to do what I love and compete around the world, see far away lands and meet fans across the globe and receive the level of exposure I do fighting for Cage Warriors. Also fighting for Cage Warriors means my fans back home can still watch me live and I feel their energy. For me, fighting in the Middle East and places like Jordan and Al Fujairah feel like a second home to me now as I have a lot of local support and the fans are very welcoming.

Ben: You are fighting Olivier Pastor who is ranked #8 in Europe. Pastor has lost his last 2 and 4 of his last 6. Do you think that Pastor is better than his current record states?
Brum: I believe he majority of those losses are at Featherweight against opponents in their own backyard. Another thing to take into account is how many of those fights were taken on short notice. Pastor is not afraid of taking fights on short notice and fighting whoever, wherever. Records are deceiving in this fight game. If we look at his Cage Warriors record, he is unbeaten in the promotion, finishing all 3 opponents via KO and submission, which shows he is a very dangerous and versatile fighter.

He may have lost but no featherweight or bantamweight has stopped him in over 3 years which is what I aim to do. On Saturday night I am going to FINISH Oliver Pastor and show the world I am the BEST unsigned bantamweight in Europe.

Ben: Do you see any areas of Pastor's game that you can exploit at the weekend?
Brum: I've learnt to use my intensity and my insane level of fitness as tools in the cage along with my intelligent striking. I believe my work rate will be too much for Pastor to handle and it is he who will have to be aware of my heavy hands. At the end of the day I'm the Cage Warriors Fighter of the Year, I'm happy to take the fight wherever it goes and ultimately be the first fighter to stop Pastor in over 3 years. Tune into cagewarriors.tv and mmajunkie.com this Saturday to witness history in the making!

Ben: What's the game plan heading in to the fight on Saturday night?
Brum: I don't like to give anything away but with the high intensity style of 'Job Done' and Pastor swinging for the fences, fans can expect a Fight of the Night. Ultimately two enter the Cage Warriors cage but only one of us will be standing with our hand raised and make no mistake it will be me adding my 6th straight WIN on Saturday.

Ben: Do you have any thoughts on the Bantamweight division?
Brum: The Cage Warriors Bantamweight division is the toughest in Europe, it`s full of the best talent but I`m the top of the pile, closely followed by my team mate James Pennington.

I`m on a real 5 fight WIN streak against some of the toughest guys out there, I`ve beaten Thomas Back and Leandro Gontijo via 30-25, a FOTN war with James Saville and toughed through my last fight after the most horrendous weight cut ever (dropped 8kg in water to make weight) but won easily. Lastly I put Martin McDonough (who has won 5 since we fought) in hospital for 3 days after our fight on Shock n Awe.

All of these guys are fantastic fighters, they just aren`t on my level right now, this is a fact.

I want the Olivier Pastor and David Aranda`s of Europe, these guys are the people you need to beat to get where you want to be.
I`ve my eyes on the CW belt or a UFC contract, nothing is going to stop me achieving one or both.
  Ben: Would you like to say thank you to anyone?
Brum: I would like to thank the #Gym01Monsters and Coaches for all my fight preparation (www.gym01.com). I would like to thank my good friend and Strength & Conditioning Coach Lee Waite (@LeeProedge). Thank you to Gill Leeman, GLS Sport Massage for the Pre Event Treatment (http://www.glsport.co.uk/).

Thank you to my sponsors Ectomuscle (@ectomuscle) for quality supplements and fighter V-Pack, Funkygums.com (@funky_gums), London Fight Store (@londonfight) and Little Red Creative (http://www.littleredcreative.co.uk/) .

And lastly thank you to my everyone whose put up with my grumpy self over the last few weeks ;-)
 
Enjoy the fight this weekend :-)

Thank you to James for his time before the fight and we are all looking forward to his fight tomorrow night. As always, the Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 event is being streamed live on the Cage Warriors website.

Jack Mason talks with Kingdom MMA ahead of his fight with Collin Reuter "Reuter is in for a rude Awakening come 11th May"

Kingdom MMA Exclusive Interview with Jack "Stone" Mason ahead of his CWFN8 Main Event against Collin Reuter

by Chris Houten @KingdomMMAChris

Kingdom MMA recently got the privilege of asking Jack "Stone" Mason some questions ahead of his main event fight this weekend at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 which takes place in Al Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Chris: When you heard David Bielkheden had to pull out of the fight at Fight Night 8 due to injury, how disappointed were you?
Mason: I was extremely disappointed that Bielkheden pulled out of the fight due to injury, as soon as I saw the missed call from matchmaker Ian Dean I thought “Oh no!”.

I’d put a lot of work into preparing for Bielkheden as he is a UFC veteran, a fantastic grappler and a fighter that I’ve always enjoyed watching and was very excited to be facing him. I was also very excited to be finally facing a fighter very similar in style to all the guys I train with at Tsunami Gym day in and day out. I was gutted when I got the news if I’m honest.

Chris: Your new opponent Collin Reuter provides a different challenge in terms of style, how have you adjusted you training camp to address his all action style?
Mason: It’s true Reuter is a very different opponent to Bielkheden who is a very strong wrestler and BJJ Blackbelt. I think Reuter is best described as a fighter with tremendous one punch knockout power so of course I’ve had to change my training camp somewhat to adjust to this change in opponent. Luckily I train with a lot of guys that have lots of power in their hands, I swear guys like Tim Stokes and Arnold Allen keep horse shoes in their sparring gloves!

Chris: What do you know about Reuter going into the fight, other than the big KO he scored over Fike, there doesn’t seem to be much footage out there?
Mason: There’s a reasonable amount of footage out there if you look hard enough and I can see that Collin looks to finish the fight everywhere whether it be on the ground or the feet. There is a reason the guy is 10-1 and not been finished so I respect his skills a lot and have been preparing very hard for him.

Chris: Am I right in saying Reuter has spent some time over at Team Alpha Male?
Mason: Well I can’t say for certain but I’ve read in a few places that he has spent some time there and he has tweeted about it a little bit but that doesn’t really bother me as I’ve got exceptional training partner’s myself and have been lucky enough to train with a lot of the best fighters in the world.

Chris: How do you see the fight on Saturday against Reuter playing out?
Mason: I’ve got the skills in every area to defeat Reuter and I plan on taking home my win any way possible.

Chris: I read online at Pro MMA Now Reuter says he “fully expect to dominate and finish Jack Mason”. As the most skilled, and most experienced fighter he has ever faced, how do you react to comments like these?
Mason: No fighter is ever going to go into a fight saying that he is going to lose, I’m sure Reuter is a confident man and fighter but he’s in for a rude awakening come 11th May.

Chris: You fight out of Tsunami Gym, does it give you extra confidence now that both John Maguire and Luke Barnatt both fight in the UFC and come from the gym?
Mason: I’ve always had confidence in my training and  in my training partners and now that both John and Luke are fighting for the world’s elite promotion I guess it does help to validate that somewhat and I know I’m training with one of the best teams in the world at both Tsunami Gym and BKK Fighters.

Chris: What day are you travelling to the UAE ahead of your fight on Saturday?
Mason: We are travelling out to the UAE on Wednesday 8th May so we’ll have a couple of days to adjust to the climate and make weight before the fight. I literally cannot wait now!

Chris: Have you made any special plans in regards to cutting weight, with this being your first fight outside of the UK or Ireland?
Mason: Not really, I’ll already be quite a few days into the water loading phase of the cut when I arrive and by Thursday I’ll be cutting down on my water intake and getting into the salt baths to get the excess water off me.

I think with it being such a hot climate it can only make the weight cut even easier to be honest! I’ve just got to make sure I pack enough rehydration salts!

Chris: A win over Reuter will take your win streak to 4 with 3 coming under the cage warriors banner, surely this must set you firmly in the mix for a welterweight title shot?
Mason: Yeah I think that’s probably fair to say, I still think after Reuter I will need another good win before I can start shouting about a shot at the belt though!

Chris: Speaking of Welterweight title fights, there is a massive fight coming up next month in Pendred vs Mills, how do you see that one playing out?
Mason: I am a big fan of Che Mills but I honestly think Cathal will just use his constant pressure, takedowns and pushing Che up against the cage to get the decision win and retain his belt.

Chris: Are you feeling less pressure going in to this fight, with the fight being abroad and most of your friends and family won't be at the venue to watch you?
Mason: Not really, I’m pretty sure a lot of them will be watching on www.mmajunkie.com and I actually have a few people making the trip over and some friends in the UAE coming to watch so I need to put in a good performance for them still!

Chris: The mma scene over in Dubai seems to be really growing following the UFC holding an event there, and not only will Cage Warriors be there this weekend, Paul Daley is also fighting over there. How much to you know of the scene in UAE and what you expecting from the fans on Saturday?
Mason: I’ve been to Abu Dhabi before to watch my friend Alexander Gustaffson fight Phil Davis in the UFC out there and it was one of the best UFC events I’ve ever been too. The people in the UAE love combat sports and as I understand it one of the Sheiks went to University in New York and trained BJJ at Henzo Gracie’s academy, he fell in love with the sport and now that he is home and is in charge he has put BJJ on the curriculum for kids at school which sounds awesome!  I’m expecting an amazing atmosphere with some incredibly knowledgeable fans and can’t wait to fight in the UAE!!!

Chris: Would you like to thank anyone ahead of your fight?
Mason: I’d like to thank all my training partners and coaches at BKK Fighters, Tsunami Gym, Ministry of Martial Arts and Laurence Irving Strength & Conditioning for giving up their time to train with me and of course my girlfriend and family. Without these people in my life I wouldn’t be able to achieve anything.

I’d also like to say a huge thank you to my sponsors, please check out their websites and follow them on Twitter:
         www.britishfighter.co.uk                        @BritishF1ghter
         www.mmaxtreme.co.uk                         @MMAXTREMECOUK
         www.qntuk.com                                    @QNTUK
         www.funkygums.com                            @FUNKYGUMS
         www.mmamindpower.com                    @MMAMINDPOWER
         www.ignitept.co.uk                               @LI_Strength

Thanks very much to KingdomMMA for the interview, it was a pleasure.

If you’d like to keep updated on my training and future fights then please check out my website www.jackstonemason.com and follow me on Twitter @JackStoneMason

Thank you to Jack for giving up his time to answer the questions for MMA and even more so for such great answers to our questions. As Jack mentioned you can see the fight online from either the Cage Warriors or MMA Junkie websites.

Collin Reuter talks with Kingdom MMA ahead of his fight with Jack Mason "I'm ready to win this fight no matter where it goes"

Kingdom MMA exclusive interview with Collin Reuter ahead of his CWFN8 Main Event against Jack Mason

by Chris Houten @KingdomMMAChris

Today Kingdom MMA had chance to catch up with Collin Reuter ahead of his main event fight versus Jack Mason on this weekends Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 which takes place in Al Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Chris: Hi Collin, thanks for taking time out to chat with us. For all the fans out here in the UK who will not have seen Collin Reuter fight before, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what we can expect on Saturday night?
Reuter: Well, I'm 22 years old, born and raised in the frigid arctic wasteland of Fairbanks, Alaska. My father made a living hunting whales on the coast in the summer, and was a champion dogsled racer in the winters. When I was 8 years old, papa was taking me for a ride on the dogsled, when I fell off without being noticed. I waited for 2 days in the cold to be rescued, but no one came. 

I was taken in by a family of polar bears and accepted as one of their own. My new foster family taught me many valuable survival skills, how to track food, find shelter, shit in the woods, and throw the bear paw overhand right. 

 When I was 17 years old I decided it was time to begin my adult life, so I left my foster family in search of warmer weather. I walked for months, until I stumbled into a warehouse full of sweaty midgets. "Bro" they said "wanna roll bro". The rest is history.

 As for what to expect Saturday night, you can expect to be amazed that there are people even more pale white than you Brits.

Chris: A lot of the fans out there will know you as “the KO guy” following your devastating knock out of Gerald Fike, but of your 9 pro wins 5 are by submission. Where are you most comfortable, standing or on the ground?
Reuter: I don't know I'm not really comfortable anywhere. I think the fact that I'm scared shitless every time is what makes me an exciting fighter.

Chris: Am I right in saying you have spent some time training over at Team Alpha Male?
Reuter: I spent late 08 through part of 09 training with team alpha male. I made some great friends down there and they really evolved my game. Those are some great guys and I had some of the best times of my life with them.

Chris: On Saturday The 11th of May you will be fighting the UK’s Jack Mason as a late replacement for David Bielkheden, can you recall what it was like when you got the call from Cage Warriors offering you the main event in UAE?
Reuter: It's amazing to be able to travel and do what I love on such a big stage. I was beyond stoked to get the call for this fight. I'm hoping to go out there and get people's attention and hopefully make some fans.

Chris: Its fair to say Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 will be the biggest fight of your career to date, how excited are you going into this fight and do you feel any added pressure being featured in the main event?
Reuter: There's always pressure in every fight I have and I'm always scared to death, but again that fear is what fuels my fire and drives me to finish fights before the other guy gets a chance to put a beating on me.

Chris: How much do you know about Jack Mason, have you had chance to study any footage on him?
Reuter: I've done a little research but I don't like to study the guys I fight too much. I maybe watch a couple fights just to get a feel for what he does. He likes to control guys and he's pretty good at it. Ill be looking to put some hands on him for sure.

Chris: Jack Mason has a great ground game, from what you have seen, how confident are you, you can avoid any trouble on the ground, and how do you feel your ground skills compare?
Reuter: I've got a great ground game and I think I'm going to have to prove that to pull off this win. I'm ready to win this fight no matter where it goes.

Chris: Do you have a game plan you will look to implement going in the fight with Mason?
Reuter: I don't really get to focused on making a gameplan. I'm an instinctual fighter and I'll finish this fight where ever I get that first opportunity.

Chris: How do you see the fight playing out with Mason on Saturday?
Reuter: We'll have to see come Saturday. Hopefully short and sweet.

Chris: CWFN 8 will mark your first time fighting outside of The US. How will this factor in your weight cut?
Reuter: As you said it is the first time fighting outside of the US. It's also the first time fighting out of Alaska. So your guess is as good as mine my friend. Hopefully I won't be in the sauna curled up in the featle position, sucking sweat out my towel while crying like a little girl.

Chris: It’s a bit of a journey to say the least from Alaska to UAE, when will you be flying out?
Reuter: I leave Tuesday at 1 am and ill make it to Dubai Wednesday around midnight... So it's about a 36 hour trip with the time zone change. I've done what I can to prepare for the jet lag, so it is what it is.

Chris: Other than Mason, there are some great names under the Cage Warriors banner at Welterweight - Brian Foster, Che Mills,  David Bielkheden &Cathal Pendred just to name a few. After your fight with Mason would you like to stick around in the promotion to fight some of these name guys?
Reuter: I'd love to fight for cage warriors on a regular basis. They're one of the best promotions in the sport and I've always wanted to go to Ireland. I plan on putting on a great showing and hopefully they will have me back.

Chris: Finally Collin, is there any one you would like to thank?
Reuter: My team in Fairbanks, frostbite vale tudo. Also my friends and family. My local sponsors BG flooring and Edstrom construction. If anyone is interested in sponsoring me please get a hold of me! It's not easy being a single dad and a full time fighter. Follow me on twitter @collinreuter

Many Thanks to Collin for answering the questions for Kingdom MMA and we all wish you a safe trip ahead of your fight on Saturday night at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8.

David Bielkheden Meets Jack Mason at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8

Jack Mason set to Face David Bielkheden in May

TWO experienced welterweights will collide when Cage Warriors returns to the Middle East on Saturday, May 11, 2013.

David Bielkheden will take on Jack Mason on the main card at CWFC Fight Night 8, which is set to take place in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

The pair, who have clocked up over 60 professional bouts between them, will form part of Cage Warriors’ first event in the region since last September’s Fight Night 7 in Amman, Jordan.

Bielkheden (17-12 MMA, 2-1 CWFC) will be appearing on a CWFC card for the fourth time in his career, with the three-time UFC veteran keen to return to winning ways.

After starting 2012 with a win over Edgar Dayan, Bielkheden suffered decision losses to fellow UFC veteran Marcus Davis and recently-crowned CWFC welterweight champion Cathal Pendred - a bout that was nominated for Cage Warriors Fight of the Year.

The 33-year-old Swede said: “This is a very interesting match-up as we both have a lot of experience. Jack looks extremely strong and is more of a wrestler, which will make it a tough fight.

“He needs the win over me to go to the next level and I need to beat him to get back on a winning streak.”

Mason (23-11 MMA, 4-4 CWFC) comes into the bout on an impressive run that has seen him go 6-1 in the last 12 months.

The 30-year-old Englishman has been successful in his last two CWFC outings, earning a decision win over Florent Betorangal on New Year’s Eve before stopping Matt Inman by TKO at Cage Warriors 52 earlier this month.

“I’m in this sport to test myself against the best and that’s what I’ll be doing in this fight, so it’s an exciting opportunity for me,” said Mason.

“David is good in all areas and his wrestling is especially strong for a European fighter, but I’ll be looking to put him away inside the distance and make my mark on the Cage Warriors welterweight division.”

For more on Cage Warriors Fight Night 8, stay tuned to the Calendar section on our site