In a PunchDrunkGamer exclusive, Dave Carpinello had a chance to speak with MMA and kickboxing legend Maurice “Mo” Smith about his recent victory over Rick “The Jet” Roufus at Strikeforce, the business of MMA, his current training and his fighting future.
PDG: Let's start with your victory this past Saturday night at the Strikeforce at the Dome event against Rick “The Jet” Roufus; what are your thoughts on how the fight went and the whole show in general?
Mo: It was my second fight back after fighting last May and it went how I thought it would. Rick is as good of a striker as I am but on the ground he doesn't have much of a chance against me, so yeah the fight went as I expected it to go. I knew if it was on the ground I would win. He is a very dangerous striker.
PDG: Did it surprise you at all that he wasn't more prepared to fight on the ground?
Mo: No, I am going to speculate and say that he probably only had about three months of training. In addition to fighting he also has a business that he runs and overall he probably only has about a years worth of knowledge when it comes to mixed martial arts. I have been doing MMA for the better part of 12 years, so to answer your question........no I was not surprised. I certainly hope that he continues to train MMA because I told him like I tell everyone that MMA is a vacation compared to kickboxing. What I mean is that the body of a kickboxer takes a lot more punishment than that of a mixed martial artist. There is a lot more to MMA then striking. Rick said that he was going to continue his training and I hope he does. We'll see what happens.
PDG: Last Saturday night you also mentioned to me that the pay is a lot better in MMA then kickboxing.
Mo: Not only is MMA paying more right now but it is also easier. For the same amount of time in the ring you get hurt less and paid more in MMA. If both aspects of the sport were paying the same I would still go with MMA. It is nothing to diminish the skills of the fighters in MMA but you don't get hit is much as you do in kickboxing. Typically in mixed martial arts fights you are not getting kicked to the body, kicked in the face and punched for five rounds straight. You can use a punch to get in and then take your opponent down and go for a submission. The highly skilled fighters rarely get caught in a situation where they are getting damaged by GNP. Usually, the lower-level fighters with lower skill are the ones that get pounded on the ground. The physical toll taken on your body is much higher in kickboxing in MMA.
PDG: As far as Strikeforce goes; was that a one fight deal or are you looking to fight in one of their upcoming events later this year?
Mo: I will fight for whoever but right now I am working with Strikeforce and we'll see where it goes. I will fight for anyone except the UFC because they are only interested in the younger fighters. All I care about is promoting the sport.
PDG: How many more fights do you think you have left in you?
Mo: I am not getting hurt and as long as I have a desire to compete I will keep fighting. The thing people need to understand is that just because you're older doesn't mean you can't fight anymore. You just approach your training differently and you fight a different way. You can't be the same fighter you were when you were younger, you have to change styles. You can't expect me or guys like Randy [Couture] to fight like we used too but we can still compete, just at a different level. I am not saying that you have to fight opponents with lower skill but fighters closer to your age. So yes I have the desire to fight for a while longer and we'll just see where it goes.
PDG: You fought a lot of big name opponents during your career; which one was the toughest?
Mo: Everyone of my losses. Do you mean the one that gave me the most pain or the toughest fight?
PDG: Alright, how about the guy that gave you the toughest fight?
Mo: I would have to say Randy and [Kevin] Randleman in MMA. They had really good wrestling and they were able to control me. Coleman was tough too but he got tired later on in the fight.
PDG: What fight of your career did you enjoy the most?
Mo: In kickboxing I would have to say it was when I won my first title back in 1983. In MMA most of the fights were fun but I would have to say Coleman and the Bobby Hoffman fight because it was kind of a comeback fight for me. They were all pretty fun I would have to say.
PDG: You beat Tank Abbott back in the early days of the UFC; what do you think of him still fighting despite only one win in the last 10 years?
Mo: It depends on how you look at it. Is Tank fighting to be champion or is he fighting to get paid? He has always been a tough guy but he has never really put the work into it. To me he is no different now than he was when he started. Tank is Tank and for some of his opponents he is a stepping stone and for some he is not. He is nothing to worry about unless he catches you and then you are in trouble. He is a tough guy no question but if you can outlast him, you should win.
PDG: Speaking of training and preparation; what was your training like leading up to your fight with Rick?
Mo: For that fight I started training back in November. I literally took my time and trained for four months. I wanted to train without putting pressure on myself like I would have in my younger days. I have never trained that long consistently for a fight but it was nice not having any pressure. I trained twice a day, six days a week with Ivan Salavary in Seattle. Those guys did a really good job with my training for this fight.
PDG: Frank Shamrock was in your corner for that fight last weekend. He has a big fight coming up against Cung Le in about a month. What are your thoughts on that fight?
Mo: I am going down there to help them train and I think it will be a good fight. Cung is good but as long as Frank doesn't get caught with some kick he should win the fight. Every fighter that steps in the cage or ring has a chance though.
PDG: Are you going to be watching the UFC fights this weekend?
Mo: No, I don't support the UFC and they don't support me. I am a distant fan now because I have a better knowledge of the behind-the-scenes working of MMA. I really don't follow the sport anymore except for the people and fighters that I am involved with.
PDG: Is there anything that you would like to add?
Mo: It's your interview............ No, I just want to tell the fans thanks and hopefully I'll fight three to four times this year and we'll see how I feel.
