Dean Lister interview

MMA Sport issue 12 interview exclusive with Dean Lister

interviewed by Tony Leone for MMA Sports

Tony: I would like to start by thanking you, Dean, for taking the time to sit with me and do this interview especially with your busy schedule preparing for your upcoming fight.
Dean: Absolutely, absolutely.

Tony: How long has it been since your first fight against Jeremy Horn? What is different about how you are feeling going into the fight the second time around?
Dean: That was about 4 and a half, almost 5 years ago. So basically it’s not different, it’s just that I have more experience now. I know he has more experience, I mean he fights all the time. I’m definitely a more experienced fighter now, I’m more confident now. You know it’s just gonna be a really good fight. There’s not much more to say than that, I just think it’s gonna be good.

Tony: As far as training goes what are you doing for this fight…more stand up or more jiu-jitsu?
Dean: I’d like to have a really great answer for you, but it’s just you gotta do everything. Everyone knows what I’m better at, I’m better on the ground then I am on the feet. So finally what I did with my training is, it’s that same training it’s just you definitely gotta be smart about it, avoid injuries, and you gotta train the right way, you gotta train hard, train good. I have good training partners; I have a great facility and a great structure around me. Basically, I think that Horn is good on his feet and he’s good on the ground. So he’s not afraid of anyone’s ground, he’s not afraid of anyone’s stand up. I think that’s gonna make for a more exciting fight because typically I run into guys that do not want to be on the ground with me at all, no matter what, which kind of makes for a boring fight. You know, because I wanna be on the ground, but also I can take a hit and I’m not easy to knock out. Even though someone hits me and they don’t want to fall all the way to the ground, the thing is they can knock me out and their not gonna jump on top of me, it kind of makes for a kind of drawn out fight. I think we match up well with the ground and with the stand up, and we can both take a punch so I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.

Tony: Do you feel that you want a title shot now or would you rather have more fights under your belt and become more established with the UFC before taking on that challenge?
Dean: Of course, and if you’re a fighter and you don’t want a title shot then that’s kind of lame. Yeah, but if you lose one fight you kind of get knocked down a little in the ranks and I just have to make sure I don’t lose any fights. I just have to be solid in performing. I’m definitely looking to do that. But of course I want a title fight, that’s just something I have to work hard to do right now.

Tony: Can you tell me about this great facility you mentioned earlier?
Dean: Yeah, Throwdown Elite Training center opened the 2nd of January this year and it’s awesome, it’s unbelievable. It’s 24,000 sq ft. we have awesome trainers, kickboxing, boxing, jiu jitsu of course, which you know is my main expertise, wrestling, yoga, cross-fit room, juice bar, steam room, sauna, it’s basically all in one package. It’s kind of like it’s got this super big club mentality but then again it’s also like a solid feet, so you got the good comradery of the small but then you got this huge gym, so you can get whatever you want there.

Tony: Is there a site for the gym for those who are interested in checking it out?
Dean: Definitely, www.throwdownsandiego.com.

Tony: Going back to your jiu jitsu background with Abu Dhabi, you are a 2 time world champ and for those fans out there who want to know, is there still a possibility of Roger vs. Dean?
Dean: Yeah, I was the 2003 absolute world champion which earned me the right to fight in the superfight in 2005. Which I did against Jean Jacques Machado; who is someone I always looked up to my whole life. It was an honor to have faced someone with that kind of a legend. Basically, after I won against Jean Jacques Machado and I had to face the winner of the absolute division of 2005 which was Roger Gracie. However, in early 2007 I completely tore my bicep in training before I fought Nate Marquart back in January 2007 and then just 2 months later it just snapped and it really sucked, and I really don’t recommend anyone tear their bicep (laughs).

Tony: I remember hearing about that.
Dean: Yeah, It really sucks, you know, and I had to bow out of Abu Dhabi because of that. But if someone did get injured before the superfight I would definitely be someone they could call. I would just jump right in there. I’m definitely a lot better now. But now I’m focused on the UFC and I’m focused on MMA. You know, this is my priority. But I would do Abu Dhabi if I were invited, if someone got injured like how I got injured, I would jump in there. But otherwise, I’m focusing on the UFC.

Tony: What are you goals as a fighter, where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Dean: Next five years, to definitely achieve as much as I can in the UFC middle weight division. It’s pretty simple, there’s nothing electrifying about my answer other than that I definitely want to return on the work that my team has put into me. I want to put that back on my team. I want my team to kick ass, I want them to do really well and of course like I said the UFC, that’s all I have to do. It’s not like it’s all easy, but it’s not complicated to me. It’s difficult but it’s not sophisticated, all I want to do is just become the best fighter I can be and have the best team I can make. That’s it, it’s not easy to do, that is a very difficult thing, but it’s not a sophisticated thing. Just work on my team and work on myself.