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GURAM GUGENISHVILI M-1Global’s Heavyweight Champion
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Marc Wickert May 20, 2011 Special thanks to Eric Nicholl On July 8, 2011, M-1 Global’s reigning heavyweight champion, Guram Gugenishvili (11-0), will be defending his title for the second time. Guram’s opponent for the main event at M-1 Challenge XXVI will be three time All-American wrestler Pat Bennett (4-2), a native of Marcellus, N.Y. who is looking forward to throwing down for the belt in front of his home crowd. M-1 Global is already Europe’s leading MMA promotion and now the M-1 Challenge events are spreading like wildfire across the planet. And M-1 is making sure the planet knows about Guram Gugenishvili, as revealed on their official site www.m-1global.com, where a “Who Is Guram” viral contest has been launched. Knucklepit was fortunate to catch up with Guram Gugenishvili, who is helping to spread the buzz about M-1 Challenge through his barnstorming style of fighting and his jovial personality. Hello Guram. Thank you for taking the time for this interview. Thank you for the interest in me.
Where in Georgia were you born?
I was born in Tbilisi.
Do you consider yourself to be Georgian or Ukrainian?
(Laughs) That sounds like a joke to me! I am a 100 % Georgian; I have no Ukrainian blood. I’m just training in Ukraine now.
Did you serve in the military? If so, could you give some details of your duties, please?
Yes I was in the military. The main thing I remember is a lot of running and marching for long distances. I tracked the distance I ran for one month and it was over 900 kilometers.
What did you do before becoming a professional fighter?
I was a kid when I started doing sports and before MMA I practiced freestyle wrestling.
What benefits have you found in moving from the Makfight Team to the Aris Sport Club?
With the Aris Sports Club, they have provided better conditions for me to improve.
How is your Muay Thai coming along?
I love Muay Thai! I’m getting used to it and I have good fighting partners in MT.
You were knocked down early in your match with Maxim Grishim, before you finished him with a RNC. And Pat Bennett has been working on his stand-up striking. Do you imagine Pat will attempt to take you out early in the fight with a big KO?
And what do you imagine? (smiling). I’m trying to be ready and prepared for everything he might want to do.
How would you compare your stand-up to Pat’s?
I recognize my areas of weakness – my stand-up specifically. I always prepare for a fight imagining my opponent being stronger in everything; the fight with Bennett is no different. If you want to compare us standing up – wait for July 8 (smiling).
You and Pat Bennett both have extensive wrestling backgrounds, so you both possess great positioning skills on the mats, but you have an exceptional ability to transition smoothly from one hold to another. Does that fluidity of movement come from your sambo training?
Yes, mostly from sambo. But I’m working not only on sambo holds but jiu jitsu as well. They’re very similar.
Do you think your ability to flow from one submission to the next will separate your grappling game from Pat’s?
We’re going to find out on the 8th of July.
Pat dominated Alexander Volkov on the ground; however Alexander was able to smother much of Pat’s g’n’p. Do you find that encouraging for your ground game?
Once again – all opponents are strong; there is no time to relax. So no, it’s not really encouraging.
What are the main exercises you’ve done to develop your back like that?
That would be wrestling and lifting weights.
What areas of your training does Ioseb Koberidze look after?
Ioseb Koberidze is responsible for everything. He is a good striker but not that good a wrestler. He had some good results in different types of fighting. But he doesn’t make himself the only one to oversee my development and training. Ioseb never relaxes after I win a fight; he is always in search of new ways to improve my trainings. We attend different fight clubs; we meet different fighting-style professionals.
Ioseb isn’t only my trainer, he is my main critic; he always drives me mad when I’m working out (laughing). He thinks that his main goal isn’t just to stay with me during the trainings but to make the whole training process go in the right direction, to try different styles and different fighting partners and I agree with him. We both realize I have some weaknesses and we work hard on them.
Who else do you train with and what aspect of your game do they help you with?
I’ve already told you about my coach. And I would also name my good friend and fighting partner Gia Makoev who helps me when I am in Georgia.
Does your win over Kenny Garner and Pat’s loss to Kenny give you a psychological advantage?
It doesn’t mean anything to me.
You are known for your hard work ethics. Do you believe people from the former Soviet Union have tougher work ethics than people not from that system?
When USSR fell apart and Georgia was independent I was 5 years old so I can’t really tell…. Koberidze is older than me by about 14 years. Ask him, he still remembers the communists (laughing).
Although usually weighing in at around 250lbs, you provide such exciting bouts and fight at a lightweight’s pace. Will you be looking to test Pat’s cardio?
We are getting ready for a 5x5 fight. I can’t tell when it’s going to finish, but I WILL try to finish it.
What is your prediction for this upcoming match?
I don’t like predicting. Of course I want to win but I’m sure Bennett wants the same. The fight will define it.
Any sponsors you'd like to thank?
I would like to thank Aris Sport Club in Ukraine that provides me with everything needed for my training together with M-1 Ukraine.
Guram, is there anything you’d like to add?
Come see M-1 Challenge XXVI, watch Showtime, the fights are going to be awesome!
Thank you again for doing this interview, Guram, and all the best for July 8.
Thank you!
For more on Guram Gugenishvili: www.m-1global.com.
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