Jonathan ‘The Road Warrior’ Goulet is one of MMA’s most colorful characters. And although he is a French-speaking Canadian, he kindly helped Knucklepit.com out for this interview by talking in his second language of English.

Jonathan says he trained this morning in boxing and BJJ as part of his preparation for the upcoming bout with Kuniyoshi Hironaka at UFC 83: Serra vs. St-Pierre 2, and he is now at home in Victoriaville, Quebec, despite spending most of his time in Montreal these days, working out with some other big names in Canadian MMA.

With Goulet’s own impressive record of 21-9-0, he has chalked up victories over such respected combatants as Tony Fryklund, Jay Hieron and Dan Chamber. But on December 8, 2007, Jonathan took the MMA public by storm when he submitted Paul Georgieff with a rear naked choke, 4.42 into round one at the UFC TUF 6 Finale. When asked what it was like to win the title, Goulet calmly stated, “That was nice – especially by submission.” The victory also earned The Road Warrior a four-fight contract with UFC.

The following month, Jonathan traveled to Brazil to further hone his skills at Carlos Gracie Jr’s gym.“It was great to train at Gracie Barra in Rio de Janeiro. I learned a lot down there. Those guys are really nice and they were so good to me. I'm definitely going back there later this year,” says Goulet.

Jonathan says it was unfortunate that he wasn’t able to train with Carlos when they were both in Rio, but Jonathan did get to talk with him, and he intends catching up with Carlos’s team in California in the future.
 

As for the name ‘The Road Warrior’? “I went here and there to fight and I did it without a cornerman, so when I fought at TKO 14 called ‘Road Warriors’, my manager at the time called me ‘The Road Warrior’, and I liked it.”
 

Jonathan, I read on the internet that you took up karate when you were 14 after being beaten up by three bullies. Can you tell us how that happened, please?
 

“Yes, I did take up some Kenpo Karate lessons when I was young, but when I got beaten up by those guys, that was when I was working as a bouncer at 20 years old. I had to kick one guy out of the bar, and after I did it, I got beaten up by the three guys.”
 

You have very good knee strikes. How did you acquire those skills?

“I learned it by myself in watching TV (laughs). But when I went to Boston to train with Mark Delagrotte, he taught me how to really hurt my opponents with knee strikes.”

Do you train regularly with George St-Pierre, David Loiseau and Patrick Cote?

“Every week we train together.”

Where do you train with them?
 

“I train at the best gym in Montreal, so at the Tristar gym.”

What training do you do with Brent Beauparlant?
 

“We spar every week and he shows me some tricks in wrestling.”
 

Who else are you training with for UFC 83?
 

“My BJJ coach Bruno Fernandez, my strength coach Jonathan Chaimberg, my Muay-Thai trainer Olivier Reynaud, and my boxing coach Victor Thériault.”
 

With UFC 83 and other MMA events, such as HCF: Crow’s Nest being held in Canada, how do you think this will affect MMA in Canada?
 

“It will grow up faster then ever. It is so nice to have an athlete such as Georges St-Pierre to be able to bring the UFC here.”
 

I believe you intend becoming an actor. Are you looking at doing action movies?

“I'm looking, yep, to become an actor and I'm working on it. Soon, really soon, you are going to see more of me – I swear.”

Who is your favorite actor?
 

“A favorite actor?  Hmmm. Let me think about it… Robert Goulet.  No, just kidding. I really like Will Ferrell.”

Why did you say 2008 is going to be your year?

“Because I feel it and because I'm surrounded by good things happening: Everything is better than before.”

What do you expect from Kuniyoshi Hironaka?

“A lot of stuff, but with all my tools he is not going to try to exchange with me, so he will try to take me down.”

Do you want a stand-up fight or a ground fight?

“It doesn't matter where I'm going to be: I'm going to hurt him. But I intend to stand up with him.”

What is your prediction for this fight?

“An exciting KO in the second round.”

Jonathan, would you like to list your sponsors?

“Thank you mmafightshop.ca for your help; Tapout are damn nice with me too; and I wish I were able to name them all, but those two are the only ones for now.”