Schaub Ready to Fight a Legend
As UFC 128 draws closer, fight fans everywhere are buzzing over the card. Many
anxiously await the main event, a light heavyweight title bout between Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua and Jon “Bones” Jones. However, in a Colorado training gym, either
Easton’s BJJ or Grudge Training Center, an imposing and intelligent, 238 pound
“Hybrid” prepares for the biggest battle of his life. Aurora’s own Brendan Schuab faces
the toughest test of his career, when he faces Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, a man who has
Schaub’s respect and admiration.
“There doesn’t come too many opportunities to fight a legend in the sport, and
Cro Cop is definitely a legend,” Schaub said. “For me it’s a huge deal. I grew up a huge
Cro Cop fan and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I never trained so hard.”
“Brendan’s looking good. He’s ready. He trains harder than anybody, He’s more
athletic and he’s ready to go,” said Schaub’s wrestling coach, Leister Bowling.
Filipovic has fought more than four times as many fights as Schaub, and will be
bringing a glaring experience advantage into the fight. However, it is not Cro Cop’s
experience that worries Schaub.
“He’s known for his vicious leg kicks. I think his slogan is ‘right leg hospital, left
leg cemetery.’ The guy’s a monster and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Schaub
said.
Cro Cop has won one-third of 27 victories in MMA by kick related knockout,
more victories than Schaub has in his career. He won the original Pride Grand Prix and
has headlined pay-per-views, but Schaub believes he knows how to stop the Croatian
legend and his lethal legs.
“Every time he kicks, he’s going to eat a right hand. I’ll trade you a left kick for a
right hand all day. I think he’s going to have his hands full. When he does kick, he’s
going to be in for a rude awakening.” Schaub commented.
Following months of training in the regiment described in an earlier article,
Schaub’s conditioned and has Cro Cop’s strengths well scouted.
“With Cro Cop, he has excellent take down defense and world class striking.
That’s a tough combo, but whatever he gives me I’m gonna take advantage of,” Schaub
said.
“I think he’s gonna surprise some people. Cro Cop is known for his striking and
so is Brendan, but Brendan can do it all. He’s gonna go in there and let his hands go and
if something opens up, I’m sure he’s not afraid to take it to the ground and go for a
submission,” said Bowling.
Many of the growing numbers of UFC followers remember Cro Cop’s last fight, a
pay-per-view knockout loss to Frank Mir. However, legends never die.
“Cro Cop is such a vet. He’s taken some rough losses before. He’s beaten the
who’s who of the sport. He has fought the very best,” Schaub said. “A loss to Frank Mir
for him is nothing new. I’m sure he is going to come back with some tenacity.”
All the training in the world cannot prepare a person for the feelings that will
appear in the last few minutes before a fight. As a fighter stands across the octagon from
the man he will brawl with moments later, the fight has begun in the heads of the two
combatants.
“For me there are no negative thoughts. I’m a real positive guy. My biggest asset
is my mentality.” Schaub said. “For me it’s just go time. All the hard work, all the
training has paid off and I just go in there and react.”
“Mentally, Brendan’s one of the strongest guys. He’s got confidence in himself.
He believes he can compete with anybody. That matters more than anything,” Bowling
said.
Recently, the judging of the UFC fights has fans in an uproar and MMA media
scratching their heads. Beginning at UFC 127, with the B.J. Penn vs. Jon Fitch fight that
ended in a majority draw, and continuing into the Martin Kampman vs. Diego Sanchez
bout, many UFC enthusiasts believe the judges have made several botches of late. Schaub
assures fans this will not be a problem in his upcoming fight.
“If this were to go to decision, we both fail. I think we let fans down. We let each
other down. We let Dana White down. I can almost guarantee that this won’t go to
decision,” Schuab claimed.
Hearing the judge’s score cards would be considered a rarity in Schaub’s career.
The Ultimate Fighter Production crew called Schaub the Hybrid because he moves like a
lightweight and hits like a heavyweight. That punching power has led Schaub to end six
of his seven victories with a first round knockout.
“I think he’s really gonna show that he’s at another level for this fight. Whether
that ends in a submission or a knockout, or a decision, I think he’s gonna truly out class
him,” Bowling said.
Schaub thanks fans for their support and encourages them to watch UFC 128
because, “We have two Colorado home grown boys on the card in the biggest fights of
their lives.” Nate Marquardt and Schaub both hope to make the Centennial State proud
and “the Hybrid” promises he will.
“Someone’s going away not remembering walking into the cage and it’s not
gonna be me.”