Douglas Frey Interview by Matt Little
Douglas Frey is a rising star in the sport of MMA. His impressive pro MMA record of 8-3 has him on the verge of breaking into a bigger organization such as the WEC, should he continue to show his dominance. I had some time to discuss what he has done to get this far in MMA and where he envisions for his future in the sport.
What gym do you currently fight & train out of?
-I am training out of the Fight Fitness Factory (F3) in Colleyville, TX. I also cross-train over at The Gym in Arlington, Southeast Asian Academy for Muay Thai under Valentin Espircueta. I really feel that networking has helped me in my progress within the sport.
How long have you been training and fighting?
-I began training in January 2007. I trained twice daily on a fairly regular basis until my first amateur fight in June 2007. During my time as an amateur my record was 5-1.
What got you interested in the sport of MMA?
-I grew up in Amarillo and had the pleasure of watching the USWF Shoot Fighting organization in the early 2000’s. I saw the likes of Evan Tanner, Heath Herring, and Paul Buentello early in their careers. While I was attending UTA I decided I wanted to give this sport a shot and started training at The Gym in Arlington, TX.
What is your current occupation outside of fighting?
Fighting is my full-time job. My girlfriend and I just built a house in South Arlington and I am just focusing on taking my career to the next level.
What are your strengths as a fighter?
-I honestly feel like I am a very well-rounded fighter. I guess I would say my base is in wrestling due to my experience in High School. Takedowns and ground and pound were my original focus. After meeting Valentin (striking coach) I have been able to take my stand-up game to a whole different level. I have focused on my Muay Thai and boxing a lot as of late. I love to stand and trade but won’t hesitate to take the fight to the ground if necessary.
Looking at your professional record of 8-3, you have been fighting at a very regular pace. You are averaging a fight about every month and a half since you went pro in late 2008. How do you manage to stay healthy and injury-free?
-I think that I am very blessed. I feel that I train smart by giving myself enough rest when needed but never taking off too long that my body gets adjusted to not training. I have a very clean diet that focuses on portion control.
Talk about your opponent Joseph Sandoval and what he brings to the table.
-He is about 24 and 3-0 as a pro. We have both fought in the Shark Fight promotion out of Amarillo so I’ve had the opportunity to see him fight. He prefers to stand and trade but I feel that he is lacking a good ground game. I plan to take advantage of that.
How has your preparation been for this fight?
-I began camp for the Sandoval fight around the mid to end of June. I strive for about six weeks to prepare for a fight. I feel great coming into this and hope to end the fight early in the first round.
Who is the toughest guy you have faced to date in MMA as a professional?
-I would have to say Doug Evans. When we fought he was considerably bigger than me come fight time. The fight was scheduled for 145lbs and he was close to 170lbs! He was the better fighter that night and capitalized on my ground game and a mistake I made. The thing I took away from this fight was talking to Doug afterwards and getting tips on how he cuts weight so well. He utilizes a water loading strategy to get his weight down. I used this method for my last fight in Bellator which was my first at 135lbs and it worked very well for me.
At 5’11”, 135lbs, you seem to have an incredibly big frame for this weight class. Do you feel that you have an advantage over most fighters at this weight?
-Absolutely. My length and height gives me a physical edge both standing and on the ground. I find that my size gives me better ground control.
What are your long-term goals?
-Ideally I would like to be fighting in the WEC in 9 months and a title contender in about 2 years. Beyond that I would like to have my own gym to train fighters after I have retired from fighting.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
-I would like to extend thanks to Pierre Bertrand with U Plus Management. He has been a tremendous help to me. I would also like to thank my training partners: Johnny Bedford, Will Campuzano, Jason Sampson, and Chas Skelly. Training with these guys help make my fights easier.
-Matt Little is currently a blue belt under JD Shelley at North Dallas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (NDBJJ) and an amateur MMA writer.