To kick off our fight week coverage, we had an opportunity to speak to the newly-engaged fighter to get his perspective on fighting, how he got started in mixed martial arts, and what he has going on outside the cage.
Andrew, thanks for taking the fight week interview. How are you feeling heading up to Cage Combat 4 this Friday?
Honestly man I feel awesome. My first five fights were at 155 and I felt like I could be stronger at 145 so I moved down and carried my strength with me. I had to bring in new coaches for strength, speed, endurance, eating and everything. I’ve been working with a team called Athletic Republic. They’ve been working a lot of resistance band training with me and they’ve helped a great deal with cardio and breathing.
As an amateur, you’re learning as you go along and continuing to define yourself as a fighter. Regarding the weight cut, how difficult has it been to maintain in order to fight at a lower weight than you’re used to?
I really didn’t take any time off from my last fight to this one so I’d already pretty much been walking around at a low weight, around 165. I’ve just continued my diet by focusing on high protein and fiber in the mornings, eating fruits throughout the day, and then focusing on the proteins again at night. By doing that, I’ve managed to get down and I’m walking around at 155 now, which is much closer to my fight weight. I feel good man. I know I can run miles and miles. I swim laps around the pool. It feels great.
Talking about your team (Team Tooke) for a second, your generation of fighters over there is really starting to turn some heads. What’s it been like training over with the rest of the up-and coming fight team there?
How would you describe yourself as a fighter at this point in your young career?
I am a pretty aggressive fighter. I would say I have a lot of heart. I’m not going to stop until I’m unconscious or passed out. As long as I’m up on two feet, there will always be fight in me.
Looking at your last fight at Cage Combat 3, you definitely come off as a passionate emotional fighter. Where does that come from?
I guess it comes from growing up in my family. I’m a very family-oriented person. I really don’t do much but work and I work for a family-owned business so I’m always around my family and we’re all like that.
What else do you have going on outside the cage?
I work at Bull Prints and Bull Shirts as the production manager so anywhere from eight to twelve hours a day, I do production over there, train before and train after. Other than that, I try to relax with my woman and my two beautiful dogs (who are about to give birth to a litter). If you need a puppy, let me know…
It certainly sounds like you’ve got a lot going on. What motivates you to pursue a career as a fighter?
A lot of my motivation for fighting is for my dad. He was always busy working and trying to provide for us when I was a kid, working two or three jobs at a time, so I didn’t see him as much. Some of my biggest memories from back then during the times he was home was when he’d bring back old-school UFC VHS tapes. We’d sit down and watch them together and I wanted to make my dad proud so that led to me getting into boxing, karate, taekwondo, and all that stuff. When I was around eight years old, I met Oscar De La Hoya, Raul Marquez, and Hector “Macho” Camacho. That made me want to pursue this even more so I focused on the boxing, eventually got into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and that’s all she wrote.
Looking at all your fights so far, what’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as an amateur?
As for your last fight with John Wible at Cage Combat 3 – that was an impressive performance and ended rather quickly. Was that what you expected?
Yes, actually. Before that night, I watched his fight with Drew Elder and saw he didn’t like getting hit with leg kicks so I threw those and waited for him to rush me. I figured I’d catch him coming in with a short left cross or a right hook and that’s exactly how it happened.
This Friday, you’ll be heading into your first featherweight fight at Cage Combat 4 against David Armas. How would you analyze David as an opponent?
David Armas is a great fighter. People give him a lot of respect and I can’t wait to get in there and see how we stack up against each other. He’s a good 135’er, I’m a good 155’er, and we’re going to meet in the middle for what should be a great fight for both of us. We’re both pretty solid strikers and I believe we’re both also good on the ground. Even though, I think we both prefer to stay away from the ground and bang instead. He’s a great guy, has a lot of heart, and has a lot of people supporting him so I can’t wait to get in there with him. This fight could go anywhere.
Any message for David Armas before your fight with him this Friday?
Any last words before the fight this Friday in Humble?
Thanks to all my coaches at Team Tooke and Athletic Republic. Also thanks to Bull Shirts / Bull Prints, Houston Tap, the Houston Aeros, and Hunter Pence. I’ve also got my website in development that will have my bio, photo galleries, training and fight videos, upcoming events, and all that kind of good stuff so visit www.punishertime.com when you get the chance!
Keep watching because it’s punisher time!
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