HOUSTON, TX, July 22, 2011 – The wait is almost at an end Houston! In just a few short hours, starting at 7PM, Legacy Fighting Championship 7 begins at the Arena Theater with the LIVE portion of the event to be broadcast LIVE on HDNet beginning at 9PM Texas time!
We’ve interviewed a ton of fighters here on TXMMA.com including Jermain Anugwom, Tony Orozco, Alex Black, Marc Ramirez, Justin Reiswerg, and much more leading up to the event. Now we close out our pre-fight coverage with this conversation with Gracie Barra North Houston head and perhaps future UFC flyweight Chad “Robo” Robichaux.
As one of the most talked about fighters in Houston, Chad’s fight this evening should be one of the more anticipated bouts on the HDNet main card. In this comeback fight, Robichaux will be making his Legacy FC return for the first time since going to Bellator to take on their champion and one of the top pound-for-pound bantamweights in the world, Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky.
Coming back to Houston with plenty of lessons learned from that experience, Chad will now be faced with another Bellator veteran in Louisiana native Jonathan Mackles. According to Robo, “the Mack Attack” is fighting him at absolutely the wrong time with the Gracie Barra black belt looking to make an example out of him en route to bigger plans.
Read on and see what Chad Robo has to say about this evening’s fight at Legacy FC 7.
Chad, the last time we saw you on the nationwide scene you were taking on one of the best fighters in the world in Zach Makovsky. What have you been up to since April?
Training and getting better.
What did you take out of that fight? Any lessons learned?
Very much so! Even though I didn’t come away with the victory for that fight, I learned so much in that camp. We trained so hard on improving my wrestling and Muay Thai. We really believed Zach would stand and I really wanted to showcase my Thai Boxing but he’s a smart fighter and took the fight to a wrestling match where he was able to pull off the win. I learned so much from that match. With that camp and this new one I feel I am an entirely new fighter; stronger, faster, and more technically well-rounded.
I am so blessed to have a full staff in each discipline; guys like Todd Moore, Draculino, Ratinho, Matt Wald, Kru Ali, Jody Tranthom, and Kody Williams have me working so hard and I am learning and improving each day.
Before that fight against Makovsky, you’ve had critics locally complaining with allegations that you choose your opponents or won’t fight top competition. Do you believe that fight against Zach and your upcoming fight against Jonathan Mackles should silence those critics?
I think anyone who’s successful will have supporters and critics; the two go hand-and-hand. Even when there is nothing to poke at, the critics will find something. I’ve had guys go back to complain about my opponents from 10 years ago; FYI – most guys sucked 10 years ago and fights were easy for the guys with BJJ experience. It wasn’t as tough back then as the young pros have it today.
As far as my own career in the present, I have continually made attempts to fight top national and international level guys who can move me ahead in a win. I have gotten heat from critics for not fighting the “tough guys” of Houston. I trust my experience and my manager, and the fact is fighting a 50/50 record fighter just because they are tough does nothing for my career. If I was a street fighter and wanted to prove I was tough this would make sense but I’m a professional with goals. I’m trying to grow my career. That means taking the right fights, not just the ones people call for in the forums.
What do you know about your Legacy Fighting Championship 7 opponent, Jonathan Mackles?
He’s tough. He is 9-2 as a professional with some solid wins that include a win in Bellator. He’s got good hands and solid submissions. He always comes to fight in tremendous condition and has a big heart; it looks like he always brings the fight to his opponents from bell to bell. He comes from a great camp too. From what I’ve seen, his biggest strength is that he never backs up, he’s always coming forward and in your face, but so am I. I never back down, I always press the action. So if he tries that with me I’ll meet him head on.
He’s fought some tough fights; has a win in Bellator and a win over Matt “The Pink Leprechaun” Hamilton who is a solid BJJ black belt and kickboxer, but even so he has never faced a fighter that is going to push the fight like me. I will be ready from him. It will be an exciting bout for sure but don’t expect it to last too long!
With two good training camps behind you, what are you hoping to showcase in the cage on Friday night?
That same ferocity that I brought into the ring to earn me an 11-0 record, I will rebound from my loss with such a strong statement that the Makovsky bout will instantly be a thing of the past. I have a lot of new skills and I plan to use each one of them. Jonathan Mackles is a tough guy… but he is fighting me a bad time and I’m going to run through him.
The last time you fought for Legacy FC, you received a very loud ovation with a sea of “Robo” fans in attendance. How does it feel to be fighting for Legacy and in Houston again this time around?
I think while I have grown as a fighter, Legacy has grown as an event. I’m excited to be part of their national television debut on HDNet, and it is always awesome to fight in Houston!
What advice can you give to some of your students that might be in attendance Friday who also aspire to step into the cage on day?
Stay the course, don’t ever give up, if you ask any of us older guys that have been around we will all say the same… this sport takes hard work and PATIENCE.
Before we go, I want to talk about some of your charity efforts as of late since we’re also big supporters of philanthropy around here. Tell us a little bit about what you’ve had going on recently.
Also, Mick Maynard of Legacy donated 10 seats to wounded vets in recovery who will be brought there by Soldiers’ Angels, make sure everyone goes by and says hello and thanks them for their sacrifice. These guys are freaking warriors and heroes! You can never imagine how much a handshake and a thank you from a stranger can mean to these guys.
Anything else we should know about before we see you in the cage at the Houston Arena Theater this Friday?
This will be my last fight at Bantamweight. My management, Alchemist, is in negotiations with the UFC to be included in the first signings of flyweights. I spoke to Sean Shelby personally and we have a plan to get me there. I will like debut as a flyweight in September right here at Legacy FC. Pending a win and God willing, I should sign with Zuffa around the first of the year. Once I get there, I plan on being the biggest and best flyweight fighter in the world and also the first UFC Flyweight Champion!
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