XKO 18 Fighter Preview: Getting to know Saekson Janjira Muay Thai’s JP Cole

By Felix Rodriguez, Staff Writer

DALLAS, TX, March 20, 2013 – JP Cole describes himself as a “Saekson made traditional Muay Thai fighter” that loves his “kicks, knees and elbows.” Cole’s love of Muay Thai extends beyond just competition and he feels the same amount of passion for teaching the art of the 8 limbs as he does displaying it’s elegant brutality in a ring or cage. Cole is thankful for his good fortune, and is excited to be representing his style of fighting in mixed martial arts competition. Never one to be complacent with life Cole believes that “at this point in [his] career the only place he “can go is up.” In order for Cole to continue on his path of ascension he will have to stay low and avoid the ground game of Isaiah Gutierrez. This fight looks to pit the classical matchup of grappler vs. striker and that means whoever takes things to their comfort zone will likely end up the victor.

JP Cole took some time to tell TXMMA about his evolution from Thai Fighter to Mixed Martial Artist, his preparations for his Flyweight matchup, the potential for blink-and-you’ll miss type shenanigans, and he also discussed the kind of style he’s trying to bring to the table. Here is everything he had to say!

XKO 18 Pre-Fight Interview – JP Cole (Saekson Janjira Muay Thai)

TXMMA: You are starting to look more and more comfortable fighting MMA; did your last fight go as planned and were you able to learn any lessons from that experience?

JPC: My last fight was against Akira Smith (super cool guy). The weight cut killed me and I had no energy to perform the way I wanted so it didn’t go too well but you live and you learn. We went all 3 rounds I lost to a unanimous decision. Since then I’ve been trying to watch my weight better since I’m at the bigger end of 125. I walk around at 150lbs and 4% body fat so I don’t have much to lose.

TXMMA: Your main strength is your Muay Thai, Do you feel like if it isn’t broken you shouldn’t fix it or are you doing something to help compliment your excellent striking pedigree?

JPC: I feel right now that I’m constantly evolving as a fighter. I’m always learning new techniques and ways to move. Every fight makes me better and every fight makes me stronger. I compete because I love everything about the sport, the training and bonding, the lights, the crowd; the competition there’s nothing better. As for where I’m going in the sport I have no choice but to be Great.

TXMMA: Obviously, you are still developing as a fighter, but in the brief span of your fighting career what has been the most challenging and the most memorable moment you’ve experienced in MMA?

JPC: My greatest challenge in MMA so far has been balancing the different martial arts. The schedule gets crazy a lot of times. My most memorable moments would be my last amateur fight out in Odessa, Texas and my first pro fight. Both times I got to fight and train with my best friends Albert Bocardo and Soannia Tiem.

TXMMA: How do you handle the moments before a fight? Are you anxious to get started or unaffected by pre-fight jitters?

JPC: Nothing really goes through my head when I enter the cage. It’s just another day at the gym for me. I fought 6 times last year and had 4 fights cancel on me the day of [the fight] so I’m pretty used to everything now. Besides, after the weight cut the fight is the easy part.

TXMMA: What can you tell our readers about your preparations for this fight? Have you been seeking new training partners and cross-training at different gyms?

JPC: Nooo comment…

TXMMA: Fair enough, are you worried about your opponent’s ground skills, do you think you’ll be able to keep him from bringing it to the mat?

JPC: Good luck [with that]. I know he’s going to try to take me down right out the gate for a fact so I’m ready for that. I just hope he’s prepared to stand with me because I’m pretty sure it’s not going to go down so smooth.

TXMMA: Who helped you get ready for Gutierrez and what’s next after him?

JPC: Thank you Saekson, Albert and Soannia love you guys! After this fight I’m going to get ready for my next one at Premier over in Fort Worth. I like to stay busy!