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Source: facebook.com/andy.costello.7/posts/10211898459840253
Legit - an interview with MMA superstar James 'The Colossus' Thompson.
Before the UFC took over Pride was the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
They signed James Thompson - a huge debt collector who'd taken the UK scene by storm.
The Japanese fans loved his raw ferocity, but that can only take you so far. James knuckled down and learnt his trade on the big stage.
Don't be deceived by his modesty. He has wins over:
Worlds Strongest Man - Marius Pudzianowski
Olympic Judo Champion - Yoshida
K1 Champion - Bob Sapp
Former UFC champ - Don Fry
If there was any justice in the world then Kimbo Slice, dubbed 'King of the internet brawlers', would be on that list too. But more of that later...
He's a big guy with a big personality: witty, warm, and intelligent. Here's the interview.
1) Anyone looking at your credentials might think you're Britains hardest man. Would you disagree?
"I don't like monikers like that, they seem a bit silly to me.
What I would say is I'm a man from Britain who competed in the hardest sport in the world, both physical and mentally, at international level for twelve plus years - while making it unbelievably hard for myself on so many personal levels.
Addictions and mma don't mix - unless it's the mma you're addicted to - and as my career progressed I let that positive addiction become over shadowed by many other negative addictions. But that's a bit of a mouth full."
2) Who's the toughest guy you've ever fought? (Other than me, obviously.)
"Present company excepted of course Andy, I'd go with Alistair Overeem.
That alone is a respectable answer. Then there's the circumstances that I took the fight under - which I alluded to in my last answer.
I took the Overeem fight under very difficult conditions - all of my own making.
I came in as a last minute replacement. I think I had four or five days notice max. Dream couldn't find anyone but luckily for them I stepped in.
Two days before the offer of the fight I'd had a tearful phone call from my then ex girlfriend (now my fiancé)
She told me that the bank had been in touch to tell her they would be coming after one of her houses, because they'd accidentally paid me £25,000 instead of $25,000.
I'd blown it all on a three day gambling blitzKrieg of misery. But my ex, (who now isn't my ex) had put her name on my account in a failed yet valiant bid to stop me gambling.
So after reassuring her that I'd get the money so she wouldn't lose her house, with no clue how, God sent me a lifeline in the the form of Overeem - who would kick me around a bit.
But at the end of it I'd have all my debts paid, house saved, karma restored and some left over to gamble.
So it was a no brainer even if it meant getting brained.
Before the fight I was struck with an eerie, strange sense of calm, ready to accept my fate.
When I heard Overeem's walk out music "Tonight's going to be a good night", by the Black Eyed Peas, I started dancing along.
It's not that I didn't care, I was just passed the point of caring. I think this could be called gallows humor."
3) You used to sprint across the cage in a blaze of fury at the start of your fights. The Japanese fans loved you for it. Then you stopped - why?
"There's two reasons I started my fights that way. The first was I had so much adrenaline flowing through me it's seem like the most obvious thing to do at the time haha.
The second was I'd only been fighting a year and half tops by the time I was in Pride, so I had no idea how over my head I was.
The thing about the "gong and dash" is it only really works when you go flat out and don't second guess yourself.
I started getting caught, second guessing myself, and getting caught more. So I decided to knock it on its head.
It served it's purpose by getting me noticed and a foot in the door with the fans and high ups in Pride - even though that was accidental."
4) What do you think you'd be doing now if you hadn't found MMA ?
"I think I would of carried on with door work and debt collecting jobs - tinted with a hint of violence if you didn't do what I wanted.
But that's not really me. I like my violence more straight forward. I didn't enjoy doing those jobs and I believe something would of jolted me out of my uncomfortable state.
I love writing and I'm sure I would have ventured down that road. I think I would of ended up doing psychology in the end. I really enjoy that "
5) You were two clear rounds up against Kimbo Slice when the referee jumped in to make a ridiculous stoppage. How much skulduggery do you suspect was at play?
"Great word, skulduggery. It applies well when you're talking about Gary Shaw/Slime and his activities. (Promoter of the Thompson / Kimbo fight)
I drill down on it a lot more in my half written book "Tales from the gym and other Colossal adventures".
Gary 'Slime' held the first Kimbo fight in New Jersey because he used to be boxing commissioner there, so he could easily put all his old friends in the right places.
When I was on the telephone for a press media thing, 'Slime' was asked what he would do if I won the first fight. He replied "hang myself" - probably the most honest thing he's ever said hahaha."
6) You've beaten the Worlds Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski.
Did his strength translate to MMA? Did he feel very strong?
"He was statically very strong, he belly to back suplexed me in the first fight and powered up to his knee when I had him flattened out with my hooks in - and I was 130kg.
But because of his body type I could find big gaps for my under hooks in the clinch. I could move him around very easily.
7) Do you have any plans for the future you'd like to reveal?
In my rematch with Lashley my leg got hyper extended when he hit a low single.
I couldn't train because of my injury. I owed the promotion, Bellator, 10k which I'd used to train for the fight in Texas and pay my bills at home.
It was a nightmare after the fight because once you took off what I owed Bellator, I also got stung for back taxes.
By the time I'd paid my agent and corner expenses I was deep in the red. So refusing the TK fight wasn't a option.
I can't remember anything about the fight. I have no idea how I got through the first ten minutes since I couldn't train, but I had to take the fight. I had nothing to my name apart from three kids a load of bills.
I knew the loss to TK was coming, but it still hit me harder than I expected, because it's just so fucking emotionally draining knowing you're going to lose against someone you'd normally smash.
It was a soul sapping, spirt crushing endeavor which I wouldn't wish on my worse enemy
But the Kimbo fight was going to settle a much needed score, while being in my back yard and on the biggest stage possible.
Plus I was getting paid really well so I could settle my debts. But all that died with Kimbo. I'm not feeling sorry for myself - that just the reality of the situation. At least I'm here.
I've had a year out and in that time realized many things about my self, my own ego and how I react if things don't go my way.
I'll be coming back to MMA because my story's not going to end with a loss to TK and the rematch that never was with Kimbo.
Nope, my story going to have a far more colossal ending
8. What advice would you give someone looking to get into MMA
Start off slow, do some ju jitsu or wrestling comps, do any event to get used to competing in front of people and responding to the pressure.
Remember that MMA will take everything, and the more you throw into the fire the more it will burn, but you have to keep some of yourself back.
You're many things other than just a fighter. I think it's important that anyone who's thinking about being a fighter should understand that.
+ Information from another interview (sporty-walki.org)
"Before fight with Kosaka I did not train even a day. I took this fight for money. I had $ 12,000 in debt."
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