MMA Fighter Anthony "The Recipe" Lapsley

Anthony Lapsley is a mixed martial arts veteran who has fought for promotions like King of the Cage, Bellator, UWC, and others. He was also part of the the famous double knockout in a fight.


How and when did you get into mixed martial arts?

I started about 4 years ago. I met Cobra Rhodes (16X world champion Arm wrestler) at a bar. He’s good friends with Gary Goodrich and was following the sport all the time. After exchanging info and past achievements, we decided it was something I wanted to get into.

You have fought the likes of Mike Guymon and Drew Fickett. To this date, who has been your toughest opponent?

The hardest opponent I fought was Tyler Stinson. He was a tough as shit!!!

Before you started training and competing in mixed martial arts, did you have any martial arts experience?

Nope. I was just a high school state champion wrestler. Nothing before or after that except fighting

More than 2/3rd of your victories have come from submissions, do you prefer to take your opponents to the ground right away or do you like to stand and bang?

I don’t know, I can stand and bang, but I usually just end up taking it to the ground and pounding the guy or submitting these cats. I play it how it goes but I would rather hit the ground. I’m trying to stay pretty!!

You are part of the infamous mma double knockout fight. What was going on in your mind after both you guys go down?

All I thought was, “PLEASE don’t come hit me”. I didn’t know how I got down there, but knew to start kicking to prevent him from doing anymore damage.

You got redemption at Aaron Wetherspoon a few months later. This time you were able to defeat him by submission. What was it like to actually defeat him without any controversies?

I was relieved. I was also excited and pretty happy because I was champion.

Besides mixed martial arts, what other hobbies do you like to do on your free time?

I like playing PS3, chilling with my family and children.

Is there anyone you would like to thank (coaches, family, sponsors)?

I would to thank God, because none of this would be possible. My haters, they are very important to my success. I also thank my children, my parents, My Dip Dip for sticking with me through all of this. Alan Buckley, Finis Tatum, Nick Craig, Mark Lemrick, BJ Hedger, Chas Bowling, Bubba McDaniel, Six Figures, LimeLite Fusion drink, Sponsored Fan Family and all the rest of my friends, fans, and family.

Top 5 Mixed Martial Arts Networking Sites

Mixed Martial Arts is one the toughest sports to prosper in. You will need the help of family, friends and colleagues to make it big. As a fighter, you will need to contact promoters and sponsors and the easiest way to do this is to network with other fighters, promoters, and sponsors. These five websites are the best tool for prospect mma fighters to make contact with promoters and sponsors.


1. MMA MALEE






- The "Facebook" of MMA networking websites
- Over 1,000 registered fighters, fans, promoters, etc.
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- Promoters Section
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2. MMA Free Agent





- Easy communication between fighters and fans
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3. Cagecraze





- Very Active
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4. Hookit - MMA







- Helps mma fighters get sponsorships
- Similar To "MYSPACE"
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5. MMA Social









- Top MMA Fighters Profiles
- Important MMA news from other websites
- Events Directory

MMA Fighter Jimy Hettes Interview

Jimy Hettes is only twenty three years old, but has already made a splash in the mixed martial arts world. He is currently an undefeated fighter with all his wins coming in the first round. We were able to get an interview with him.


How and when did you get into mixed martial arts?

Well, I was wrestling when i was young and I started boxing at fourteen years old. At the age of sixteen, I started doing jiu-jitsu and really became obsessed. After doing a few tournaments, when I was eighteen years old, I decided to give mixed martial arts a shot. I really liked how real the fighting was, and it was as close to a real confrontation as you can legally get.

What was it like fighting Binky Jones, a veteran of mixed martial arts, and being able to submit him in just less than 30 seconds?

It was a great feeling to say the least. I grew up watching his fights. So, it was a great opportunity for me to fight him in such a nice event as Shogun. Having that opportunity, I knew I couldn’t waste it or let my emotions get in the way of what I really had to do.

All your wins have come by the way of submission. It’s safe to say that you are mostly comfortable on the ground. What was your favorite submission you were able to lock in during your fights?

Yea, submissions have always come pretty natural to me, but I have really been working on my judo and boxing relentlessly with real good results. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciative all my submissions but my favorite one thus far has been the Achilles lock against a good opponent in Jay Haas. I like to use leg locks a lot in practice. It was good to have the opportunity to throw one when it counted.

Besides mixed martial arts, what other hobbies do you like to do on your free time?

MMA takes up a lot of my time. In my free time, I like doing relaxing activities such as walking my dog (Nahla), playing video games, and doing anything outdoors. They are all great ways to let my body heal up and stay busy at the same time.

What is your ultimate goal you want to achieve as a mixed martial artist?

I really don’t have a goal when it comes to MMA. It’s not something Ii do for any purpose. The martial arts are something I simply can't see myself living without. I can see myself being seventy years old and still doing judo or bjj. So MMA is just a reflection on how I live my life.

None of your fights have gone past the first round. Do you always try to finish your opponent as quick as possible?

The way I was taught jiu jitsu is to always go for the finish. When I get in the fight, there is no hesitation when I see an opportunity; I go for it. I have simply been fortunate to have those opportunities.

Is there anyone you would like to thank (coaches, family, sponsors)?

Without my coaches it wouldn't be possible. Thanks to all the guys at Swoyersville Submission Wrestling, Gracie NEPA, and Worldclass Boxing. Thanks to all my sponsors who help me eat every day, mma melee, Free Hurt, Tattoo Fightwear, Submission Effects, Bamf Mouthguards, Assassins Industry, Policy Collection, and dr. James Jiunta.

MMA Fighter Joe Garcia Interview

Joe Garcia is a young and upcoming mixed martial arts fighter trying to make a name for himself. He definitely has what it takes to make it big in the mma world. We were able to sit down with Joe and conduct a 1 on 1 interview.


How and when did you get into mixed martial arts?

About three years ago my buddy and I, Chris Kleman, (who now is the 185 champ in our league) we’re talking about the growing popularity of the UFC and how we wanted to give it a shot. He had been a standout wrestler his whole life and I was a boxer, so we figured we had a pretty legitimate chance. So, I began training Brazilian Jiu jitsu at one of Saulo Ribeiros academies. At age of 17, I hooked up with Pro fighter, Rick Fitch, who set up my first fight.

What gym do you train out of?

I train out of Elite Sports academy in Tiffin, OH. We have some of the best athletes around and our training regimen is enough to break someone both physically and mentally. We put ourselves through the ringer on a daily basis and we have about ten Title belts at our academy to show for it.

What is your ultimate goal you want to achieve as a mixed martial artist?

I want to be the best, period. I want to one day be known as one of the best pound for pound fighters of all time. More importantly I want to make enough money so that my mom can quit her job. I would like to be able to take care of my mother, as well as the rest of my family. My family and I have never had it easy growing up, ever. One day, not only do I want to give my mother a great life, but to also repay her for all the stress I have put on her as a teen. I believe there are people, who are great at fighting, and there are great fighters, and I want to be a great fighter. I want to use my skills in the cage to put myself in a position to do good things as a human being.

What is the hardest part of the mma lifestyle that people do not know about?

The MMA lifestyle, as a whole, is something you have to be physically and mentally ready for and it requires a lot of adaptation. It means no wild parties, no drugs or alcohol; You really don’t have time for a big social life if you train all day, every day. Not to mention the bloody noses, black eyes, hyper extensions, twisted ankles and boxing fractures. I put myself through physical and mental torture long before I dance under those lights, and I don’t think just anyone could walk a mile in those shoes. Everyone wants to be the next Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre. They want to wear the Tapout shirts and boast and get the girls, but 99% of them don’t have what it takes to put in the time. I wish they would show more on television about what we put ourselves through in order to get ready for a fight. It’s not easy.

You have traveled all over the Midwest area. Where do you like to travel the most or is it strictly business with you?

I think my favorite place to fight is in Tiffin. We always get a ton of people that show up, plus I’m surrounded by fans and people that I know. The crowd gets so loud and I love to put on a show for them.

Do you have any upcoming fights scheduled and what are you doing to prepare for them?

Yes, my next fight is August 14th, which is two weeks from this Saturday. I’m competing for Havoc Extreme Cagefighting and it will be against Brandon "diesel" Adams. I have been training 5+ hours per day and working on every aspect of the game as well. I spar, train BJJ, and train wrestling every day. I also do power lifting and circuits. Brandon Adams likes to come out with guns blazing, so I have been telling my sparring partners to come right at me during training and to be ready for his explosiveness.

Is there anyone you would like to thank (coaches, family, sponsors)?

I would like to thank God, because without him, none of this would be possible and he has given me so many blessings in my life. I would also like to thank my mother for being the greatest mother ever, as well as my sister for being so supportive, and my trainer Rick Fitch. And last, but not least, all my family, fans, and training partners. No Color Line Clothing cannot be forgotten as it has supported me from the very beginning.

WEC Fighter Courtney Buck Interview

Courtney Buck is a featherweight fighter who is currently fighting in the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting). We had the opportunity to talk with Courtney and this is what he had to say.

How did you get into the sport of mixed martial arts?

I got into the sport because I love competition, especially one on one competition. Hand-to-hand combat is the most ancient competition known to man and I wanted to be a part of it.

Most featherweights stand between 5’5” and 5'7”. What kind of advantage do you have standing at 5’10”?

It's still rather weird to me that I'm considered a big man as far as height goes because I originally fought at 155 and I was a tiny guy at that weight class but I'm also really lean so it kind of evens itself out. My reach and my ability to keep distance will always be my advantage, I just have to be patient enough to capitalize on that aspect of my game.

On average, it usually takes most MMA fighters 2-4 years to make it into a premiere fighting organization like the UFC or the WEC. It took you only one year to be signed to a WEC contract after turning pro. How do you mentally prepare yourself fighting in front of thousands of people in the WEC?

It's still rather surreal to me that I've made it to the WEC this soon. I've only trained a few months longer than I've actually fought. I started training in March of 2008 and my first fight was in October of 2008 with no previous background in any martial art nor wrestling at all, so I have to learn many things on the fly. I was learning things the other guys already had programmed into their DNA at this point, but it also made me easy to coach and train. To me, it never mattered how many people watched my fights. I've done exhibitions in front of 30 people or so and fought in front of about 800 on the local scene in Minnesota. Mentally, I remind myself that the cheers, jeers, screams and madness will not bring me a win, so the only people I try to hear are my corner men when I'm in that cage.

The Brandon Visher fight didn't turn out the way you would have liked. What went wrong in that fight and what do you think you could have done differently?

Oh man, the Visher fight was a heartbreaker. That was the first time I'd ever been stopped, but I didn't feel like I was over matched. I've watched that tape many times and I've realized how rushed and impatient I was in that fight. I was able to dictate the pace but I didn't take advantage of my reach. I caught him early and ran into him, but didn't use good technique on the ground. In hindsight, if I had been patient and sat back I think I could have earned the "W", but that fight also taught me so much. It's weird how much wisdom can be gained in four minutes and forty-five seconds.

Your fight with Fredson Paixao is tonight in Columbus, Ohio. Can you describe the training schedule you have endured to prepare yourself for this fight?

For this fight I trained short sessions in the early mornings and afternoons and full sessions at night working on ground defense and different striking combinations focusing on using my body to gain the biggest advantage possible. I had three weeks notice for the fight so I was able to put together a solid camp.

Is there anyone you would like to thank (coaches, family, sponsors)?

I would love to thank my wife who has really allowed me to let it all hang out and chase this goal, all my friends and family in Burnsville, MN, my trainers Mike, Jeremy, and Ryan, all the hardworking guys and gals from Minnesota Top Team, Missy Germain and everyone at Bitten and Bound. And thank you, chief (The Buried Athlete), for even thinking I was worth your time. It means a lot.