"It shows you that you could fight anyone at any time and to step up to the plate because you never know how quick your fights are going to come up or who you're fighting so you just have to be ready to fight. It kind of gives you that warrior's heart," stated UFC middleweight contender CB Dollaway as he discussed his experience on The Ultimate Fighter. Check out what else he had to say about the show, working with Rampage and much more.
PC: How's everything going my man?
CB: Everything is going good. I'm just preparing for my upcoming fight at The Ultimate Fighter Finale.
PC: Last time we spoke, you had just fought for HDNet. How does it feel to be on TV every week?
CB: It's crazy going from like a small network like HDNet to a huge network like Spike TV every week. It's kind of crazy. Even though I haven't got much airtime on there yet, I think my time is coming. I'll be fighting pretty soon within the next few weeks and everyone is going to get to see what I bring to the table.
PC: You really impressed Rampage in your fight to get into the house. How did it feel being the first pick?
CB: It was awesome to have Rampage pick me as the #1 pick. It showed that he thought pretty highly of me. He had the choice to pick the #1 fight or the #1 person and he immediately went after me so it was definitely an awesome feeling.
PC: What do you think of Rampage as a fighter and how does it feel to have the opportunity to work with a guy of his caliber?
CB: Rampage as a fighter is basically 100% excitement. You watch that guy's fight and you never know what's going to happen. You don't know if he's going to pick some guy up and slam them off of their head or knock them out. He's for sure a game dog and he puts on a show for the fans. It's a little crazy working side by side with the 205 pound champ. Actually, getting in there rolling around with him and getting to spar with him was a great opportunity.
PC: You came into the show known as a great wrestler. How much have you been working on other things to erase that title of just being a wrestler?
CB: I've been working on other parts of my game. The gym I'm out of, Arizona Combat Sports, we're known for our stand-up. I think having a strong wrestling background helps out a lot, but over the past year and a half, I've developed a pretty solid stand-up game and Jiu Jitsu game so I wouldn't consider myself just a wrestler anymore. I obviously consider that my big strength, but I can do a lot more now.
PC: What was the hardest part about being on the show?
CB: The 6 weeks away and really just not talking to anybody. You're living with 16 strangers to where you're used to your teammates, who you've known for awhile, and working with your own trainers. It's like a new experience and you have to deal with guys that, per say, outside of the house, you may not hang out with them if you get my drift. You have to keep a cool head because obviously any fights will get you thrown out. You just have to get along with people the best you can.
PC: Is it tough living with potential opponents?
CB: At first, it was kind of a weird idea, but after a while, you just got used to it. It's just like, "screw it!" You may have to fight them, but everyone has that thought in the back of their mind that anyone can possibly be an opponent at any time. You could be friends outside of the cage, but when it comes to stepping into the cage with them, you're both looking to get that contract so you're going to throw down for sure.
PC: I'm sure you watched the show in the past. When you saw the room filling up with fighters, were you like, "What the hell is going on?"
CB: Yeah, that was pretty weird. I showed up there hoping that I would be one of the first fights so I came ready to fight, but I was thinking I would have a little bit more time, like possibly 3 or 4 days in the house, before anything major would take place. I get there and you see 32 guys walk in and you know something is up. Then Dana White walks in and tells you, "you're fighting in 48 hours, get ready." The thought of going home was the worst possible scenario and I wasn't going to let that happen.
PC: Were you close to weight coming into the house?
CB: They told us to show up there at 190. Right when we flew in, they took us right to the scales and that kind of had me concerned that something was possibly going on so I didn't go out and eat a whole bunch or gorge myself. I kind of played it cool until I knew what was going on and that was a smart move obviously. One guy was 17 pounds over. He obviously wasn't thinking and went out and chowed down. I had the feeling something was up.
PC: How tough was it for you to get back home and be able to see people again and not say anything about the show?
CB: It's weird, but you pretty much just have to let them know that you have to sign a confidentiality agreement. Everyone is like, "I'm your friend. You could tell me." You basically have to use the same line. If I tell you and you tell one person and they tell one person, you could screw up the opportunity for me, so it is what it is.
PC: Obviously you want to become The Ultimate Fighter, but what else would you like to take away from being on the show?
CB: Basically, I just want to take away the experience of putting yourself through something like that. It's kind of like a meat grinder there. It's not like your typical fight where you have 6 weeks to prepare for an opponent and knowing who they are and what their strengths are, you know? It shows you that you could fight anyone at any time and to step up to the plate because you never know how quick your fights are going to come up or who you're fighting so you just have to be ready to fight. It kind of gives you that warrior's heart.
PC: I appreciate the interview man. When everything is over and we can discuss a little more, I'll get back with you. Is there anything you would like to say in closing?
CB: Sounds good. I would just like to thank my sponsors, MTX Audio and LG Sports Marketing. Thanks man, take care and I will talk to you in the future.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]