Fighters have been known to take their fair share of abuse from fans when asked certain things about certain fighters. It’s unfair really, especially considering that loaded questions such as “do you think you can beat so and so,” should only provoke one answer from a true competitor.
Strikeforce lightweight up and comer James Terry is a true competitor, and he’s gotten those questions before.
“People say ‘Hey do you think you can beat so and so,” he smiles. “Are you kidding me? What kind of question is that to ask me? Yeah, I think I can beat that guy. I think I can beat anybody. If I don’t think I can beat anybody, then why am I fighting?”
It’s the perfect response and the right one. Why bother walking into the cage if you don’t have it in your head and your heart that you can win? Sure, there are fighters who take the more conservative route in interviews, but you’ve got to appreciate that Terry is willing to speak his mind about his philosophy of fighting.
“Somebody might be more technical than me, he might do this better or do that better, and that guy may be a better MMA fighter than me,” he said. “Can you beat him in a fight? Hell yeah. There’s always that X factor and there’s so much more than just technique, athleticism, and how physical you are. Fighting’s so dynamic, and I can beat anybody, oh yeah.”
It may be why they call him “Intensity,” or that may just come from a 10-2 record that includes wins in five of his last six bouts. Next up for the Strikeforce vet is a Friday bout with Caros Fodor in Kent, Washington, and despite his belief that he can take on the world and win, he has plenty of respect for his fellow prospect.
“Stylistically, I see a guy who likes to put a lot of pressure on his opponents,” said Terry. “I think Caros is pretty tough mentally, and he imposes his will on his opponents and breaks them physically and mentally, and probably more mentally. I honestly really like Caros because I think he’s real similar to me when it comes to personality. He seems to be a real respectful guy, and the kind of guy I would hang out with. But at the same time, stylistically we’re very different, and everything that he does or he chooses to do, I can do just as good as him, if not better. I just choose to fight a different way than he does. I don’t think he has the option to fight the way I do. He’s not a dynamic striker, he’s not as explosive as I am athletically, and I don’t think he has the same options that I do. But I think he’s a great fighter, and this is a fight that I wanted. I wanted to fight him ever since he beat my teammate (Ousmane) Thomas Diagne. Thomas is one of my really good friends, and I know Thomas and Caros have a lot of respect for one another, but anytime you see one of your friends lose to somebody, you always want to avenge your teammate.”
That’s a wrestling mindset, and Terry, despite his work with dynamic striker Cung Le, counts the mat at his first home. A wrestler since the age of five, Terry won All-American honors at Pima College in Tucson before landing a spot on the Arizona State University squad. There, a clerical administration error and a torn hamstring ended his college career, and prompted a year and a half layoff from competitive sports.
“At the time, I think I was a little burned out because I had been doing it non-stop and was super dedicated since the time I was five,” he said. “I think it was a breath of fresh air for that year and a half where I didn’t have to compete. I barely worked out during that time, and it kinda lit a fire under me. I think I was depressed and I didn’t even know it. I was in a rut in my life because sports have always helped me to stay focused and gave me something to strive for. I’m a very goal-oriented person, so it made sense that I was always training for something or going to school for something. At that time I was just working.”
Then one day, while running in a park rehabbing his hamstring injury, he thought of a reality show he just saw called “The Ultimate Fighter,” and a light bulb went off.
“Man, I could beat those guys,” he thought. “And I could barely run. (Laughs) But I never doubted myself. Even though I couldn’t run, I was like man, I might not be able to run, but I can still win that fight.”
By 2006, he was training with Le, and in August of that year he made his pro debut. Now the sky’s the limit, and he’s looking forward to his first Strikeforce headlining gig tomorrow night.
“I’m not planning on leaving this in the judges’ hands,” said Terry. “I plan on going out there and putting on a spectacular performance and finishing this fight. And if I don’t finish this fight, it’s gonna be in a dominant fashion.”
As for the future, well, if you know James Terry by now, you can probably guess the answer.
“I want to fight a top contender,” he said. “Caros is not a top five guy in the lightweight division right now, though I think he could be, and neither of us are top contenders, but I want to fight a top contenders. I’m just as good as those guys, and straight up, I can beat (Strikeforce lightweight champion) Gilbert Melendez. I know I can, and there’s no doubt in my mind. I’m not just saying that. I seriously think stylistically he matches up very well with me, so I’m gonna beat Caros in a dynamic, explosive manner, and then go out there, fight some top-notch guy, and then get in line for a title shot. That’s what I want.”
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