The Razor, as Rob McCullough likes to be called, opened a streak of 9-1 in last 10 fights and he wants to avenge his last defeat in 2004 at the hands of Harris Sarmiento.The extraordinary American Muay Thai fighter, Rob “Razor” McCullough of Team Oyama, is scheduled to compete in the return of the World Fighting Alliance in July 22nd at The Forum in Los Angeles, California. The Razor, as Rob McCullough likes to be called, opened a streak of 9-1 in last 10 fights and he wants to avenge his last defeat in 2004 at the hands of Harris Sarmiento.
TKO or KO? What does McCullough have in mind to push the outcome in his re-match against Sarmiento? DO NOT BLINK, IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE!
DENIS MARTINS: Was your fight against Ryan Healy at WEC 21-“Tapout” a kind of preparation for your WFA match? Weren’t you worried about any injury in the WEC’s bout and not fighting in WFA 4?
Rob “Razor” McCullough: I prepare for one fight at a time. To me there is no such thing as an easy fight. Ryan Healy was definitively a well versed adversary who I had to prepare for just as I am for my next WFA fight and my next victim.
DM: Your 6 last fights had the TKO outcome in your favor, and two of these fights went to R2 (Alfonso and Rivas). Were these two fights the toughest ones you had?
RM: No, I train for the worst and expect the best. My training prior to both of those fights was the hardest and the fighting is the easy part.
DM: I can’t forget to mention that TKO over Alfonso at WEC 19; that moment became one of the most KO fashions ever watched. Do you think that fight was a real display of your style?
RM: I definitively think that it shows my potential and what’s to come of Razor Rob.
DM: Were you surprised when Alfonso got an invitation to compete in Pride Bushido after WEC 19? How did you see this situation?
RM: No, Olaf definitively was a good awkward opponent which can be very dangerous. I’m glad he got the opportunity to fight in one of the big shows. Too bad the outcome wasn’t good for him but you definitively learn more from a loss sometimes than you do from a win.
DM: You are competing in KOTC and WEC often. Do you see many similarities and differences between these events?
RM: The WEC I believe is definitively the next level of show. We definitively see a lot of the fighters go from WEC to the big shows. The octagon is fast which I think is more towards striking. As opposed to KOTC I’d say this is right behind WEC as far as promotion and the cage is softer and designed more for wresting.
DM: And when will you compete for the belt of both organizations against Hermes Franca (WEC) and Mac Danzig (KOTC)?
RM: I would be honored to fight them for those titles and add one more piece to my collection.
DM: You fought in last edition of WFA in 2002. What do you expect from this re-birth of WFA in 2006?
RM: I believe it’s a top quality show with a very exciting card of fighters. I believe my arsenal of weapons and my technique in MMA is definitively up to par and I am ready to showcase my new skills.
DM: Do you think that fighting at WFA will render you more fame than KOTC and WEC did?
RM: I believe so. They have national PPV, they’re also fighting in an arena with 19,000 seats and I’ve gotten more publicity from this fight than I have in 10 years of fighting.
DM: You’re going to face in WFA the guy who was responsible for you last defeat. Are you going to fight Harris Sarmiento with extra motivation?
RM: I always prepare for war. This win will be more meaningful. DM: What did you learn from that defeat for him in WEC 9?
Rob “Razor” McCullough: I think I shouldn’t leave the outcome of fights to judges and my takedown defense wasn’t where I thought it should have been.
DM: Both of you (Sarmiento and you) improved your games a lot in last two years. But in your opinion what did you improve more during this period?
RM: My ground game, my takedown defense. I’m focused more on my training; training smarter, not harder.
DM: How will be your career after July 22th? Are you going to keep yourself at WFA, KOTC and WEC or have you had intention of entering in Bushido, UFC or HERO’S?
RM: I have a 3 fight deal with the WFA, after which I’m definitively open to options.
DM: Thanks for you time and good luck against Sarmiento. Would you like to add anything else?
RM: I’d like to say thanks to thanks to the sponsors that make it possible for me to do this full time; The Pav (my superstar agent), Marley Powers, Spankys, Pikos Pikosos, Punishment Athletics, Warrior Wear, HB Ultimate Training Center,Speedwear, Weir Canyon Acura, Fourth World Clothing, Gamma-O, MBC, and Serious Pimp. Train hard and never give up.