MMA Gospel was built on the principle of bringing MMA fans an insight into the MMA world they couldn’t find elsewhere. Continuing in that tradition, MMA Gospel began to search the country for aspiring professional fighters who were looking for that “one big break”. These men would represent the diamond in the rough, the truly talented warriors who have yet to be noticed by the mainstream mixed martial arts media. Today, MMA Gospel welcomes only the second man to be added to the ranks of the MMA Gospel Young Guns, “The Professional” Chris Davis (10-2).
Chris is a former U.S. Marine who grew up in Gadsden, Alabama. He stumbled upon mixed martial arts while selling phonebook ads in Anniston, Alabama and just one year later had amassed an impressive 9-0 amateur MMA record and decided to turn pro and never look back. Chris is the Rumble at the Raxx Light Heavyweight Champion and trains out of the Headhunter Combatives Crossfit and MMA Training Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama under Mike Taylor. He is set to face TUF alum and UFC veteran Eliot Marshall (9-2) at Nemesis Fighting: MMA Global Invasion in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on November 13. MMA Gospel CEO and staff writer Dan Griffin sat down with Chris Davis and this is what “The Professional” had to say:
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How did you get started in MMA?
I was selling advertising for the Yellow Pages in Anniston, Alabama. I walked by a new gym, called Gorilla Grappling, that didn’t have an ad in the phone book. I walked in ended up giving them a free ad in exchange for a membership for me and three of my friends. I started training and never looked back.
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What made you decide it was time to turn pro?
I was broke and needed the money, LOL! Before I ever started fighting I decided that if I went 10-0 I would turn pro; if I had a loss, I had to win five in a row before I could turn pro. It was that easy.
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What’s your meal of choice prior to a fight?
Well I would like to have a giant pizza with ham and pineapple because of that weight cut, LOL! But I usually end up getting some kind of high protein, high carb meal, like beans, and some fruit.
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How do you like to unwind during the week after a fight?
I sleep late and eat whatever I want, which I usually only do for about two or three days then it’s back to training. Unless I am injured I don’t take much time off.
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MMA Gospel Young Gun Chris Davis and MMA legend Jeremy Horn shake hands before their June 2009 match with Adrenaline MMA 3 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo courtesy of Chris Davis)
Which of YOUR fights was your favorite, or stood out most in your mind?
The fight I had in Tampa against Donavin Hawkey was big for me. I was a really big underdog and pulled off a pretty dominant win. Of course I will never forget fighting Jeremy Horn in Birmingham, Alabama on the Adrenaline MMA card.
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What is your favorite submission?
That’s easy – three out of my four submission wins were Armbars. So it is definitely the Armbar.
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Who are some of your favorite fighters?
My favorite fighter is GSP. I really like Rashad Evans’ style and of course, the man, the myth, the legend…Randy Couture.
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Which fight is your favorite of all time?
I liked Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida. That fight was so exciting. That fight or pretty much any of the old Tito Ortiz stuff. Right when Tito started fighting, he was so aggressive and had that vicious ground-and-pound that nobody knew how to defend yet.
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If you could train with any camp in the world (other than Headhunters)
which would you choose?
I guess I would like to train where I think there is the most talent at my weight class, which I think would be Greg Jackson’s camp. [That] is probably the same answer you would get from about 80% of active fighters in MMA today, LOL!
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Which MMA promotions do you feel are the best both in terms of talent
level and who is best to fight for?
I think the UFC obviously has the best talent and I have cornered a few fights for a friend and they take really good care of you. Personally, cards that I have fought on, Adrenaline MMA and Carolina Fight Promotions took really good care of me.
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If you were asked to fight the best fighter in the world at your weight
class, who would you be fighting and how would you beat him?
I think the best 205er in the world is Rashad Evans and I would beat him the same way Machida did, LOL!
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Tell us about your next opponent and how you plan to beat him (without
giving away any secrets, of course).
I think Elliot Marshal is a really good fighter – good cardio, BJJ black belt, solid striker but he definitely has some holes is his game. He is nowhere near aggressive enough and that is pretty much the plan, as soon as the bell rings I plan on feeling him out a little and then completely overwhelming him. I want him to feel like he is completely out of his bounds half way through the first round.
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Where do you see yourself in a year?
In the UFC, putting together some wins to get in title contention one day.
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Five years?
In the UFC with the 205 title, LOL!
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If you didn’t fight, what would you do instead?
I would probably try to be a motivational speaker, haha!
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What is your personal motto?
You will experience one of two pains in life: either the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The pain of discipline is temporary, the pain of regret last forever.
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Check out MMA Gospel Young Gun Chris Davis’ interview on MMA Gospel Radio.
