Forget March Madness, this is the REAL final four: Nam Phan, Michael Johnson, Jonathon Brookins and Kyle Watson. This week Nam gives us his thoughts on last night’s fights, how he ranks the final 4 guys, what he thinks of his upcoming fight with Michael Johnson and who famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach said was faster than Pac-Man. You won’t get this stuff anywhere else. Read it or weep.
VigilanteMMA: The first fight was between Kyle Watson and Aaron Wilkinson. What was Aaron’s game plan going into his fight with Kyle Watson?
Nam Phan: The game plan was to just sprawl and brawl with him because we knew that he had a strong ground game. Aaron believed that he was the strongest guy in the house so we thought he could just sprawl and knock him out.
VigilanteMMA: Were you surprised how easy it was for Watson to take him down?
Nam Phan: I wasn’t too surprised. Kyle Watson is good man. He’s good at what he does. But I was really hoping that Aaron would find a knock out and win.
VigilanteMMA: Were you impressed with Watson’s win?
Nam Phan: I was very impressed. Good takedowns, great technique in his BJJ. Nice fundamentals.
VigilanteMMA: You were right when you said Team GSP had all the best visitors. Case in point, Freddie Roach!?!? Did you guys get to meet him?
Nam Phan: We just heard that he stopped by, we didn’t get to see him. I did talk to some of the guys just to ask them what it was like, and they said it was awesome.
VigilanteMMA: Anything in particular stand out?
Nam Phan: Alex Caceres said he was working pads with Freddie Roach, and he said Freddie Roach told him “you’re fast man, you’re faster than Manny Pacquiao.”
VigilanteMMA: Really?! That makes his “gator wrestling” story seem believable. What did you say to him?
Nam Phan: I told him that if he’s faster than the best boxer in the world, than he’s probably in the wrong sport. I know that Freddie Roach didn’t tell him he’s faster than Manny Pacquiao, frickin’ liar. I mean, Alex’s boxing isn’t that good, and you’re nowhere near how fast he is, none of us are even close to his speed, maybe just 1 millionth the speed of Pacquiao.
VigilanteMMA: They showed Koscheck getting under MJ’s skin during weigh-ins. Was that a new development or something that’s been going on all season?
Nam Phan: I think Koscheck was just picking on all the guys on Team GSP. I think Koscheck was saying that Michael Johnson was overlooking Alex, that he was underestimating him and not showing him any respect. And so that’s why Koscheck was leaning towards Alex a little bit.
VigilanteMMA: Did you agree with your coach that GSP threw Alex under the bus?
Nam Phan: I really didn’t see it that way at the time. Now that I think about it, it does kind of make sense. From GSP’s point of view he was saying that he just wanted those two guys to beat each other up to settle their differences. But now I can see where GSP could have set that up so only his guy could beat Alex, who was supposedly the weakest guy in the house.
VigilanteMMA: Also at the weigh-ins, Koscheck said there was going to be some “black on black crime.” In which Michael Johnson said, “He’s not black.” Explain.
Nam Phan: He was always just contradicting himself (Alex). Michael Johnson, who’s like this Black Panther-type, proud African American brother you know, is proud to be black. And then you have Alex, who one minute is black, and the next minute he’s Latino. I mean, that’s fine, but you can’t be both. Alex just doesn’t know who he is. He lost guidance or something. And I think Michael Johnson was just calling him out.
VigilanteMMA: Were you surprised that Lentz cornered Alex, given that Alex beat Lentz in his first fight?
Nam Phan: Yeah, I was very surprised. I mean, Jeff Lentz was always talking sh*t about Alex. And then to see him corner the guy…just surprising.
VigilanteMMA: Was it true that no one wanted to corner him?
Nam Phan: Of course, everyone hates him. His own teammates didn’t want to corner him.
VigilanteMMA: Who did you think was going to win between Alex and Michael Johnson?
Nam Phan: I thought Michael Johnson would win. I thought he was going to stop him. I was 100% confident that he was going to win. We were all 100% confident that he was going to finish Alex so we were surprised when he couldn’t.
VigilanteMMA: What did you think of their fight?
Nam Phan: I thought Michael Johnson won all the rounds for sure. Even though he didn’t finish him it wasn’t even close. Michael Johnson didn’t hurt Alex all that much, but he out-pointed him for sure.
VigilanteMMA: Johnson said he had a new found respect for Alex after they fought. Did you?
Nam Phan: Oh no, never. Never. I mean, this guy loses, and he still has the balls to showboat, doing his kung fu stuff into the camera. If you lose, you got to get yourself out of that cage. You can’t showboat any more. When I lose I’m sad and disappointed, I don’t want to stay and hang out.
VigilanteMMA: Well, the final four is set. Do you think the final 4 fighters are a true representation of the top 4 guys?
Nam Phan: Yeah, I thought we were all where we should be at. It’s pretty solid.
VigilanteMMA: The final four fighters are you, Johnson, Watson and Brookins. How would you rank the final four?
Nam Phan: Brookins first, Watson second, me third, and Johnson fourth. Don’t get me wrong, Michael Johnson was the first pick for a reason. He’s a big guy, and he’s more athletic and a lot stronger than I am, but skill-wise, I think I’m better.
VigilanteMMA: That bodes well for you as he’s your semifinal fight. What are your thoughts on Michael Johnson?
Nam Phan: After Johnson won his fight against Alex, I actually told Koscheck that I wanted to fight him. I thought that Michael Johnson had the most holes in his game. Jonathon Brookins and Kyle Watson, they have less holes. With Brookins and Watson, there’s a chance that if the fight goes to the ground, they could maybe submit me. I’m not saying that they would, but they have the tools to do it. Now Michael Johnson, not saying that he can’t, but he’s less likely to submit me than the other two guys. And for sure Michael Johnson wasn’t going to knock me out because his hands aren’t that good.
VigilanteMMA: Nam, just tell us now, did you beat Michael Johnson?
Nam Phan: Haha, you’ll just have to wait 2 more weeks. I just have to let the anticipation build up!
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For all the latest Nam Phan news, become a friend of Nam’s on facebook here and check out Nam’s personal website here.
Also, we want all our Nam Phan fans to follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Since Nam is a big fan of the site, he has stepped up to help us with a “Phan-tastic” giveaway (see, bad puns are NOT beneath us). Every month beginning in November we will give away a double-prize package of:
- Nam Phan t-shirt
- Nam Phan autographed photo
All you have to do to be eligible for the monthly prize package is follow VigilanteMMA on facebook and/or Twitter. Here’s the best news, we’ll even give you multiple chances to win. You will get one entry ballot for EACH of the following:
- ‘Like’ VigilanteMMA on facebook
- Follow VigilanteMMA on Twitter
- Send us an email to say hi (we’d love to hear your thoughts on the site too) at NamContest@VigilanteMMA.com
Furthermore, if you are already following us, just email and let us know. We’ll still enter you in the drawings.
[...] Episode 10: Caceres faster than Pacquiao (?) and the semi-finals are set [...]