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Posted By Mika Frankl
Maximum Fighting Championship recently announced that they would be starting a Bantamweight division in 2013. The first fighter signed to this division is Apex MMA member Anthony Birchak who called me up to talk about the signing and all the pressure that comes along with it.
MF: How does it feel to be signed to the MFC?
AB: Dude I’m so lifted right now I’m on cloud 9. I don’t think I’ll be coming down for a while this is big news for me and my family. I plan to be making a big statement as the first Bantamweight signed to the MFC.
MF: First Bantamweight signed and Mark Pavelich the owner of MFC said it with that you are the cornerstone of the division to start it out and also said he believes that you’re a total package a fighter to watch for the future, how does that enthusiasm coming from the guy who just signed you feel to you?
AB: The amount of enthusiasm, the amount of excitement that Palvelich is shown and the way he talks about me, it’s electrifying and I’m going to go out and on May 10th and do nothing less then put on a stellar show.
MF: May 10th so we’re expecting that to be MFC 37?
AB: MFC 37: True Grit in Edmonton, Canada.
MF: Edmonton, Canada, so how does it feel to likewise be someone born and raised in the southwest and now going to be making trips to a slightly colder climate to compete in?
AB: Yeah I told them, hey man thank God you signed me for May 10th fight cause I don’t know how this little Mexican can survive out there in the cold winter.
MF: Last time we talked you said you would deal with it when it came up, if you had too about adjusting to fighting in a ring?
AB: For my last two camps I’ve been doing them at Xtreme Couture and they have two full size boxing rings there. My striking coach Tim Lane who just cornered KJ Noons at the Last Strikeforce he’s been an amazing coach. He’s brought me along so much in the striking game and just understanding the transitions from wrestling to striking or from striking to wrestling. So I expect that he’s going to design the game-plan. I’m excited because I’m a in your face fighter and I think being able walk someone down in the corner of the ring is going to hugely play into my advantage.
MF: Do you feel the pressure from being the first Bantamweight signed and having that hype that’s being given to you or is it an exhilarating experience?
AB: It’s been setting in lately like oh my God you know what I mean, what if I go out there and fall flat but it’s something that I’ve always raised to the occasion. I’ve always just been myself and being able to fight on two nationally live networks is really the kind of pressure I thrive on and that’s when I have my best fights.
To hear this and much more play the video below…
