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Posted by Mika Frankl
Over the weekend Knuxx was at Jackson’s/Winkeljohn’s in Southeast Albuquerque and Mika Frankl had the opportunity to talk with UFC fighter Justin Edwards, we took this outside.
How are you feeling about 3 weeks out from the fight now?
“Feeling great actually, I came out here to New Mexico get some high altitude training. I feel great and just trying to put all my ducks in a row and get ready for Josh Neer.”
Speaking of Josh Neer could you give us some thoughts on him and facing a 45 fight veteran?
“Yeah, that’s not that big a deal to me. He’s been around the game along time, he’s got a lot of fights, he’s a grinding fighter, he’s going to be there for three rounds and I’m ready for him. I’m ready for anybody the UFC throws at me.”
How do you feel you two match up?
“I think it’s an exciting match-up. I don’t think that we’re really similar but, the only similarity that we do have is we’re exciting we both like to come forward, both like to bang it out. I think that the game plan we set up to fight for Josh Neer is going to work exclusively for him, because a lot of people fall into his game and we’re going to dictate what we want to do and impose our will on him.”
What aspect of his are you most aware of, is it that he likes to have that brawl in your face kind of style?
“He does like to do that and so do I, he likes to come forward, he’s pretty good with his boxing, he has a nasty clinch game a lot of short elbows and knees. You know that’s where he wants the fight to be just because he’s a grinding fighter and he want to grind it out, but we work on a lot of things that we’ll be well prepared for that. I don’t want to play into his game, but if we do I’ll be ready, whatever happens.”
Last night started a new season of The Ultimate Fighter and that’s when we UFC fans then got our first glimpse of you, so can you talk a little bit about that experience for you and when you here it’s a new season what are the memories it brings up?
“It does rile up some memories. It was a great opportunity and obviously I wanted to win the show, I went on their to win the show and I thought I was one of the better guys there, but I did enough to make an impression where I got, put it in the back of their heads when they need a replacement for the finale of whatever, actually one of the guys that on the show Julian lane the guy with the red mo-hawk or pink mo-hawk he’s from Mansfeld, Ohio, I know him and trained with him for a little bit as well and it’s always more exciting to watch it as you know someone on there so probably looking forward to this season.”
When you hear about, talking about that what’s some of the fondest or the first memories that come to you from your experience?
“Just some of the first memories are just walking into the house, I came in as an add-on didn’t know what to expect, I assumed everybody was going to give me grief about being the new guy whatever, my team; team JDS welcomed me with open arms, a lot of training bodies and stuff everyone I’m still in contact with where talking about getting together and training, stuff like that so, I made some lifelong friends and training partners out of it so great.”
To see the Full interview click the video below.
Follow Mika Frankl on twitter @cagedmindsmma
