Ground and Pound - Fightnews

We had the pleasure of shooting some questions at British UFC heavyweight fighter Philip De Fries and here's what the witty, charismatic big man had to say:

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Sunderland, in Northern England and still live there now.

What HS and/or college did you attend?
Hill Secondary School - then I went to Shiney Row College. I have the shortest attention span ever though and this resulted in me getting very mediocre grades.

What sports were your passion in your youth?
I was very keen on swimming and rugby when I was growing up. Apart from that, I was a bit of a nerd. I used to play a lot of Nintendo, I painted and collected those Warhammer figures. I'm pretty awesome at painting them actually.

When did you decide you wanted MMA to be your career?
It wasn’t until I was about 20, actually. I had competed in ju-jitsu for about six years and fancied something new, so the obvious choice was MMA.

What techniques are your favorite to use inside the cage?
I'm very fond of rear naked chokes and armlocks. I've still got quite a passion for ju-jitsu

Who are some of your heroes, in and out of athletics?
I've never been one for heroes. I have a lot of respect for all the people I train with though. It's hard to idolize someone you have never met but I have a lot of respect for all the top MMA guys.

Toughest opponent you've faced thus far and why?
I'll have to go with Stav (Economou). The fight with Rob (Broughton) was tough but the amount of ground and pound Stav took was unreal. He still kept on coming. I have a lot of respect for guys like that.

If you weren't an MMA fighter, what would you like to be?
I work as a drugs advice worker, part time, and I quite enjoy doing that but if I had to pick another athletic profession, I think I would like to play rugby again.

You're relatively new to MMA having started your professional career in April of 2009. Since then, you've gone undefeated. Have you felt a progression in your skill set during your winning streak? What do you see yourself improving on the most?
Yeah, I've definitely improved a lot, especially over the last 12 months. Before that, I was basically a ju-jitsu guy fighting MMA. I have a much more diverse skill set now though and I have started training with more specialist coaches.

Were you disappointed that you didn't get a finish at UFC 138 against Rob Broughton?
Yeah, I was actually. I famously went on record saying "I couldn’t finish Rob off as I felt so stiff," which I'm still getting laughed at for saying.

Before that fight, you were expected to face fellow countryman Oli Thompson at the UFC 138 event. He pulled out due to injury. Is that a fight you would like to have in the future still?
Yeah, I was getting pretty psyched to fight Oli but these things happen. I imagine we will probably meet some time in the future though and I wish him luck. It's good to see fellow Brits doing well.

Obviously, you would like to be champion but what are some short term and long term goals you have for yourself in MMA?
To keep winning fights. I'm so happy to be were I am now but I would love to break through to the televised card in the short term.

You will be facing Stipe Miocic (7-0) on Feb. 15 as part of the first UFC on Fuel card in Omaha, Nebraska. What are your thoughts on your upcoming opponent and what do you think his strengths and weaknesses are?
Yeah, Stipe is an excellent fighter. Awesome wrestler and a good boxer as well. I would quite like to get a guy like that on his back where he can't punch my face as much.

That fight with Miocic will be your first ever fight outside of the U.K. Do you think fighting outside of your home country is going to be a challenge for you and if so, why?
No, I think it will be fun. I like to travel and I love America. Fighting in the U.K. for the UFC was awesome though and something I'll never forget.

Where are you training out of right now and how can fight fans get some information about you and what you are currently doing?
I'm currently training with a group of pros in Sunderland we have yet to give ourselves a name yet although there is much debate. The three we have it narrowed down to are "Northern Monkeys," "The Avengers," and "Shield Fight Team." I quite like "Northern Monkeys." I'd like to thank my sponsors "Bad Boy" and "Smart Tech Nutrition," "Bodyzone Sunderland" and all the guys I train with. People wanting to know more can follow me on my Twitter account - @phildefriesmma.