WEC featherweight prospect Chad Mendes (8-0) has used his wrestling background to go 3-0 in the organization. With that in mind, Javier Vazquez (15-4) — who will face Mendes in the co-main event of WEC 52: Faber vs. Mizugaki on Nov. 11 in Las Vegas — has been training with one of the best takedown artists in the sport, Antonio McKee, to get ready.
“I changed camps and trained with Erik Paulson for [my fights against Jens Pulver and Mackens Semerzier],” Vazquez told ProMMAnow.com. “For this fight I am training with Antonio McKee and for the past 3 camps I feel I have grown by leaps and bounds in my conditioning and overall skill set.”
Mendes managed to frustrate Erik Koch and Cub Swanson with his wrestling, but Vazquez is confident that his training camp has him ready to deal with Mendes’s style.
“It’s my job to figure out how to get out of there” if he takes me down, he said. “I’m more than ready to deal with this style. I have a very active guard and if he plans on just laying there, I have some surprises for him.
“I’ve experienced the worst case scenario in a fight. That experience has taught me that even when things go bad it will never be that bad and so long as all my body parts keep working I’m still in the fight.”
In a fight with a strong wrestler like Mendes and a submission expert like Vazquez with an active guard game, the fight could very well come down to the judges, many of whom have different views on how to score takedowns and submission attempts. Vazquez came up on the wrong end of two questionable decisions in his first two WEC fights, split decision losses to Deividas Taurosevicius and L.C. Davis. With that in mind, ProMMAnow.com asked Vazquez about how to improve the judging in mixed martial arts.
“First off, get rid of any boxing and kickboxing judges,” Vazquez said. “Start fresh and test everyone who is applying to be a judge in that state. Anyone with MMA training experience should be led to the front of the line as far as I’m concerned. This is a sport where I feel if you haven’t trained in all aspects of it, you should not be judging it.”
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Vazquez asked to thank the following in the article:
Nutrition 4 Less, The Body Shop Fitness and Antonio McKee
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Also, if you are interested in attending WEC 52 on Nov. 11, the Palms has put together a great package:
“The California Kid” Urijah Faber makes his highly-anticipated return to the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Nov. 11. He’ll take on Japanese sensation Takeya Mizugaki.
http://bit.ly/WECpac
WEC Event Package ($519)
Includes:
- 1 night in a Palms Deluxe room
- 2 fight tickets
- 2 free drinks at any casino bar
Link to Palms.com Reservations: http://bit.ly/palmsdotcom
Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/palmscasinoresort
Twitter link: http://www.twitter.com/palmslasvegas
ADDITIONAL INFO:
The Palms Las Vegas:
Just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, the Palms is home to the world’s only Playboy Club and the glittering Ghostbar, made famous on MTV’s The Real World: Las Vegas. An array of dining options such as
the Michelin star-rated Alizé, celebrity hot spot N9NE Steakhouse, and Little Buddha Sushi Bar & Lounge offer a varied culinary experience.
The Palms has played host to MTV’s 2007 Video Music Awards, Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown, E!’s Party at the Palms, and A&E’s Inked, but it’s the resort’s unique amenities and exceptional customer service that set this boutique property apart.