MMA Recap

Recapping Before The Fight - Reuben Duran

by Matt Clarmont - 02-23-2010

Reuben Duran (4-2-1) believes he could be on his way to a title shot within the King of the Cage organization. Before that comes to be, he will have to get past a former KOTC 135 pound champion in Ryan Diaz (13-11) on Thursday’s “Arrival” event at San Manuel Casino in Highland, California in a bout that will serve as the co-main event of the evening.

His most recent loss came at the hands of Tommy Vargas who bested Adam Rothweilder en route to staking his own claim to the local MMA scene's prospects list. He followed that loss with a win over Greg Guzman in his next bout despite an injury to his favorite weapon: his right hand.

MMA Recap’s Matt Clarmont recently sat down with Reuben after a training session to discern where he is headed and how he got to where he is today. His upbeat attitude was marked by an unmistakable desire to compete and his in-cage persona is translated similarly. He regards himself as an entertainer but one with the desire to prove himself in the cage.

Can you tell me a little bit about your history in MMA?

I’ve been boxing for awhile, I’ve been in mixed martial arts since I was a kid. I did tae kwon do, I’ve been doing jiu-Jitsu and wrestling since I was 19 and I’m 26 years old right now. My style of fighting, I like to bang, I’m very comfortable on the ground but I want to stay on the feet. I want to get the KO, I know a lot of fighters try to outpoint and I don’t like doing that, to grind out a decision. I like to put on a good show. I like to be the fight of the night, that’s always my goal. I’m a real exciting fighter. I’m excited to be fighting a real tough fighter named Ryan Diaz [on Thursday] who is a world champion kickboxer. I’m really looking forward to that fight.  He’s got a bunch of fights under his belt, he’s a former King of the Cage champion but none of that matters once you’re in the cage. Once you’re in there, I don’t care what anybody’s done in the past, the moment’s there, the moment’s now, all that matters is that I train well.

How well do you think you match up with Ryan?

I think my style matches up real good. I’m a really good counterstriker, he likes to set the pace. I believe I’ve got three really strong advantages over him: He’s got the experience  but I’m faster, I’m stronger, and I know I hit harder and those are three big advantages that I have over him. I feel good, I’m excited to get in there and bang with Ryan Diaz. I have a lot of family and friends coming out and it’s gonna be a good night, man.

Can you talk a little bit about your fight against Greg Guzman?

My last fight, I fought with what I thought was a broken hand but it ended up being two torn tendons but I hurt it before the fight. We just ended up padding it up…we went into the fight and thought it was broken but we didn’t know it was broken so we didn’t have to get x-rays but we padded it up and I still won the fight but I was babying my right hand. I mostly used my left hand and my right elbows the whole fight. I only threw one right hand and I dropped him with it in the second but, I’m telling you, if I threw my right like I normally throw it, I would’ve probably gotten a knockout. I won by decision.

How about some of your other fights?

A couple fights before that [fight with Guzman] I got two knockouts, a 10 second one and an 8 second one. I’m on a roll man, I just want to get in there and bang, you know? To be the best you gotta fight the best. Everybody wants to be a cagefighter but they all want to fight, like, easy fights. First of all, I don’t believe any fight is easy but if you ain’t in here to be a champion, dude, you have no business being in the fight game. I want to be a beltholder. Ryan Diaz is the guy I gotta beat to get to that next level.

Do you think you’re close to being a champion right now?

This is the fight that gives me a title shot. If I beat Ryan Diaz, I should get a title shot because Ryan Dian is the #1 contender for the King of the Cage [135 pound title] and he’s an ex-King of the Cage champion. Abel Cullum is the champ now but Ryan Diaz got armbarred by him about a year and a half ago in the fifth round. If I win this fight,I think I’m the next in line for a title shot. I’m in no rush though. If I get past this fight, whoever they me to fight, I don’t care. As long as it’s an exciting fight, I’m not here to call anybody out.

How often do you like to fight?

I like to fight once every two months. I do like to get into fight strength then bang out like 2 or 3 fights straight and then take a couple of months off. Well, not that much off completely but take like a week off then get back to training but I’d like to get in about 4 or 5 fights a year.

Is there anything you want to say before your fight?

Don’t blink! It’s going to be an exciting fight. I’m preparing to go 3 rounds but I have no intention of going past the first. Keep your eyes open wide, it’s going to be a very explosive fight!

Reuben would like to thank his Pinnacle Jiu-Jitsu’s sponsors: Unleashed American Made Clothing, Bail Hotline Bail Bonds, Eureka! Burger Redlands, TapouT, K&N Diesel Repair, Reckoning, and HardcoreMouthGuards.

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