Gegard Mousasi becomes StrikeForce champ in impressive fashion. (Photo Courtesy of Chris Gerhardt)
Written by Paul Delos Santos
Looking at 24-year-old Gegard Mousasi, he never seems to change his emotions. He keeps the same relaxed, stoic expressions and never seems to panic even in the most daunting of situations.
Mousasi stayed calm in his American debut, making easy work of Renato “Babalu” Sobral in just one minute. By doing so, he claimed the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship on August 15.
Mousasi (26-2-1) extended his win streak to 13 fights, and landed an astonishing 87 percent of his strikes in the bout. He clobbered Sobral with 10 shots once he got into a dominant position.
“I was happy I won,” the Dutch-Armenian said. “I was expecting a much more difficult fight. I was very relaxed and the fight went as I wanted it to be. It was a good fight for me.”
It was a spectacular way to end the fight, and probably the best outcome for his coming out to the American fan base.
Though you would never know it, Mousasi was slightly nervous about one thing.
“In America, they’re loud and they boo very fast,” Mousasi said. “I was a little bit scared to be booed because I want to fight a good fight without being boring.”
It’s shouldn’t be a problem anymore, as the impressive knockout has him being discussed among the top fighters in the world and got casual fans buzzing about him.
He estimates that his schedule will be booked until February. Mousasi is set to compete at Dream 11 to complete the Super Hulk Tournament, and wants to fight on the annual Japanese New Year’s Eve card.
After his commitments to Japan, he would like to return to the U.S. and defend his newly won title.
“Every fight, I need to prove a new challenge,” Mousasi said. “It was a good performance (against Babalu). The next fight is another one.”
He would like to add at least two kilos — roughly four pounds — before Dream 11. By taking part in the Super Hulk Tournament, Mousasi is just going with the natural progression of his career.
He fought at middleweight for a bulk of his career, but in recent times, he has been delving into the higher weight classes. He vacated the DREAM middleweight title to focus on the light heavyweight division, and he expects to be in that weight class for the next few years.
“It’s natural the older you get and you get bigger,” Mousasi said. “I want to be a heavyweight in the future. … It’s a normal process (to move up).”
There has some clamoring for Mousasi to fight another stoic, ultra-relaxed fighter, Fedor Emelianenko, at some point in the future, but Mousasi doesn’t like that match up.
The two are both managed by M-1, and Mousasi showed a high level of respect for his teammate, and friend.
“Fedor is too good for me to fight,” Mousasi said. “I wouldn’t want to fight him. I don’t think a fight between me and him is something people want to see. He’s the No. 1 heavyweight and I’m new to light heavyweight.”
Even if the “Dreamcatcher” doesn’t plan on fighting Fedor, he is satisfied with how his career has progressing and looks forward to the next opportunity to put on another show for his fans.
“I think the 205-pound division is good division for two years,” Mousasi said. “I just want to keep doing my best to win the fights.”
Paul Delos Santos is an associate editor with MMA Madness. E-mail him at paul@mmamadness.com. Follow him and the rest of the MMA Madness staff on Twitter at twitter.com/MMA_Madness.
For some time now I’ve heard of this guy’s ability and now I’ve seen it. He’s a future star NOW!!! He belongs in the UFC to really compete after he clears out Strikeforce
Definately Cota. Mousasi has been whippin ass for a while now. Hopefully his ties to M1 won’t interfere with a potential UFC run at some point. He can definately be a top contender in the UFC, no doubt. He definatley has what it takes to not only win in the Octagon, but fight for the title and possibly win it. I mean, it’s early to say he can beat guys like Lyoto Machida, but he is easily one of the most well-rounded guys in the division. He knocks guys out, submits guys, and knows how to pull out a victory. Example: knocking out Souza with that crazy upkick…wow. There are very few light-heavyweights outside the UFC, especially since Rogerio got scooped up.
This would definately be the final piece ( at 205) huh…He’s a great fighter and looks relatively young so I hope the M-1 BS doesn’t come into play. I didn’t know he was contracted with them…bummer, this guy deserves the big fights. I feel the same about Jake Shields.
The best part is he’s only 24! He’s got so much ahead of him, and he’s only going to get better, which is scary considering how good he already is. I’d love to see him in the mix in the UFC’s 205 lb. division. The prospects for him outside Zuffa are few and far between, even more so than for Fedor if you ask me. I’d love to see how this guy does against guys like Jon Jones, Thiago Silva, Luiz Cane, Rampage Jackson, Forrest Griffin, and Shogun Rua. Those would all be sick fihgts IMO. I may be getting a bit ahead of myself in calling for those types of fights, but at the rate Mousasi is going, maybe I’m not.
I’m with you guys. Mousasi laid out an experienced veteran in Sobral, a guy who has participated in his share of wars against some of the best. At 24, Mousasi has nowhere to go but up, and it would be great to see him against the highest caliber competition. I guess we’ll have to see what opponents Strikeforce/Dream can come up with, as Gegard just demolished their light heavyweight champion…
Hey, one thing we’ve failed 2 realize is that he is Middleweight so maybe we can see a future scrap between Mousasi & the “Spider”…food for thought…
JC I have been watchin mousassi tear shit up in dream’s middleweight tournanment and I was pumped when i found out he was gonna showcase his skills in the US. He’s only 24 and the next up and comer at 205 after that destruction of sobral but unfortunatley he has made it completely clear he can no longer make the 185 cut. Thats why the fight with him and belfort was scrapped on afflictrion early on because vitor wouldnt come up in weight to fight him. I really hope this guy makes it to the UFC where the best 205ers are! He is the next best thing at 205 mark my words!
Yeah, Mousasi said he’s never goin back down to MW. He relinquished his DREAM title and everything. He says he sees himself fighting at 205 for the next few years and then he wants to make the official jump to heavyweight. Very ambitious guy Mousasi is. I mean the Super Hulk tournament is one thing, but if he is serious about becoming a legit heavyweight who knows what could happen? There are some giants at HW that could certainly give a guy like him some problems, but he’s very tachnical, you can’t leave that out. I really want to see him stay at 205 for a while though, there are some great match-ups for him there if he ends up in the UFC. Personally, I think there are better fights and fighters for him at 205. There just aren;t as many great fighters at HW for him to go up against, and he’s said he won;t fight Fedor, his teammate.