Pitbull

Courtesy of Matt Lindland Interview - Bodog Nation

BN: Let’s talk about Anderson Silva. He’s on top of the middleweight division. What’s your opinion there?

ML: I think Anderson is a phenomenally technical stand-up fighter. He does certain things very well. I think he’s a precise striker. He never loads up and tries to knock people out, and I think that’s what allows him to knock people out. He picks his shots well and he’s patient. He waits and he lands a couple good punches and starts rattling guys and he follows through on them. He’s good at what he does. I think there are some holes in his game that I could capitalize on personally. There’s a ton of other fighters out there that could beat him, aside from myself.

BN: It looks like Rich Franklin is going to get another shot at him. What do you think of that?

ML: I don’t see Rich having the style to match up with him very well. Rich is a big guy. His striking is very predictable. He throws punches very technically, like a boxer or a kickboxer. You would imagine that Rich Franklin would learn how to fight out of a double collar tie. That’s a position he showed a tremendous amount of weakness in, and there are multiple ways to clear that sort of clinch position, so you’d think he’d definitely develop some skills there, but I think Anderson will probably have an answer for that.

BN: Matt Lindland vs. Rich Franklin. What do you think?

ML: I would beat Rich Franklin pretty bad. My style matches up very poorly for Rich. He wouldn’t know what to do with the kind of fighter I am.

BN: Do you think that’s why the UFC released you from your contract?

ML: Why do I think they released me? I think they were trying to push Rich Franklin. I think that was pretty apparent. I asked for a Ken Shamrock or a Royce Gracie fight, and he was built up. It’s an old pro-wrestling move. It’s called getting him over. That’s what the UFC did with Rich. They got him over by giving him Ken Shamrock and feeding him some other cans and all of a sudden he’s the champ.

BN: Are you pissed off about that?

ML: Why would you want fight to stay in an organization that wants to release you? What you want to do is go and fight for somebody like Bodog Fight who wants you and appreciates you and gives you great opportunities to fight the best guys in the world, and that’s what I did. I’m making more money now, I’m happier, I have an organization that appreciates me and puts me on main cards and makes me a main event.

BN: Which is more important: winning a fight or being entertaining for the fans?

ML: When I first got into this sport, I came from a very high-level competitive background and competition and winning and being the best in the world, and getting to the Olympic medal stand was the most important thing, and I think I transferred a lot of that thought into what I do in this sport. It’s a sport, we’re competing. You want to win. And that’s what it boils down to.

BN: Couture vs. Gonzaga. What do you think?

ML: I really think that is a perfect match-up for Randy. The guy is a lot younger, possibly more athletic and he’s bigger, but stylistically, I don’t see Randy staying on the outside with that kid. I don’t see him submitting Randy, and I just see Randy doing what he does really well: closing the distance, dirty boxing, putting him on his back and hitting him with punches and elbows.

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