MMA Quick Quote: Gegard Mousasi puts American heavyweights on notice

by Jesse Holland on Feb 15, 2009 7:05 PM EST

"To be honest, I want to go to heavyweight. I think if it’s something you do and you win, people will be surprised, and I like that. It was always my dream to be the best. If you say, ‘I’m the best heavyweight’ it feels like you’re the best heavyweight in the world. If you say, 'I’m the best middleweight,' there’s always a couple of guys above you that could beat you. I can use steroids or stuff like it, [but] I want to fight in America, and the only way is to do it naturally because you will get caught in America ... I can always fight in Japan, and I love fighting there. They always treat me well, but to show the world I’m the best, I think I need to go to America."

-DREAM Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) confirms his desire to fight in the heavyweight division with Sherdog.com after making a quick pit stop at 205 lbs. in spring of 2009 to fight for DREAM. The "Young Vagabond" is an extremely talented fighter and in addition to riding an eleven-fight win streak, is also a former amateur boxing champion and has served as a striking coach for current WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko.

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i really like this guy but i dont think his body is suited for heavyweight. he could fit in with lhw just fine but as heavyweight guys like brock would eat him alive, just on pure size

by Jared on Feb 15, 2009 7:09 PM EST reply actions

he sounds pretty confident…

by brendan on Feb 15, 2009 8:12 PM EST up reply actions

He can and will be a LHW for a little bit. Remember the rumored matchup with Babalu?

And if pure size would “eat him alive”, I think Fedor and even Cro Cop and Randy have proven that. Gegard has phenomenal skills for his age, and they will only get better, especially training with Fedor, that can’t hurt your skills.

If he wants to go to HW in a few years, all the way then!

Anyone care to name me the offical MMAMania Gegard Mousasi bandwagon driver??

by Synyster [[2009 Year of Gegard Mousasi]] on Feb 15, 2009 8:54 PM EST up reply actions

**Fedor, Cro Cop, and Randy have disproved that

by Synyster [[2009 Year of Gegard Mousasi]] on Feb 15, 2009 8:55 PM EST up reply actions

yeah fedor is great because hes small and stocky but really quick, cro cop was a power striker, and randy is just randy. gegard is a fast very well rounded fighter but has a lanky build, also at mw seemed like he had a strength disadvantage in all his fights, and he just used his technique. if manhoef slammed him like a mother fucker on his head imagine lesnar or carwin. just my take on things. i feel hes more suited to become the best lhw

by Jared on Feb 15, 2009 9:04 PM EST up reply actions

I think you’re right that he has the potential to be great at any weight. I just hope he does it the way he says and takes his time. He still really young, and there’s no need to rush to HW. If he can slowly put on muscle and adjust to the different weight classes, there’s no reason he can’t be a contender at any level. But he should definitely fight for a couple years at LHW before trying to make the jump to HW.

by GregC on Feb 15, 2009 9:17 PM EST up reply actions

He is onlsy going to fight at LHW once! I think he will fight Buentello at Heavyweight at the next affliction show!

by john on Feb 16, 2009 7:24 AM EST up reply actions

U guys are acting like he is too small? When the hell have any of you seen MOusasi since DREAM last year? He said he has bulked up since then and he finds himself to be even bigger than Fedor when they train together.

None, of us have seen him in his new body yet, so chill out wit the what he can and can not do!

by john on Feb 16, 2009 8:44 AM EST up reply actions

John- So no Babalu-Mousasi???

by Synyster [[2009 Year of Gegard Mousasi]] on Feb 16, 2009 2:00 PM EST up reply actions

It sounds to me like he is going to fight once at LHW and then head straight over to Affliction at Heavyweight, because he wants Buentello!

Maybe Babalu gets sent over to dream and they fight there.

Who really knows, he might postpone his rise to HW (which is what I really want him to do) because there are a lot of opportunities for him at 205 lbs.

To answer your question Synyster: I dont think its set in stone….we could see him spend years at LHW or just one fight…I dont really think he even knows at this point…thats just my guess, dont know anything more than what I posted before…U know I dont hold out!

by john on Feb 16, 2009 4:52 PM EST up reply actions

This guy is being stupid IMO. Heavyweight? The MW division in the UFC is where its at! If he wants to be considered the best that is.

by JV on Feb 15, 2009 7:11 PM EST reply actions

he would stay at mw but hes still young and his body is growing so he probably would kill his body trying to make weight

by Jared on Feb 15, 2009 7:14 PM EST up reply actions

If hes having a hard time making MW, then why not LHW? I just think hes a very talented guy. And hes going to throw it all away trying to fight as a HW.

by JV on Feb 15, 2009 7:17 PM EST up reply actions

He’s very talented but this might turn out to be a bad idea. Right now he’s around 216 which is a HW even smaller than a randy couture. Let’s hope he doesn’t get hung up on the hype Vera style.

by NameNotRequired on Feb 15, 2009 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

i think he’s planning on figting lhw for a while, then moving to hw

by connor on Feb 15, 2009 8:22 PM EST up reply actions

my understanding is that he’s planning on fighting at lhw for a bit and eventually moving up. we all saw anderson, who looks huge at MW move up and also look huge at LHW so it’s hard to say if he’s too small for any particular weight at this point. He is still growing and yea, eventually he will be a smaller HW if he moves all the way up there, but so what. Who are we to tell him what he can and can’t do. I hope he comes to america as a 205’er tho, and moves up later. Some great potential fights for him at LHW in the UFC. Beyond that, I’m all for a guy testing himself. He’s gotta earn it tho. If he’s not beating top guys and not a champ at 205, there’s no way he deserves top opposition at HW.

by Crowls on Feb 15, 2009 11:38 PM EST up reply actions

Great post, I agree with everything you said. I’d like to see him do exactly that, I think he has the potential to be successful at any weight class if he does puts on the weight correctly and takes his time making the transition.

by GregC on Feb 16, 2009 2:14 AM EST up reply actions

From MW to LHW now on to HW.

He’s pulling a page out of Penn’s book.

But for his frame i think he should stay at 185 or 205.

Like Jared said, guys like Brock and Carwin would dominate him out of pure size.

Mousasi vs A. Silva/Evans/Wandy/Hendo/QJax are all interesting match-ups.

by SoCalStunNa on Feb 15, 2009 7:14 PM EST reply actions

Come on Gerard. We want you here.

by DB on Feb 15, 2009 7:27 PM EST reply actions

Who does he think he is, Brandon Vera?

by Fred on Feb 15, 2009 7:32 PM EST reply actions

Be careful for what you wish for

by See What Had Happend Was !!!! on Feb 15, 2009 7:43 PM EST reply actions

I’d rather see him at MW or LHW.

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Feb 15, 2009 7:47 PM EST reply actions

He is 216 now. With the right training he can put on 30 pounds over 3 years and then he will be tough for any HW to handle.

by EazyEismydad on Feb 15, 2009 8:13 PM EST reply actions

exactly my though process, and since he’s stilling filling out you cant really say how he’ll look at the end of those three years. as of now hw isnt a good idea, but in a couple years the added weight may come more easily

by connor on Feb 15, 2009 8:23 PM EST up reply actions

i think he should be a very interesting MW contender…but if he wants to b at LHV then i guess he can fair well..but HW is impossible for mousasi

by gaara on Feb 15, 2009 8:50 PM EST reply actions

Aint he a natural MW?

by SluggerCitySoldier on Feb 15, 2009 9:11 PM EST reply actions

This guy still isnt proven in my eyes, get this guy in the UFC and lets see what he can do in a real organization.

by BMO on Feb 15, 2009 9:17 PM EST reply actions

Exactly. :)

by Natas on Feb 15, 2009 10:43 PM EST up reply actions

Did he just hint at Japan allowing Roids?? Sorry Shogun but I knew you were too good to be true.
Yea he’s way too small to be a HW here. Europeans and Asians havent picked up the fact that guys often drop 25 pounds if not more to make weight in the UFC. At his weight he should think more about being a welterweight in the UFC. Marquadt would eat him alive.

by kukuxumusu on Feb 15, 2009 11:09 PM EST reply actions