MMA Quick Quote: Jens Pulver 'crushed' and 'heart broken' after loss to Josh Grispi at WEC 41
by MMAmania.com on Jun 8, 2009 10:01 AM EDT
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"The sad thing is I did everything I wanted to do -- I led with the left and went for the takedown, which all started with the kick. The damn [choke] was just tighter than I expected and I tried to wiggle out of it. I have to work on submission defense a little bit more. But that’s the first dang shot I’ve taken in probably 12 fights. [The loss] broke my heart. It really did. I think just the way I felt -- my camp, the guys who I am with – that 20-year-old had nothing on me. He just got me in a real good guillotine. It’s just old school stuff I got caught in, but I’m still learning. My heart is broken. I’m crushed. I got to now figure out what I’m going to do."
-- Jens Pulver shares his post-fight thoughts after losing to Josh Grispi via 33-second submission (guillotine choke) at WEC 41 last night at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. "Lil Evil" also gave an emotional speech inside the cage immediately following the defeat -- his fourth straight and sixth in seven appearances -- but stopped short of announcing his retirement from the sport. The 34-year-old former UFC lightweight champion has been unable to do much at featherweight since his return to the division in late 2007 sans a quick submission win over Cub Swanson. The clock is ticking for Pulver. And it's unclear at this time if he will continue to compete or if Zuffa is even interested in keeping him on the payroll. It would be nice to see him go out on a win, but there are no guarantees in this sport. Unless, of course, he is matched up against a complete can, which doesn't appear to be very honorable. So you tell us ... should Pulver hang up the gloves or give it one more try against another worthy opponent?
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Pulver retire already, you haven’t been relevant for years.
by attakdog on Jun 8, 2009 10:05 AM EDT reply actions
Not saying that it will change too much, but he still seems small even at 145. Maybe he needs to go smaller to 135.
by getrawbc on Jun 8, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I got to agree. You can’t not like Pulver, however, it’s the same old song and dance after every fight. Boo Hoo, I lost, I might retire, I love all you fans, yadda, yadda, yadda…sounds like Brett Favre. Just retire, or keep coming back for your quarterly ass whipping by the young guys and get paid.
by slim473 on Jun 8, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Haha, good take slim shady, Yeah, we all love Jens Pulver but come on! “That 20-year-old had nothing on me.” Yeah, nothing but a completely dominant victory and a big fat guillotine choke on your head.
by RedDog on Jun 9, 2009 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions
agree he cant even beat FWs, only people he beat in the past that was cans like bj penn, and who cant beat bj.
by dtoto on Jun 9, 2009 3:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Jens has options. 1st off, I think he did a great coaching job on TUF. There are several quality camps that would welcome him onto their staff’s. Next, I think he does well when guest commentating. He should look to become a regular member of the broadcast team for WEC. Save up some scratch and open his own gym. Evil MMA has a nice ring.
by Cole on Jun 8, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree. He seemed like a really good caring coach. He’ll make money…it’s not about money, let’s be honest. It’s about pride. He’s a warrior and real warriors never know when to hang it up. They have to get forced into retirement like Michael Jordan, Oscar De La Hoya, Chuck Liddell, and yo mama.
by Jon on Jun 8, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Here’s his option…get a job in the real world like the rest of us. His fantasy sport career is winding down.
by slim473 on Jun 9, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions
I hate to see Pulver go out like that, but I think he’s done. Even with a bad loss he still showed a lot of class. And he’s already shown he can make a great coach.
by PW on Jun 8, 2009 10:14 AM EDT reply actions
PW, couldn’t agree with you more. Love the guy, but he has other options. I wish him the best.
by neeko on Jun 8, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I think he’s said he doesn’t have enough money to retire. Dana White cares so much about Chuck Liddell but that dude has enough savings to retire today and never worry finances. Jens is just as irrelevant as Chuck, maybe worse, but he doesn’t have the 500k per fight paycheck. How about you throw Pulver a bone, Mr White?
by Fidel Cashflow on Jun 8, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions
great point! Its sad that Financially Jens is probably going to be forced to fight, further tarnishing his stellar career!
by john on Jun 8, 2009 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions
i think he should get a good manager/agent, stop fighting, and start building his brand. there are likely hundreds of mma gyms that would pay pulver a decent salary as a head coach for the privilege of putting “pulver” on the door.
write some books about the earlier days of the UFC; do some motivational speaking in high schools; put out some instructional videos; be a contributing author in a major sports magazine; the sky is actually the limit for this guy after his fighting career is over. if he’s smart about it, he can make more money now than he ever did his whole career.
by JB on Jun 8, 2009 10:27 AM EDT reply actions
absolutely agree. the guy is so likeable, he needs to cash in!
by killer on Jun 8, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Nice post JB…I’ve always been a Pulver fan and I hated seeing him lose last night. I really wanted to see him put together a few wins before he hangs them up.
I personally think that Pulver is the most underrated coach that was on TUF. He’s a really smart guy with a lot of knowledge and is great at motivating people. He’s got a wealth of experience and he could definitely open his own gym and be successful some day with some cash but he’s got the personality to do some great things once he retires.
Pulver is probably the classiest fighter alive…never gives excuses for anything and puts everything in his soul into each and every fight. He’s very respectful of his opponents. He fights for the fans and a lot of these younger fighters could learn a thing to from this pioneer.
by Buster Bluth on Jun 8, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
JB, Jens is a smart guy, He’s crushed he lost, but even more so that he has to go out like that, he wanted to have at least one solid performance win or lose, instead of going out in the 1st rnd the last 3 fights.
by DAVE A on Jun 8, 2009 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Great post, JB. Pulver has a bright future in the sport if he plays his cards right. If he does keep fighting it should be at 135, but at this point I think he’ll get tooled in that division as well. He’s just not quick enough anymore.
by Jeremyjackson on Jun 9, 2009 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions
That is very sad. He could def make money from coaching though! I thought he was a good coach on TUF. The UFC should come up with a pension plan lol. Or maybe some of these guys should think about their future!
by RyGuy on Jun 8, 2009 10:28 AM EDT reply actions
Unfortunately for Jens, his good days are obviously behind him. He’ll never crack the top 5 in FW anymore. However, He is a true legend of the sport, and I feel like he’d be one hell of a coach and mentor to the new generation of fighters.
by killer on Jun 8, 2009 10:28 AM EDT reply actions
He has a losing record. Maybe he can play tattoo in the remake of Fantasy Island.
by mikehunt on Jun 8, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions
I still don’t know why he didn’t go with “Pulverizer” rather than “’Lil Evil”, no doubt he would have remained undefeated with a more intimidating nickname… ;)
by Jimrod on Jun 8, 2009 11:33 AM EDT reply actions
Has anyone read his book? Good? I wanna buy it on eBay but want to hear the reviews 1st.
by neeko on Jun 8, 2009 12:20 PM EDT reply actions
You don’t need critics to sway your opinion, you have your own. i say buy it! ;)
by Syd[a.k.a."the Negation"] on Jun 8, 2009 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Pulver’s done, other than money there is no reason for him to fight anymore. Personally I think he should become a WEC commentator, as he has done a good job in the past and hopefully won’t be as biased as Mir and Florian were on Torres and Faber respectively. He was a great coach and put BJ to shame on TUF (and I’m a BJ fan so that was a little embarrassing at times) but he’s no longer competetive, even at FW and I don’t want to see him or Liddell do a Shamrock.
by David W-S on Jun 8, 2009 12:53 PM EDT reply actions
What does the kid had nothing on me mean, when the kid beat you?
by Robert(1) on Jun 8, 2009 1:24 PM EDT reply actions
You’ll never hear me disrespect Jens Pulver. With that being said, I would really like to see him as a commentator or coach. If he still wants to fight, he’s earned the chance. I wouldn’t mind seeing him drop to Bantamweight either if he decides to further pursue a fighting career.
by MMAMoneyLine on Jun 8, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions
He needs to bulk up and go back to 155. The smaller guys are to fast for him.
by Mike on Jun 8, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
155 guys are too strong. dude needs to coach
by medecine balls on Jun 8, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions
plus his body is done. he gets hurt almost every fight by a simple body shot
by Jared on Jun 8, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Jens is a savage and I think he should stay around for a bit longer before he retires. I still like to watch him fight and also when is done fighting he should still stick around the fighting community cuz he’s a pretty likable guy and he’s been around forever.
by Brent Collier on Jun 8, 2009 10:51 PM EDT reply actions
To me a big factor here is how old he is. We are not talking about a guy who is pushing 40 and getting too old. We are talking about a guy who is still young enough to have a really good run. I think the main reason he hasn’t been up to par is because his family life has become his focus, not fighting. I for one will never root against Jens, and am not ready to see him quit. He may be a “living legend” but he’s a pretty young (34) living legend. Physically he can still compete, it’s where his head is that is the difference.
by DoctorSamson on Jun 9, 2009 1:19 PM EDT reply actions
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