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MMAyou.com got to catch-up with Maurice Smith as he gets ready to face Hidehiko Yos hida at Sengoku III on June 8th. Check out what Smith has to say regarding Yoshida, his fights with Peter Aerts, GSP’s and Machida’s striking, and much more.
MMAyou.com: First, how are you doing?
Smith: I’m great as always.
MMAyou.com: You’re set to face Hidehiko Yoshida next. Please give us your thoughts on the fight.
Smith: Just a friend of the fight. I just have to be careful of the judo, and that’s about it.
MMAyou.com: How would you rate Bas Rutten as a striker?
Smith: In comparison to whom? In comparison to kick boxers or strikers in MMA or what?
MMAyou.com: Either/or, whatever you like.
Smith: He hasn’t done kickboxing that I know of but he is definitely a strong striker. But he hasn’t competed in any kickboxing that I know. I think he did when he was younger, I don’t know for sure but he’s a strong striker. Definitely.
MMAyou.com: What made Peter Aerts such a tough opponent for you?
Smith: The height. The height was the key thing. Him and Ernesto gave me a lot of problems because of their height because if all is equal, if ALL is equal then the difference being the height. So we’re both good strikers, we’re both smart fighters but they can use their height to their advantage. That’s the only problem with those guys with me.
MMAyou.com: Would you like to rematch Renzo Gracie?
Smith: (laughs) Of course but it ain’t gonna happen. Of course. Any losses you want to try to avenge but I don’t see it happening.
MMAyou.com: Lyoto Machida and Georges St. Pierre are both effective strikers in MMA, and they both have a karate base. What is better for MMA striking, karate or Thai Boxing?
Smith: For me Thai Boxing. Karate’s not really a, to me it’s not a fighting art. It’s more… It’s a traditional fighting art but it’s not, it doesn’t do well too often in MMA or even in kickboxing. It has its place in traditional martial arts but as far as fighting, I don’t see it.
MMAyou.com: If you were training an MMA fighter from scratch, what arts would you have him training it?
Smith: Kickboxing, judo, Greco-Roman, and grappling. Grappling meaning whatever it is. Not necessarily Jiu Jitsu but whatever grappling style that is.
MMAyou.com: Rank these all time greats: Kaman, Aerts, Hoost.
Smith: Different times. Hoost and Aerts were at the same time so their records speak for themselves and Kaman came in earlier so it’s a different generation of fighters. I don’t know, I can’t give that answer.
You can compare Hoost and Peter Aerts together and I think Hoost wins that one right? (inaudible) by their records, right? So that covers that one. Kaman was too small for those guys so that wouldn’t happen because of different weight classes.
MMAyou.com: I agree with that. Is there anything you would like to say to our readers?
Smith: Thanks for supporting the fight game. Keep supporting the athletes and without you there’s no us.
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