David Rickels Q&A: Bellator Tournament Titles, Weird Music and Taco Bell Challenges
David Rickels Q&A: Bellator Tournament Titles, Weird Music and Taco Bell Challenges
“The Caveman” David Rickels has long been a fan favorite at Bellator MMA thanks to his exciting fighting style and entertaining walkout entrances. Now with a bout set at Bellator 200 in London, England against dangerous fellow knockout artist Michael “Venom” Page, Rickels will be entering enemy territory. Tony Reid of MyMMANews.com caught up with Rickels for a fun question and answer session.
Tony Reid – What is the best thing nobody knows about you?
David Rickels – “That I am a mean cook. I’m a grill master. I’m always in the kitchen cooking stuff up for the guys cutting weight. When we aren’t cutting weight I am cooking up junk food.”
TR – Best advice you could give to a younger you?
DR – “I would tell me to sleep with more girls that I wouldn’t have slept with back then. You are always worried about what people would think. Now that I’m older I realize that nobody cares about who you slept with in high school. I would go back and sleep with all the fat chicks in high school.”
TR – Best inspiration to fight?
DR – “I don’t sing or dance. It’s what I’m good at. I found it. I’m lucky to have found it.”
TR – Best memory from your first fight?
DR – “Winning. That first taste of victory. Putting hands on someone for the first time in a sanctioned fight. Not just a fight that breaks out. Its knowing you are going to have to fight, showing up and do all the things to get ready for a real fight. It’s like dope. You are always chasing that first high. It’s the same thing with fighting. The first time you feel that, you just want to feel it over and over.”
TR – What was the best moment in your career so far?
DR – “Without a doubt, winning the Bellator tournament. I am so happy to be a part of Bellator. I’m proud to be a part of the organization. Bringing that belt back across state lines to my home state of Kansas was my proudest moment so far.”
TR – Best thing about MMA compared to other sports?
DR – “It’s a fight, man! What’s the best part of hockey? The fighting! So what’s the best part of fighting? The fighting! Instead of watching 30 minutes of ball sports to get to the fight just watch the fights. And it’s one on one.”
TR – What feels best, a knockout or submission victory?
DR – “I like knocking people out. My record is deceiving in that I have a bunch of submissions but if you go back and look at the fights I had those guys rocked and then we ended up in a submission position. I have a hard head, people tend to break their hands when they hit me so let’s give the fans what they want and stand and go for the knockout. But a win is a win and I’ll take it however I can get it.”
TR – Best way to get pumped before a fight?
DR – “I end up listening to weird music. I listen to dancey, techno music. We keep it light in the locker room. We go hard to get that first wind off but otherwise we keep it light.”
TR – Best job before becoming a fighter?
DR – “Probably one of my waiting jobs were I had a hook up on free food. I love to eat! I would have to get the hook up with the guys in the back of the restaurant and get to eat all the free food I wanted.”
TR – Best cartoon character resemblance?
DR – “Captain Caveman! I’m a little young for it but I remember people bringing it up. We used to play the theme song and I actually had a little doll. He has a club and a cape and he’s hairy and ready to hit someone so it fits pretty well.”
TR – Best guilty pleasure?
DR – “Food and booze. When I’m not fighting, if we don’t have fights scheduled we like to set up food challenges. We do a 12 pack challenges which consists of a 12 pack of tacos from Taco Bell and a 12 pack of beer and race to see who could finish it the fastest. We are from Kansas so we make our own fun.”
TR – Best lesson life has handed you?
DR – “Don’t let a fight go to a decision with a French dude or the French dude will win the decision.”
