Kendall Grove Interview: "I'm Living In a Dream World Right Now!"
"Da Spyder" Kendall Grove has Hawaii MMA fans standing proud to see their local boy representing the 5oth State with pride on "The Ultimate Fighter 3" reality show on Spike TV. How does a boy from Maui become a man while working for his dream of fighting in the UFC? Kendall was nice enough to take the time out of his busy schedule to talk with the Hawaii Fight Network about his opportunity to make it big in the world of MMA.
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HI-FN: We seen that you made it into The Ultimate Fighter 3 middleweight finals. What kind of things have you been doing to prepare?
Kendall Grove: Ah man!! I'm stoked. I'm more stoked that everybody knows now, because it sucked holding it in. I'm glad that I got to show more of my skills. I know in my previous fights I was too gun-shy to let my hands go. This fight told it all. I broke out of my shell. Thanks to Tito Ortiz, Saul Soliz, and Dean Lister. They made me mature as a fighter and here I am now, up here at big bear training with pretty much the A-Team. I got Tito Ortiz, the other half of Team Dagger Solomon Hutcherson, Matt Hamill, Josh Burkman, Josh Barnett, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, my cornerman from Vegas Troy "Rude Boy" Mandaloniz, and Joe Stevenson.
HI-FN: Can't forget Joe!
KG: No, you can't forget Joe. His pudgy ass is up here trying to lose some weight, because he's fighting Yves Edwards. (laughs)
HI-FN: When did taping for the show take place?
KG: January 19th to March1st.
HI-FN: Have you realized your new found stardom amongst regular people?
KG: Oh yeah. Well, for me, I'm a simple man. You know what I mean? I'm a straight up island boy, so it's kinda weird up here too, especially here in the mainland. Little kids and grown ass people who act like little kids coming up to me and asking, "Can I get your autograph?", "You're my favorite fighter!", "I hope you make the finals!" I love that. Especially with the kids. It hits me in the heart. They're the reason why I fight so hard. It's the little kids. They're the future. One day they're gonna grow up and kick my ass. (laughs)
HI-FN: What got you motivated to participate in MMA?
KG: Growing up I didn't really get into it. The first fight I seen was Kimo versus Royce. I got an interest in the sport after that. I kind of dropped out of it until after high school. Then I started training with my boys Jon Kim and Eddie Ferreira, back yard style. Then I started to get into the sport and started really looking up to Tito Ortiz, BJ Penn,
Rampage, Wanderlei, Shogun, and Ninja. They'd go out there and beat the shit outta you. That caught my eye.
HI-FN: You now get to rub elbows with some of the fighters you mentioned. What kind of feeling do you get when you realize that you’re preparing yourself with and learning from fighters you idolized?
KG: I'm living in a dream world right now! Who would have thought 2 years ago that Tito would ask me to help him spar for a fight. It's shocking! I just thank God for this opportunity. Tito took me under his wing and now I'm the newest member of Team Punishment.
HI-FN: With the training partners you mentioned earlier, it sounds like Punishment and Cobra Kai have formed a union.
KG: Actually, there's no official connection between the two gyms. I had to go out and evolve my training. Don't get me wrong. Cobra Kai is an awesom gym and I'm unbelievably greatful. I thank God for that school, because all my jiu jitsu and all my ground game came from Marc Laiman at Cobra Kai. Being that Cobra Kai is straight jiu jitsu, I have to take it to the next level with FIGHTING and train with these guys out in Cali. I actually plan on moving here after my next fight. I love it out here. There's a bunch of sick, retarded guys I train with who don't mind getting beat up everyday. Luckily, that's how I am.
HI-FN: That's a good explanation of your evolution and what most fighters have to go through to become a better fighter. You can't stay in your comfortable realm and moving around is the logical thing to do.
KG: Yeah, that's what I tell a lot of people. If you wanna be a great fighter you have to push yourself. Every fighter out there gym hops. It's like a memory bank. When I'm with Laimon, I'm drilling the same stuff over and over. Training with Tito is totally new. Who knows how long I'll be here? Two or three years may go by and BOOM, I'll be at a different place looking to get better there. That's just the way the sport goes.
HI-FN: You keep close ties with Laimon?
KG: Yeah, for sure. I just talked to him a couple days ago. He's a great guy and I love him to death. Like I said, if it wasn't for him, my game wouldn't be where it's at right now. (pause) THAT'S ANOTHER THING!! The fight game might seem big, but it's small. Everybody knows each other. That's some advice I'd like to give to people. DON'T BURN YOUR BRIDGES! Everybody's friends in the fight world. It's a small community. Try and keep the peace with everybody. I seen a lot of fighters burn bridges. You burn a bridge one place, you don't know that they're real good friends with another good place and you try to go there, you're shit outta luck. The best advice I can give would be to keep good relationships with trainers.
HI-FN: Moving on to the fight with Kalib, what did you expect from him going in?
KG: I expected everything that you guys seen. I didn't expect to injure him. I actually expected to go to a decision. I did not break his rib. I separated the cartilage from his rib which is almost the same feeling. That should answer a lot of questions about breaking his rib. I was mad going into that fight because everybody in the house called me a 3 to 1 underdog. Only Bisping, Solomon, and my coaches knew I was going to win. Jesse (Forbes) was the only one to answer my question about me being an underdog. I had to thank him because I needed to hear that. I love being the underdog and when guys under estimate me. The night before picking fights Kalib was like, "Who does this kid think he is coming in and challenging ME?" That pissed me off. He bleeds like me. He can die like me. He's human. I went in amped. He was either going to give me his respect or I was going to take it from him. I was stoked that after the fight because he said he respected me. The only thing Tito demanded from me was to never give up and always push myself. That's what I did and I came out of the fight victorious.
HI-FN: Has the training from Team Punishment changed from TUF to preparing for this fight?
KG: Everything you guys seen on the show is what we do everday. We'll drill takedowns and spar five 5's. After that we'll go do jiu jitsu or wrestling. Then drill techniques like single and double leg defense, wall walks, and other drills. We do it fifty times each. It's the same stuff we did on the show. It's harder in Big Bear at 7,000 feet elevation though. (laughs) It's beating the shit outta my lungs right now. I got back into some light training a month and a half ago to prep for The Finale and I sparred five 5's the day before I came up to this mountain. I was good and could have gone more. WHEN I CAME UP HERE, it's a whole new ball game. (laughs) THIS ELEVATION IS CRAZY!!!!
HI-FN: That's almost like training at Haleakala.
KG: Maybe like a little bit before the crater. That just shows how much of a cardio machine Tito is. I was up here for two weeks this time and we'd go out and run for about 3 miles under 23 minutes, almost all uphill. I'm trying to push myself by doing stuff like this. You're working when you're at the gym and your vacation is the fight. I'm just going everyday and trying to represent Hawaii as much as I can. I'm trying to inspire a lot more people to get off their asses and start training and become great fighters. We have the potential in Hawaii. You just gotta put your mind to it. Look at me, I'm a skinny, tall, goofy............SASQUATCH!!! (laughs) I just had a dream and never had quit in my heart. Now I'm here working hard to fullfil that goal.
HI-FN: Tito mentioned you in his UFC 59 post-fight interview. What happened with Tito's injury during the Forrest fight?
KG: His knee went out on the show and it was bothering him. It was hard for him because he jumped in with Forrest right after that and didn't get back to 100% before fighting. The training wasn't at max. We'd only do 4 days of total training to prep for that fight with only 2 days at all out, hardcore training. Even THAT was putting a toll on his injuries. He did something to his back also. He was aching because he never had any recovery time. He fought Forrest at about 70%. He tried to give everything in the first round and the second and third was just pure heart. I had to piggy back him to the dressing room when we got to the back because he couldn't walk. His knee was so jacked. You can actually see his knee buckle in the fight when he goes for a shot.
HI-FN: As you get ready for this bout at The Finale, you mention training with "Mayhem". What's your take on him?
KG: Aw man! I love that guy to death. He's one of the guys who helped me blossom as a fighter early in my career. I give the utmost respect to that guy. That's another guy who trains his ass off. He deserves every good thing he gets.
HI-FN: Is it true that it's an ultimately retarded time when the two of you are together?
KG: Yeah it is! That guy brings out the worst in me. (laughs) He's just naturally mental! I'll usually try to keep it cool, but when I'm around him, I just can't help acting like a Mayhem Monkey. (laughs)
HI-FN: What number did he give you?
KG: I'm high up there. I didn't get a myspace til after the show.
HI-FN: Let him know I'm still waiting for mine.
KG: I'll let him know tomorrow. (laughs)
HI-FN: You fight at 185. What do you walk around at?
KG: It all depends. I try to keep it under 205. I'll probably be ten pounds over the week of my fight. Brah, I'm the worst when it comes to chocolate. I LOVE CHOCOLATE! I grind
ice cream and pound root beer. It's hard for me not to eat all that crap, but it pays off when you don't.
HI-FN: Backtracking to your prior career stats. How many fights have you had all together?
KG: Nine all together. Eight professional fights and one amateur fight. I used to hold the 185 pound international championship for Total Combat. They used to be in Tijuana, but now they hold it in San Diego since they legalized the sport in California. I love fighting in Hawaii though. Depending on what happens with the UFC, I'd love to comeback and fight at home again. Rumble on the Rock, ICON....I love fighting in Hawaii. That's my peeps! I love my home crowd.
HI-FN: Which fight prior to The Ultimate Fighter would you consider your most memorable?
KG: There's actually two. A fight that made me feel really good inside was my win over Kaipo Kalama from Oahu. I was a big time underdog in that one. Everybody from Oahu thought I was going to lose. He's a tough guy and that was actually the first fight where I went to a second round. The fight that changed my career would have to be the one against Joe Riggs. I matured a lot as a fighter in that fight. I lost that fight by a devastating knockout by elbows, but I grew up in that fight. I feel I went from a kid to a man in that one. That fight pushed me to get better.
HI-FN: I remember you telling me at a club that you couldn't belive that he was as strong as a MACK truck.
KG: Yeah. That was a big truck with elbows for side mirros. (laughs)
HI-FN: Being that there is somewhat of an inlet to the UFC for you with TUF3, you think there's a chance for a Riggs rematch in the future?
KG: I definitely want to fight Riggs again. That's if he stays at 185. I'd like to fight him in about a year. Maybe this time he'll stand with me.
HI-FN: One thing I want to let you know on a personal note, is that when you're on the show, you're actually being the Kendall that everyone who knows you actually knows. You're not buttering up for the camera or anything.
KG: Yeah. All my friends in Hawaii know how I am. So why should I fake it for the rest of the country and the world? Before I went on the show I did a video interview, which is mandatory along with a highlight tape. I got wasted for the video interview because I was kind uncomfortable in front of the camera at the time. I just got full blown wasted and the producers were like, "That's the Kendall Grove we want on the show!" I just did my thing on the show and kept it real. Spit in the house everthing. (laughs) My mom was pissed at me when she seen that though.
HI-FN: You want to do an official apology?
KG: Yeah. Mom, I'm sorry for spitting in the house on the first episode. Alcohol does that to you.
HI-FN: Great interview. Really appreciate the honesty and info. Good luck in the finals. You want to thank anyone before we wrap things up?
KG: First of all, I'd like to thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without him we wouldn't be here. I'd like to thank my trainer "Rude Boy" Troy Mandaloniz for helping me out this whole time and going through the bullshit when I'm cranky. The other half of Team Dagger, Solomon for coming up and helping me out. The whole Team Punishment crew, Tito, Justin McCully, Josh Burkman, Matt Hamil, Rampage, Mayhem Miller, and all those guys who help me train. I'd also like to thank my sponsors Temper Tantrum Athletics, who's always been there for me. Da Hui, who just picked me up! HELL YEAH, one love to them! MY MOM and DAD!! Gotta love those guys for telling me that I can do this. My mom was fully against it, but then after a while, she told me I should move back to Vegas to become a better fighter. Thank God for her for just having my back along with my whole family. Also Submit One for hooking me up. Punishment Athletics, and ALL MY FANS IN HAWAII for the support!! I'm trying to open some doors for the fighters at home and get the exposure because we deserve it. Without the fans though, I don't think this game would be the same. Thank you!!!
