Submission Underground: Ricco Rodriguez Returns
Submission Underground: Ricco Rodriguez Returns
Ricco Rodriguez understands a thing or two about adversity.Whether incidental or self-imposed, the former UFC heavyweight champion has dealt with his share
Ricco Rodriguez understands a thing or two about adversity.
Whether incidental or self-imposed, the former UFC heavyweight champion has dealt with his share of twists and turns. Lesser men would have been broken by any number of Rodriguez's roadblocks. And while he certainly didn't walk away from any setback unscathed, Rodriguez is confident he's a better man today because of what he's endured.
The latest version of the 38-year-old Mundials and ADCC grappling world champion is ready to return to the biggest stages of competition. The first step back will happen at Submission Underground this Sunday in Portland, Oregon.
"I've been staying busy with my lifestyle, so nothing really changed for me," Rodriguez said. "I went to the city, started training at Renzo's.
"I've been in the game for a while. Because of the MMA, it's a little different going straight back into grappling, where it's a lot... It's just jiu-jitsu, man. It's natural. It's like the birth of fighting, so it's hard to get that game and that rhythm back."
Rodriguez hasn't been actively competing for a stretch, but jiu-jitsu runs in his blood. It's a craft he understands at the highest level, but that doesn't mean there aren't challenges to master.
The latter resonates even more when the competition is a submission only situation, and those parameters will be in place this weekend in Portland.
"Submission Underground has kind of gone back to the beginning, where it all started," Rodriguez said. "You still want to compete at a high level when you're an older guy, and grappling allows you to still compete without hurting yourself hardcore like mixed martial arts. But it's still dangerous because of the submissions. But it still fuels me on a competitive level.
"Grappling is grappling. You have to execute your game plan, but at the end of the day, you have to go for a submission--that's my game plan. I'm just going to be in top-conditioned shape and be prepared, inflict my will, and just attack, attack, attack. I don't want to be defending and defending. I'm going to attack.
"It's the old-school way," he added. "It doesn't matter if you pass. So this is going to be like it's at the birth. No points, nobody cares, you're going to the end. Somebody is going to win."
When Rodriguez steps into the cage at SUG he will be facing an opponent both foreign and familiar to him in Fabiano Scherner. The two men were supposed to compete several years back, but the actual matchup never materialized.
And even though time has taken both men in different directions, they were never truly off each other's respective radars.
Rodriguez was elated to get the call from Chael Sonnen, and fired up to finally settle his business with Scherner on July 17.
"Fabiano and I were supposed to compete in mixed martial arts against each other in Puerto Rico, but that didn't happen due to some circumstances," Rodriguez said. "So when I got the call from Chael, I said, 'Sure, no problem.' That's just how it came along. He told me the situation, told me the rules, told me Flo was involved in it, and said, 'Let's do it. Sounds like a great opportunity.'
"He's a big grappler, basically a big Brazilian. He's very old-school with his techniques, but it's very effective. He's worked with a lot of the guys from Team Quest. He's good. He's just a regular guy. He has his own titles and his own accomplishments. Much respect to him. Anybody who competes at this level, they have to have a little something they bring to the table."
Rodriguez has experienced the world of combat sports in full scope. He's been at the highest of highs and the lowest of lows alike, and he's still standing tall. Rodriguez is versed enough to not bet too heavily on his future and chooses to put stock in his happiness in the moment.
He's going back to something he loves in competitive grappling, but the here and now is what Rodriguez appreciates the most.
"Actually, my birthday's coming up in August, so I was like, 'Nice, I'll be in great shape. I'll look good, I'll feel good. Let's do this," Rodriguez said. "I'll see how things go with this one, and we'll figure it out from there. I don't think that far ahead."
Whether incidental or self-imposed, the former UFC heavyweight champion has dealt with his share of twists and turns. Lesser men would have been broken by any number of Rodriguez's roadblocks. And while he certainly didn't walk away from any setback unscathed, Rodriguez is confident he's a better man today because of what he's endured.
The latest version of the 38-year-old Mundials and ADCC grappling world champion is ready to return to the biggest stages of competition. The first step back will happen at Submission Underground this Sunday in Portland, Oregon.
"I've been staying busy with my lifestyle, so nothing really changed for me," Rodriguez said. "I went to the city, started training at Renzo's.
"I've been in the game for a while. Because of the MMA, it's a little different going straight back into grappling, where it's a lot... It's just jiu-jitsu, man. It's natural. It's like the birth of fighting, so it's hard to get that game and that rhythm back."
Rodriguez hasn't been actively competing for a stretch, but jiu-jitsu runs in his blood. It's a craft he understands at the highest level, but that doesn't mean there aren't challenges to master.
The latter resonates even more when the competition is a submission only situation, and those parameters will be in place this weekend in Portland.
"Submission Underground has kind of gone back to the beginning, where it all started," Rodriguez said. "You still want to compete at a high level when you're an older guy, and grappling allows you to still compete without hurting yourself hardcore like mixed martial arts. But it's still dangerous because of the submissions. But it still fuels me on a competitive level.
"Grappling is grappling. You have to execute your game plan, but at the end of the day, you have to go for a submission--that's my game plan. I'm just going to be in top-conditioned shape and be prepared, inflict my will, and just attack, attack, attack. I don't want to be defending and defending. I'm going to attack.
"It's the old-school way," he added. "It doesn't matter if you pass. So this is going to be like it's at the birth. No points, nobody cares, you're going to the end. Somebody is going to win."
When Rodriguez steps into the cage at SUG he will be facing an opponent both foreign and familiar to him in Fabiano Scherner. The two men were supposed to compete several years back, but the actual matchup never materialized.
And even though time has taken both men in different directions, they were never truly off each other's respective radars.
Rodriguez was elated to get the call from Chael Sonnen, and fired up to finally settle his business with Scherner on July 17.
"Fabiano and I were supposed to compete in mixed martial arts against each other in Puerto Rico, but that didn't happen due to some circumstances," Rodriguez said. "So when I got the call from Chael, I said, 'Sure, no problem.' That's just how it came along. He told me the situation, told me the rules, told me Flo was involved in it, and said, 'Let's do it. Sounds like a great opportunity.'
"He's a big grappler, basically a big Brazilian. He's very old-school with his techniques, but it's very effective. He's worked with a lot of the guys from Team Quest. He's good. He's just a regular guy. He has his own titles and his own accomplishments. Much respect to him. Anybody who competes at this level, they have to have a little something they bring to the table."
Rodriguez has experienced the world of combat sports in full scope. He's been at the highest of highs and the lowest of lows alike, and he's still standing tall. Rodriguez is versed enough to not bet too heavily on his future and chooses to put stock in his happiness in the moment.
He's going back to something he loves in competitive grappling, but the here and now is what Rodriguez appreciates the most.
"Actually, my birthday's coming up in August, so I was like, 'Nice, I'll be in great shape. I'll look good, I'll feel good. Let's do this," Rodriguez said. "I'll see how things go with this one, and we'll figure it out from there. I don't think that far ahead."