Sirwan Kakai Eyeing Win Over 'One-Dimensional' Joe Warren
Sirwan Kakai Eyeing Win Over 'One-Dimensional' Joe Warren
After back-to-back losses, Sirwan Kakai's own back is against the wall heading into Bellator 161 this weekend -- a third straight defeat would crush his lofty ambitions.
By Chamatkar Sandhu
After back-to-back losses, Sirwan Kakai's own back is against the wall heading into Bellator 161 this weekend -- a third straight defeat could stifle the 26 year-old's career at the top level of the sport. A bout with Joe Warren will serve as the co-main event of the evening.
Now that he's had some time to reflect on his past few outings, Kakai believes a higher sense of focus will ensure he gets back in the win column.
"My first loss, I felt like it was such a close fight," Kakai said. "I didn't go into that fight 100 percent, but I didn't make a big deal of it. I went through the motions with the second; no big deal. What changed up is I got way more motivated; I've been training much harder. For this fight, I've been training my heart out. I'm coming in with everything I've got. I'll be at my absolute best on September 16."
The Swedish bantamweight has split his camp training at his native GBG MMA in Gothenburg as well as American Top Team in Florida. For Kakai, it's a matter of getting the best striking at home and the best wrestling in the U.S.
"In America, I get better wrestling than I can get in Europe -- more sparring partners, and a lot of great coaches," Kakai said. "In Sweden, what I was focused on was my old style, which is striking. So I went with some real high-level kickboxers. I went back to my old roots, kickboxing, and I did that in Sweden, but I have my striking coach with me in America, so now I have all the tools in one place. The only thing I have done is train harder, smarter and changed a lot of things up like my conditioning. I need to get back to what got me here, and that's hard work."
Warren is a world-champion wrestler and former Bellator featherweight and bantamweight champion, but Kakai isn't too focused on what his opponent brings to the table. Rather, he's looking within to his own skill set.
"Mentally, he's a very tough guy and one dimensional, but a guy who's very strong mentally and physically, always in good shape," Kakai said. "A strong guy, but I don't focus too much on him. I have to do what I am going to do, and that's what I focus on. His wrestling is great. He's strong, has good submissions and puts on a very high pace, but I'm ready for everything."
Primarily a striker, Kakai is confident in his ability to keep the fight standing -- that's where he feels Warren will be unable to handle the exchanges.
"I think I'll be the one pressuring him, stuffing his takedowns, conquering his takedowns," Kakai said. "If he takes me down, which he maybe will, I will stand right back up. I'll push him away and stand right back up. When he gets some space and wants to catch his breath, I'll pressure him and put him deep water. He doesn't want to strike with me. He won't know how to react."
Under the Scott Coker era, Bellator fighters seems to be singing the new president's praises, and the future looks bright. With the promotion entering the European market this year, Kakai hopes to be part of their first event in Sweden somewhere down the road.
"He's been great," Kakai said. "I met Scott at my last performance, and he was really cool with me telling me it's OK that I had a bad performance, and just to focus on the next one. I like him, and I think he's done a lot for the sport. Before the UFC bought Strikeforce, it was one of the best shows and had tournaments and everything.
"He's doing great work with Bellator, and it will just grow and grow, and I'm happy they're coming to Europe. My dream is Bellator coming to Sweden and headlining an event there. Sweden is a great market with a lot of up-and-coming fighters who are hungry, who would love to fight on the Bellator show."
Kakai likes Bellator's new look as well as the recent signings of free agents like Matt Mitrione, and more recently, Rory MacDonald. While the former UFC fighters bring name value, the Swede believes they will provide a benchmark to determine how good the Bellator fighters really are.
"They're focusing on big names, but at the same time, they're bringing their own guys up like Michael 'Venom' Page and Douglas Lima," Kakai said. "People want to see how good a fighter like Michael Page is, so now we're going to see some great match-ups that I would want to see as a fan. I think it's great that they're bringing in big names, because you want to see the Bellator guys matched up with guys who fought in the UFC."
After back-to-back losses, Sirwan Kakai's own back is against the wall heading into Bellator 161 this weekend -- a third straight defeat could stifle the 26 year-old's career at the top level of the sport. A bout with Joe Warren will serve as the co-main event of the evening.
Now that he's had some time to reflect on his past few outings, Kakai believes a higher sense of focus will ensure he gets back in the win column.
"My first loss, I felt like it was such a close fight," Kakai said. "I didn't go into that fight 100 percent, but I didn't make a big deal of it. I went through the motions with the second; no big deal. What changed up is I got way more motivated; I've been training much harder. For this fight, I've been training my heart out. I'm coming in with everything I've got. I'll be at my absolute best on September 16."
Best of both worlds
The Swedish bantamweight has split his camp training at his native GBG MMA in Gothenburg as well as American Top Team in Florida. For Kakai, it's a matter of getting the best striking at home and the best wrestling in the U.S.
"In America, I get better wrestling than I can get in Europe -- more sparring partners, and a lot of great coaches," Kakai said. "In Sweden, what I was focused on was my old style, which is striking. So I went with some real high-level kickboxers. I went back to my old roots, kickboxing, and I did that in Sweden, but I have my striking coach with me in America, so now I have all the tools in one place. The only thing I have done is train harder, smarter and changed a lot of things up like my conditioning. I need to get back to what got me here, and that's hard work."
Focused on the man in the mirror
Warren is a world-champion wrestler and former Bellator featherweight and bantamweight champion, but Kakai isn't too focused on what his opponent brings to the table. Rather, he's looking within to his own skill set.
"Mentally, he's a very tough guy and one dimensional, but a guy who's very strong mentally and physically, always in good shape," Kakai said. "A strong guy, but I don't focus too much on him. I have to do what I am going to do, and that's what I focus on. His wrestling is great. He's strong, has good submissions and puts on a very high pace, but I'm ready for everything."
Primarily a striker, Kakai is confident in his ability to keep the fight standing -- that's where he feels Warren will be unable to handle the exchanges.
"I think I'll be the one pressuring him, stuffing his takedowns, conquering his takedowns," Kakai said. "If he takes me down, which he maybe will, I will stand right back up. I'll push him away and stand right back up. When he gets some space and wants to catch his breath, I'll pressure him and put him deep water. He doesn't want to strike with me. He won't know how to react."
President Coker has vote of confidence
Under the Scott Coker era, Bellator fighters seems to be singing the new president's praises, and the future looks bright. With the promotion entering the European market this year, Kakai hopes to be part of their first event in Sweden somewhere down the road.
"He's been great," Kakai said. "I met Scott at my last performance, and he was really cool with me telling me it's OK that I had a bad performance, and just to focus on the next one. I like him, and I think he's done a lot for the sport. Before the UFC bought Strikeforce, it was one of the best shows and had tournaments and everything.
"He's doing great work with Bellator, and it will just grow and grow, and I'm happy they're coming to Europe. My dream is Bellator coming to Sweden and headlining an event there. Sweden is a great market with a lot of up-and-coming fighters who are hungry, who would love to fight on the Bellator show."
Free agents, fresh match-ups
Kakai likes Bellator's new look as well as the recent signings of free agents like Matt Mitrione, and more recently, Rory MacDonald. While the former UFC fighters bring name value, the Swede believes they will provide a benchmark to determine how good the Bellator fighters really are.
"They're focusing on big names, but at the same time, they're bringing their own guys up like Michael 'Venom' Page and Douglas Lima," Kakai said. "People want to see how good a fighter like Michael Page is, so now we're going to see some great match-ups that I would want to see as a fan. I think it's great that they're bringing in big names, because you want to see the Bellator guys matched up with guys who fought in the UFC."