Thursday, April 7, 2011

UFC Vet Josh "The Dentist" Neer interview before his April 9th fight back in Iowa

            10x UFC Vet Josh “The Dentist” Neer will be headlining the World War Fighting Championship 2 in Clive, Iowa at the 7 Flags Events Center on Saturday April 9th. Josh has fought some of the best guys in the world and has fought all over the country for all the big named organizations. He is trying for his fourth straight win at 170 pounds and to make everyone start to notice what he is putting together at this new weight. It has been over a year since Josh has fought in front of his hometown fans. Many of his hometown fans still remember his slug fests at Toad Holler years ago, and are very excited to watch him anytime he comes back to the area to headline a card. Leading into his next fight, I was lucky enough to ask Josh a few questions about his career, training and what lies ahead for the guy who was one of the first guys to put Iowa on the map in the MMA world.

Q- So, you are returning to Des Moines area for the first time in shortly over a year to fight this Saturday at the 7 flags Events Center for World War Fighting Championship 2. Are you excited to be fighting in front of your hometown fans again? Is it actually sometimes more difficult with more stuff to take care of when you fight in the Des Moines area such as sell tickets and get everything set up that you usually wouldn’t have to do?
A- Yeah, it's exciting to fight in front of people that I know. But, it is much easier fighting out of town and not dealing with the tickets and everything else involved.

Q- You come into this fight coming off a quick win against Jesse Finney who had fought in
Strikeforce Challengers and you easily choked him out, and now have won 3 out of your last 4. Saturday you try to add Case to the list of wins and that will make 4 out of 5 and two in a row. Do you feel another win would really start a push for another run to some really good fights in 2011?

A- Yeah, Finney was actually an easy win for me. My only loss was to maybe the #1 lightweight out there in Eddie Alvarez. Plus the weight just killed me. No excuses, but even before the fight I told my manager I can't do 155 anymore. I was cutting from 190-195 and by the time I got in the ring I just felt like shit. If I win this fight Saturday it'll make it 4 straight wins at 170 pounds.

Q- Most of your fights had been at 155, now in the last couple years you have moved up to 170. Are 170 were your most comfortable at now, and feel like that is what you will stay at?

A- I’ve got into lifting and actually have the size to compete at the 170 weight class. Now I feel like I’m a legit 170lb fighter.

Q- I know after the Danzig fight you talked about how much your BJJ has kept improving, is it still something you work on a lot now? What is something that you have really tried to improve on or build on in the last year?

A- Yeah, I always work on everything. We’ve worked a lot of wrestling the past year. That’s what everyone wants to do to me. It used to be my biggest strength but I neglected it and it became my weakness.

Q- I remember first watching you at Toad Holler, when you would just fight anyone in any weight class. What made you want to start fighting? You sure weren’t scared of who you ever had to fight? Did you really enjoy all of those fights when you started out?

A- Yeah, when I started out I enjoyed every fight. I still do enjoy fighting a lot but it's more like a job now.


Q- You have fought for many of the top organizations over the years, UFC, Bellator, IFL, Shark Fights, and many others. You have faced some of the best guys in the world over those years also. Who was the toughest opponent you have ever faced and who was the most fun to beat?

A- Probably my two toughest opponents were Spencer Fisher and Nick Diaz. The person that was most fun to beat was probably Melvin Guillard, because he's such a moron. But my biggest win was din Thomas. He’s actually someone I respect and consider a true martial artist. It was a fun fight.

Q- Do you think you beat Spencer Fisher, many people thought that you did?

A- I think that's for other people to debate.

Q- How different is the Josh Neer that is in the cage compared to the Josh Neer who takes his daughter trick-or-treating?

A- I’m pretty boring outside of fighting. In the ring I fight off of emotion.

Q- LC Davis brought up a great post on
Facebook last week of all the wannabe fighters, and people who say they train to fight. How often do you laugh when you hear stuff like this? Those guys have no idea how hard you guys have sacrificed and time you have put in over the years to get to where you are now. Is it kind of frustrating that people just think they could go do what you do, or do u just laugh and not really care? I personally would love to get a few of those keyboard warriors that talk shit on the forums and each week bring them to Des Moines and see you put on a clinic, I think it would make for a good TV reality series.

A- Oh yeah, the sport is filled with poser's. Probably 90% of the people who fight just do it because it's the cool thing to do. I remember I had a friend that always talked a big game. So he actually trained one day and actually told me he was just going to do what I do and make money and quit working. Ha-ha. Like it was that easy or something. So, I beat the shit out of him. Not really even trying while I was doing it. I go it's not as easy as it looks on TV huh? He go's not at all. Needless to say that was the last day he was a fulltime fighter. He went to work the next day. lol. Every poser who walks in the gym we always try to beat em up and send them on their way back to fantasy land.


Q- I read on the underground asked by the promoters of Shine Fights who they would want to see fight the most, and Neer vs. Fickett was one of the top ones I saw. Now that I thought would be awesome. Is there anyone you personally would like to fight, or fight again?

A- I want to fight Joe Lauzon, but I guess its pretty lame of me calling someone out at a weight class I won't fight at, but at 170 I don't have anyone really. I’d like to fight KJ Noons if he's going to stay at 170. I think it'd be an entertaining fight.

Q- Before the days in the octagon you used to be a pretty good baseball player. Do you still go hit in the cages any and how hard is it being a Cubs fan?
A- It’s easy being a Cubs fan. There’s always next year, lol. Nah it looks like we'll suck again this yeah. No, I don't really play baseball, but I watch the real cubs and I-cubs in Des Moines as often as possible.

Q- What are some of your goals for 2011 and what should the fans be expecting this year from Josh Neer?
A- I just want to keep making money and keep winning fights.

Thanks a lot Josh. If you are anywhere close to Des Moines, or the Clive area I would highly recommend coming and seeing this show. This could be one of the last times Josh is around fighting in Iowa as he will be making his run up the 170 ratings. Tickets are still available at the 7flagseventcenter.com for these April 9th fights. Doors open at 6pm and fights start at 7.
Also on the card is WEC and M-1 veteran Chuck Grigsby, and much more local talent.

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