When you first begin talking to Anthony Njokuani it's hard to believe that the well spoken man with the glasses is basically the real life equivalent of Eddy Gordo from Tekken. For those unfamiliar with the videogame, Gordo is an ass kicking pop and lock specialist and it just so happens that Anthony is a former breakdancer who can floor an opponent with a devastating head kick.
Njokuani (12-2, 1 NC) represents the type of fighter that World Extreme Cagefighting is hoping to highlight on Saturday night when they make their Pay-Per-View debut. Prior to the main event featherweight title fight between champ Jose Aldo and Urijah Faber; Anthony will face off against Shane Roller (7-2) in a fight that, according to Njokuani, may determine the next lightweight contender in the WEC.
Zak Woods: The first thing to start with is that this is really a watershed moment for the WEC and you get to be a part of it. They are making the move to Pay-Per View and you are going to be one of the fighters on the card. My first question is what are your thoughts going into this?
Anthony Njokuani: Really, the only thoughts going in my mind right now is going out there, performing well, giving the crowd a really good fight and trying not to mess up.
Woods: There has been scuttlebutt that WEC fighters want to get paid more and the idea was that being on Pay-Per-View would generate a lot more revenue for the fighters and the promotion. As this is the first event, could you give us a guage on the WEC fighters' mind set: Are they all excited about this? Are they concerned? Are they conscious about what the PPV showing will be?
Njokuani: Well, the thing is that I haven't spoke to any other fighters on the card so I can only speak for myself and the only thought that is going through my mind right now is really just going out there and performing well and getting [sic] my title shot.
Woods: Isn't that the big question here? Very often Zuffa promotions' have a number one contender fight on a card that also features a title fight. Ben Henderson and Donald Cerrone are obviously fighting on the card (for the lightweight title) and they both hold victories over you and you are one of the hot prospects in the WEC lightweight division. I guess there are a lot of expectations that a victory here puts you in that position of number one contender. Is that your understanding of the situation?
Njokuani: Yes, correct. Whoever wins this fight and whoever wins the Donald Cerrone [sic] Cowboy and Henderson fight, those two will fight again for the belt.
Woods: To a degree you don't want to look forward too much but as you've fought both Ben Henderson and Donald Cerrone, who would you most like to fight again?
Njokuani: Either one, it really doesn't matter to me. Whoever wins that belt, I'll fight either one. I don't care. The only thing I am really focused on is getting my rematch.
Woods:Let's talk a little bit a Shane Roller. He has a very young career, he only has nine fights, he's 7-2, and we've seen recently in the WEC that a lot of these guys who have maybe just ten fights burst on the scene with a high profile victory. Are you concerned about that at all, that people might be discounting this guy and that the hype machine surrounding you might push you to overlook him.
Njokuani: No. I have never overlooked any of my opponents. Shane Roller is a strong wrestler. I mean, he's not as strong of a wrestler as Henderson but he's a very strong wrestler and I've seen a lot of tape on him and I've seen a lot of great things coming out of him. So that's why I train very hard in every aspect of the sport in order to be prepared and I am ready for whatever he throws at me.
Woods: Are you concerned at all that he is primarily a wrestler and your struggles with the Henderson and Cerrone fight. I know you commented afterwards that you didn't have as good a ground game as both of them. Are you concerned with that at all?
Njokuani: No. None whatsoever. The people I have been working with over this time period are on the same level as all of these guys, probably even more, even higher than them. So, whatever these guys bring at me I am going to be ready because of who I am working with and because I have been working my butt off. Whatever he comes at me with, I hope he's ready because I know I am.
Woods: My next question is that I know prior to your last fight you did a sit down with the media and MMA Fighting recorded it and you made a comment where you said you admired Anderson Silva's style. Do you feel that way today after UFC 112 or--
Njokuani: Ah, yeah! Of course. My thoughts on Anderson Silva are never going to change. Just because he performed in that way--I mean, he was just trying to prove a point of 'yeah, no matter what you throw at me, I am always going to be ready and I am still going to make you look stupid even if you're going to come at me in a certain way.' My thoughts about Anderson are still going to be the same. I do want to be able to perform, not like that way--
Woods: [Laughs]
Njokuani: but, not weird like he did. But I want to be able to perform using my ins and outs, using my reach, using my speed, you know? That's why I admire him so much because he does that.
Woods: Well, you do have the breakdancing background. Does that mean we are ever going to see anything like that in the cage?
Njokuani: Maybe I will bust something out this time. I did last time, in the last fight with Chris Horodecki, I busted it out a little bit. But that was actually after I got done talking on the mic. But you know, this time maybe after the fight I'll bust something out because everyone has been asking me. I mean, I am not that bad of a breakdancer. I am not that great,. I know a little bit.
Woods: The only breakdance move I know is the worm. Are you going to do the worm?
Njokuani: [Laughs] Nah, I will probably do more than that. Probably some top rocking and some footwork.
Check out part two on Friday and find out what Anthony thinks about being compared to Jon Jones and Bender from the Breakfast Club.
