TUF 12: Spencer Paige talks bug fighting in the house
Spencer Paige (7-2) won his way into the house by defeating Steve Magdaleno via unanimous decision (20-18, 20-18, 20-18). He was the third pick (sixth overall) of Georges St-Pierre and fought team Koscheck fighter Nam Phan in the season’s fourth episode. The fight didn’t go as Paige wanted; he lost the fight and got hurt in the process.
Following the fight airing on Spike we had the chance to talk with the super busy Spencer Paige to ask him a few questions.
What exactly did you hurt in your fight with Nam Phan?
I broke my 2nd and 5th metacarpal or basically I broke my hand in 2 different spots. The typical break on the pinky side and also, the bone on my “pointer finger” side. After my fight, x-rays also revealed that I had a fractured shin.
Did you choose to fight Nam Phan or was it the coaches?
The decision to fight Nam was mutual. George and John both thought that Nam was a great matchup for me. They suggested that I fight him, if I get my choice. I was really confident going in and I think most of my team was, too. It really didn’t matter to me, as far as who I fought.
Was there anything Nam Phan did that you weren’t expecting?
The biggest thing Nam did that I wasn’t expecting was that he constantly pushed forward. He was always moving forward and he never attempted a takedown. My game plan was to move forward and force him to take a shot and attempt to take me down. Instead, the opposite happened.
You referred to Josh Koscheck as an immature sixth grader, tell us how much worse he was then what we’ve saw?
I would say that the way the show has portrayed Josh is pretty accurate. Behind the cameras he can be cool and talk all friendly. But, in front of the cameras it was/is his choice to act the way he does.
Back at the house what do the other fighters (including his team) think of Koscheck’s actions?
I think that most of team KOS supported everything he did. Being in that house creates a weird sort of “gang mentality” where the two teams are so separated that people begin to act out of character just because of the living situation that they’re in. Even though most of his team supported him, I think that outside of the house it might have been a different story.
Heading into the show was there a particular coach you hoped would pick you?
Georges St-Pierre, without a doubt!
Was Jean Charles Skarbowsky really drunk and just how bad of a beating did he put on you guys?
He was really drunk… Among other things LOL! JCS put it to everyone pretty hard during sparring but, he was just going through the motions. It didn’t even seem like he was trying to punch, kick or knee hard. I’d say he was maybe going at 50%…
What did you do to pass the time in the house to stay sane?
We played a lot of pool. I tried to lay in bed and sleep as much as possible. At one point, we hit a new level of boredom when we tried pitting a variety of insects against each other. We caught all kinds of spiders and bugs and put them in some Tupperware hoping for some serious action… It was disappointing, they didn’t fight.
Just how bad is/was Bruce Leroy?
I like Bruce. He’s got a very unique personality and you kind of have to know how to deal with someone like that before you try to handle him in person. He did some dumb stuff, but everyone in that house did a few dumb things just because there’s nothing else to do. I think that Bruce was doing his best to be entertaining and interesting, and if that’s his gig, then I wish him the best.
Anyone you’d like to thank?
About the Author (Author Profile)
My brain child is MMAValor, something I had wanted to do for a long time and finally it’s here. Been an MMA fan since TUF season one (play catch up all the time) and the obsession started to grow like a weed and as the sport grows so does the love for the sport. I’m a jack of all trades, a very organized person that rides an emotional roller coaster daily.Subscribe
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