Bellator lightweight Number 1 contender, Dave Jansen is a unique guy, and not just because he’s a talented MMA fighter. He doesn’t believe in fancy tech gadgets. His phone is the barest piece of machinery, with none of the bells and whistles that cell phone enthusiasts have become accustomed to with iPhones and Android phones devouring the market. He prefers real books to Kindle downloads. He’s a beekeeper that cultivated his own hives through a complete life cycle (generally a 3-4 year period). He believes in the power of crystals and was channeling a piece of labradorite while conducting the interview with me. In short, he’s one of two things, a throwback to another era or a new age thinker that’s learned to stay away from the conventional trappings of modern day, digital age society.
His training methods are equally unusual. From using a float tank to juggling (yes, you read that right), Jansen has got the lock on thinking outside the box. Tonight, he takes on current Bellator lightweight champion, “Ill” Will Brooks in a title bout that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Bloody Elbow sat down with Jansen ahead of his contest where he gave his thoughts on Brooks and let us in on the reasoning behind some of his more radical training methods. Here’s what he had to say:
The keeping of the bees
Well, I’m a beekeeper at heart, but my hives died. I haven’t been able to replace them yet. It’s kind of the natural life cycle of the hive. They last about 3-4 years, but we had a couple tough winters, so they went down at about the 2 year mark. I’m still active in the beekeeping community, and a good buddy of mine still raises them, so I kind of do my beekeeping vicariously through him.
Juggling
(Image of his training jugglers courtesy of Dave Jansen)
The juggling is something I’ve been doing since my knee surgery. My boxing coach, Andy Minsker, gave me the juggling balls that his coach gave to him. It’s super significant that he thought enough to pass them down to me. They help to develop hand-eye coordination, and also helps boost peripheral vision. You can’t really focus on one ball. You have to look past the balls and respond in tune with the direction they’re going. They never land in the same place, either, so you have to constantly readjust.
This is some ninja training. It’s something a lot of warriors have used as a training method throughout history. I’m no expert yet, but I can do some cool tricks [laughs].
Will Brooks
I think I’ll be most dominant in the true grit department. It just looks like something is not right with Will Brooks. When I see or hear him do interviews, something is off. I know it, and he knows it. I think everyone knows it. There’s a big lack of confidence and some insecurity there. I think he feels like he’s an impostor, and he is. I’m the fighter here. He’s the athlete. He’s even described himself that way in the past.
Being the underdog
I don’t think it’s unfair for Will to be the favorite. I’m not the victim. I’m not going to let odds makers victimize me. The Grateful Dead knew they were never going to be topping the billboard charts, but they didn’t care. They just wanted to make great music. I do have a desire, a need to be the champ, but I don’t need other people validating me with odds to feel like I’m worthy of my place here in the sport.
I think Will Brooks does need that validation. He’s shown it and said it, time and time again. He’s said he feels slighted and disrespected and (in a very affected voice), ‘Oh my God, Bellator put Michael Chandler in front of me on the poster.’ He got all huffy and puffy about it, and that’s what he is. Will Brooks is all puff.
Dave Jansen vs. Will Brooks takes place tonight as the main event of Bellator 136 from Irvine, CA via Spike TV. Check your local television listings for time and channel.
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