"He is working as hard as he ever has. He is in better shape than ever, so I can now push him harder and expand the training to be much more complex. All of this is possible because he's evolving," claims Brett Roger's trainer Mike Reilly. Rogers who sits comfortable between 265lb and 295lb will walk in one week from today at 6'5 and with everything to gain at Chicago's Sears Center for his bout against the world-renowned Fedor Emelianenko. Rogers who is not used to all the media attention began his training with Team Buffalo in Bloomington, MN in the garage of trainer Mike Reilly. Now Ambition MMA, has a space that offers Rogers a state-of-the-art facility that was only built in 2008. Added to the Ambition MMA coaching team was Chute Boxe Academy (from Brazil) trainer Sergio Cunha. So needless to say, Rogers who really only possesed heavy hands has acquired a stronger MMA skill set in the last couple years. It is hard to say if he is a lucky fighter or someone with a strategic repertoire of skills holding technical answers to all the unique situations a well-rounded fighter finds themselves in when they step inside the cage.
Rogers who has a 10-0 record really
captured the MMA media's attention when he knocked out Andrei Arlovski in June
of this year. It was a crazy :22 second knock-out that shocked the
majority of the MMA world, leaving Arolvski in a crushing state and Strikeforce
eager to get Rogers another match-up to see if Rilley's evolving fighter could
really repeat his power and instinctual prowness against another formable
opponent. Even Rogers admits he is eager to see himself in the November 7th big
show, "I am really looking forward to seeing the show,
but to be honest, I won't be in the right frame of mind next week to really
enjoy it. I'll have to go back and watch it in a couple of weeks to
digest it all."
Well, it is being called a moment of truth for
Rogers on the CBS MMA display next Saturday. I'll bet on a fuller display of Roger's skills. And unless, Fedor has completely
dismissed Roger's 10 MMA wins, he will come prepared to make sure he does not
end up in the same position as Arlovksi - there is too much to lose for Fedor.
Filed under: Andrei Arlovksi, Chicago Fighters, martial arts, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, MMA verse Boxing, Strikeforce
Tags: Andrei Arlovski, Brett Rogers, cbs MMA, Chicago MMA, Fedor, Fedor in Chicago, Strikeforce