Hermes Franca: 'Franca by whatever you want'

No one can question that experience matters in MMA. To do so would be foolish. But for the most part when referencing experience, the masses end up talking about the impact it may have while battling in the actual competition only. Of course, experience can certainly benefit an MMA fighter on game day, but there’s more to it than that. Experience also allows them to have a perspective that helps with training. To know themselves and what they need before the actual fight takes place.

Such would appear to be the case with Hermes Franca, as he readies to battle with Joe Lauzon in the Ultimate Fight Night 17 main event on February 7, 2009.

“I have a lot of experience fighting and (with) the up and downs,” Franca told MMAFighting.com’s Robert Rousseau. “So I can say, if I don’t train, I’m going to have a tough fight. If they train me hard, I’m going to have a good fight. That’s how it works for me.”

Speaking of training, Franca’s experience leading into this main event fight told him to do something else—leave the familiar confines of Florida for a period of time to train in San Diego with the likes of jiu jitsu expert Saulo Ribeiro, Alliance MMA Gym, and more.

“I came to San Diego because it’s different training and day by day I feel more confident because I’m training with different partners,” Franca said. Furthering that notion, he believes that San Diego, the place he trained before his most recent win over Marcus Aurelio, is exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to taking on “a really good,” and “dangerous,” fighter in Joe Lauzon.

“That’s why I’m here (in San Diego),” he said. “I want to train real hard because I don’t want a surprise against nobody. He’s a tough kid. He just lost to Kenny Florian, so I have to be careful. I have to train real hard.”

You certainly could do worse than to train with people like Saulo Ribeiro from Diego Sanchez’s camp

With the fight going down at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida, there’s another factor to consider. You see, Franca is from the area. In the past, many fighters have acknowledged that fighting in front of their hometown or state hasn’t helped; sometimes it simply adds to the pressure they’re feeling. But Franca, a man that has defeated the likes of Jamie Varner, Nate Diaz, Marcus Aurelio, Ryan Schultz, Caol Uno, and Mike Brown, has the ability to remove the pressure. His easygoing style and experience suits dealing with pressure, in fact.

“Believe me, it’s going to be a great advantage because it’s my hometown. I’m also from south Tampa and everybody from Florida is really happy to see me in the main event. I’m really excited and can’t wait to do my best.”

So if we’re going to take Franca’s experienced mind seriously, then we should probably take his final statement to heart. When asked if he had a prediction for the fight, Franca very casually noted the following.

“Hermes Franca by whatever you want, that’s my prediction.”

More Hermes Franca Quotes

On the amount of fights left on his UFC contract: “Two more fights, if I’m not wrong. My manager, Reed Wallace, he takes care of that. He’s doing a good job and (I) want to take the opportunity to say thanks to him.”

On what Joe Lauzon’s game plan might be: “It’s really hard to say. I don’t know. I don’t have a game plan. For him, I’m training in different situations every single day. I don’t want a surprise if he takes me down. I want to be ready. If he tries to exchange punches and kicks and stand up, I want to be ready also. . . I’m just training for positions (with) different partners everyday. You know, one guy he’s a good wrestler, another guy has good stand up. Also, I’m training with different partners in different gyms.”

On where he is in the UFC title picture if he wins: “You know what, I had my chance before. So now I just want to worry about my next fight. It’s in the UFC’s hands.”

On his thoughts before the Marcus Aurelio fight: “Man, I have to win. I want to keep in UFC. . . I just have to wake up and get back on the road again. That’s what I did, you know?”

Thanks to Reed Wallace, Franca’s manager, for helping to set up this interview.