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Ep. #32 – Michael Dufort

Michael Dufort is a mixed martial artist fighting out of Quebec, Canada who most recently competed under the New Era Fighting banner. He has primarily competed for TKO where he fought for their welterweight title.

Transcript

Michael Dufort: Ha, how are things there? How does house Quebec during the pandemic weekend? Like I’m doing everything I can do so to stay active? You know, that’s all! That’S it! Quebec, like everywhere thanks, I mean I’m in Nova Scotia. So it’s, I think, we’re a little bit slower. Like we just got allowed to we’re allowed now to go outside, but we can’t go to like playgrounds and parks and stuff. Yet oh yeah yeah it’s a little bit slower here than then Quebec, but it sucks. How is this a gym owner? We want to fight. We need to fight the tower Brandon bar you, like you, like, cut off there a little bit. You cut up all good. Now, all good, I don’t know. What’S I don’t know what happened there so so, what’s your training been like? Obviously, you can’t go to the gym, but you’ve been doing like home workouts. I cannot like benchpress and all that kind of stuff, so we can can do like short workout. We can. I can train differently too, so I can watch film everything like it’s so important to analyze fight and I wasn’t doing that really outside, like we can be like to to people tour, I think in Quebec we can be like 10 people in the same place, so We can’t I render we can arrange some stuff, some training. I have some friend that I have a couple of thing like training can be good, so we can’t like fight firing and everything, but we cannot leave like move and stay active a bit yeah um. So if you had an opportunity, when would you like to get back in there? Obviously, I’m sure things aren’t ideal you’re, not getting the proper training that you’d ideally like, but if the opportunity came up is have you thought about that, like maybe fighting, even though there’s a pandemic yeah, it’s been a friend like he find me a couple of fight. Maybe at the beginning, at the end of the pandemic and like some big fight, so my coach is not today real pin about this cuz. We can’t properly train. So my coach is like maybe you’ll not be ready but and every everybody’s are like me. So the fight is gon na, be like even like. Both fighter are gon na, be not 100 % cuz. We can’t properly train. So I would like to fight like right after the pandemic. I trained my way so and I know how to fight like I’m doing this, like since I’m 13 years old and I’m 26 now the F of my life fighting. So I know how to fight – and I don’t have to will so be really like right. One day they give us the deformation you had so so you fought back in was it September. It was a sub September. Wasn’T it yeah yeah before the before that you went an entire year without without fighting it looked like you, had a few matches that you were supposed to have and they kind of fell through what what happened again Danny? Let me loose a French guy and he’s been an ass like all the old training camp, like we, we kind of the day of the fight. We we had our weight in 155, both of the guy supposed to fight in main event again charge all day and Jesse. Kent couldn’t fight because he had something in the face and but all the medic from Ontario said. Oh, it’s, okay, it’s! Okay! It’S not! It will not like be dangerous for your fight, so this was like: okay good continue training, and then he big is waiting at the equipment and he from Quebec was like. Oh, you cannot fight with that and Jesse at the paper. Like a can’t fight. I have everything like all good, but they said like. Oh you could you can’t so they take my my opponent like I am. I was the semi-final. They took my opponent. They give him to charge all day. So I was like damn because of this [ __ ] happens JCM, you were the Biggest Loser, but [ __ ] happen, like I said so that was one of my canceled fight. So after that I was, my teacher contract was over. So I sang with the new organization you are from Quebec, but now I’m looking like I want to fight me, maybe somewhere else if coz Quebec is slow, like the organization are not like it’s hard to find fight in Quebec, so maybe I’m tell you is better Or somewhere in u.s., so like I’m watching for this cuz, my record is kind of ok like for one white fight. Like 7 3, I won, like seven of my eight fight, eight last fight. My only last one was against Ronson like number one is Canada in split decision. That’S been the part of the year in some podcasts in Quebec, so it was a good fight and I’m ready to fight like anybody. You like you have Civet around. I don’t care like just give me a fight I’ll finish them yeah, I mean your losses have been through. The first two were the first two fights that you were professional and then you had a long, long winning streak and then another split loss. So, even though it’s seven and three I mean, if you give it to the first two, it’s seven and one like it’s, so I mean you got a lot of momentum. So it’s it’s you’re, probably like realistically like a fight or two like a couple of big finishes and you could be knocking at the door of a Bellator, UFC or a bigger organization. Is that the goal yeah? Every time you see my record like one time, it happened again like something like that, so I finished my guys and I’m better than every guy I found and and I’m proving it right every time I fight I’d, emanate my own and I finished them every time. I want so like, like you, said, one or two big tests and I’m knocking at the big door. So that’s the plan, like you said yes, so there for a long time there weren’t many Canadian MMA fighters in the UFC I mean there was Georges st. Pierre. That was it right yeah. He recently got into the Hall of Fame. What are your thoughts? Do you think it’s it deserves it very deserving of it and do you think he’s the best ever yeah for me number one, even after his retirement, he fought the champion of the world that light heavyweight middleweight. You beat in like that. This thing, man is the greatest, I think, is the greatest, and then you can have a point if you’re talking about John Zorn Jones or Anderson Silva, but is the aim of this guy. His career is for something even John, don’t suppose it for something so and I couldn’t you give it to George. What’S your what’s your mind, yeah, I mean I’m Canadian too. So George and means number one right, but I think you look at Marsh for me. It’S the best, martial artist is George st. Pierre yeah when it comes to being a martial artist and discipline and respect joy, st. Pierre’s number one when it comes to fighting. I have John Jones because I think John Jones is a better fighter, but I think George st. Pierre as a whole, what he did his legacy. The amount of peat everybody respects, George, no one – can say a bad thing about George st. Pierre and I think that’s what makes martial arts is about and for me that’s why George is is number one and he had he fought Josh Koscheck. He fought Johny Hendricks. He fought really really good fighters yeah that entire time Matt Hughes, not Sara. He fought so for me, word Georgia’s number one, prime, before he street fight everybody. Looking at the greatest fight in UFC, like you have found me yes, couple great fight. Ladies. Some people used to say he is a boring fighter in everything. But yes, some be fight like again against be dependent fight were like wow yeah, great yeah. If you have you had a chance to go to to Tristar. If you have you worked, I try stare at all when we’re not in pandemic. Like okay, sir of you, have you worked with with George how’s. His work ethic is he’s, got ta, be one of the hardest-working guys. You’Ve ever worked with yeah he’s good cuz he’s. So bright he’s so like focus on one thing and he’s not wasting energy. I think it’s his greatest strength, like you, roll with him, you know, is not doing something for nothing. He’S always doing dick detainee do cuz. You think it’s gon na be it’s gon na help him to finish the fight. Yeah Tristar is the place. It’S a very good place to Train cuz. There’S people around the world like come there like we have even in Quebec. We have a real benefit. We have George soon, as the idea is so good at coaching man there’s a couple of pro guy like I’ll sound you, you can develop yourself like at ease a Tristar yeah. I think for me, for us, a hobby is in my mind the number-one mastermind in all of MMA and George is a great example of that. I think, and I think if any I you know when anyone comes to me and they’re like what’s the best gym in the world, I’m like you know it all depends on what you want, but if you want the best coach in the world, that’s definitely tristar. Have you what are your thoughts on the UFC and what they’re doing obviously they’re putting together they’re going crazy, they’re building an island they’re good flying people all over the world, they’re testing people like crazy? Do you think it’s good for the sport or do you think it paints like a bad picture like everyone else is being cautious and then UFC is just like? I don’t care we’re just gon na do it. I don’t think it’s bad cuz even start again, like basketball. I think, like you have said, I’ve been the first but yeah. Maybe they start early and talks about a big fight. We all wanted to see that, but it’s the only thing that we can watch a TV that the only sport we can watch like. I think it helps people to write, stay focused and not being crazy. I think it it okay, I think it’s good, but the other way yeah this tart. Maybe soon I don’t know man, what’s your top, I mean I think the same, so obviously I we went three months without watching any fights. So from a fan perspective. It’S like man, I just want to watch fights, but you think about it. It’S like you got. The fighters are missing out on proper training. You know they’re not you’re, not seeing 100 % like the fighters, not the best that they’re gon na be, but neither is their opponent. So it’s it’s always interesting to hear from a fighter perspective because from a fan perspective I don’t care about all that stuff. I just want to watch fights yeah, so I guess from a fighter perspective, it’s it’s definitely a different look than whatever I can think of. I guess, but I think it’s amazing and I think you know the amount of money they spent on it and they’re willing to get rid of the gate, money and all that stuff. I think it’s. It shows how much they’re gon na do for fans and their fighters mm-hmm. It was so great, so okay, but I don’t, I don’t, think the respect now. I’M training part of the game, quite so good to us. I guess that bring respected fan. It’S good yep yeah for sure there’s a there’s. A fight coming up this weekend and a Canadian is on the the main event: Felicia Spencer she’s, fighting Amanda Amanda Nunez. Oh yeah, I’m excited for this fight, but I think everyone I’ve spoken to has Nunez winning. Do you have oh she’s she’s, so good she could even fight some guy. She could fight and she’s good he’s very great yeah she’s. I think she’s, the best of all time, I’m surprised, Connor, didn’t include her in his ramp. I was like, how can you forget Amanda Nunez, I’m not surprised like. Even all, can you be number two and [ __ ] yeah? I didn’t. I mean I get what he’s trying to do? It’S bringing people it’s bringing attention. I don’t agree with the rankings, but it does bring attention. I see you have a Ollie poster behind you, so your bak ru boxing fan yeah incredible right. Why, George is bigger than everything opinions, I think is the greatest of all time and the person behind the boxer is awesome. He held the the black community is awesome. Is there yeah, I think, he’s one of the just? Let it just powers, so many people powered so many people there’s another boxer Mike Tyson who’s coming out of retirement. How do you feel about that? I’M only family fight like I feel like the movie like Sylvester Stallone, again like old man, old rivalry, a big from together again and we’ll sales ticket, but man we’ll sex yeah. I think that’s. I think that would be amazing if, but I think it has to be another boxer, I don’t think it can be Tito Ortiz or Ken [ __ ], like they’re, throwing out a bunch of names. I think it has to be Holyfield. I think that would be fight to make yeah. Yeah only feel this like to zero around to zero on the record. Yeah yeah, I think Holyfield won both I’m, not I’m not big in different boxing. I watch it now with fury and all that’s all the drama there yeah yeah, but I don’t I’m not begging a boxing MMA, a hundred percent for me. What would you be down if, like if the UFC approached you now and was like hey look, we’ve got a last-minute fight is, would you take it yeah, like you have to take that you cannot like waste a chance I’ll die in the back to make the Weight, I don’t care and man 100 %, there’s not a chance. Like I refused that man, it’s a dream. The dream would come true, so I have to take this. Even if my will is so big, I can win the fight against anybody. I don’t care man. I would give my life in that ring yeah. I think a lot of people like you know, there’s risks when you take a fight on short notice, like it’s almost guaranteed you’re, not gon na be as ready as you could be: yeah 170 against biggest 170. Ever easy, oh he’s a great example. He was a nice fight to see right. It could made a movie about this yeah. I think for sure. I think that was very impressive. Michele Pereira is huge and he he beat the brakes off Diego Sanchez. Then he got disqualified, but so it just shows you like you got to take that chance. You know you may lose, may lose and if you lose at least you’ve gotten at least you’re in the UFC, and if you win then Tristan Connelly is a great example. You you’re kind of thrown right in there, so so so is the mentality. Stay ready, be ready all the time. Yeah. Always I’m doing this for a living. So I thought about how can I be better? I train all the time so yeah all right man. Well, thank you for taking the time I appreciate it. I hope things open up sooner rather than later they’re in Quebec, so you can get back in there and hopefully pick up a win or two and then get a call from Bellator UFC, hopefully UFC and yeah. I wish you all the best man, thanks for the invite man and have a good day yeah you too, all the best. Keep washing your hands stay safe,

Sergio Pineiro

Sergio Pineiro is the Founder of FighterPath.com and host of the Quarantinecast podcast. Based in Canada he is both a sports journalist and MMA enthusiast. He practices the sport but has a passion for the individual stories of training, fighting and living the fighting lifestyle.

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