Justin Jaynes is a mixed martial artist who is the former WXC Lightweight Champion. The fighter and coach out of Xtreme Couture is looking to get the call to compete in the UFC.
Transcript
Justin Jaynes: Everything’S good everything’s good. So how does house quarantine been for you, man? It’S been, it’s been different. You know, you know. I’Ve been working at extreme Couture for the last basically 10 years they took away. Our key can go into the gym for the longest time. It’S nice getting back into the gym, getting back in the swing of things currently still unemployed. You know with quarantine and everything going on we’re easing back into the gym right now, but you know I’m just doing a lot of hunting fishing, keeping my weight, low and uh. You know trying to stay ready for for what’s ulti coming up soon. I can tell you’ve been doing a lot of hunting, there’s a lot of hunting videos on there. What’S this eating the hard thing is that just like that tradition? What is that you know so it started off at you know. Allegedly, it started you know hundred years ago with my grandfather’s grandfather all when you kill your first, whatever you have to eat the heart, and I did it when I was young, and so I make I made my son, do it and anybody else any other kids That want to go hunting cuz. I do you run kids program in Vegas and you know a couple times: you’re I’ll take some of the kids shooting or fishing or boating or whatever, like it’s a big group and that’s the requirement man, you want to kill it. You got to eat it, man there’s we don’t we don’t just kill for fun. You know we want. I want to teach the kids, you know respecting the animal and so on so forth. So I just don’t want these kids going out and shooting, because it’s to shoot it, you know you got a got to eat the heart and a lot of kids won’t do that so yeah. I would not be touching that hurt. There’S no way the show beating and stuff yeah when you cut it out, it’s still, it’s pretty gnarly the kids, the kids think it’s gross, but you know every single one of them has done. It is probably uh three or four of them they just brag about it for days on end after that, and you know what what’s cool is they’re gon na remember for the rest of their lives when I’m dead and gone they’re, gon na remember and they’re gon Na pass it on to their kids too and tell them how one day they ate a heart, so it’s pretty cool on the coaching side of things you you’re uh, you’re, the kids program, my god, you know you like coach, kids, right yeah, that’s one of the Programs so do I do you know fitness classes like a cardio kickboxing, I do a wrestling program. I do the kids Fitness crow crow uh excuse me, can you talk kids fitness program and then the kids grappling program? Kids? What’S it what’s it been like throughout all this obviously can’t physically help. Any kids considers it all done virtual here, Brett honestly right now, we haven’t done anything, nothing virtual. I know some of the kids, some of the gyms, like Dunham jiu-jitsu, was doing like a zoom class where everyone gets done, the computer stuff. We didn’t do that, I felt I don’t know. I think it was gon na be too much work for for what we were gon na get out of it. I don’t I don’t know how much we’re gon na get out of it right now, Bryce Harley! Actually, I think, he’s running two kids classes a week right now, just key, and I know the first week there was no contact they’re just doing uh. You know basically shots without a partner, and this week a might be going into a little more contact, but easing into it as time goes as the faces go through. I have to ask what start like working with Francis and Ghana. Dude he’s so cool and he’s so quiet and mild-mannered. You know he’s a really cool guy, you know he’s he’s always up. You know help, you know always taking pictures with fans and he talks like an old person. He doesn’t come in. You know with his. You know with his head too high. Well, I mean literally yeah and his he’s like seven feet tall, but dude he’s a humble dude. Every time he comes in you’ll, say Heidi and you know shake your hand and he’s a really really humble cool dude. I’M very fortunate that I get to work with him and train with him or train. Next to him, I should say on a weekly basis, he’s a I’ve been a fan of Francis for a long time every when he came on to the scene. I was like this guy is gon na, be something he’s just naturally built like a superhero. It’S deaf from a fan perspective, I’m like who is gon na stand in front of him. Have you ever held pads for ya guys, another big as big as Francis, but you know, he’s used college football player, he’s manners the gym and his coach. He holds pads for him. You know every now and then you know like a thirty five pounder, I won the Hawaiian 35 pounders would hold the leg, kicks you on the leg, and you know there’s video on Facebook or on Instagram of him. Francis kicking him out, kicking it. Basically his legs out from under him, but yeah, it’s yeah, it’s it’s a good gym front from our heavyweights. Down to our lightweights. Everybody has somebody to work with for sure, no matter how big or strong there you know like onto your your MMA career is it’s been. You haven’t fought in over a year now, Maine 31st was my last fight against James Warfield at a catchweight. Originally, I suppose, to be a catchweight at 165, then I got moved to 170. He couldn’t make 170 and wind up catching around 175 yeah. I was May 31st last year. That’S I’m itching man, I’m itching to get in there throw some hands. You shouldn’t throw some letter and leather and get to get to get the money flowing. You know outside of quarantine. What’S the what’s been the remaining reason for the long layoff uh, you know it’s. I just feel I’m there. You know I have 19 pro fights. I had 50 amateur fights, you know I just keep seeing these guys fall out and I’m ready to jump in man and and in this thing you know I get a lot. I shouldn’t say a lot, but I get a lot of. Let me rephrase the fights I get offered hundred dollars to come fight, a guy. That’S you know. 20. You know it’s like come on, make it worth my while give me give me three four or five thousand dollars and make this worth my while that’s mostly been for the layout. Just was it’s hard to find guys with as much experience as I do and promotions that are willing to pay. What we’re worth and right now you know UFC is the promotion is paying you know, Bellator offered me a contract at the beginning of the year, turned him down. You know what my goal is coming to Vegas and I goal of moving to Vegas away from my family was to be a professional fighter in the UFC. You know after you know, after my stint after you know, I have my time there we’ll see what happens right now. The number one goal is: I’m the only priest of all I want to fight for is in UFC. Well, there’s a there’s: some openings now, especially with everything that’s been going on, people are pulling out. Are you staying ready and if so, what weight class were you? Would you be willing slide in a IIIi, told Sean I’ll fight 145 to 185? Basically, I walk around right now about you know my low 70s high 60s. I can make 155 on a week a couple day notice. I can make 145 on a couple week: notice. 170. I could make right now. You know I’m ready to go man and anytime. Those slots open apex, Vegas is only you know, two miles down the street from where I live: [ __, ], I’ll [, __ ]. If they call me on Friday, like hey James, you need to get here now I’ll sprint there. If my car’s broke them down. It’S right down the street Todd out, get my sweat going and, and I’m ready to go man like it’s time. For me to be able to showcase my skills against the best in the world. You know I’ve been competitive since 2007. I had my first fight in 2007. I turned pro in 2013. You know I took some fights. If you look at my record. You know it took some short notice fights early on in my career early on, but you know I really feel out of my for loss is my only real loss is to Jimmy’s pakusa me and Jesse gross at a split decision loss in Canada in Ontario Canada, Where he’s from, I thought I won that fight, I went to Hawaii, I fought Robbie hasta [, __ ]. I thought I took him down like four times thought I won that fight losing Hawaii. Then I went to collect Tommy Aaron. That was a close fight. I could see him or I winning that fight and again that was again. You know one week two week notice, so I’ve won the last nine out of ten fights. I’M ready to go any I need to get a shot is there is obviously apex is right. There, but if you got a call for fight Island all the way over in Abu Dhabi, are you willing to make that trip and go through a salute? Oh hell, yeah. I love traveling. You know, I don’t think I’m ever gon na be a millionaire from fighting, but you know all my life experience and travel. I went to India, it was two years ago. I stayed there me Vince Murdoch Anthony Vila. We stayed in India for two months, just training out there for this MTV show I end up fighting out. There is really cool yeah fight Island. That just sounds like a dream. Come true. How cool would it be to you know, have my UFC debut on fight island and going against the best in the world. You know I want to be tested, you know, I’m just finishing guys left and right out of my 15 wins. I have 13 finishes the one guy. I didn’t finish at 185. Erik Lozano, I mean I hit him as hard as I could [ __ ]. It just made me realize I can’t compete at 185 and then Troy Lampson, who was he was between. He was seven and OH as a pro, and he was like 18, I know as an amateur leading into our fight and we and I beat him 50 to 45. Besides that, I finished everybody in the first of the second round I haven’t even haven’t even dealt with them to go in the third, so I I need I’m ready to go and if it’s fight island that be dream come true. So there’s a big big card coming up here in fight Island, three title fights announce so I’ll. Ask you first that Gilbert Burns fight go burns. If someone would like to stay active on this crazy win streak took out tyron woodley, quite convincingly yeah. What’S your prediction for that fight, obviously, Huisman been dominating every every opponent, he’s ever fought sure so Gilbert I got to train with probably bout five or six years ago, all right, no probably a bit longer than maybe eight years ago I come in with Vitor and That guy is a freaking stud. His grappling, I mean granny was ten years ago, but I just remember just being manhandled by this guy round after round after round, never even breaking a sweat going with me again, although is ten years ago. You know I is hungry, as he is right now and as good as he looked against town Woodley, I’m a big tyron woodley fan. I love his power. I love his explosive. If he’s beat on my teammates, I’m a big fan of him. You see to see the way Gilbert handled him was so impressive and you know Guzman has been at the top for a while. Now I it wouldn’t surprise me feel, but when there took his title and that co-main event there Alex folk Navi versus max Holloway for the rematch, I personally see it going exactly the same way. It did the first time I just think volcanologist too much power. What’S your thoughts, you know, I really like volca know: that’s actually the first, maybe the first or second time and actually ever seen him fight coming in being a big Holloway fan. His striking is just so incredible and I and I thought just like he does everyone he’s just gon na pitter-patter pitter-patter till he breaks Vulcan off, but with Oakland off. Did that really impressed me? Was the leg kicks? He was you, I feel he went above and beyond with the leg kicks and – and it was not just outside leg – kicks he’s setting him up off the same punches he’s coming in with his jab, throwing the inside kick coming in with his jab. Throwing the outside kick keeping keeping Holloway guessing the whole time. I was very impressed with that. I haven’t seen anybody else, do that to Holloway and I’m surprised, well Aldo din, but either way you know, Vulcan off was the hungry one. You know Holloway it’s another coin. Flip fight for me, man, because you know Holloway after after he’s a smart guy, he’s a great fighter, he can go back. Watch the film see where he made his mistakes. He’S gon na make adjustments going into the next. My question is: how is Vulcan all gon na adjust to Holloway’s adjustments, he’s not just going to go in there with his jab and throw that those leg kicks and tear him apart? You know, I think Holly’s gon na you know be in and out a little bit more he’s not gon na stand still, so he doesn’t get hit with those big shots. It’S gon na be an exciting fight. You know I’d like to see Holloway come back and get his title back, but a Vulcan off you know sticks to his sticks to his game plan and uh, you know, is able to adjust for Holloway’s adjustments. It’S gon na go the same way. So we talked a little bit about training at Xtreme Couture. What’S it like working for, possibly the goat, a lot of people can at least the original goat in Randy Couture. What’S it like working under him and working alongside him, Randy I’ll say this is one of the best men I’ve ever met in my life. So when I was in college, I came out here in 2009 and I did my internship at Xtreme Couture for two years. While I was in college and I had a housing dispute of staying in Vegas for three months long story short – I was, I was kicked out of the place I was staying and you know I went to the gym and I was gon na sleep in my Car and [ __, ] and Brandi, not really knowing me all that. Well, he sees me here and there I’m on his payroll, but he doesn’t know me better than anybody else. A man I got free room on she. Just if you got another couple weeks to stay. You know you can just stay in my room stay in my spare bedroom, so it was me him his son, so I was like holy [ __ ] like this is incredible, going up and all the trophies and his title belts out, and that really spoke wonders To me you know he sees you know this college kid. You know down on his luck right now. I just got kicked out of the apartment he was staying at and just to invite me I mean for all he knows I could. I could have robbed him. Not to mention I was at his house by myself, 90 % of the time he was either traveling or you know I’ve gone and Ryan the same way, and obviously I didn’t you know, but as far as he knows I could have – and you know never came Back but you know he gave me that opportunity same thing with the coaching Ryan. His son gave me the opportunity to jump in the gym and show it. I got I’ve been there for 10 years now and I don’t plan and go anywhere anytime soon. What’S he like now in the gym? Obviously, he’s legend he’s won World titles late into his 40s. Even what’s he like now, is he still dominating on the mat? Does it he doesn’t come in too much and compete with the fight as much every you know, probably once every other month or so he’ll come in and run a practice, but yeah yeah he comes in. He lists a lot of weights, usually early in the morning. So when people call it hey ones, the best time you know for the chance to meet Randy it’s early in the morning, but that’s if he’s in town, you know he has houses all around all around the world. I would guess and he’s not always in town. So Randy is one of the the kindest most humble guys. I wish I had something bad. I could say about him, but I don’t okay yeah, there’s not many guys who do. Obviously, heaven Dana white have had their issues, but not many people say a negative thing about about Randy Couture yeah, you know he’s just he’s an upstanding citizen and he was a fantastic fighter and he’s a he’s, a fantastic coach and you know actually he just signed The gym over – I don’t know if I signed it over, but Ryan Couture is now the owner of Xtreme Couture, so that we’re really excited about that. I think Ryan’s gon na come in duh. You know put some stuff up for the gym he’s around more. You know he doesn’t travel as much he’s in the gym every single day, working the front desk working sales, so that just happened, I believe over quarantine. So everyone in the gyms really excited about that to see where this is gon na. Take us, oh wow. That’S awesome I haven’t. I haven’t heard that so that’s that’s news to me yeah. So how quickly could you turn around, though you said you said, you’re ready, you said you’re excited to go you’re ready to go. If you got a call from Dana White today. Are you good to go on the weekend, I’m ready to fight tomorrow? You know I woke up at 172 pounds today. I can make 155, I mean I can make it by tomorrow. If absolutely need be, would it be miserable, of course, in [ __ ], but I definitely could I’ve proven you know, time and time again, my durability. I haven’t been finished in a fight, since you know what 2010 I’ve never been finished. As a pro three out of my four losses, I feel I’ve won. It just been bad timing losses honestly, Larry I’ll, be on a five fight, win streak I’ll, take a short notice fight because I’ve been laid off, and you know in like my last fight, without loss against Tommy Aaron. He knows a couple week notice. I was actually up in the mountains, drinking beer, hunting, deer and, like hey, we got a fight from you and Calif. In two weeks you want to fight, Tommy earn well, there all right sure bet. Let’S go and I showed up out of shape. I told the promoters that can you make 145? I was like no, but I can make 155 and he said well how about 150, I’m like dude, honestly, it’s gon na be hard for me to make 155 and it sounds like hunter in 85 pounds. He said. Well, just you know just alright we’ll do it at 55 I told him that there’s there’s a very good chance. I’M not gon na make it, and I showed up out of shape. Miss wait and my performance showed Tommy hit me with his best shots. He couldn’t put me down, I drop and that’s the thing about the fight. I dropped him in the first round with an uppercut, it’s transitioned to a guillotine, choke finish the round on top and we’re flowing IMing his guard and one of the judges marked. Is I lost the round? It’S like what the [ __ ]. Are you talk? I dropped I’m not now 2 & 3. I can see both a you know. We both he won’t. My ask the second round cuz I was so guest in the third round. He would kind of slowed down as well, and we kind of it was an even round, but I dropped him with an uppercut and then went first submission and then finished the round on top halfway through the round. It wasn’t like. It was 10 seconds in the round uni what my ass, so the home crowd advantage thing that was bad timing. Again I was on like a 4 or 5 fight win streak. I lose that fight. Now, I’m back on another 4 or 5 5 win streak. I can’t remember, and I’m ready to go man, I’m itching, I mean it’s been a year. I don’t like taking long layoffs. I like to fight, and this whole year is something he’s, I’m hoping something bends and breaks soon. Yeah, it’s been, it was four or five win streak that was also three years ago. So four people is a it’s been three years since, since you lost it’s not like, it was their last fight. Um there’s a lot especially right now with Jorge Masvidal Henry cejudo John Jones. Talking about pay issues with with UFC. Do you think the competition with Bellator pfl and all these other organizations are great or are you a hundred percent, I’m all on board UFC the other organizations are irrelevant to you know I, like all I mean I appreciate all the organizations because it is gon na A more competitive you know Ray Sefo, president of the PFL trains at Xtreme Couture. I I consider him one of my coaches. I consider him one of my good friends he’s a mentor somebody. I look up to it’s. No, I think it’s great this million dollar tournament the PFL is coming up with is great. A lot of guys are going over there, they’re gon na start getting those big names fighters because they say they’re gon na do it and they do it and they’ve done it and they backed up every time. They have no issue paying. Yes, I know they have some great backers up there Bellator the same thing. You know you know I didn’t really care for when I bought the Bellator once a long time ago, and I had a first-round knockout and uh. They never called me back, and I and I heard actually because that I didn’t sell enough tickets, which you know I’m not in the ticket sales game. I’Ll sit here. I’Ll talk, [, __, ], I’ll put on fights I’ll get knocked out I’ll. Try knock someone’s head out, but I’m not going out on the street. I got a train. I got ta make weight so that kind of turned me off the Bellator a little bit when they were when they’re, seeing you about the ticket sales. But again, this is you know six years ago. Maybe it’s different now. My goal when I came to Vegas was to fight for the UFC fight in the UFC, and you know, Bellator kit offered me $ 100,000 and I’ll still take the UFC for that thousand dollars. Just to have my checkmark and go for that, but yeah it back to your question of the other organization. I think it’s great to make it pay a little more competitive. So for people last question for people who aren’t familiar with with your fighting style or who you are, if you got a call this weekend to fight what would you say both your fighting style man? It’S you know everyone. I have this persona that I’m nurse wrestler. This grimy grappling wrestler, it’s like I honestly will use my wrestling in two situations. One is if I’m hurt and two to defend the takedown, and you like I’ve, talked to some of my opponents in the past and like man, I really expected you to take me down or try to press me. It’S like why we’re in any of my fights have I ever done that I’m gon na walk forward. I’M gon na try to see your punches coming. I’M gon na take damage and I’m hoping to hit you harder than you hit me first and that’s it it’s! It’S a very simple style. If yeah it’s like, I said the wrestling is it’s just kind of boring man. I want to see some knockouts I want to. I want to hit somebody hard. I want to watch him fall. I want you know I like that exchange. They try and wrestle with me. You know I use my wrestling as I did wrestling call for four years to stuff their take down the [ __ ]. But overall I just want to stand in the pocket and just exchange letter to one of those falls down. Very just engage he style and that’s that’s my favorite fighter right now is just engage. He I’ve been fortunate to train with him a couple times. I just like his attitude he’s a humble guy. He comes from a wrestling pedigree and he just comes in and it’s it’s not that he’s over technical is just he throws man and it’s like. I watched his fights, it’s like man, that’s that’s, that’s what I want to do and you know – and I and I like to consider myself to be a lot of people. Ask thing: if you had say you were like somebody I’d like to think I’m kind of like him, because again, I’m gon na take some damage, but when I hit you, I wanted to damage you a little bit more. All right. Man, thank you for, for taking the time. I appreciate it, and hopefully you get that calm and I’m looking forward to seeing you it’s out there hey. I really appreciate you reaching out to me I’ll talk to you soon, all right, all right man, all the best. All right thanks, YouTube.
