COLLETTE: ‘’IT TAKES A REAL MAN TO STAND AND BANG’’

Technical excellence and knockout power make for a very dangerous mix. American light-heavyweight Brian ‘The Lion’ Collette (19-2, 17 KO’s) has both and this Saturday night he is looking to make a big impression on fight fans when he faces karate stylist Randy ‘Boom Boom’ Blake (31-2, 13 KO’s) at GLORY 10.

Collette’s discipline is Muay Thai, an art renowned for its brutal effectiveness. Being a Muay Thai fighter and representative is a key part of Collette’s identity and something he takes very seriously. He wants his fight on Saturday night to be as much about demonstrating his art as it is about entertaining the fans.

“I’m gonna take the art and make it glow. People have heard of Muay Thai but they’ve never seen it executed properly by an American fighter at a high caliber,” he says. “We’re in a prestigious competition here and I plan on making a name for myself with fights that are going to be remembered.

“No decisions, I’m going out there to finish.”

The GLORY World Series is the world’s premier kickboxing league, home to the best stand-up fighters on the planet. It gathers fighters from every corner of the globe and from every striking style imaginable, providing a platform for the fighters to determine which of them is the best.

To date, kickboxing heartlands have been Japan and Europe. While American fight fans love stand-up wars, their landscape has been dominated largely by MMA, which sees fights alternate between periods of action on the feet and periods of inaction on the floor.

“Honestly I think MMA is a little overrated right now. These fights we put on in GLORY are more exciting. Decisions are rare, the fighters are very technical and you can see that in the execution of their moves,” says Collette.

“We put on a spectacle, it’s one of a kind. I respect MMA fighters and I do enjoy watching it but I feel that GLORY puts on better fights and a faster pace. In America the term ‘kickboxing’ is misunderstood - people think of karate, long pants or Chuck Norris. It’s nothing like that.

“Honestly, it takes a real man to stand there and bang when you’ve got no protection except gloves and a mouth guard. Taking kicks, knees, everything meant to destroy you. I think that’s really going to pique everyone’s interest when they see it.”

“GLORY coming to the USA is providing a stage for strikers. Up to now everyone has had to go into MMA but now those of us that are predominantly strikers have a competition and a platform on which they can demonstrate their skills.

“It’s a chance for us to get in that spotlight and show what real striking is like in the world’s premier striking competition.”

The pairing of Collette with Blake is one which practically guarantees an early finish. Neither is used to going the distance and with this event being such a key moment in their careers, they are going to go out there and leave it all in the ring.

“Randy Blake is a great fighter, he’s a very elusive fighter with good footwork. He’s aggressive but he’s primarily a counter-striker with a karate background. I’m more of a power-puncher and power-kicker,” Collette says.

“I think this fight goes all my way and I am looking for a flashy victory. I want to underline my victory, put a period on it. I don’t want a decision, I want a knockout. Nothing else will satisfy me.

“When I perform on Saturday I am going head-on and looking to put on a great show for the spectators and the GLORY fans around the world. Its been a unique experience, having all this PR exposure and meeting all these stars that I’ve been watching over the years as I have been coming up in the sport.

“It’s kind of been a self-realization like ‘hey, you’re at this level yourself now.’ I used to watch these guys on TV and now it’s like we’re friends, just kicking it here like regular people. It’s a humbling experience. It brings you down to earth and at the same time helps you realize, ‘You can do this too, you can also achieve greatness.’”

Collette is open about his ambitions in the sport and his expectations for himself. He has set himself the target of becoming the world’s number one light-heavyweight. If he wants to achieve that he is going to have to overcome some stiff opposition, not least current #1-ranked fighter Tyrone ‘King of the Ring’ Spong.

“I am pleased and honored to be fighting for GLORY and representing the US on my journey towards becoming the number one light-heavyweight in the world. It’s an opportunity which has presented itself and I feel that it I need to grasp it with both hands,” says Collette.

“Right now I am taking it one step at a time. But in the GLORY 9 tournament I wanted to fight Tyrone. I didn’t see it as intimidating, I saw it as an opportunity, a chance to test myself and show my skill.

“But right now I am just climbing the ladder - this fight with Randy Blake first, then we can look at climbing towards that number one spot.”