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Wednesday, 09/05/2012, 09:46 am

Rick Roufus Blog Week 4

The hard part is over now, it’s finished and behind us. I feel like I am in a great place mentally and physically. It’s all about staying sharp and focused right now and getting ready for what lies ahead. I feel like I’m as fine tuned as a church choir. I feel the best that I’ve felt in quite some time. Right now we are just concentrating on my timing and stuff like that.

This past weekend we had some of my wife’s family over to go swimming and just hang out. I spent some time with my kids and my wife for the holiday we had on Monday. I’ll start packing for Los Angeles on Tuesday because I leave the following day. Before I leave we’ll go to dinner which has become a ritual of mine. I took my son to see the Diamondbacks play the Padres and watched them come from behind to win.

This training camp has been exceptionally hard. We brought in guys who were bigger or about the same size as Mighty Mo so I could get acclimated with fighting someone his size. We’ve prepared properly sparring wise and I feel like I’m ready to go. Like I said the hard part is over.

I will leave on Wednesday for Los Angeles. Thursday they have a pre-fight press conference in the morning. After that is done we have to take photos and square off. On Friday morning we have to weigh in and then of course Saturday is the fight. I’ve trained harder now than I ever have. I think age is just a number and come next Saturday I’ll put all my training to work.

A lot of fighters have been in the news recently because they are on testosterone replacement therapy. If their levels are not in the normal range that they should be in and as long as it’s not being abused then I have no problem with it. If they are abusing it then it gives them an unfair advantage.

Someone had mentioned to me that Frankie Edgar was stepping in to face Jose Also on short notice. I haven’t really been much attention lately because I am so focused on what I have going on, but Edgar wants a belt. To him he’ll take it at lightweight or featherweight, but it’s not happening at 155 because Benson shut the door on him. It just shows you how willing he is to be a champion and I believe 145 is a better weight class for him.

As I always do I have to thank all of my sparring partners who have helped me in this training camp. These guys came in and gave their licks and took their licks and I appreciate all they’ve done for me. I’d also like to thank Shihan Nico, World Debt and Dr. Scott Wilson. I’d like to thank my wife and kids for all of their support and allowing me to live out my dream.

I am happy where I’m at, my coaches are happy where I’m at and we couldn’t have asked for a better training camp than what we just went through. My coaches never tried to change me, they just tried to tweak things and do things from a little bit of a different mindset. They know I’m a veteran and have allowed me to do what I do. I think you’ll see the best Jet you’ve seen in a long time.

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Bryan Levick
I'm a married father of two and a lifelong Long Island resident.
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