Kendall Grove Back With Tito Ortiz To Improve His Wrestling Game | UFC News
By Jamie McAllister
Kendall Grove in an interview with MMAWeekly.
Grove the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 was cut from the UFC after back to back losses to Demian Maia and Tim Boetsch, since leaving the UFC Grove has gone (3-1) most recently defeating Derek Brunson via split-decision.
“I was training for a five-foot-nine stand-up boxer (in Terry Martin) and then four days before the fight I found out I had to fight six-foot-one wrestler Derek Brunson and had to switch it up last minute.”
Grove managed to adapt to the opponent change and pull out the split-decision victory over Brunson.
“I’m just irritated because everybody’s like saying I got my ass kicked, but how?” questioned Grove. “I took no damage standing up, no damage on the ground. He’s a strong, physical guy, and he kept me on my back, that’s it.”
“I was doing more damage off my back and I think judges are slowly realizing that (is more important than position) and that’s why I got the win.”
Grove is still happy with the win and it sets him on the right path for a positive second half to the year.
“I got derailed with (the loss to) Jay Silva. He was the better man that night, so it feels good to get a win off an up-and-coming prospect like Brunson and hand him his first loss,”
He also comments on travelling to Big Bear from his native Hawaii to train with his former Ultimate Fighter 3 coach Tito Ortiz.
“I’m actually headed out to Big Bear to help Tito train for his upcoming fight (at UFC 148),” said Grove. “Definitely training with Tito is going fill a loss in my game, which is my wrestling. I’d like to get back into that, the high-caliber wrestling, that I lack that here in Maui.”
Grove has been working hard ever since his UFC departure to earn his way back into the promotion and plans to make more trips to bigger camps to train with high level fighters.
“I think you’ve got to put yourself in a better environment, a place where five out of the six days you’re getting your ass kicked,” said Grove. “I need to get myself to like an Xtreme Couture for a camp, maybe hit up Jackson’s or even a Team Quest – somewhere there’s high-level training partners.”
“I want to hang with the best, and the only way to do that is to train with the best.”
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About the Author
Jamie McAllister
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That is a very smart move on his part. He knows it. Maybe BJ should take a page out of Groves’ gook and go train with the best…
Kedell just won shofights middle weight .. Championship belt…. I was their… This is a very smart move .. Indeed…
Grove sucks!!!
Grove lost his fight against brunson. No matter what the judges said.
Never been a fan of Grove.
Love Kendall…get some of that WRESTLING and come kick some ass. Good to see him taking a HUGE step up….Go Grove…
Kendall probably the biggest let down in UFC history. Guy is such a knuckle head! I alway thought he could at least get a crack at the title but the guy fought like he was 5’8. When people gave a shit about him he didn’t give a shit now it’s the other way around.. I didn’t even know he still fought, think I seen him on the bill for one of the oahu cards but what a shame.
tito cant wrestle anymore..tito was good at taking guys down back in the day when they did not train for alll arts…now tito cant teach a guy anything,bad move for kendal
No dumbass the reason people don’t get taken down as much is BECAUSE THEY TRAIN WRESTLING!! It’s called takedown defense = WRESTLING!!!
Grove had potential to be a UFC staple. He let himself fail, but hopefully he’s on the right track. Tito although old is a great coach,one of the first ground and pounders that has a lot of knowledge to offer.
i didn’t watch the fight but from the play by play on bloody elbow Grove’s win seemed justifiable.
Keep doin ur thing Kendall! Always a supporter of my hawaiian bruddahs! Dont let these clowns on here get to u in any way, youve accomplished plenty brah! Keep pushing my boi! If u hit team Quest plz contact me asap! Kalae@wevcobiodiesel.com…I got a place for u to stay if u like….