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March29,2011@6:31pm

CageWars|JoshTheJediMuller

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Muller'svictoryoverDanEkroidatKOTC

MuchlikeayoungLukeSkywalker,JediJoshMullerhassetaboutonanadventurethat
willseehimbattlingdrovesofdauntingfoesandovercominginsurmountableodds.While
Skywalkersfictionaladventurestookplaceinanalienworld,Mullerwillfacerealadversity
inthefamiliarsettingoftheMMAcage.
Atjust22yearsolditshardtobelievethisSandtonlocalhasanimpressiveamateurMMA
recordof6winsand1loss.Manyofthosewinscomingoverskilledfighters,thelikesof
BrandonDeanandDanEkroid,whohefoughtataKingoftheCageeventonthesame
cardasMMAlegendKenShamrock.Hisonlylossasanamateurcamebywayof
submissioninthegruellingmatchupwithoneofDurbansmostintimidatingathletes,
DanielSinclaire.ThefightwithSinclairewasanawesomefight,ithelpedmeidentifythe
holesinmygameandwhatIneededtoimproveon.

Mullersmartialartsjourneybeganatthe
ageof8,whenhedonnedakimonoand
practicedTaekwonDoaninvaluable
introductiontotheworldofmartialartsthat
Mullerdescribesasmostlyboring.
Wantingsomethingmoreheturnedto
muaythaiandsubmissionswrestlingat
theageof16.Tobehonest,Iwantedto
getintoProWrestling.ItssomethingId
dreamtaboutforyears.Afterexperiencing
submissionswrestling,however,Idecided
Iwantedsomethingmorereal.
ItsMullersnaturalflairforentertaining
thatmadeProWrestlinganalluring
MullergoingtoworkonhisopponentatSeason's
prospect,italsomakeshimadrawcardin
Wither
proMMA.Besidesa9weekintensive
trainingcamp,anotherimportantfacettoMullersprefightpreparationistopainthisnails
black.Itwasthisquirkthatgotpeopletalking,notleastofallbeinghisfirstopponentasa
pro,MikeDeBruyn.Itseasytodismissaguywhopaintshisnailsasapushover.Mullers
dbutontheEFCAfrica07cardwasanexperienceherelished,Itwassomuchfun!The
lights,thecrowds,thesound,itwasallsoawesome.Thecageitselfisalsoverywell
constructedandcomfy.
SocomfywasthecagethatMullerlookedrightathomequicklytakingDeBruyntothe
matwherehegotasubmissionfinishinunder1:30ofthefirstround.Immorecomfortable
ontheground,thatsnottosayIdontenjoystandup,butmystrengthisonthematmy
planwastotakeMikedownasquickaspossible,keepmovingandopenagapfora
submission.ItsagoodthingMullerfinishedthefightasquicklyashedid,asheadmits
thatDeBruynhitsveryhard.
MullersEFCdbutwasntwithoutcontroversy.Theexperiencedgrapplerwalkedout
wearingagiandwhitebelt.Somethingmanyjiujitsupractitionerssawasdisrespectfulto
thosewhoactuallytraininthegi.Idontunderstandwhatalltheuproarwasabout.My
officialrankinBJJiswhitebelt.IveonlyrecentlystartedtrainingproperBrazilianjiu
jitsu,sotherewasnointentionaldisrespectfrommypart.Idohaveafewyearsof
grappling/submissionswrestlingexperience,somyjiujitsucoach,AbelAyele,saysthat
Imtobeawardedmybluebeltaftermynextfight.IlovejiujitsuandthetruthisIdrather

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Up coming MMA fighter Josh Muller | EFC | Smacktalk

betheworldsbestwhitebeltthantheworldsworstblackbelt.Ithinkitsinvaluabletotrain
bothinthegiandnogi,especiallyforMMA.

WorkingupasweatatGodfatherMMA

TrainingattherecentlyrenamedGodfatherMMA(formerlyHouseofPain)underthe
tutelageofmixedmartialartspunditBradBloch,Mullergetsworldclassinstructionfrom
thelikesofstanduptechnicianJ.P.Kruger,strengthandconditioningcoachGavinSmith
andBrazilianjiujitsublackbeltAbelAyele.OurfocusatGodfatheristofightan
intelligentfight.Wespendalotoftimeworkingontechniqueandgameplan.Fighter
trainingisveryintense,butifyouputintheworkduringtrainingthingsarealoteasier
comefightnight,saysMuller.
MullerreturnstotheEFChexagontotakeonrenownedstrikerandgroundandpound
enthusiastFrancoisKabulu(40).Idontknowmuchabouthim,onlythathelikessome
GnP.ButImsureIllhavetheadvantagewhenthefighthitsthemat.
LookingbeyondhisnextfightissomethingMullerdoesreluctantly,butisntashamedto
admittoalistofonerousgoals.Ilovefighting.Idonthaveacareeroutsideofthis.When
ImnotpreparingforafightIteachjuniorMMAclasses.ThisiswhatIwanttodowiththe
restofmylife.Ultimately,mygoalistofightintheUFCandtoeventuallychallengeforthe
welterweightbelt.Theresalotthatneedstobeachievedbeforethat,butthatissomething
myselfandBradhavestrategiseddowntothefinestdetail.Whenpressedfordetailson
thisstrategy,MullerdoesntsharemuchexceptthattheseplansinvolveastintonThe
UltimateFighterrealityseries,achampionshipbeltonhomegroundandmakinguseof
theirconnectionstotheU.S.throughtrainingaffiliateandUFCveteranBrianEbersole.
Atthetenderyoungageof22JoshMulleralreadyhasthekindofdrivethatwillnodoubt
seehimcompetingintheupperechelonsofMMA,bothlocallyandinternationally.Its
alwaysapleasuretowatchyoung,capableanddeterminedmixedmartialartistsgrowinto
superathletes.JediMullerdefinitelyhasthepotentialtodothis.Andwhileintermsofage
theyouthfulMullermightstillbeaPadawan,itshisironcladresolveandthewealthof
martialartsexperiencealreadyunderhisbeltthatmakehimatrueJedi.
CatchJoshonthe
upcomingandutterly
stackedEFCAfrica08
card,onthe14thofApril
atCarnivalCity.Tickets
canbepurchased
throughComputicket.
Alternatively,fansnot
abletomakethe
commutecanseethe
actionLIVEonthebig
screenatNuMetro
cinemas.Fordetails
MullerinactionagainstMikeDeBruyn
checkout
www.efcafrica.com

Joshisalsoanavidtweeter,connectwithhimon@JediJoshMulleroronhisfacebookfan
pageJoshTheJediMuller.

byLewisLehmann
Filedunder News Permalink 0Comments

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Up coming MMA fighter Josh Muller | EFC | Smacktalk

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