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Cut Man Stitch Duran Interview: A New Life in the World Series of Fighting

By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media MMA Correspondent

*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media 

As quickly as the UFC dropped him for complaining about UFC cut men not getting a part of the UFC’s financial deal with Reebok, famed cut man Stitch Duran was back ringside of the decagon. This time, Stitch Duran was a cut man for the World Series of Fighting, for the WSOF 22 event held at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on August 1, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada. A longtime friend of WSOF President Ray Sefo, Stitch seemed comfortable in his role, protecting the safety and well being of the fighters in his charge.

The bottom line, as Stitch Duran has noted, is to keep doing what he is doing at the highest level. Stitch Duran doesn’t do what he does for money. He does it for the love of the game. Duran has made it clear in other recent interviews that he still needs to be respects in fair terms while he does what he does, a key point.

In a Real Combat media international exclusive ringside, Stitch granted his first interview joining the World Series of Fighting.

Robert Brizel: “Okay. Tell me about the event tonight. Your boy Palhares was in a whirlwind hell of trouble. How did he get out of it?”

Stitch Duran: “Well, I think its just strength and nutrition. He worked over Jake, and it is just his (incredible) strength. He’s a human pit bull! They (the Jake Shields camp) didn’t expect that today.”

Robert Brizel: “How does a guy like Palhares spend a couple rounds on the floor in hell and torture on his back? How did he survive?” Shields was very close to winning with a choke hold submission. How did Palhares survive?”

Stitch Duran: “Palhares is a strong fighter. Resilient, resilient.”

Robert Brizel: “The referee warned him for eye gouging. Was it eye gouging? Your thoughts on the subject.”

Stitch Duran: “Yeah. Well, I was just talking to Jake Shields now, and he said he got said (claimed) he got gouged eight times. I’ve got to look at the cameras (and study the film footage). I’m always looking at the faces, I wasn’t really looking at the rest.”

Robert Brizel: “There was a lot of blood on the face of Shields. Do you think it was from eye gouging, or from legitimate punches Shields took from Palhares? When he was down?”

Stitch Duran: “Yes. As a cut man I can answer that. Those weren’t from gouges, they were from punches.”

Robert Brizel: “I see parallels in this fight between Palhares and Muhammad Ali. Do you think Palhares’ strategy was to tire the other man out? (as Muhammad Ali did with the rope-a-dope in Kinshasa, Zaire against George Foreman?)

Reader’s Note: Ali’s daughter Rasheda Ali Welsh was at ringside for WSOF 22

Stitch Duran: “Yes, absolutely. As strong as he is (with Palhares), it’s just a matter of strength. That’s what happened (against Jake Shields).”

Robert Brizel: “Did you think this fight would go the distance?”

Stitch Duran: “Not at all. Ha, ha.”

Robert Brizel: “This kid (Shields) was going for takedowns very early in a 170 pounds World Series of Fighting World Welterweight championship bout. Did you think that was a good strategy coming in to try to take the world title? Shields was going in as if he were stronger than Palhares.”

Stitch Duran: “Oh no, absolutely, you try to get him, you try to get Palhares out of his conditioning factor. You put pressure on him so he can burn out BUT it was the other way around.”

Robert Brizel: “This kid Shields thought he could overpower Palhares. Did you think Jake would eventually be overpowered by Palhares? Rouslan’s heart was definitely tested.”

Stitch Duran: “Yes. Jake wasn’t going to overpower him, he was going to wear him down through attrition. But Palhares just has pure strength. He’s just a pure mechanical bull.”

Robert Brizel: “Palhares is still a smaller fighter. The other kid (Shields) is still a bigger fighter. Are you also involved in the training element?”

Stitch Duran: “No man, I just work cuts these days. I haven’t got time for anything else!”

Robert Brizel: “Do you think because this kid Palhares is smaller, he could still use some more power training work? This would help with the guys that try to bully him. It did look like the other guy (Jake Shields) was trying to bully him?”

Stitch Duran: “Yeah, absolutely. I’m sure they (the Palhares camp) will go back to the drawing board and work on some techniques and all that. It’s an everlasting job for these guys. They are always there to try to improve themselves.”

Robert Brizel: “During your years in the ring, you’ve been on the floor many times. What is it like for a fighter who’s in that position (back to the floor) for such a long period of time? How do you survive? What goes through a fighter’s mind?”

Stitch Duran: “You relax. You keep your composure number one, but it’s all in the conditioning factor. That’s the whole key, and having a whole strategy (a game plan for fighting someone). All right my man!”

Robert Brizel: “Thanks so much. Will you be back with the World Series of Fighting in its next event in Phoenix in September? Are you coming in?”

Stitch Duran: “Well, I don’t know yet. I’ve gotta look at my calendar. I’m getting all kinds of calls.”

Robert Brizel: “So will you be in Phoenix in September? Will you be in Foxwoods in December for WSOF 23 and 24? What do you think?”

Stitch Duran: “It all depends on my calendar. We’ll see what’s going on. I get a lot of offers. Once the UFC let me go, I have to evaluate (now) and see (which offers) are best for me.

Robert Brizel: “Do you see the WSOF and MMA going to the top in the future? Where is MMA’s future? IS MMA goes to the top?”

Stitch Duran: Absolutely. It is growing in leaps and bounds!”








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