Bluegrass MMA introduces Chris Smith of Absolute Action MMA

The countdown has begun. Just 3 short days until Absolute Action MMA brings us AAMMA XII - The Anniversary Show. This card is full of heavy hitters and great fighters. One of the biggest hitters is current AAMMA Amateur Heavyweight Champ Chris Smith.  Now don't hold this against us but Smith trains and lives in Cincinnati but has told us of his love of fighting in Kentucky. He is giving up the belt and taking his first shot as a professional Saturday night. He took time to chat with us and give us some insight to what he's been doing leading up to the fight.


First off thanks for taking the time do talk with us. Give us a little bit of your background and tell the people who you are.


"My name is Christopher Ephraim Smith, I am 28 but will be turning 29 April 2nd on the anniversary show date- I was born in Cleveland Ohio, and raised in California. Long Beach is my homeland. I am the son of  Dr. Richard E. Smith Sr. & Bernice Smith. I've got the same story as a lot of people I guess. hard knock life growing up, surrounded by Gang violence for a period of my life, grew up constantly getting jumped because of my size, just never really fit in any where- Both of my parents are deceased so i guess it made me a very angry person, at least on the inside. i guess you could say i grew up fighting....or at least getting beat up lol, i took a lot of L's (losses). i could go on for days about that crap but ill leave it at that for now."




Tell us about your fight career.


"My first three fights were all at super heavyweight (303lbs) and my last five fights were all heavy weight. I fight out of Vision MMA  located at Oakley near Norwood in Cincinnati Oh. I first came to vision to lose weight ( i walked in the door at 383lbs) and get my self together, somewhere in between taking BJJ classes and participating in the OGC tournament, with a mixture of my longtime best friend and Girlfriend leaving my life i went into a state of madness (yeah sounds soft) Coach Rod had been trying to get me to fight, and I kept saying no..... then one day he called and asked, and I was pretty pissed about life and just said yes. The rest has been history or at least documented on MMA.com "


Tell us about your training for th the Anniversary Show.


"Same as always... getting my ass kicked by my training partners like  Marcu Finch, Big Jim Davis, Chris Durtis, Roger Bowling, Dan Straus, TJ Ball , Tony Parker, Victor O'Donnell, Krishaun Gilmore, Rod Housley , and Dom Steele..... taking an ass whooping in there makes stepping in the cage feel less than dangerous. I love those guys!"


So your a champ? Tell us how you plan to keep your belt
.
"I have the heavy weight belt for AAMMA, and Indiana based UCC (Universal Cage Combat). Ill be returning those of course seeing that they are ammy titles... Working hard is the only way to win, and working harder makes you a champion... so harder work is in my future to attain some pro titles."


How did you get involved with Absolute Action MMA?


"Teammate and friend "NO SUGAR" Shane Robinson hit me up about fighting for AAMMA right before their first show last year."




Give us a typical day of training for your fight.


"5am morning 2 mile run  then off to work -3pm warm up jumprope- 3:30 warmup bag work 4pm rolling with the guys 5:30 boxing and mma stand up parring 7pm burnout on the bag until failure. and pass out at somepoint after that."

What can a fan like me look forward to when you step into a fight?

"I'm not flashy I just go in to fight, no shit talk from me either, but I will try and make it exciting. everyone knows iIhave fallen in love with head kicks, and kicks period....so look for some thing nice coming from the south if you catch my drift. If the fight goes to the ground it wont be boring there either I actually like the ground more than I do standing... oh lord as a pro I can use elbows???? yeah good times!"

Any advice for someone just starting out in MMA?

"Train hard and listen to your instructors, leave the notion that you already know how to fight at the door and take in whats being given, also expect to get your ass mangled by the smallest guy in the gym for a while, welcome to the MMA food chain."

How do you feel about fighting in Kentucky and compare it to Indiana and the MMA atomospher in the Buckeye State.

" I enjoy fighting in KY. Being an ammy in Ohio is limited,  nothing against Ohio at all and I understand safety issues but the sport is what it is, if I wanted to be in "kick legs and box" league I wouldn't have gotten into mma. I liked indiana excluding the part in the past about being non sanctioned.  Ky has allowed me to develop my skills with my legs giving me more tools to work with as an ammy who desires to be a pro. Instincts are key in a fight I don't want to get knocked out because I pulled a high kick back thinking its illegal or get taken down because I hesitated to throw a knee when the other guy shot in for a take down attempt, things like that make me appreciate the state. But as I said I respect the tri states, but if you want to use more tools early on KY is the place to go, Indiana ties for close with that as well now being sanctioned."


Here is a chance to give shoutouts. Wanna promote your gym, sponsors, yourself? (email address, facebook, twitter)

"My brother Benjamin David Smith ( produces sick music Thebenferrari on twitter) who has supported me in every fight, ill always have a ticket set aside for him one way or another, and my baby brother jonathan Alvin Smith, Coach Housley who is the biggest driving force in my fights he's been a real father figure and inspiration, Chris Curtis,Jim Davis, Krishaun Gilmore,Dom Steele all pro fighters who are serious killers who are waiting for the spotlight to hit them. Chris and Martie co- owners and co- parents of mine. VISiON MMA Vision MMA VISiON MMA VISIONMMA.COM

Check me out on facebook (slaughterhouse Smith) or twitter (MMAcagesigma)
Sponsors: Very first one would be Cin city burlesque dance group and pink productions run by Amanda Barraza sexy women getting almost but naked... what more can i say-
Barbers electric tattoo located in clifton next to the university of cincinnati, some of the best tattoo work in OHIO (facebook)Jherek britt is the only guy i let do my INK work, good guy:
Red Monkey Fight Club clothing Getredmonkey.com im always on some ape shit when it comes to fighting so of course id rep the fight club!

School Of  Fight - Fight gear  Schooloffight.com I am proud to wear their gear because one of the owners is an actual fighter, a bad ass one at that. (LONDON A.)

BangTown fight wear check them out on facebook these guys have been looking out for me since day one that i stepped in the cage!

Dagger fight wear.

D1 for the training help."

Everyone be sure to check out Chris's sponsors and hit him up on Twitter or Facebook. He is a really nice guy and we appreciate him taking the time to get with us. Good luch Chris!