With an MMA training timeline that takes us back 19 years, Gianatasio was cutting his teeth in the gym in the era of five pay per views a year, Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort headlining cards and Nick Diaz opening shows. This era of UFC events brought in a gigantic influx of fans but was one of the most intimidating times to get into the sport.
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Insane training regimens, an overemphasis on hard sparring and the most raucous Midwestern atmospheres imaginable ruled the sport. The sport was evolving into what it is today but there were still more “fighters” lacing up than “athletes.” John Gianatasio was one of the few who could always hang with both.
While Fury Challenger Series 8 opponent Anthony Cassar may be one of the most dominant athletes in Gianatasio’s weight class, Gianatasio heavily doubts how much of a “fighter” he is.
“Fights are chaotic and I’m not sure that he’s living in chaos,” Gianatasio said. “I expect him to see how fast my hands are, and him to get frantic, and to try and take me down. I expect him to feel my power and regret trying to stand with me and then I expect him to try to take me down without fail. That is what’s going to happen, 100%. I’ll put money on it.”
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Gianatasio finds that in Cassar’s young career built on wrestling, as opposed to fighting, Cassar may be lacking the body awareness that goes into a striking war. With a lifetime of wrestling and one fight under his belt, Cassar most definitely knows what goes into being a great athlete, but Gianatasio doubts he has what it takes to be a full-on brawler.
“When you’re in there and you’re in the firefight, you’re going to go to what you know and what you’re comfortable with,” Gianatasio explained. “Not everybody’s comfortable with their striking cardio yet. It’s a different energy system and when you get hit and you have to start using those muscles, you’re going to use the muscles in a way that you know how to use them.”
Knowing exactly what he’s gotten himself into, Gianatasio is prepared for a wrestling-heavy attack that may intimidate most. Effective wrestling may be the kryptonite for the ill-equipped, but Gianatasio’s background as a “bite down on the mouthpiece” fighter not only gives him better odds in the fight but also gives him a chance to put himself on the national radar.
“He has done tremendously well in wrestling,” Gianatasio explained. “He is one of the best heavyweight wrestlers of this decade, probably the best one at the NCAA level and all of that; he has a huge following. A win over him would be absolutely a game changer for my career.”
In the eyes of Gianatasio, Cassar has had too few fights to know how his body will react to a war and too conservative of a gym to know how his mind will react to uncomfortable positions. There’s potential for a blood and guts war that brings the best out of both fighters. Gianatasio is coming into the fight ready for hell and hopes the National Champion is, too.
“Honestly, my hope is that he fights me, if I have to be honest with you,” Gianatasio said. “I don’t think anybody wants to see him lay on me for three rounds. I don’t think he’s going to get signed by the UFC if he does that. My hope is that he actually comes to fight and that, you we’re actually able to put on a war for the fans. That’s what they’re expecting, versus just a match where we’re rolling around and he’s laying on me and not permitting me to do a lot of damage. I don’t think anybody wants to see that.”
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