by Emmit Hamilton, Jackson's MMA Series
Jackson's MMA Series: Tell us what sports you competed in as a youth?Issac Vallie-Flagg: I played Lacrosse for about a season and besides that not a whole lot of sports. I wasn't a sports kind of kid I guess.
Jackson's MMA Series: How long have you been competing in Mixed Martial Arts as a professional and what goals did you set for yourself when you first started competing in MMA?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: As a professional I've been competing since 2003. I've had a little bit of down time occasionally but then really recommitted myself about 3 years ago.
Jackson's MMA Series: Is fighting MMA your only profession or do you have a "day" job?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: My day job is kind of working in a bar. It's whatever I can do to give me time to help facilitate training at the gym and try to get better. It helps pay the bills and then my fighting I hope will pay the bills eventually.
Jackson's MMA Series: When you first started competing in MMA, what were the goals you set for yourself?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: You know honestly when I first started competing in MMA it was just to fight. I enjoyed the competition and I enjoyed the feeling that you get when you are in the cage competing with somebody. It really was just that I loved it more so than I had any goals. The longer I competed in the sport and the more it looked like is was becoming a more viable sport, I really really wanted to start to compete at a higher level.
Jackson's MMA Series: And what are your goals today?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: You know my goals now are that I'd like to make a living at it for awhile and fight in the UFC eventually. I still have that love for the sport but you know it would be nice to make a little bit of money as well. But the love is definitely still there you know, it's still fun to step into the cage and compete with somebody. I think it's fun to be front and center in the moment and have that kind of bond with another human being as well.
Jackson's MMA Series: Are there any fighters out there or athletes in general that have influenced you in your careeer?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: You know I'm going to have to say Joey Villasenor is one of my biggest influences. He's a guy at the gym that I fought on a couple of the same King of the Cage cards and he's a guy that I've looked up to from the beginning. I like the way he fights, I think he's a classy person and he's a guy that I aspire to be like in the fighting world because he's real professional in the sport. And everybody at the gym you know. We have a list of talent that you can go on down. Our lightweight team right now is amazing and I really aspire to be anything like Joe Daddy, Melvin Guillard, Aaron Riley, you know just anybody like that.
Jackson's MMA Series: Tell us how training is going for you June 5th fight here at the Hard Rock Hotel Albuquerque?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: Training right now is going really good. I'm just trying to get as much of it in as possible. I'm training very hard out of fear of losing in front of a hometown crowd you know. Overall it is going really well. I'm excited to try and do some stuff I've been working on for this guy so training is going good
Jackson's MMA Series: So what do you know about your opponent you'll be facing on June 5th?
issac Vallie-Flagg: I've seen a little bit of video on him. He had a lot of amateur fights and about 7 or 8 professional fights. You know I'm gonna treat him like I do everyone else. I'm going to push him and break him. I'm going to try and do that because I don't want to let this go to a decision which I sometimes like to do because I like to fight for all 3 rounds but I'm just going to go ahead and try and smash this guy in the beginning. I know he's going to come to fight and so will I.
Jackson's MMA Series: It appears that all his losses have come by submission. Will you factor that into your gameplan?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: I may. If the opportunity presents itself to submit him of course I will. I love to get on the ground with somebody and punch them but I'll submit him if I can. So we'll see where it goes
Jackson's MMA Series: What does it mean to you to be fighting on the first Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts Series at the newest Hark Rock location here in Albuquerque?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: It's an extremely big honor not only to be fighting under Greg's name for this card but for Ricky as well and the first card he's putting on but also to be fighting for the first time at the Hard Rock in Albuquerque is a really big honor for me. It's exciting to be on the stage this show will be on.
Jackson's MMA Series: In closing, are there sponsors or anyone you would like to thank and do you have any words for your fans?
Issac Vallie-Flagg: You know I always thank my mom and my dad for supporting me through everything and anybody who has helped me out along the way. Thanks.
