By Joe Burns

I recently caught up with Dan Lauzon before his big fight on the World Championship Fighting card on Friday night against Justin Hammersturm. Dan discussed training with his brother and a host of other topics.

JB: How did you get your start in MMA?

DL: I got my start in M.M.A. with my trainer Joe Pomfret. He came to the high school that me and my brother Joe went to and he did a Karate demonstration and showed some Jiu-Jistu. That was at a time that my brother and I were really into the W.W.E. style of wrestling. Joe really thought it was cool and so Joe went down and started training with Joe Pomfret. Joe would then come home and show me moves. That was when I became really interested, but I was still too young to train. When I turned 14, I was able to actually train at the gym and I have never stopped training since.

JB: What do you know about Justin Hammersturm?
DL: I have seen him fight about 3 or 4 times; he is really good on the ground for what I saw. He has a win over Marco Alvan who is Gabriel Gonzaga’s Jiu-Jistu coach at Team Link. The fight was back and forth on the ground and Marco Alvan is a black belt. So Justin definitely has a good ground game, but I think I am a better wrestler than him. I know I have better stand up than him. The only thing I really have to look out for is being on the ground with him.

JB: You took this fight on short notice. How was your training camp going?

DL: To be honest, it really didn’t change that much. I was already in great shape because I was supposed to be fighting Chris Horodecki in the Affliction show that was scheduled for October 11. When that got pushed back I stayed out of the gym for a little bit but I still wanted to stay in good shape, so when the fight came up I took it. I could still be active, so I took the fight with Justin.

JB: Who are your training partners and coaches for this fight?

DL: My training partners are Bob Balaschi, Josh Grispi, Chuch O’Neil and of course my brother(Joe Lauzon). My coaches are Steve Mase, Jeff Pomfret and my Brother.

JB: Have you been working on any specific aspect of your game for you upcoming fight?

DL: No, not really. I haven’t been working on anything impractical. I am just going in looking to fight and we’ll see where ever the fight takes me. Other than that, I have been really working on my wrestling with my takedowns and sprawl.

JB: How do you and your brother drive each other to get better?

DL: Well, you know, one of us always wants to one up the other so we are always pushing each other constantly. I want to tap him out and he wants to tap me out. That is the same thing with our boxing. I want to slap him upside the head with a hook and he wants to crack me with a body shot. We are just ultra competitive, so in the long run it just helps our games.

JB: Did the opening of the gym take away from training?

DL: It has really helped out most of our training because we are in there more and we are teaching the guys now. Since we’re in the gym more we’re able to spar more with the guys and go over moves and drilling with all the guys is a big help.

JB: What is like fighting in New England compared to other places around the country?

DL: Fighting with that support at home with all my friends and family there is great. I have fought down in Georgia and all I got was booed. So t is really nice fighting in front of a home crowd.

JB: Is their any pressure added pressure fighting in front of your home crowd?

DL: I don’t feel any pressure fighting with my family and friends being in the crowd. I am undefeated in Massachusetts and I am looking to keep it that way on the 14. With my family and friends there supporting me, it’s going to be a good time.

JB: Do you have any Sponsors or anybody you would like to thank?

DL: Yeah I would like to thank Boston Brawler, Slaying Angels, Sprawl fight short company and get tickets at www.WCFighting.com for the November 14, show.