Sean Baker (7-4) from Pete White’s Boxing and MMA will be fighting Solomon Maldonado (4-1-1) from American Top Team of Longwood on September 8th at “Rise of a Warrior 8.” Baker who is from California, where the amateur rules are different and believes that may be the reason he lost to Frederico Moncaio in the first round of the IFG Welterweight Tournament at Rise of a Warrior 5. Now that he understands the amateur rules of MMA in the state of Florida, Baker is ready to compete.
KT: Your opponent, Maldonado will be going from 170Ibs to 155Ibs and he feels that will make him faster and he’ll be able to move around more. Are you concern with him coming down on his weight?
SB: No, I’m not concern with that. I fought at 170Ibs over ten times, so coming down to 155Ibs is pretty much the same thing for me.
KT: You’re known for your ability to strike and Maldonado wants to stand up and challenge your striking. Are you looking to strike against him or are you going to try something new?
SB: I’m not going to try anything new; I’m going to do what I always do. I going to feel him out and I’m going to take the fight where I want it to go, whether it would be standing or on the ground. Depending on how it goes.
KT: Have you watched any of Maldonado’s fights?
SB: I’ve seen a couple of his clips and one of them was a decision and things of that nature and my fights were knock outs. We haven’t gotten into detail training and a well thought out plan for this fight. Were sticking to our basics like our conditioning, and all the things we do with our sparring. We haven’t put together a plan for this fight against Solomon. We’re going to go in there and do what we always do and take the fight where we want it to go.
KT: Was there anything you was impressed with when you saw his fights?
SB: I actually only seen one clip and I wasn’t really that impressed.
KT: Your last fight at “Rise of a Warrior” you lost to Frederico Moncaio; what did you do wrong in that fight?
SB: I think it was my first fight in Florida and the rules are different from where I fought before, so I wasn’t as prepared for a jiu jitsu and grappling match, the MMA fights that I fought in California, ground and pound is an option.
KT: Anything Solomon needs to be aware of when going against you?
SB: He needs to be aware that I’m a high level fighter with a lot more experience.
Baker is confident he will be prepared for anything Maldonado brings to this fight, he feels he has the advantage in experience and will come away with the victory.
