Ivan Salaverry: Blowing Kisses to MMA

Ivan Salaverry (pictures) is one of those guys that people just have to pay attention to. He is not covered from head to toe in tattoos, he doesn’t openly trash talk his opponents, he doesn’t fly into the Octagon on a magic carpet and he doesn’t have a rap sheet the length of Darryl Strawberry’s. Salaverry doesn’t have concussive power, therefore he isn’t some freakish knockout machine. He also doesn’t have that million-dollar smile.

So why should people pay attention to this guy who resides in Seattle? Because he is a damn good fighter, that’s why. Just ask Andrei Semenov (pictures), Tony Fryklund (pictures) and Joseph Riggs (pictures). And after Saturday night at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, we could be asking iron horse Nathan Marquardt (pictures) that very question.

Salaverry is scheduled to lock horns with the low-key yet ultra-dangerous Marquardt in the featured bout of UFC’s Ultimate Fight Night, which will be telecast live on SpikeTV. While the fight itself doesn’t ooze superstar versus superstar, the brass within Zuffa has (on paper, anyway) secured a fight that could become one of the most memorable in the history of the UFC.

Salaverry-Marquardt is an MMA enthusiast’s dream — a bout that probably will bare witness to a thousand different techniques and one that could end in a split second.

Sherdog.com caught up with Salaverry to discuss his upcoming battle with Marquardt, his views on how Joe “Diesel” Riggs disrespected him and why, exactly, he showers the arena with kisses after his victories.

Sherdog.com: You are fighting Nathan Marquardt (pictures) this Saturday. He is not a well-known fighter whatsoever to the casual MMA fan, but anybody who really knows the sport knows how dangerous and skilled he is. What are your thoughts on Marquardt?

Salaverry: Well, from what I haven seen, he is very well rounded just like me and I enjoy that. He’s experienced. A lot of people don’t really know that but he is very experienced. He has done the full circuit in Pancrase in Japan, so it’s going to be a good fight. I think — I hope — that it’s going to be one of those epic fights.

Sherdog.com: Do you know him on a personal level at all?

Salaverry: No. I don’t know him at all. As a matter of fact, I met him for the first time yesterday. He is a really nice guy.

Sherdog.com: So your initial reaction is that Nathan is a good dude.

Salaverry: Yeah, he is a nice guy. I don’t know him personally at all. I have never met him in Japan and/or here until yesterday.

Sherdog.com: Many of the fans of the UFC — and some of the media — have been griping about your fight with Marquardt not being worthy enough to be a main event. I, personally, can’t wait for the fight but many seem bummed that Salaverry-Marquardt is the main event. Does it bother you at all to hear or read these gripes?

Salaverry: Well, I just say … well, look who is griping about it, first, you know what I mean? (chuckles) See, for me as an MMA fan and a fighter, an MMA enthusiast would be much more enthusiastic about this fight than anybody else. I think this is a great fight as far as MMA goes. I think it’s a great fight and these fans [who have been complaining] will see one great, well-trained, well-versed fighter going up against another one.

Sherdog.com: People have seen you fight before on numerous occasions but nobody really caught on to you until you submitted Tony Fryklund (pictures) and now since you beat Diesel. Have you ever been disappointed that you haven’t really gotten the recognition that you deserved?

Salaverry: No, not really. Honestly I consider myself a martial artist. For me, to have that huge entertainment value, how do you say … if I get it I will take it, embrace it and I’ll go with it. But I am not out there trying to get that. I am just trying to be the best fighter out there. It sounds cliché, but it’s true.

Sherdog.com: You are fighting in what has become a very deep weight division in middleweight. Have you heard any rumblings within Zuffa about when a possible title shot could happen?

Salaverry: I don’t know. I really don’t know the insight on that. I know that they want me to fight Rich Franklin (pictures) here coming up soon, eventually. But it’s just like everything else where you just have to keep on winning and eventually you’ll get the chance. The man right now is Rich Franklin (pictures). I hope I could get that (title) match. I really do.

Sherdog.com: This is kind of off topic, but I have to ask it. After your last two wins in the UFC, you ran around the Octagon and blew kisses everywhere. What is that all about? I think it’s very funny, to be honest, but what is that? Are you doing that to just be joking/goofy or is there an actual meaning behind it?

Salaverry: Well (laughs), well I am so ecstatic that I won, first of all. I am very happy and it’s sincere. But basically it’s something that, you know, it happens during the soccer games. You just go out there, run around, go crazy and blow kisses to the crowd, you know? You have to really appreciate the crowd for being there and cheering you on.

Sherdog.com: When you submitted Diesel, he turned to Joe Rogan and said something along the lines of, “I can’t believe that I lost to that guy.” When he said that, what did you think he meant by that and did it bother you?

Salaverry: Yes, it did bother me. But then again, I forgive him for being young. I am 34 years old; I have been in this game for a long time and something like that shows that it is very unclassy. It’s not classy from the get-go. That he said, “that guy,” and, “I never thought I’d lose to him in a billion years” and that he wanted to break my teeth in, it’s just sensationalist talk. No one forced him to tap. He tapped on his very own. That’s all.

Sherdog.com: Well, you pretty much forced him to tap because you had him in a triangle.

Salaverry: Exactly! It was his decision! He could have continued on and tried to fight out of it or go out, but he decided to tap. It was his choice, you know what I mean? He tapped and said “uncle,” not me. So for him to say such a comment like that just shows how unclassy he is.

Sherdog.com: It seems like there is some animosity growing between you two. With that said, have you ever fought anybody that you seriously did not like?

Salaverry: I will honestly say no. I have been very fortunate that I have a very good circle of friends. They have been good in every which way. All of the fighters and everybody else have all been really good people. Have I ever been in a situation where I have been around someone who I didn’t like their demeanor? Yes. There are a lot of guys out there who are sensationalists. But you know what? Let them be. Live and let live. I am here to do what I have to do with my career and they have to do it their way.

Sherdog.com: You are fighting in the main event of Ultimate Fight Night. Are you more excited about fighting on that card, which will be aired on regular cable and seen by millions and millions, as opposed to being on a pay-per-view card?

Salaverry: Well, it is just a great honor that [Zuffa] got me in this. I am just ecstatic that I have this much exposure! I have been on the under cards with Semenov, with Fryklund and with Riggs. You know what I mean? Even with Lindland I was on the under card. I guess I just keep putting on great performances, so it’s just a great honor that I have been invited back and that people notice you. Maybe I should apologize for not being that guy out there banging on his chest, gritting and growling at people. But I am just glad that people notice me and like my fighting.

Sherdog.com: Do you have any predictions for your fight against Marquardt?

Salaverry: (Chuckles) I am not a clairvoyant. I am not going to predict anything. I am not of that nature. I am going to go out there and I am going to fight very hard. I trained very hard and I will fight very hard. I know Nathan did, too, so it will be a great fight.