Shane Roller faces fellow three-time All-American collegiate wrestler Jacob Volkmann on Oct. 5 at UFC on FX 5.
On whether his team, Team Takedown, has accomplished what it set out to do: “Not yet. I think it’s on a long-term basis. I think it needs someone to go get the title. I think that’s when it will start paying [owner Ted Ehrhardt] off financially, once that happens. He enjoys it, I think, and I think he’s enjoyed the process so far, but there’s about a seven-year business model, business plan that he drew up. He knew it was going to take a while.”
On how he should have started his career: “I fought really quick, maybe two months after I started out. I was real green to it. I didn’t have any hands or anything. I’d like to [have had] more training. Maybe six months in and then do some amateur fights before I actually did a pro fight, just to get used to what it’s going to be like. Getting in the cage the first few times out, it’s usually a local show and you’re wanting to knock someone out in front of your fans and stuff. At least I did. I got away from my game plan. I’d like to [have had] a few matches under my belt, a few fights underneath my belt before making my pro debut.”
On Volkmann: “He’s tough. He’s got good submissions and he’s a good wrestler. He hasn’t lost very much. Anybody that has a record of 14-3 I think is going to be a good opponent to get my hand raised against.”
On his strategy for the bout: “I’m confident in my wrestling and getting it to the ground. I’d like to stand with him and see how it’s going. If I feel uncomfortable up there, then take it to the ground. I always think that’s where my advantage is, is getting the fight to the ground. I don’t care if I’m fighting a jiu-jitsu specialist or somebody that’s good with their hands, I still think that’s where I’m best at, so that’s where I like to take the fight.”
On whether he’ll have the striking advantage: “I think so, but I like to finish fights on the mat. At some point I see it going to the mat.”
On Volkmann’s style: “I know kind of his style is to take them down and just control them on top. That’s kind of how he wins his fights. I think his wins in the UFC have all been three-round decisions and he hasn’t had any finishes. I think that’s part of his game plan, to get the takedown and grind out a win. I think almost all my fights have been early fights except a couple and I’m always looking to finish a fight. I’m usually a part of an exciting fight. I plan on making this fight an exciting fight too.”
On how his alma mater, Oklahoma St., stacked up against Volkmann’s, Minnesota: “Someone told me the other day in an interview that he said something about OSU can’t hang with Minnesota or something, but I don’t even know what he’s really talking about. I know that my senior year, and I think it was his senior year, we won nationals. So I don’t know why he was trying to say that OSU couldn’t hang with them. It didn’t make any sense to me. I’m just excited. I know he’s a tough wrestler. He came from a tough background. Anybody with that background, that’s went through the practices of D-1 wrestling like he has, he’s a tough guy. I know he’s going to bring it and be ready to fight. I’m looking forward to it.”
Listen to the full interview (beginning at 2:07:00).