| Sol
Gilbert 
Stats: - Date
of Birth: 27/7/75 (28)
- Height/Weight:
5-11 83kg
- Club/Team:
Team Zero Tolerance & London Shootfighters
- Trainers:
Alexis & Paul ( Shoot) Miad Najaffi ( Team ZT)
- \Favourite
Technique: punching till they drop
- Fight
Name: Zero Tolerance
- Pro
MMA Record: 3W 1D 1L
Record
in the last 12 months: -
June- Patrick Suhl (Germany) Ultimate Combat, european champions cup 1st win round
stoppage (strikes)
- Sept
- David Patterson (Ireland) Ultimate Combat. uc-british title win 1st round stoppage
(strikes)
- December
- Matt Ewin Ultimate Combat loss rnchoookkkee!
Bio
: I have boxed
for 14 years and have been studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for about 2 yrs. After
3 months BJJ training I entered the Combat Sport Open trials which I remain unbeaten
and am current light heavyweight champion. More
info here. When
and why you decided to be a fighter?
It just kind of happened really as a kid I wasn't any good at football so I used
to get into everything else really, and scrapping came along with the company
i kept and after numerous encounters with the old bill I couldn't keep going on
the way I was ( it was breaking my mums heart so I got myself down the local Amateur
boxing gym saw all these big guy's punching 7 bells of S### out of eachother and
thought " I HOME!!", Since then fighting and training have been my main focuss
and has kinda kept me away from the dark side of Drink & Drugs that has been the
downfall to a lot of my best mates. To
prepare for a fight I generally give myself a six week training programme. I start
by running around 35 miles a week for the first three weeks, which builds up my
stamina. Weights and circuit traning help to build up my strenghth and power (
evry day i'll train one muscle group say back then i'll finish every session with
neck & Abs. As a fight gets nearer I work more on my technique and sparring, and
then around a week before I wind down, so that I am mentally and physically ready,
and do some light-shadow boxing and swimming to get my body loose.
Training:
Tuesday
A.M.: 4 Mile run, weights and swim every morning
Midday: Boxing (Sparring)
P.M. Peacocks and grappling with Roger Brooking
Friday
A.M.:
4 Mile run, weights and swim every morning
Midday: Boxing (Bag work) Vale Tudo with Gaz Rorriston, Alex Reid and Usman
Saturday Rest
SFUK
: You're well known for your punching prowess, how far did you get as a boxer?
Sol Gilbert : As an amateur it gave me the
edge over a lot of my opponants as I would love to stand toe 2toe and look for
the body shots and take them out that way. My style was more suited to a pro stylye.
SFUK : What
made you switch from the bigger sport of boxing to a little niche sport like mma?
Sol
Gilbert : In boxing I was a little fish in a very big pond and I wasn't
getting the right fights and after a big KO by a light heavy weight (twin to the
Light middle weight that i was susposed to fight!!) I thought do i really need
this kind of mis-management? So I took a year out and studdied BJJ and never looked
back...really???!!
SFUK : How much of your boxing skills are immediately transferable to the mma
arena, and what do you have to alter regarding standup technique for mma? Sol
Gilbert : The main one that I feel I have benefited from is the power
of your punch, in boxing when you learn to throw a straight right hand the main
source of power will come from your hips and alternateing weight from the back
leg to the front leg making you punch through your opponant with body weight,
I had to alter my stance as in boxing a lot of your weight is on you front foot
which is xmass to someone who likes the single leg takedown SFUK
: Looking ahead to the future, do you think mma will ever get as popular as boxing?
And do you think you'll still be competing if/and when that growth happens? Sol
Gilbert : I'd love to see this sport develop and get the right kind
of air time that it deserves, as there Is so much talent out there and the fighters
have to put so much into this sport and we get so little out of It apart from
individual satisfaction in doing our best. I'd like to eventualy be part of the
bigger picture.. definately. SFUK
: Where did you start your bjj training? Is there much MMA training to be had
in Brighton?
Sol Gilbert : I started with Chen Morraes
in the Budokwai in Fulham then moved to Roger Brooking in Marble Arch ( good class).
I take a class two times a week and we have just got Pablo a Gordo black belt
( but i've done his class and he handed me my butt ( in a gi tho and no strikes!!
Ha,ha) SFUK
: You've made your name as Ultimate Combat's poster boy, champion and major ticket
seller - so why are you leaving UC for Extreme Brawl? Sol
Gilbert : I have done what I have had to do at UC and Dale & Laura
have become good friends but UC is not a local venue for me and my supporters
find it difficult to keep on traveling that kind of distance, as for Extreme Brawl
i haven't left one organisation for another i Have simply given myself the option
of selecting what show i wish to fight on, and it happens that Extreme Brawl is
one of the 3 that I will be @ over the next few months, as for belts etc they
are good for a short while but for me watching me & Lars duke it out is better
than the two titles i picked up, so i'm not too bothered about belts - just good
scraps! SFUK
: So are you looking to take Matt Ewin's EB title? ;+) Sol
Gilbert : If he wants to lay it on the line, i'll take it!! But I think
that he's moveing on, he's had a fantastic year but from what I've heard he's
lookin more international now.. ( You know you got lucky matt!! Ha,ha)
SFUK : You've recently started training at London Shootfighters - it's a long,
long way to travel for regular training - is it worth it? Isn't there anywhere
closer? Sol
Gilbert : If London
Shoot was called Tim Buck Too Shoot i'd still travel!!! This place is by far
the best place i've ever trained at, yeah its a long way, I mean I leave at 11am
and get back at 8.30Ish... But well worth it!! SFUK
: Presumably the London Shootfighters will be primarily polishing your ground
game - will your strategy be focused on 'Anti-grappling' to capitalise on your
existing striking power, or will you Become a submission magician? Sol
Gilbert : The first one my friend!! You stick subs up your backside!!
Ha,ha i love to strike and always will. As you said purely anti grappling & defense
work. SFUK
: How do you rate Paul and Alexis skill-wise and as instructors? Sol
Gilbert : If they were woman I'd change my religion to muslim just
so I could marry them both!! There not only skillfull but genuine no attitude
guys and Marios is a cool dude too! I love ya bro! But i think Alexis has it In
for me as he keeps sticking me at the front of the class during the warm up!!
Just like school dayz! SFUK
: Maybe you could get a sex change and ask Paul and Alexis out? They might
go for it if you dress posh LOL. Talking of which (jk), you're good
friends with Alex Reid, but you're also around the same weight. Would you ever
fight him? And who would win? ;+) Sol
Gilbert : Man I'd love to fight him!!! Someone match this up!!! The
guys a punk!! I own him!!! He's my bitch!! Ha,ha seriously he's my brother we
war everytime we train! Sometimes he's the giver and sometimes he's the taker!!
Ha,ha theres no ammount of chedder that could make me fight this guy!! But if
he shagged Donna ( my Girlfriend) then I'd sfuk him up!! Ha,ha. Who'd win?? Oh
yeah me standing on one leg and both hands tied behind my back!
SFUK : Will you be fighting on any other promoters' events this year? Are there
any fighters you have on your radar?
Sol Gilbert : Yeah i'd like to try all the
shows that are out there And spread a bit of zero tolerance love, as to fighters
Anyone as long as there not my buddy.. > >
SFUK : Nice clothing line
Sol! When did you decide to become a fashion designer? :+) Sol
Gilbert : It just kinda happened really. Fed up with buying T shirts
from Oxfam so I thought I'd bring out a range to compete!! Ha,ha, it's a bit of
fun really. Gives the missis something to do, plus when it kicks off and everyone
realises that ZT clothing isn't about me!! It's about a history coming from the
street! ( Hip hop, graff work, smashing windows, singing around a bin!! Eh wtf!!
) . Anyway we are gonna expand our sponsorship portfolio and help the fighters
earn extra cash by letting them sell ZT clothing at shows for their own profit. SFUK
: What's 2004 going to bring to Sol Gilbert? Sol
Gilbert : Well seems that santa didn't come this year I have included
2003's list! A
bike A
helmet Britney
Spears
Blow up sheep ( Paul Jenkins you bastard "thief") How
to grapple vol 1
How to beat Matt Ewin vol 2 ( vol1 didn't work) More
peroxide & bleach A
decent pay day for fighting ( i live in hope)
A reason as why me & Lee Murray are the same weight but I look like a little boy
when pummeling him!! He's a freak! An
anal intruder with fist attachment ( for Reidy )
Thanks sfuk christmass.. Seriously I hope for a good year and plenty of quality
time with my son Ethan and no sfukin injuries.. Oh yeah and world peace!! Shit
beauty pagents next week. Thanks guys
| 
