Karo (The Heat) Parisyan faces Japanese fighter Ryo Chonan Saturday in Newark, N.J. at UFC 78: Validation. Prior to his training for the fight, Parisyan was in Toronto to teach a judo clinic and sat down for an interview for Sportsnet, part of which aired on Connected.
Sportsnet.ca — In the sport of mixed martial arts, Karo Parisyan’s nickname definitely matches his style. But the five-foot-10 welterweight, an Armenian who now calls California home, didn’t even come up with it. Parisyan said he was doing an interview in front of fans when he was asked what his nickname was. He had been fighting for over five years at that point, but didn’t have one yet, so he figured it was time to get one.
“I didn’t want to be called the Mongoose or the Lion or whatever every fighter calls himself,” Parisyan explained. “A lot of fans started yelling, ‘Heat. Karo The Heat.’ And I was like, ‘Great.’ I fight with a lot of intensity. I guess The Heat says a lot about my fighting style.
“Bell to bell, I’m going 100 miles an hour. I’m all over (my opponent) until he taps out, then I’ll shake his hand and walk away. The Heat.”
You wouldn’t necessarily know it simply by looking at his results. Seven of his last eight fights have gone to the decision, with one submission. But he did win six of those eight contests, including one over current welterweight champion Matt Serra in 2005. His two losses came against quality fighters in Georges St. Pierre and Diego Sanchez, both by decision. Parisyan said he underestimated both.
“I didn’t respect St. Pierre as a fighter because (in Jan. 2004) he was coming up with a record of 5-0 in Canada. I trained two weeks for that fight and cut 16 pounds in two days.
“I paid the price. I lost as Georges was able to neutralize my grappling, and some of my judo and takedowns.”
Since his 2004 loss he has just the one blemish on his record and is coming off a win over Josh Burkman at UFC 71 in May. After that decision, he pleaded inside the Octagon for the UFC to give him a title shot. He said he hasn’t been guaranteed anything, but hopes he will get one provided he gets past Chonan.
Parisyan was originally scheduled to face Cuban Hector Lombard, but his opponent was swapped when Lombard was unable to obtain a visa to come to the U.S. Parisyan doesn’t expect to miss a beat however.
“I don’t train any differently for my opponent,” said Parisyan. “Usually I train to cut weight, not to beat the (guy I’m facing),” said Parisyan, who added his keys to winning against Chonan will be aggression, accuracy, endurance, and most of all “Karo Parisyan’s technique.”
That technique undoubtedly includes judo as Parisyan is arguably the most successful fighter to bring the discipline into mixed martial arts. Parisyan admits that 80 per cent of his game is judo, and he tried to impart some of his expertise while in Toronto.
“It comes down to a feel,” Parisyan explained to his students. “Don’t ever forget, technique overcomes power any day.”
Seeing a lot of judo isn’t the only thing people can expect on Saturday. Fans will also be holding their breath for that trademark Parisyan throw.
“Everybody expects the throws. I often hear, ‘Karo, I cannot wait until you launch this guy.’ I’m like, on one side it says do it for the fans. I have to do it. It’s my trademark. But the other side says do anything you can to win.
“But then again, 70 per cent of the time, I’m going to go for a throw in my fight. It’s who I am. You clinch with me and I see something I can feed off, I’m going to go for a throw.”
Even opposing fighters recognize his patented move. But that’s not to say they respect it and Parisyan feeds off that.
“Every guy I’ve fought has said, ‘He’s not going to throw me.’ But the thing is you don’t know until you’re there. I don’t look strong, I don’t look tough. I don’t look like anything. Once I’m in the cage, they feel my muscles and how strong I am, it shocks them and I love it.”
Click here to watch the interview where Parisyan discusses his Armenian roots and more on the importance of judo in his game with “Showdown” Joe Ferraro.
