MMA PLUS caught up with Swedish middleweight Max ‘Power’ Nunes (12-1) in the build up to his debut performance under the banner of Russian promotion Pro FC this weekend, as well as discussing his decision to move back to Sweden for full time training time at ALLSTARS Gym, his status with BAMMA, and the likely match up of him challenging Scott Askham for the BAMMA World Middleweight Championship at BAMMA 16.
What prompted the move back to Sweden?
There was no real specific reason to be honest. If I were to give a specific reason that would be me joining Allstars gym, which is one of the best gyms in the world, so from a training standpoint it was a no-brainer because I get to train with some of the world’s best mixed martial artists on a daily basis.
How has the move to Allstars helped you develop as a fighter?
The move to Allstars has helped me develop as a fighter so much, because now I get pushed to the limit every day in training. The fighters there are so good that you have to bring your A-game just to survive practice.
Because of the quality of your training partners; even if you’re being given a hard time in the gym, you are constantly improving as a fighter. We as a team are constantly evolving as fighters and it really becomes evident when we face fighters from other teams, then you really notice the improvements you’ve made as a fighter.
Can you tell about some of the fighters you’re working with back in Sweden?
I train with the likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Magnus Cedenblad, Ilir Latifi, Nicholas Musoke just to name a few. I also work alongside people like Reza Madadi who runs the wrestling class, there are just soo many world-class fighters there I couldn’t name all of them off the top of my head.
Any fighters we should look out for from Allstars?
All of them to be fair, in the group that I train with literally all of them are really good. Take for example Niklas Backstrom who is an undefeated featherweight fighter (7-0-1), just competed at Europa MMA (in England) last month and defeated a really good fighter Max Coga in 0.15 via TKO. He is just one of many exceptionally gifted fighters at the gym.
Do you still maintain ties with Alliance MMA?
Yes I do, through Dean Amasinger although I haven’t been back there since Alex’s [Gustafsson] camp for his fight with Jon Jones, but yes I still maintain ties to Alliance gym.
What area of your game have you improved since the move?
Everything. My striking, my grappling, I’ve even seen improvements in my fitness which has always been good but has gotten better. The move has improved my all-round game because you can’t help but get better when you’re working with these guys, you even get better at doing simple drills when you’re working with these world class guys on a daily basis.
How excited are to be making your Russian MMA debut for the ProFC in Rostov-on-Don, on April 6th?
I’m really, really excited, because I’ve never been to Russia and I am really looking forward to getting the chance to showcase skills in front of the Russian people on their No.1 show ProFC.
What can you tell us about your opponent Boris Miroshnichenko?
Well I know he’s from White Russia (Belarus). I haven’t seen too much of him, as I have been trying to focus on my progression as a mixed martial artist. What I do know is that he’s pretty aggressive, hits hard and is a good fighter, so this will definitely be a challenge.
How do you maintain your clam exterior before, during and after fights?
It’s just the way I am. If I’m honest that is something I’ve been working on as at times I can be too calm and I think despite my record it could have an impact on my ability to ‘pull the trigger’ in fights. Don’t get me wrong, I want to remain calm as I am a naturally laid back person. I don’t know if you’ve noticed in fights; I gradually get stronger and stronger, as opposed to the beginning of a fight, so that is another area I am actively working on right now.
There has been some confusion about your ProFC deal and how it affects your contract with BAMMA. Can you clear up this situation for us?
Putting it simply my deal with BAMMA is an exclusive deal in the UK, so I cannot fight for any promotion in the UK but it does allow me to fight overseas hence why I can fight on ProFC 53 this weekend.
I’ve heard that I have signed exclusively to ProFC on a 3-fight deal and I have been released from my BAMMA contract, this in not true, I have signed for 1-fight and that’s it at the moment. I am not saying that I won’t sign a longer term deal with them in the future as anything is possible, but right now it’s only for 1-fight.
The reason that came about in the first place was because I wanted to fight Scott Askham for the BAMMA World Middleweight Championship ironically enough at BAMMA 15 which also takes place this weekend, but that fight couldn’t happen because he [Scott] got injured. I like to fight regularly, I’d fight every month if I could but the gap between fights would’ve been to big if I waited for Scott to recover.
You recently engaged in a war of words with BAMMA Middleweight World Champion Scott Askham, how did that come about?
To be fair, it was me who started it as I wanted to make sure I could fight as soon as possible. So after my last fight with Ion I already knew I wanted to fight him [Scott] at April’s show so instigated so Scott would sign the fight. But he got injured so that did not work (lol).
It’s been rumored that the fight between yourself and Scott could go down at BAMMA 16. Can you confirm or deny that?
Well I haven’t had any contracts but if I’m offered the fight I will jump at the chance to fight Scott for the title.
For all your previous fights your training partners from the New Wave Academy have cornered you, but who will be cornering you in this fight?
Fred [Carvalho] and Dean [Amasinger] are cornering me for this fight. Fred will always corner me, Dean will also and whenever possible so will Andreas Michaels from ALLSTARS gym.
Andreas was meant to corner me at my last fight but unfortunately he couldn’t make it. Another one of my Allstars teammates was meant to corner me but there was a massive accident on the way to the airport so he missed his flight. Lucky for me a friend of mine – Danny Mitchell – who recently made his UFC debut at UFC London last month was there and he stepped in to corner me. I met Danny when we both fought on a show in Kansas City, USA in June of last year and he was a really cool guy so I knew he would help me out.
[Team New Wave from left to right: Fred Carvalho, Dean Amasinger, Max Nunes and Christian Ivaldi]
With UFC coming to Sweden in October, with a few more wins can you see yourself on that card?
Yes defiantly, a crack at the UFC in my home country isn’t something I would turn down. But for now I am completely focused on my immediate goals, which are to defeat Boris this weekend and then go on to fight Scott Askham for the BAMMA gold.
Finally is there anyone you would like to thank?
All people at all stars, Dean Amasinger, Fred Carvalho, all the guys at New Wave, my sponsors and especially the guys at MMA Plus for always supporting me.
