John "the Natural" Alessio has gone toe to toe with some of the best. Whether it is the Miletich Fighting Systems founder himself, Pat Miletich, or number one contender to the welterweight belt, Diego Sanchez. This hard hitting Canadian has won several titles including; KOTC Welterweight champion, KOTC Super fight Champion, and TKO Welterweight Champion. On March 24 he will be fighting for the WEC (World Extreme Cage fighting) Welterweight belt. Pay close attention to the future champ.
Joshua Borell: How long ago did you start training and why?
John Alessio: I started training in 1998 and after only 3 months of training I had my first pro MMA fight and won by TKO. After that I was hooked on the sport. This is the ultimate one on one sport and that makes me love it.
Borell: Tell me about your past with the Miletich team, as much of the story as you can.
Alessio: Well, after I fought Pat, I then traveled out to Iowa to train with all those guys for about 3 months. I didn't have the means to stay out there so then I ended up going back to Cali. I became the TKO Champ, and then was going to defend my belt against Jason Black, who I lived with while in Iowa. The first time we were scheduled to fight I got injured in a previous fight and for some reason they started to hate on me and some bad blood started over nothing really. I fought Black and I believe I was robbed by decision, I’m cool with them now and have trained lots with Jeremy Horn in Utah and he's a friend of mine now.
Borell: Was the fight with Pat at UFC 26 the fight you were referring to?
Alessio: Yes, that was my UFC debut and I was only 19 or 20 at the time with only a year and half of training and he was going to be defending his belt for the fourth time.
Borell: Why do you think there was such a long gap in your UFC appearances? Was it the changing of the ownership of UFC to Zuffa and Dana White?
Alessio: I really have no idea, it was something that bothered me for quite sometime, but I continued to fight in other shows like TKO and KOTC.
Borell: Were you surprised when the call finally came?
Alessio: I figured it was going to happen sooner or later, but I was definitely very excited especially when they said I would fight Diego Sanchez.
Borell: Did you find it an honor they called you as the step up from Nick Diaz, who just dominated Takanori Gomi?
Alessio: Never realized they said anything like that but Diaz, Gomi and Sanchez are all top guys.
Borell: Well I was referring to you being the next fight, and the "working your way up the ladder" concept.
Alessio: I just want to fight top guys and whoever they put in front of me, I don't turn down fights I like to step up and fight the best.
Borell: The night of the fight, most people had you winning the first two rounds in a close fight, except unfortunately the judges, were you shocked with the decision?
Alessio: Yes and no, I mean I thought just the crowd thought that I won the fight, but Diego is the UFC's little poster boy with an undefeated record, but I think I proved enough and also showed holes in Diego’s game.
Borell: Please share what was going on in your mind in that bizarre last half of the final round.
Alessio: I was wondering when the hell the ref was going to restart us, but it never happened, so I tried to armbar him with my neck to get him off my back.
Borell: Were you aware you carried Diego on your back for almost 3 minutes at the time?
Alessio: I was aware and I looked up at the clock and was talking to my corner for instructions.
Borell: How long was it between that fight and the time UFC next contacted you?
Alessio: Not that long, I took a fight with the WEC in August and then fought Thiago [Alves] in October at the UFN in Florida.
Borell: Were you able to make any changes to your training in such a short amount of time between fights?
Alessio: I never really had to make any big changes, I just continue to train hard and learn as much as possible.
Borell: In your fight against Thiago, most people saw the bout tied at 1 round all. Early in the third round you got caught with a low blow, how much did that affect the rest of the fight?
Alessio: Not that much, of course it hurts to get kicked in the balls, but you got to have the mental strength to get through those moments.
Borell: Has UFC contacted you since?
Alessio: Zuffa owns UFC and WEC, and I’m fighting [Carlos] Condit for the WEC Welterweight world title this coming Saturday, so I’m still with them.
Borell: Speaking of which, please give us a prediction is your upcoming fight, time and method of victory?
Alessio: Well of course I predict victory, but it’s scheduled for 5 rounds, so I’ve been training really hard and I’m ready for anything. I see a TKO or a submission at some point in this match.
Borell: Is there anything you'd like readers to know about you?
Alessio: No, I’m just a new fighter with a new confidence! I'm ready to be the champ, I got a new training home here in Vegas, working out with Randy Couture and I have good people with plenty of support on my side. Including God and great family that believe in me.
Borell: Any last words?
Alessio: I'd like to thank United by Lending, Warrior Wear, Xyience, Jostes concrete, Paramount Supplements, Xtreme Couture, all my training partners, my family for the support and God for allowing me to compete in the best sport in the world.
To email me, Joshua Borell, send to mma.writer@hotmail.com.
