MMA Warlike Interview with:
Dan "The Lumberjack" Norton
First of all we want to thank you for allowing us this interview
-yeah, of course, anytime!
What is your nickname and if you do have a nickname how did you get it?
-Eh, I kinda do, I was called "The Lumberjack" for a while, the
reason being that one day we were at the gym and working on our
takedowns...first one to take the other guy down wins, winner stays in, there
were about 15 big guys there that day and I stayed in for about 30 rounds...So
my coach at that time said I was like a lumberjack cutting all those guys
down...don't know if it will stick but it is pretty original and I like it
so...maybe it will.
How do you seperate fighting and your personal life?
-Just recently I have started
learning how to do this, when I first started fighting thats all I wanted to
talk about and all I wanted to be looking at on the computer and watching on TV
and eventually I realized that I was getting obsessed... it became stressful
believe it or not. So I am learning that to stop that stress I train like a
robot at the gym, Toe-2-Toe in Hiram, GA. and when I am elsewhere I am Daniel,
I like fighting, the beach, my Jeep, my Truck, my family, basketball, movies,
cooking, football, music you know. But recently my brother has been coming with
me to the gym just hang out and watch me train so I know that I have that
support from home as well to do this.
Why fight MMA?
-Why not? I am good at it... I am
not just saying that, I really am. I don't feel like I have been truly tested
yet, every fight has gotten harder and harder, but I still havent gone past the
1st round. I train with so many guys at Toe-2-Toe that are better than me in
every area and as long as I am doing that I am happy learning and getting
better than I am now. Hard head, stubborn, 82'' inch reach...need I say more?
Who is the best MMA fighter in your opinion?
-Wow, what a question...Anderson
Silva, hands down...have you seen the guy? I know that you havent seen alot of
him on the screens lately. Thats because no one can touch the guy...
Who was your toughest opponent?
-Aaron "Tex" Johnson,
thats right...I have trained with him for the past 2 years or so and sparring
with him and rollin' with him is much harder than anyone I have seen in the
cage and much tougher than anyone I will see anytime soon. So working with him
and still being alive...I am not worried about anyone around here.
Where do you train and who are your trainers?
-I train at Toe-2-Toe in
What do you look for in other fighters?
-A challenge, sportsmanship and
their nose...
What motivates you to fight?
-It is so much fun, no one is
pushing me. I do what I love, I train because I love it, I punch grown men in
the face because I love it, I get punched in the face because I love it...
What would you do if you were not a fighter?
-I want to make money, I am an
entrepreneur so whatever really. I want to have more than 1 house by the age of
35. I am good at making money. I stay pretty motivated to make that happen.
Maybe own my own company and have someone else run it for me. hahaha
If you could fight anyone in the sport of MMA, who would it be and why?
-Paul Gabelmann, because that is
who is standing in my way now... I am 3-0, I want to be 4-0.
If you could fight anyone NOT in the sport, who would it be and why?
-I was thinking about the other day and I came up with a few names.
Politicians-Obama and McCain, Musician-John Mayer, WarHero-Ulysses S. Grant,
Actor-Rampage Jackson, hahaha!
Have you any superstition or mania on fighting days?
-Thats a negative. Be smart, train
harder and fight harder and the best man with win.
When will we be seeing you fight again?
-I will be fighting on February
27th at Bangkok Fight Night at Center Stage in ATL. come on out you guys and
see the fights. Huge Card lined up, Bobby Peavler and Tim Stout are also on
this card! I promise to give you guys a show, one way or the other it will be
awesome...
Do you know who you will be fighting?
-Paul Gabelmann he will be 2-2 on
the 28th of this month
Are there Fans, Friends or sponsors you would like to thank and give a shout
out to?
-Oh yeah. Thanks to my awesome
managers and friends at SponsoredFan, I fight and they manage, plain and
simple. Toe-2-Toe Apparel, Thanks to my boys at my gym Toe-2-Toe Hiram. And my
fans, I did'nt think that I was a very big deal at all and now I am getting
friend requests like crazy on facebook from people all over asking me when I am
fighting again...it's awesome. And last but not least, thanks to Born-2-Bang
Athletics!.
How can folks contact you?
Come train with me at Toe2Toe
Hiram, GA. on Hwy. 92. or you can hit up www.sponsoredfan.com <http://www.sponsoredfan.com>
and check out my management!