Tim “the Barbarian” Boetsch gets lean and mean....and comes full circle

Tim Boetsch vs Kendall Grove ( Boetsch vs Grove ) UFC 130 MGM Grand Las Vegas, NV May 28^th, 2011

"I am going to keep fighting as long as I can. But I am not even thinking about losing. I am thinking about how quickly I will finish him, how brutal its gonna be when I finish him, I'm thinking about how scary I am going to be at middleweight."Tim Boetsch became an instant fan favorite in his auspicious debut in UFC 81 on February 2^nd, 2002 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. In part, because of his straight talking, workmanlike demeanor, and in a larger part because he threw his opponent, David Heath, into the side of the cage and then proceeded to pound him into the mat with his fists. This became a UFC highlight reel, and earned Boetsch a place in UFC history for displaying the “Barbarians” brand of “redneck judo.” At light heavy weight, Tim went on to show his versatility by winning via combinations of knockouts and submissions, his background as a high school and collegiate wrestler serving him well amongst the best fighters in the world. However, it has been a road not without its challenges for Boetsch. While Tim was given an early shot in the UFC after a short stint in the minor leagues (in which he had an almost unblemished record of 6 wins and 1 losses), Tim also was given only three more chances in the UFC after his initial jaw dropping win over David Heath. Tim saw mixed results, going on to lose and then win by TKO his next two fights, and then a tough loss by decision to Jason Brilz in UFC 96 saw Boetsch out of the UFC and back on his own.

Nose to the grindstone..

A hardworking family man, who went to college for criminal justice, specializing in Juvenile rehabilitation and earning a BS in Sociology, Tim was just not ready to hang up his gloves for good. So Tim did what it took, he joined the minor league circuit again, and this time he showed no mercy. He went on to unambiguously devastate his next three opponents, no slouches in their own rights, (although admittedly possibly not UFC caliber) again showing his multifaceted skills in winning by a technical submission, a guillotine choke, and a straight knockout before once again being invited back to the UFC.

Round Two

Tim’s commitment and discipline had paid off and he found himself back in the big leagues. His first fight back in found him placed against Todd Brown, in which a much more conservative and guarded Boetsch won in a unanimous decision, although the fight was all Boetsch. Boestsch found himself back on even footing and one win in after the first of a three fight contract. His next opponent was a young up and comer, Phil Davis, whom many touted as the next Light Heavyweight Phenom. Whilst Tim felt confident that was the better all around fighter and trusted his game plan, he went on to experience a heartbreaking loss to the buffed up and slippery Phil Davis. While Davis looked to be dominant during that fight, he still found himself using all his strength to try and bend Boetsch's one outstretched arm into submission with astonishing difficulty. Tim refused to relent and give up his arm. No one can ever accuse Tim “the Barbarian” Boetsch of having no heart.

Career Matchup

Now Tim finds himself again in a familiar place- with his back against the wall.

The same can be said for his opponent Kendal Grove...

Grove, the winner of Season Three of the Ultimate Fighter, showed early promise by winning three straight bouts via submission and a decision in the UFC before losing his next two by knockouts. He then went on a two fight winning spree by a decision and a knockout of his own before splitting his next four fights. In those four fights, Grove won by a submission and a decision and lost by a TKO and a submission. He now finds himself in a similar situation as Boetsch: Do or Die.

The Big Cut

While there are certainly similarities career wise between these two journeymen fighters and one could also make the case that they are both versatile, there is one glaring difference between these two fighters. Grove is and has always been a Middleweight. Boetsch, for the first time ever in his career, has decided to drop from Light Heavyweight to Middleweight. Moving from a comfortable 220 lbs, to a lean and mean 185. When asked about the difficulty in cutting down to 185, Tim had this to say :”Making light heavyweight wasn’t that difficult for me, I was naturally around that size.” Although when it came to cutting down, at age 30 to middleweight, Tim says: “I was a wrestler and was cutting weight since I was a small child. I got away from it a little bit in college, but now with this weight cut, I sort of feel that meanness coming back. Not getting to eat the things I want. Not being able to train the way that I am used to training. I find myself getting a little bit more edgy having to do this cut. I had kind of forgotten about that, just because I haven't had to do it for so long.” With a laugh Tim goes on to say “I mean, at first it was like 'how do you do the hard weight cut again?'” “you can ask the Wife, she will tell you that there are times that I was a little bit on edge, ha ha, especially on those low carb days.”

When asked how his training was different, Tim mentioned that his training actually has been taken to a much higher level. Not only does Tim say that he feels he has kept his Light Heavyweight strength, but he feels that he has improved in all areas of his training.”A lot of times people associate losing weight with losing strength, I have actually been getting stronger, which is kind of freaky, but good of course” “My trainer actually took a lot of notice that I have become a much more efficient athlete and I think it will transfer to the cage” As far as his training program, Tim says that he has gotten back to a lot of core strength exercises and basic lifts: “One thing that I hadn't done in a long time that I got back to was pullups,” Tim says with a gleam in his eye “I don't know if I could ever really do much for pullups in my life, but I am up to about 30 pullups a set right now, which blows my mind, guess I am getting real strong there!”

Tim has always been very committed to diet and nutrition as well. He is a big consumer of a number of nutritional products, which he gets from his Sponsor Feel It Nutrition. “Feel It has always been a big supporter of me and my career. They are good people, and they are huge fans of the sport.” Tim has also gone on to add a store of his own to his website, so that people can buy the products that he endorses. “I don't carry anything that I don't believe in, and I even have some of my own signature label products in the works.” Some of Tim's mainstay supplements are: “I like Dymatize BCAA amino complex 2200 and Feel It Nutrition’s glutamine, I feel like with this weight cut that these products I know helped me keep my strength.” Other products include Dyma-burn Xtreme, Dymatize Alpha Lipoeic Acid, and of course Whey Protein. “BSN and Cytosport both have great protein products, the BSN stuff tastes like dessert, which is great when you are craving during a cut.” Tim says with a laugh.

Tim's drop to middleweight and subsequent weight cut seems to be going well, but what does that mean in terms of fighting one of the top middleweight fighters in UFC history? “Grove is the tallest middleweight in the UFC and he will have a big reach advantage, but he is not, in my mind at least, a powerful striker. He's not known for knocking people out and I am comfortable dealing with that, I got a good plan for this guy” he says with a smile. When asked if Grove is going to come into the fight knowing that Boetsch may try to outmuscle him Tim says “yeah, he's gonna try and keep me at the end of his jab and try and outstrike me. I definitely think that he won't want to get me into a takedown situation where I can ground and pound him.” However, Kendall Grove has been known to be a crafty fighter, and decisions or not, he has often found a way to win, and Tim is not taking his opponent lightly. “He is definitely a guy who will finish you if you mess up.” Tim says. “if you go in high pressure, put it on him, make a mistake in technique and leave yourself open, he will finish you.” and while the reach advantage is no doubt a factor, Tim has this to say “The thing about being a good fighter is how you try to deal with another fighters' advantages over you. Every fighter has an advantage, and it is up to you to figure out what they are, and how to deal with them effectively.”

Do or Die..

Tim see's the move to middleweight as a new lease on life. “cutting weight and moving down a weight class was a big move, that's a big decision to make, I definitely want to get there and be successful otherwise if I lose, what other changes can I make? I am definitely looking at this as the most important fight of my life. I want to prove something to myself, prove something in this weight class, and make a run at the title. (Fighting) Kendall Grove is the way to do that. He is a proven top fighter in this weight class, in the world, and a win over him, well, that gets you up there quick.”

Still when asked what Tim Boetsch will do if he loses this fight, he retains a buoyant optimism: “I am going to keep fighting as long as I can. But I am not even thinking about losing. I am thinking about how quickly I will finish him, how brutal its gonna be when I finish him, I'm thinking about how scary I am going to be at middleweight.”

The evil smile on Tim's face puts the truth to the statement.

Objectively asked what he will do when he wins Tim says “When I win, I am hoping to get a quick turnaround, get the ball rolling at middleweight till I get to the top of the ladder. Grove is a big name fighter, he won the ultimate fighter three, people like him as a fighter. I plan on going in there and taking him out. I am really excited. I am not going to go in there and disappoint the fans, I am not. My performance is going to bring back memories of my debut in Las Vegas against David Heath. I am happy to make my debut at 185 back where I started. I think it’s going to be a great fight.”

Full Circle

Time will tell what the ultimate significance of this fight against Kendall grove in UFC 130 on May 28^th at MGM in Las Vegas will be, but it certainly has all the foreshadowing of a great fight. It could be that Boetsch has come full circle, back to a place that launched his career in electrifying fashion, and in a brand new, and possibly a punishingly fitting weight class, which suits him just fine. And that hint of destiny is more than enough to motivate Tim “the Barbarian” Boetsch to march forward and keep on fighting until either he, or every opponent in front of him lays bloodied and battered on the field before him.

- James M. Pitzner