Interview with Tim Credeur
What have you been up to?
A lot of training and trying to help Forrest get ready for his fight this weekend. I’m helping him train as much as I can. Mostly I’m taking a lot of beatings. I’m technically helping him train but it’s really a victimization of Tim Credeur I would say.
How do you think he’ll do in the fight?
I think we both have similar styles. We both wear the guy out and take the fight out of our opponent over time. Both of us are really serious about strength and conditioning and cardio. We train well together because of that. We train hard for extensive periods of time. It helps us both especially me because he’s so much bigger. He’s a great training partner.
Has the fight with Cale been rescheduled?
Yes, July 19th. It’ll be on the Anderson Silva card.
How disappointed where you that it got postponed?
I was very disappointed. I take Adderall for my ADD. Adderall has defintely helped me. On that note though I take the lowest doseage you can possibly take, 10 milligrams. I don’t take it all the time. I just take it on days that are tougher than others. I’ve been on it for a long time. I understand the athletic commissions position. The tests that they gave me stated that I wasn’t taking it to get an advantage. I wasn’t using it as a performance enhancer. They have had cases in the past were people have had spikes but there were very minor traces found in my system. I had no idea it was banned. It can cause heart attacks or strokes for fighters. The Athletic Commision can’t risk that. I understand their position and I’m happy to know of the risks. Taking Adderall going into a stressful situation like a fight sould be dangerous. Maybe some other fighters can learn from my situation. Everyone was really cool with it. I was honest about everything but the rules were perfectly clear that any means any so they canceled the fight. The UFC knew I was on it. When I was on the show they knew. I’ve never not told people I take it as a prescription.
I’m glad the UFC rescheduled that fight fairly soon. I felt more for Cale than anyone. He didn’t do anything wrong. He had no hand in it and didn’t get an oppoortunity to fight. I think I’d rather get knocked out in a few seconds than not fight. The UFC still paid us our show money which I was happy about.
Have you talked to Cale since all this?
Oh yeah, Cale and I are friends. I don’t mind fighting my friends. The way I look at it is both of us are getting paychecks. One of us will get a bigger one. The bottom line is my friend and I are getting paid to do something we’d do for free. We beat on each other on the show so why not do it for money and advance one of our careers. In this business you are going to fight people you train with or are friends with. It’s part of the business. It’s the same in football or baseball you compete against people you are friends with. It might be strange that we are going to try to punch each others face in but we chose this job. It’s not an anger thing. It’s business. We’ll continue to be friends after the fight. We won’t punch each other any lighter but we’re still friends.
I think it’s a good matchup for you.
Some people are saying that. I honestly think Cale’s a tough kid. Maybe he doesn’t have the jiu jitsu skills to play jiu jitsu with me but he is tough to take down and he’s hard to take down. He’s got some good hands. He’s there to fight and I’m looking forward to it. I never take any opponent lightly. I’ve been training here in Vegas for 10 weeks now. I’ve been training 3 or 4 times a day. I’ve trained with some of the best fighters in the world. As a fighter I owe Cale to be the best me I can be. I don’t get caught up in my opponent. A wise man once told me when it comes to fighting the last thing you want to worry about is the other guy. Worry about him when you get in the ring. Worry about you. I’ve got alot to deal with as a fighter. I’ve got to worry about supplements, getting to boxing practice, and MMA and jiu jitsuu. I don’t have time to worry about Cale or what he can or can’t do. I have to worry about what Tim can and can’t do. Cale has a lot of tools.It’ll be a battle. I think I showed on the show I can go three 5 minute rounds. It’ll be a fun fight. I think we’ll throw. A lot of folks are expecting for me to go for a takedown early but I’m not planning on doing that.
How did you get into MMA?
When I was younger my father was into boxing and martial arts his whole life. I started doing muay tai and kickboxing I was about 9. I went to some kickboxing matches at the Landmark in New Orleans. My instructor Joe Ancona was fighting. He trained Melvin Guillard and some other good fighters from Louisiana. It was the first fight I had ever been too. He knocked out his opponent in the first round. I told my dad I wanted to be a fighter that day. I never wanted to be a fireman or a policeman.I always wanted to be a fighter. The UFC started when I was 14 or 15 years old and I was fascinated. The story has been retold by many fighters but I believed it was the sport of the future. I couldn’t wrap my head around what that little Brazillian man was doing. It was amazing. I started having MMA matches in my backyard sanctioned by myself against unsuspected high school friends. I just tried to learn the stuff I saw. Back in the 90’s it was so impossible to find anything or anyone involved with it.
I joined the Navy at about 17 and came to California because that’s where I knew the jiu jitsu guys where. I started training there and eventually hooked up with the Carlson Gracie team and that’s where I’ve been ever since. I’ve been scratching, biting, and fighting trying to make my way up the ranks. I’d fight for a few years and get frustrated and take off. Then fight for a few more then take off again. It’s long road as a fighter. I tell my students that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. I’ve met so many great people and trained with so many great champions I’m glad it took this long to get here. I’m glad to be finally fighting for money. It’s long way away from fighting for nothing in Nowhere, Louisiana.
Didn’t you just sign a contract with the UFC?
Yes, it’s a rudimentary contract. It’s a 3 year deal with them unless I’m released.
How exciting was it to sign that contract?
It’s a dream come true. There was a lot of times when I thought that was never going to happen. But I’m blad I had strong people around me and good influences that kept me in it. Especially my wife and my family. There where some tough times when I thought I was finished. It was very serene looking at theat piece of paper. Sometimes I think about it, am I really fighting on the same card as Anderson Silva or am I going to wake up and realize it’s all a dream. I look back and it was a lot of hard work and I believe I deserve it.
How did you get selected for the Ultimate Fighter?
I’m really good friends with Alan Belcher and Rich Clementi. I’ve been training with them for years. I was going to retire last September after a big event in the Cajun Dome in Lafayette. I was going to make it my last fight. I was finishing college. I had a job lined up doing geophysical exploration. I was done. I was going to take that job. It would’ve changed my life. I was going to have kids and all that and be done with MMA. I did really well in the that fight and Rich offered me another one in October against a veteran of the EliteXC, Chris Gates. I finished him in the 1st round too. Two days after that my wife saw that they were casting for the Ultimate Fighter 7 for 185 on the internet. I called Rich and he called the producers then they sent me some paperwork. I sent it in with a video. They called me and I went to Vegas and the rest is history. I guess I was funny enough or good looking enough or whatever it took to get on that show. I had a decent record. I had the opportunity. I was lucky. There are a lot of guys who are as good as me who didn’t get that opportunity. I thank my lucky stars.
It’s tough coming from Louisiana. We don’t get a lot of breaks. The guys from the East Coast get a lot more opportunities. The fights down south don’t get a lot of coverage. I hope to change that. I hope to bring some of the popularity that I’ve gained to use my name to help the good fighters down there.
Do you plan on opening your own gym one day?
Yes, one day. I’m currently affiliated with Gladiators Academy. I’ve been teaching there for about 3 years in Baton Rouge. Rich has one in Slidell. I’ll probably be opening one in Lafayette. That’s my hometown. There are a lot of good fighters there I train with. 15 or 20 of them fight regularly. Louisiana has fights every weekend. People don’t relaize it. We have amatuers with 10 or 15 fights. That’s more than some guys in the UFC. Amateur fights don’t mean anything different. The only thing different if the word “amateur” is in front of your fight. They still are fights.
Doesn’t Jeremiah Riggs fight down there too?
Yeah, he’s a good friend of mine. You saw him on the show, he can fight. He doesn’t quit. He’s a lot like me. Thats how we are bred down here. We have heart. We’ve had it rough since the civil war. We deal with a lot of adversity. We don’t have all the extras that other people in other areas of the coutry have. It breeds a tougher kind of people. Look at Rich Clementi he takes a beating and still win fights.
You were portrayed as a nice guy on the show.
I think a lot of people that get the opportunity to be on a show like that lose focus of who they are. They lose focus of what they really are trying to be in life. They act out a little bit. I’m a little older. My 80 year old grandparents are watching this. I want to make sure more than anything that they are proud to watch this. I don’t want to embarass them. I think that goes back again to people from the south. I care. I’m not one of those guys who doesn’t give a damn about someone else. I’m not like that. I care about my family. I care about the values they passed on to me. I care about my friends. And just because I’m a fighter that is not going to change. And if that doesn’ make me cool or accepted then I don’t care. I think a lot of people respect that. You can still be a nice guy and not cheat on your wife and not be a dirtbag and still be a fighter. I think it’s a breath of fresh air. The peopl on reality shows are ridiculous. Some of the guys on the show were just playing roles. Jesse Taylor wasn’t. I think he was born on another planet. Other than him there where a lot of weird dudes. Someone told me that the kids I teach are going to be watching this. You got to think about that while you are there. You don’t want to get drunk and trash the house. I’m not that guy. I’m glad people respected me but whether they did or didn’t that’s not going to change me.
Why did you show Jesse how to get out of holds that you were going to put him in in a few days?
I don’t know how to answer that. There wasn’t a lot of forethought going into that. I was hurt the week before that so I was resting a lot in the gym and icing my shoulder. I’m also a coach too. If I could take it back. No, I wouldn’t take it back. Did he use what I taught him to great avail? Absolutely, he did exactly what I told him in our fight. That was probably the first and only time that whole 6 weeks but he did it. I wouldn’t ake it back. That’s how I am. If I see a friend or a training partner who is frustrated and having trouble I’m going to help them out. That situation will never happen again in my life. That’s how I am. Maybe it worked against me a little but as a fighter I want to beat the best Jesse Taylor possible. I don’t want to beat Jesse who is making stupid mistakes. That’s how it goes. He’s my friend and he was frustrated with his training and I wanted to help him out.
I talked to Jesse and he said he couldn’t put into words how much you meant to him.
He’s a great guy. He got a bad rap on the show. They showed the side of Jesse that reality TV wants to buy into. But he’s an awesome kid. They portrayed him as a dumb wrester but he’s 3 credits short of a masters degree at Cal State Fullerton. He’s a smart guy. He loses his mind when he drinks but a lot of people do that. He’s a great guy. He’s a good father. He’s caring. I’m pretty sure he and I will be friends for a long time.
Who did you see as the favorite coming onto the show?
Well, I was my favorite. I’m not trying to be cocky but I’m confident. You have to be going into a situation like believing in yourself. I believed I was going to win and be the Ultimate Fighter. If you asked Amir he would say he thought he was going to win. If you asked CB or Jesse they would tell you the same thing. The guys who made it believed in themselves. 90% of it is in your head. You got to get the work in the gym but when it comes down to it you have to believe in yourself and your techinique. If you don’t believe that it doesn’t matter how much you train. I thought there where alot of guys on the show that would tough.
I knew CB was going to be tough. I watched him wrestle on TV. I knew exactly who he was when he got there. I knew who JT was. I thought Gerald had a shot. I was impressed with him. I thought Dolce was a threat. Those two guys lost early but it could happen to anybody. Riddle could’ve knocked me out. Those two guys were contenders. I think the guys that were the best quality guys where the guys who made it to the semi-finals. Between, me Jess, CB, or Amir could’ve won. It all comes down to matchups.
It seemed that Amir was having doubts early on during the show.
It’s not an accident Amir Sadollah is the Ultimate Fighter. Amir is very critical of his skills but when the bell rings and it’s time to fight Amir is 100% positve he’s going to break your face. And 90% of the time he finishes you in the fight. He might come across as unsure and happy go lucky but I can tell you once the bell rings he’s an animal. He knew he was going to win. He’s tough and no matter how funny and cool he is he’s a fighter.
It seems like during editing they portrayed Jesse, CB, and you as the favorites. Amir snuck up on everyone.
I think they thought he was too new or too soft. He didn’t have the attitude and didn’t talk the talk. I didn’t think it either. I was a veteran. I think with Amir they thought Gerald was going to beat him, then they thought Mat Brown was going to beat him. And they probably really thought CB was going to beat him. Then it was like, oh shit this guy is for real. I don’t think a lot of people on the show or in the UFC thought he was for real until it was all said and done. I think all of us on our team knew he was good. I know I did after the first practice. He was out here in Vegas with me and Forrest for 8 weeks. He trains hard. He’s going to be a star. Mental game is important and he never quits and is one second away from finishing you.
Looking back on your fight with Riddle what are your thoughts?
I thought Riddle was tough and I knew he wasn’t going to be an easy fight. He’s a good grappler and wrestler. But I think my strength lies in guys getting too confident with me. They feel that I’m not strong and I’m not tough. I lure them into a false sense of security sometimes. I don’t look tough. I don’t act tough. But I’m hard to finish. And guys wear themselvs out trying to finish me. They usually realize they are in deeper water then they realize once they get in that cage. I knew Riddle was going to come out fast. It’s really the best way to fight me is to finish me early. Im better in the late rounds.
Looking back on the fight Riddle did a great job. He had a lot of heart. He came out tough. I had too much experience, good cardio, and a little too crafty. I think that will happen with younger guys fighting me. They are going to come at me and they’ll eventually make a mistake. I don’t mind fighting those guys. Am I going to get beat up? Maybe, I don’t mind. I get paid for it. It makes it more entertaining.
Didn’t you buy him an Xbox after the fight?
Yes, he came to the show wanting to win enough money to buy an Xbox. I just thought he fought so well for a young guy that I thought it was my job to get him an Xbox. I bought him one and shipped it out to Arizona. He was very excited. I think he thanked my wife 5,000 times at the Finale.
Did you know something was up when they flew you back to Vegas?
Yeah, when I got out of the car I saw CB and I knew exactly what was going on. I knew it was going to happen. It was the fight that needed to happen since the beginning of the show. CB and I talked about it and when it didn’t happen it was rather lackluster for me. When they brought us back and I saw him I knew it was going to happen. I didn’t know about Jesse. I wanted to fight CB. Their was no animosity there I just wanted fight him and test my skills. I wanted to test myself against a guy of his caliber.
I thought you won the first and third rounds but in the second you where in a lot of trouble. How did you get out of the second round?
I remember him catching me with a left hook and uppercut. We went down and he was on top hitting me. To be honest with you I thought about my wife.I wasn’t going to let it end like this. I owed it to her to keep fighting. I know a lot of guys say that. I was going out in a blaze of glory. I kept thinking about my wife and the people back home supporting me. It gave me the strength to get back up and keep fighting.
Whether or not I won or lost that fight I don’t know. I’m not judge. The way I look at it is if I can’t finish a guy in 15 minutes I lost anyways. I guess you get paid more if the judges say you won but that’s not why I fight. I’ma martial artist and a martial arts instructor. I should be able to finish someone in 15 minutes. If I can’t I feel like I failed. I don’t know aboutt hat controversary. It was a great fight. That fight made me a better fighter. The only person I have to thank is CB. And I do. It was a great battle. My main job is to entertain people and that’s what we did. I wish I could have won the Ultimate Fighter but that’s not how it worked out.
Did you get along with Jeremy May?
I think the kid was confused. I think he’s a young guy and not sure of what he was doing there. We all make mistakes. It’s unfotunate he made some in from a national audience. I had good influences coming up and it saddens me that Jeremy didn’t have those role models growing up. He didn’tn understand the affects of his behavior. I am sure he’s learning to understand it now. He’s going to be that guy for the rest of his life. To be honest I’m older and when I see a guy like Jeremy I keep my distance. I know what trouble looks like. I didn’t speak to him much. I just saw things in him I didn’t think where honorable. If Jeremy May had done the things he did to Jesse I could have been kicked off the show. I know to keep myself out of those situations. I’m no better than anyone else. I would’ve done more or worse than Jesse did.
What did you think of Riddle’s knockout of Simmler?
I like Simmler. He’s a cool kid and a tough guy. But at the same time. He’s a jiu jitsu guy with not much experience. He walked up to a big 185 pound kid with his hands down and you get your head broken doing that. If he didn’t know then he knows now. I think most of us on the show have more experience in MMA and know better. That’s why Riddle didn’t have that same kind of luck with me as he did Simmler.
But to the day I die I’ll always remember the noise that Simmler made on the ground after his jaw was broken. It was the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life.
