Boxingtalk.com recently caught up with UFC heavyweight contender Brad Imes as he talks about his upcoming fight at UFC 69 with Heath Herring. Imes also discusses Couture/Sylvia, fighting Herring in his backyard and a new role in a movie with Dolph Lundgren.

PC: How is training going for your fight against Heath Herring at UFC 69?

BI: It’s exhausting!

PC: Who are some of the guys getting you prepared for this fight?

BI: Ben Rothwell, Nate Schroeder, Sam Hoger and Tim Sylvia. I have some pretty big guys helping me get ready.

PC: Heath Herring didn’t impress in his UFC debut. What Heath Herring are you preparing for?

BI: I’m preparing for the same Heath Herring that fought Fedor and all of those guys in Pride. You never know what could’ve been the reason for his last performance and Jake did a great job. I don’t think he was used to the UFC rules. Jake did a good job at passing his guard. I’m preparing for the Heath of old because that’s who I’m expecting.

PC: You are coming off of a couple of losses in the UFC. What does it mean for you to have another opportunity in the organization?

BI: It’s big for me. I was actually supposed to fight back in November, but I sustained an injury. It’s great to get back out there. My 2 losses were really close. My fight with Rashad was really close and my fight with Dan, I was winning the fight and got caught in a submission. I think I’m coming along pretty good. I’m learning a lot of new stuff along with what I knew already so I look forward to the opportunity to show my improvements.

PC: I know you’ve been battling a couple of injuries. How is your health right now?

BI: It’s great. I’m in good health and probably the best I’ve been in since I’ve been in the sport.

PC: Heath was obviously brought into the UFC to make an impact on the heavyweight division. Couple that with the fight being in his home state of Texas, do you think you need a submission or knockout to win this fight?

BI: No. I don’t think the judges will favor anyone. I plan on getting a submission, knockout or referee stoppage, but I think whoever deserves the victory will win.

PC: In his last fight with O’ Brien, Heath wanted to stand and never really had an answer for O’ Brien’s takedowns. With that being said, would you like to keep this fight standing or implement the same game plan Jake had against him?

BI: I plan on fighting on my feet. My game plan is to bang with him.

PC: You didn’t get into MMA until your mid twenties. What are some of the things that you’ve been working on and getting better at?

BI: I’ve been working a lot on my boxing. I have a wrestling background. I’ve been wrestling since I was a kid. I’ve picked up a few things in that as well. I think what’s really developed best in my game is my striking. That’s come a long way.

PC: O’ Brien made it a boring wrestling match, but did what he had to do for the victory. We’ve never saw you in a boring fight, so how do you see this fight playing out?

BI: I try not to get into making predictions on my fights. The only thing I know is it’s going to be exciting. Both Heath and I have exciting styles and we like to mix it up. I think it’s going to be a very great fight.

PC: Heath is one win away from being right back in the mix at heavyweight. Where would you like a victory over Heath to put your career?

BI: I think Heath is the perfect opponent for me because he’s obviously well respected. I plan on going in there and imposing my will on him. I think a win puts me right in the mix at heavyweight. We are both going in there needing to make a statement.

PC: At UFC 68, Randy Couture became the heavyweight champion. What did you think of his performance and do you think him winning was good or bad for the sport?

BI: I thought it was phenomenal. Randy studied a lot of tape on Tim and he figured out his weaknesses. He fought very well. Certainly I wanted Tim to win the fight; because that’s my teammate. Randy winning is probably good for the sport because more people will watch the UFC. The guy is 43 years old, coming back out of retirement and moving up in weight; it’s a great story. Everybody loves to cheer for the underdog. It was good.

PC: I appreciate your time. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

BI: I’d like to thank Warrior Wear. They’ve been sponsoring me since I’ve been in the UFC. MG Sports Supplements; they help me out a lot with my nutrition. Also, I will be appearing in a movie that will be coming out next year called Missionary Man, with Dolph Lundgren. It’s an action movie. Everybody look out for that.

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