I had the opportunity to catch up with K.J. Noons via phone shortly after word broke that he would be fighting Nick Diaz for the newly created EliteXC 160 lbs. title on Nov. 10 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Here's the transcript of that conversation...

Sam Caplan: It was announced recently that you'll be fighting Nick Diaz for the 160 lbs. title. Are those reports accurate?

K.J. Noons: It's in the works and there are a few tiny things that we got to make sure (of). We just have to cross the t's and do the i's. But as far as I'm concerned, yeah, it's going to be on for Nov. 10.

Sam Caplan: Is it true that the match between you and Diaz was originally discussed for Sept. 15?

K.J. Noons: Yeah, but I broke my hand and that put me out for a couple of months. And it was just a rumor it wasn't even for sure.

Sam Caplan: When the match was being talked about for Sept. 15 were there any rumblings that it would have been for a title?

K.J. Noons: I really don't know.

Sam Caplan: Nobody likes to get injured, but there's a chance you might have inadvertently benefited from the injury if you weren't going to get a title shot on Sept. 15 considering that the match on Nov. 10 will be for a title?

K.J. Noons: Possibly with going for a title. I know that Nick is the number one guy in the world so what an opportunity to have the number one guy in the world in the same organization and to get a shot at him.

Sam Caplan: Can you update everyone on the status of the hand you broke during the fight against Edson Berto?

K.J. Noons: It's good now. It's all good and nice and healed and I'm just doing some training.

Sam Caplan: When you suffered the injury, how did it impact your training? Did you have to cutback or stop altogether?

K.J. Noons: I broke my hand in the first round of the Edson fight and I fought through it. It was pretty painful afterwards and it was a good break. When the break happened I just took a break for a couple of months to let it heal. I did some cardio here and there but I just let it heal all the way and I just got back in the gym.

Sam Caplan: Do you feel like you'll be in good shape for Nov. 10?

K.J. Noons: Oh yeah, for sure.

Sam Caplan: Diaz is a tough opponent because he has good standup and incredible Jiu-Jitsu. Are you going to do anything differently to prepare for this fight?

K.J. Noons: Nope. I'm just going to train. He's the best guy in the world so I'm just going to train the hardest I've ever trained and bring in some people and just get as much training as I can in. He's a great, well-rounded fighter. He's got great standup and amazing ground (skills) and I've just got to be ready for everything that he throws at me.

Sam Caplan: Both of you guys are based in California. Have you ever crossed paths with him before?

K.J. Noons: I've seen him at a few events but nothing personal. I think he's a great fighter and I'm really glad I'm getting an opportunity to fight someone that's number one in the world.

Sam Caplan: What would it mean to take home the 160 lbs. title?

K.J. Noons: It would mean everything to me. Not only would I be holding a title but I think it would be a legitimate title because he's the number guy in the world; he beat Gomi. I can't even remember the last guy to beat Gomi. He beat Gomi so he's the number one guy in the world and then to put up a title, whoever Nick fights is legitimate and it would mean everything in the world to me to beat Nick Diaz and be number one in the world and hold an EliteXC title.

Sam Caplan: EliteXC live events president Gary Shaw has also signed you to a boxing contract. How's your boxing coming along?

K.J. Noons: Good. I fought a boxing match right before the Edson Berto fight and I got the butterflies out following the loss to Krazy Horse. But they're really trying to push MMA and EliteXC so I haven't really gotten too much time to bounce back to boxing recently. I've really been concentrating a lot on MMA.

Sam Caplan: Do you think you might train MMA full-time and leave the boxing aside?

K.J. Noons: No. My goal is to hold the title in both (MMA and boxing) and everybody always doubts me and they say I can't do it. People are probably already talking that I can't beat Nick Diaz; I can't be a world champ; I can't be a boxing champ -- that's the motivation right there. If you don't want to be the best at what you do, then obviously you're in the wrong sport. There's always going to be people that say you can't do it and it can be done.

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com