That performance was good enough to get Barrett a shot on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. He fights Sang Hoon Yoo tomorrow night for a shot in the big time. A couple weeks back as “Slippery” made his final prep, your boy Joey B got to hop in the cage with the man himself to talk a thing or two and chop it with him about his start in MMA, his career so far, and the biggest fight of his life. Enjoy.
Pt. 1
Pt. 2
What’d Barrett give Joey B for a grade after their training session?
Thanks again to Cage Titans for hooking us up with the front row seats and to all the fighters that gave us a bit of their time leading up to the fights as well as the night of the event. We’ve still got some post fight interviews from Joey B as well as the full stream of consciousness play by play that we’ll probably drop in a podcast too. So keep an eye out for the rest of that sweet sweet fight #content.
Welllll fuck me. Saturday night was everything you’d expect out of the best of the best in New England MMA and then some. We had amateur and professional bouts, from debuts to vets looking to inch their way closer to the big time. In addition to Peter Barrett and Joe Giannetti, who we spoke to earlier this week, “Shameless” Don Shainis and Brandon Fleming, among other, graced the cage to do battle. Here are some notes:
-Those were some HIGH-LEVEL ammy bouts we got to see along with some awesome backstories. The first victor Red and I got to see was actually competing in his first and only MMA fight before leaving to join the Marines. Semper Fi.
-Jake Bagley, fighting out of Nostos MMA (home of Devin Powell) came to do work and knocked his opponent the fuck out. It was revealed after the fight that just one year ago, Bagley was in rehab. Now he’s a guy who looks like he has a legit future in MMA. O and Red got this little quip from him:
Line of the night from Jake Bagley after his W at @CageTitans tonight:
“Nobody hits like I do. I wake up and work 40 hours building houses every week. I kind of felt like he was on vacation and I’m going to work.” pic.twitter.com/62XHNGJ9Ph
-Kristina Katsikis had her pro debut fighting out of South Shore Sportfighting. Although she lost, she really came back after a lopsided first round against Whittany Pyles. One thing that really stood out was that she had ZERO quit against a bigger, stronger opponent. Lots more to see from “the Meat Grinder”.
-Friend Of The Blog “Slippery” Pete Barrett did NOT disappoint. Remember when he told me he’d either knock his opponent out or send him crawling out of the cage due to lead leg damage? Well he kind of attempted to do both. In the end, Barrett was too much coming out of breaks for Zack DiSabatino and won via RD1 TKO after a nasty knee and a few head kicks. HUGE THANKS to Steve Demenico from Domenico101MMA and the #ambassadortofighters for the below video where you can hear your boy asking Pete about his victory. Find Steve on IG and Twitter at @ambassador_to_fighters .
-Tough loss for Joe Joe Giannetti but these things happen sometimes. He already has retracted his statement on taking a break and now wants to fight a couple times this summer. #comebackseason proceeds as scheduled for Skelator.
Red has a bigger breakdown with a ton of media coming up later today but there’s just a taste. A LOT more MMA content coming from yours truly and The 300s.
Let’s GOOOOOO! As you probably saw Red worked some magic and your boy gets to live his MMA blogger dream Saturday when we get to sit cageside at Cage Titans, a premier New England MMA promotion.
This week I’ll be speaking with a few of the fighters competing this Saturday to get their thoughts on everything from the their upcoming bouts to the fight game in general.
Yesterday afternoon I got to chop it up with one of the baddest men at 155lbs in the commonwealth and The Ultimate Fighter 27 finalist Joe Giannetti. Looking to send the crowd home happy Saturday as the hometown headliner against D’Juan Owens, “Skeletor” gave us a peak into his training, goals, and how he sees this fight playing out.
The 300s: So it’s been awhile since we’ve seen you in there, what have you been up to, what have you been working on, what have you been doing during the layoff?
Gianetti: Well actually I’ve fought a couple times. November and in January. I actually wanted to fight in April but it didn’t work out.
The 300s: O ok I got ya, bad internet information (Note: Fucking Sherdog). In terms of your opponent D’Juan, he has a ton of experience. And unlike a lot of these guys with long records on the regional scene he has a winning record and clearly has some game. Does that change the way you prepare?
Giannetti: No, not really. I’ve been to the show, I know what I can do. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and just want to get this win and get back there.
The 300s: Absolutely, and I noticed he also goes after submissions, I think he has six to his credit. Going up against another grappler, do you see this as a big way to prove yourself.
Giannetti: No, not really man. I don’t need to prove myself. If his necks there I’ll take it, but I know what I can do on the mat. I’ve gone up against some really good guys on the ground. I’ve got up against brown belts and done well. I think my grappling for MMA stacks up with just about anyone. But I can do it on the ground and striking.
The 300s: Ya I was going to mention I was rewatching some of your fights and in particular your fight again Allan Zuniga. He like D’Juan is a shorter guy compared to you and you were doing this cool little thing where you were setting up a head kick to right hand or right hand to head kick upstairs. Really showing off your striking especially up top since you’re a taller guy. Is your striking something you are going to really try and show off?
Giannetti: Ya man absolutely. You know D’Juan does not stop coming forward. There have been guys who thought they could get him out of there and he just keeps coming. But he’s the kind of guy to take two to give one. And I’m not sure you want to take two from me. I don’t know if you’ll still be there.
The 300s: And how’s training been in general? How’s it been and how ready are you? Are you rested and ready for battle?
Giannetti: It’s been been awesome man. Trainings been great, weight cut has been really easy this time around. I was out at AKA (in San Jose, CA) and got some awesome training out there and just got home and I just feel great. I have so much more energy than I normally do and am not really worried about weight or anything. I feel great.
The 300s: Nice, you mentioned weight cut being easier this time. If you don’t mind me asking is it something you changed nutritionally or is just growing as a fighter and sort of things just getting easier?
Giannetti: You know it’s a combination of things. Nutritional, timing, how I work my camp out timing-wise. I’m just really at peace this time around. It’s weird. I never had a problem with the weight but I was always worried about it. This time I’m at peace. Again I’m where I’m supposed to be and everything is going right.
The 300s: Switching gears, I’m sure everyone you talk to this week is going to be saying “UFC, UFC, UFC” since you’re coming off the show, but you’re obviously still a younger guy, one year, two years, a few fights down the road where do you see yourself? A few more with Cage Titans? Do you see maybe testing out one of these other promotions like ONE? Where do you see yourself going?
Giannetti: The UFC man, I’m going back to the show. That’s my only goal. Like I said it’s where I belong and it’s my time. I’m getting back and I’m not going anywhere.
The 300s: One last fun one before I let you go. I saw a couple fights into your career you fought a guy with 63 wins at the time? I think he now has 88? How did that come together?
Giannetti:Ya ya, Jay Ellis. Basically I just had an opponent drop out and Jay took the fight to fill in. Honestly? I think I got the best Jay Ellis there’s been, at least recently. He gave me a really hard fight. Jay came to fight that night and really brought it. You know those fights are tricky man. We planned for a different opponent and then get a different one we’re just expected to beat. It can come back to bite you.
The 300s: Sure, happened with T.J vs. Soto, Khabib vs. Darrell Horcher, they didn’t have the easiest nights. Sorry going down my sheet I do have another: I know you’ve been on the big stage under the bright light of the UFC now but you are the headliner of the home town card this weekend, you are definitely “the guy” on this card. Does that give you any extra motivation? Does that feel pretty cool that when people show up Saturday they’re probably there to see you?
Giannetti: You know what, ya man it does. I really do feel like it’s my time. I feel better than I have in a long time and I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. That’s why the top welterweight in North Carolina is coming up here to fight me at 155lbs. I’m just looking forward to fighting and winning this Saturday and getting back to the big time. This is what I’m supposed to be doing.
The 300s: Awesome man, well look we know you can submit people, we know you can strike, any kind of prediction for Saturday?
Giannetti: Ya! I think it’s going to be a quick one. A short one. I like to throw crazy shit, D’Juan like to throw crazy shit. I think someones checking out early.
Joe “Skeletor” Giannetti vs. D’Juan “Dirty South” Owens HEADLINES Cage Titans Titans XLIV. June 15, 2019 at 6:00pm at Plymouth Memorial Hall in Plymouth. MA.
Let’s GOOOOOO! As you probably saw Red worked some magic and your boy gets to live his MMA blogger dream Saturday when we get to sit cageside at Cage Titans, a premier New England MMA promotion.
This week I’ll be speaking with a few of the fighters competing this Saturday to get their thoughts on everything from the their upcoming bouts to the fight game in general.
I led off by speaking with Peter Barrett, an insanely talented vet of the New England MMA scene, which I knew, and a sharp mind when it comes to the fight game and the local scene, which I did not. He fights Zach DiSabatino in a lightweight bout this coming Saturday at Cage Titans XLIV.
A destructive Muay Thai striker that has rounded his game off on the mats of Lauzon MMA. As he rolled up to Lauzon’s on Monday, he gave us a few minutes of his time to discuss his training, the New England MMA scene, and his penchant for rendering the scorecards unnecessary
The 300s: So you took some time off between fights, I think a year, year and a half maybe, was that by design or no? Was this just the right time to take a fight?
Barrett: Well originally, I hurt my arm fighting Connor Barry, so I took some time off for that. But I’ve actually been trying to get a fight since November, actually September.
The 300s: Really?
Barrett: So I was supposed to fight Blair Tugman for Bellator and then he tested positive for steroids, suspended a year and that fight got scrapped. Then November for Cage Titans, I tried to get on there against Keegan (Hornstra), he ended up having a health issue with a new doctor that had been previously cleared by another doctor, but not this one. So that fight got cancelled at weigh-ins. I was aiming for January for Cage Titans and that opponent pulled out. So it’s been about a year since I fought last and I’ve been trying to fight for the last eight months.
The 300s: O wow
Barrett: I mean my trainings been good, everything’s been consistent, I was just talking to Jason Floyd the other day and mentioned that in hindsight maybe not fighting for a year was the best thing that could have happened. For awhile it felt like fighting and training, from my perspective I had built it up to be like a job more than it was to have fun and enjoy myself and be creative and just like, enjoy it, you know? You see guys like Rob and Calvin (Rob Font and Calvin Kattar, two fighters from MA on the UFC roster) and they’re laughing and having a blast every day at training and I wasn’t, that wasn’t what it was for me at the time. Now I’m back to that. Having fun with training, learning, getting better you know? I’m just really enjoying myself. This camp has been incredible. My cardio, my strength, my skill everything is coming full circle and it’s going to put out the best product I’ve had so far.
The 300s: So this fight Cage Titans is promoting as short notice, do you think some of that “fun” is coming back from not having to think about an 8-10 week camp, you just had a few weeks and then “go”?
Barrett:Well actually I was scheduled to fight this kid Darius from Jackson-Wink. And he started dropping hints that he was going to pull out basically two weeks before we announced the fight with Zach. He hadn’t completely pulled out but we, we being Cage Titans, had already started talking to South Shore (South Shore Sport Fighting, DiSabatino’s gym) about this fight. We had it done about a week and a half before it was announced.
The 300s: You mentioned Zach, he has a lot less experience than you. Some would say that’s an automatic advantage for you but at the same time there’s also a lot less, you know, “game tape” type stuff to go on. Does that effect how you prepare at all?
Barrett:No not so much, he’s also one of Cage Titans guys. I’m familiar with Zach, I’m familiar with his style. But he did just lose to Estell in his last fight. There’s no tape of that fight. Somehow Flo lost it when they were transferring files. It’s not on Flo, Youtube, Facebook. But if you look back at his fight with Keegan Raymond, which Keegan did not answer the bell for the beginning of the third round, maybe he quit after the first round…but Keegan was able to pressure him and pick apart Zach pretty easily you know? And that’s what we saw at the last fight. Darius Estell, his last opponent, just beat the breaks off him. And that’s what I’m taking into this. He doesn’t do well under pressure, he covers up, he shells up, and I’ll be able to, really just stay in control and pressure this fight the way I want it to go.
The 300s: Before we hit “go” (Note: Before I hit record) you mentioned you were spending some time at Lauzon’s, I know you’re at Sityodtong, are you vacillating between those two, those are your home camps?
Barrett: Ya so for this fight I added some time over here at Lauzon’s which has been a great help to my ground game. My home base has always been at Sityodtong and that’s where I got most of my training for this camp. I also went down to Triforce working with Nate (Andrews) a little bit before his PFL fight. I’ve been up with Tom Egan’s guy’s at Trifecta in Quincy wrestling. You know, like you said, I’ve been in the game for a little bit, got a really good relationship across the community, and it’s provided me with the opportunity to cross-train outside of my home camp as much as possible which is a blessing.
The 300s: Ya that’s cool. I didn’t even plan to ask you this but reading between the lines over the years, it seems unlike the big camps in California and Florida that seem to have beef with each other, the Mass MMA community and MMA gyms seem to have pretty good relationships and at least healthy, friendly competition. Any thoughts on that?
Barrett: Ya that’s what makes it work – at least the higher level pro promotions in the area like CES, Cage Titans, they do a good job of bringing guys in for local guys so local guys don’t necessarily have to fight each other, which then lets us cross-train and just get better and really increase the level of competition in the area, which is the end game. We want to be able to say, “I come from New England MMA, we’re some of the baddest motherfuckers in the country,” you know? We got guys like Rob and Calvin, who just destroyed Ricardo Lamas last weekend, they’re the guys putting the name out for Northeast MMA right now. By being able to cross-train and bring that level up behind the scenes it allows us to go out there and perform so much better.
The 300s: That’s Awesome, that’s really cool. Look I only have one more and it’s been burning a hole in me, it’s the one I’ve been waiting to ask: you are hands down the one true, blue knockout artist on this card. Are you giving us one Saturday?
Barrett:Absolutely. 100%. You’re either going to get total fuckin knock out or Zach is going to crawl out of that cage because he can’t stand on his lead leg anymore.
The 300s: I love it. Alright man, I don’t want to hold you up anymore, anything you want to throw out there before I put this to print?
Peter “Slippery Pete” Barrett vs. Zach DiSabatino goes down at Cage Titans Titans XLIV. June 15, 2019 at 6:00pm at Plymouth Memorial Hall in Plymouth. MA.
Thats right, The 300s is getting into the fight game and we’re going to be sitting ringside (cage-side? Octagon-side?) at Cage Titans XLIV next Saturday, June 15th. We’ll be on hand to see local guy and Ultimate Fighter Finalist Joe Joe Giannetti take on D’Juan Owens out of North Carolina and a whole host of other fights.
Now we’re not going to cover this event with a fight by fight recap because to be completely honest with you I’m not going to know a ton about the majority of the fighters (but Joey B might). So we’ll probably do some live video, some recaps, fan and/or fighter interviews, and just bring you the general vibe that only the local MMA circuit can bring.
So I don’t know what the hell to expect, but Joey B and I will out there grinding for content. We’ll see ya out there.
The 300s 