Talk to "The Hands"

LONDON — When you overhear someone in the UK saying something like "he's a character," it's a fairly safe bet that they're talking about Paul "Hands of Stone" Jenkins. Even in a scene as relatively small and close-knit as MMA is over here, Jenkins stands out as … well, someone who just seems to have things all worked out.

Infamous for his "specialist" tastes in video and photographic art, Jenkins is plain speaking, humorous and friendly — a perfect spokesman for the sport. Well, amongst a certain sort of audience, anyway.

Jenkins is also something of an oxymoron — a real workhorse of a fighter who combines the seriousness of the seriously dedicated with the levity of the clown.

I want to write that "in the cage he's all business" but that's not true either. He's all business from a fighting point of view, but that doesn't stop him clowning around with the ring girls and taunting the fans in between rounds, or random other acts of comedy.

As usual, the next few months will be extremely busy for the Welshman, who is already confirmed to be fighting four times before the end of June. American fans will have their first chance to see him fight at WEC against Rich "Cleat" Crunkilton, but before that UK fans will see "The Hands" defend his British welterweight title against the young up-and-coming sensation that is Paul "Semtex" Daley.

Because we happened to be in the same pub, Sherdog.com took the opportunity to annoy Jenkins with some persistent questions.

Sherdog.com: How do you feel about the match-up with Daley?

Paul Jenkins: Daley is a top-flight fighter and I need someone like him coming out of the opposite corner before I even get my fighting head on. So I'm looking forward to it because he'll bring the best out of me. Tough one to call, prediction-wise, but there's no way I'll gift a fight to anyone, so if he pulls out the win, he's earned it and is welcome to the belt. Keeping it would be another matter. But lets not get overly humble about this (laughs). I'm aiming to get him out of there ASAP.

Sherdog.com: There's a bit of history between the pair of you, with him winning by TKO at CW and you taking the decision under hybrid kickboxing rules. How do you think that this history will affect your performance at CR, if at all?

Jenkins: Well, we both know each other’s style, we can both bang like a shit-house door in a hurricane and we both know we gotta be on top form to pull the win out. The fight fans are the only real winners! (Laughs and attempts a cheesy game-show-host smile.)

Sherdog.com: Daley's been very vocal about the fact that he's been training in the US, with ATT and then Eddie Bravo; have you been doing anything different this time around?

Jenkins: I could go train with Van Gogh for six weeks but that won't make me a master painter. Daley's got natural talent in spades but f___ him and all his helpers; I prefer the Clubber Lang approach anyway: I live alone, I train alone, etc'.

Ain't done a thing different, except I've been dragged into doing a lot more coaching recently, which is a bad thing in my view, because any time spent coaching is time not spent 100 percent on training. But I'm where I want to be prep-wise, so I'm good to go.

Sherdog.com: But does it worry you that Daley's been training with all these big names?

Jenkins: Nothing worries me. Ever. You'd be in the wrong game to let things like that get to you.

Sherdog.com: So how has the training been going for you? Are you in good shape?

Jenkins: Good shape generally, a touch under-strength due to a bit of early weight cutting for May, but cardio is there as always and I've got hammers for each hand, which'll put you to sleep quicker than one of your interviews! (laughs)

Sherdog.com: Cheers Paul!

Jenkins: Any time! But yeah, as I said, good to go, any time, any place.

Sherdog.com: Any special diets to help the weight cutting?

Jenkins: I live on a complex diet of cheap food and even cheaper pussy. Food of champions.

Sherdog.com: Okay, well then let's move on to talk about Cage Rage. How does it compare to the other promotions that you've fought for?

Jenkins: It's spelled differently (laughs). Other than that well, venue, pay structure, TV links etc. All different. But on the whole, none of that is my concern, just putting the hurt on other fighters is.

Sherdog.com: Do you have any thoughts on the split between CR World and British titles?

Jenkins: On the whole, the jury's still out on this one, but I'm all for it. It lets world-class fighters come over here and compete with us locals for genuine honors and also stops them from clogging up the championship belts by only allowing the British titles to be held by domestic fighters. Win-win situation for us guys.

Sherdog.com: Okay, well let's talk about WEC. You've been advertised as fighting at WEC in May (or rather, Peter Jenkins, your alter ego, has been!). Is this confirmed yet?

Jenkins: One-hundred percent confirmed. I'm making a few local contacts now for training facilities and shit, then off over there in early May to prep for the fight on May 19th. New country; new face to pound (laughs).

Sherdog.com: Do you know much about Rich "Cleat" Crunkilton? How do you think you match up with him?

Jenkins: I watched him against Hermes Franca in the UFC. Was jumping all over the place because it was a wicked tear-up and a classic example of how to fight a grappler. His cardio let him down a bit but I'm sure that's no longer a factor. He's my kind of fighter. He comes to fight and he comes to win. Styles-wise, he's perfect for me because he's willing to trade and he'll fight from wherever he happens to be at any one moment in time. All action from the pair of us.

Sherdog.com: You'll be fighting as a lightweight. You usually fight a bit heavier, is the weight going to be a problem for you?

Jenkins: Yeah, weight is always a problem when you've got a c___ this big (laughs). I'm walking around at 76-kg fully fed now. I've gotta cut to below 70. It's the first time I've ever tried cutting but its standard practice with the Yanks, so their ballpark, their rules. …

The last few kilograms might be a struggle but I'm puttin' the effort in now to make sure it ain't a last minute thing. If I pull it off — the weight thing, not my c___ — I might stay at that weight and go for the first three-weight MMA champion in the UK.

Sherdog.com: As far as I know, you've not really fought outside of Europe before. Are you looking forward to fighting in the US? Do you foresee any problems?

Jenkins: Other than the weight cutting issue, it's no different to any other fight or promotion for me. I always give 100 percent whether I'm fighting for the WEC or Uncle Dai's World of Fists, locally (that's not a real promotion, by the way — that's called sarcasm, for all you Yank readers out there). Once the cage door's locked, it could be in the U.S., the Maldives or the back garden. I'm a fighter not a tourist.

Sherdog.com: Any further comments?

Jenkins: Nosey f___er, ain't ya!