Lyle Beerbohm Interview: I Traded One Addiction For Another

On Saturday, May 15th Strikeforce will return to St. Louis, Missouri for “Strikeforce: St. Lois”.  Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm will return to Strikeforce after last defeating UFC veteran Duane “Bang” Ludwig on the undercard at the Strikeforce Challengers 2 event back in June of last year.

The Spokane, Washington native will now have an opportunity to put himself in the title picture as he takes on former top ranked lightweight Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro.

Heavy’s Andrew Gladstone recently spoke with Beerbohm to discuss his bout with Ribeiro and give MMA fans insight on one of mma’s brightest up-and-coming lightweights.

Heavy MMA: How did you first come about getting into mixed martial arts?

Lyle Beerbohm: I was sitting in Washington State Penitentiary and the “Ultimate Fighter” show was on TV and that’s how I first came to knowing about mma.

Heavy MMA: Do you have any notable training partners?

Lyle Beerbohm: I got Cody McKenzie, he’s 11-0 with eleven finishes, I got Mike Hank, and I had Miesha Tate and Brian Caraway come down for this training camp also.

Heavy MMA: Do you think your time in prison matured you as a person?  And what was your overall experience like?

Lyle Beerbohm: With my meth addiction, prison saved my life, there’s no way around it.  I ended up going to prison and I ended up getting cleaned up.  In my opinion it’s helped save my life, and it helped me find MMA..

Heavy MMA: How did it save your life exactly?

Lyle Beerbohm: I traded one addiction for another, I traded my meth addiction for my mma addiction.  It got my eyes on the right path and it pretty much got me out of that world that I used to live in.

Heavy MMA: You are obviously known for your fancy pants, but where did you get the idea to wear them to the cage?

Lyle Beerbohm: I was going through my mom’s fabric one day and I came across this crazy spandez with 80’s material and I told my mom you need to make a pair of shorts out of this and then I became fancy pants.

Heavy MMA: Did it upset you at all after you defeated the veteran Duane Ludwig, that he was put in the UFC and you are still fighting on the undercards and usually the smaller shows in MMA?

Lyle Beerbohm: I really think I deserve to fight the best and be on TV and my time will come.  They can’t hold me back forever, I’m 13-0 as we speak, and after I beat Ribeiro I’ll be 14-0.

Heavy MMA: Speaking of Ribeiro, how has training been coming along?

Lyle Beerbohm: My training camp has been unbelievable, I’m in great shape and I’m ready to fight.  I’m ready to go.

Heavy MMA: What’s your take on fighting Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro.  And have you watched the tape of him?

Lyle Beerbohm: Yeah, his jiu jitsu is world class and I’m just going to watch out for his submissions you know?  But, I’m going to bring it to him and I’ll end up winning the fight that’s all I know.  I don’t know how or anything, but I know I’ll win.

Heavy MMA: Who have you brought in to prepare for the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu game of Ribeiro?

Lyle Beerbohm: I got Jason Sampson, he’s from Dallas Texas.  I’ve brought Brian Caraway in, he fights in the WEC and his girlfriend is Miesha Tate and she fights for Strikeforce.

Heavy MMA: Do you think after a win over Ribeiro, you’ll be in the Strikeforce lightweight title picture?

Lyle Beerbohm: I don’t know how it couldn’t. I’ll be 3-0 in their organization, and 2-0 in Elite XC.  My only goal right now is to be the Strikeforce champ.

Heavy MMA: How do you see the fight ending come May 15th?

Lyle Beerbohm: I just know that I’ll beat Vitor Ribeiro.  I don’t know how, I don’t know with what, I just know that I’ll end up winning.

Heavy MMA: What do you think of a potential showdown with Gilbert Melendez?

Lyle Beerbohm:  I think it would be fight of the year.  It would be one of the best fights ever, it’d be scrambling, punching, we’d be a mess for five rounds.  I think the fans would love to see it, but one step at a time, I’ve got to beat Ribeiro first.

Heavy MMA: Who would you like to fight next?

Lyle Beerbohm: My only goal is to be the champ, whoever has the belt that’s who I’d like to fight.

Heavy MMA: Any sponsors/people you’d like to thank?

Lyle Beerbohm: I’d like to thank ironmaster, they’re one of my main sponsors and they’ve really done me well.