Chris Brennan has always been known for being just plain tough. He is an Extreme Challenge and UFC veteran and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from John DeLaO. He is best known for his wars with UFC Lightweight Champ Pat Miletich. And now, Brennan has just started training with Marco Ruas. In fact, Marco was the one who suggested to Jaime Levine [WEF promoter] that Brennan take on Matt Hughes at WEF 9. But first, he has to get by Ghetto Man Joe Charles' student, Antonio McKee. I called Chris to get the low down on him, training with Ruas, and his thoughts on his match with Hughes.

FCF: After the UFC, we haven't heard much from you. What have you been up to?
Chris Brennan: I have been training hard and I fought in Extreme Challenge 22. I also met Marco [Ruas] and have been training with him ever since. I had a few fights since then.

FCF: Who have you fought since UFC?
CB: I lost to Steve Gom in Denver from turning purple in like one minute, [laughs] slight altitude problem. I never fought in high altitude before and that was an experience. Since then I fought Steve Horten in Extreme Challenge 22 and Joe Stevenson in the last King of the Cage and now Antonio.

FCF: At King of the Cage 3, you are scheduled to fight Antonio McKee. McKee trains with the Ghetto Man Joe Charles and has had a pretty impressive showing at Hawaii's Rage in the Cage 3 [not to be confused with the Rage In The Cage in the continental US]. Have you seen him fight and if so, what do you think of him?
CB: He actually fought one of my students who had been training for four months and my student went the distance with him. He's a real athletic guy, but he couldn't finish him. Antonio seems like an awesome wrestler, quick, strong, no submissions and not much stand up. I mean he looks really, really athletic, but just not able to finish anybody. He actually beat someone else who won a decision over one of my other students, but he beat him by decision. So, he's doesn't finish anybody and that's my game. [laughs]

FCF: Originally you were scheduled to fight Joe Moreira black belt, Rick Lucero. What ever happened to that?
CB: I don't know. Terry called me and said something about he [Lucero] wasn't ready, but I read an interview on Abu Dhabi that he was. Then I found out that Terry had lowered the money and he didn't want to fight for that amount of money.

FCF: Not to look past the fight with McKee, but right after this fight you are also on the World Extreme Fighting 9 card. You will be facing none other than Matt Hughes. You have had some wars with Pat Miletich and now you're facing the man that he seems to be grooming as his successor. First off, what do you think of Hughes?
CB: I think he's awesome. I think that he is one of the best lightweights in the world. I think I made mistakes when fighting Miletich by giving him too much respect. I mean, I think he's great and I respect him a lot, but I fought like I respected him a lot. Our styles matched up and it made for a boring fight. I usually attack more with submissions and on the feet and I can't wait to fight Hughes. I think he's an awesome wrestler and he's a great fighter. I think that it will be a great fight.

FCF: Do you see this as kind of a grudge match because of Hughes' connection to Miletich?
CB: Nah. Me and Pat are good friends. I met Matt Hughes over the Internet and he's a really cool guy. But we're coming to fight, bottom line. But no, no grudge match.

FCF: How do you plan to counter his incredible strength?
CB: I train with Marco [Ruas] everyday. Marco's like 230lbs and I guarantee that he's stronger than Hughes. But, I don't underestimate Hughes. I know he's a freak of strength. But technique, man! I got to be quick, got to be fast.

FCF: What is your prediction for this fight?
CB: Well, I want to keep it on the feet as long as I can, but I think that it's inevitable that he's going to take me down. We're going to take it to the ground for sure. So I'm going to attack, attack. If I don't catch him, they will stand us back up for the next round. And I'm going to land as much [strikes] as I can until he takes me down. I've been working on wrestling and sprawling a lot, but I wasn't a wrestler to begin with, so I'm not sure. But when we get to the ground, I am going to attack with strikes and submissions and we'll see what happens.

FCF: Now, tell us about your "new" teacher?
CB: My new teacher? Marco? [laughs].

FCF: How and why did you hook up with Marco Ruas?
CB: I met him at Extreme Challenge 22. I had just opened a school and found out that he lived right by me. I had invited him over to see my school. When he came he thought it was great and a really nice school. So we actually set him up to teach every Friday night there. He came back the next day and asked me if I wanted to train. And from that point on we've been training every day. He came in and beat the crap out of me. [laughs] I mean, he's got a great heavyweight, Pedro [Rizzo], [Renato] Babalu and Alexandre Barros, the lightweight. He trains good fighters and so I figured, "hey, if I can last and hang with this guy, then that will make me better." And it has made me a much better fighter, a tougher fighter. If I can weather him, there's no lightweight that's, at least, going to finish me. He trains with me like I'm Pedro. It hurts a lot! [laughs]

FCF: Did Marco help round out your game?
CB: Oh yeah, he made my stand up 100% better. Not only my offense, but my defense, I can take a hell of a lot more on the feet now. He's even helped my wrestling, actually, and my leg locks and my strength. I am a lot stronger now. He has a lot of confidence in me because he came back from the last WEF, ranting and raving about what an awesome fighter Hughes was and how tough he was and how big and strong, and this and that. And in the same breath he said "I was talking to Jaime Levine about putting you to fight him." [laughs] Well, uh, okay. [laughs] He has a lot of confidence in me. I mean, we train together every day, so he knows me.

FCF: Do you have any other fights coming up?
CB: After Hughes? No. No idea, I know Monte [Cox] told me not to ruin his plans, because his plans are to have Hughes fight Pele [Landi] next [in WEF 10]. But I told him that if he didn't want someone to ruin his plans, he should have had someone else fight Hughes. [laughs]

FCF: I appreciate you taking the time out for me and good luck in both your fights.
CB: Thank you very much.