A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a hold of Chris’s wife, Kaleena via: Facebook.com and also granted time for a short interview with Chris Leben.

 Here it is:

 Question #1: What was it like to be on the first season of TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) and not only become a quick favorite to many on the show but end up blowing up in the UFC?

 Answer #1: “It was crazy.  I don’t think any of us knew what to expect.  We didn’t even know if the show was going to be aired or not through the filming of it.  Definitely a life changing experience and a shock, LOL.  Looking back in hind sight, I never realized how important what I was doing then was.  My life has forever been changed.”

Question #2: Once given an opponent, what steps and actions do you take towards preparing yourself for the up and coming fight?

 Answer #2: “I start out by looking at their video assessing their style, their strengths and weaknesses. Then I sit down with my coaches, we all collaborate to develop a game plan: what take downs I should use, if I wanna go to the ground, combination, whether I’m going to be aggressive using footwork, where do I want my weight, do I need to be stronger or faster, down to what attacks I’m going to use from guard, what I’m going to throw off the cage…everything.”

 Question #3: Everyone seems to know you for your standup, ruthless striking game. Do you fight that way to excite the crowed, put on a show or because that’s how you enjoy fighting?

 Answer #3: “It’s not my fault I don’t get to grapple because I hit them and they fall down.  Just kidding.  Absolutely. I believe that although professional athletes, and I wanna be the best, were also entertainers.  The crowd paid their hard earned money to watch me fight, to watch me stand up and bang”

 Question #4: If you could change one thing about the way you fight, what would that be and why?

 Answer #4: “I wouldn’t mind adding a few more inches to my height and being an outside fighter.  Believe it or not, I’m short for my weight division.   My style of fighting, although entertaining, is a little hard on the body and even worse on the brain, haha.”

Question #5: Being this far into your career, what goals do you have left you want to achieve in the UFC?

 Answer #5: “Well right now, with the recent changes in my life and my newfound sobriety, I’m excited to see how far I can go.  I know now I’ve never been 100%.  I feel better than I ever have and I’m continuing to grow.  I believe my peak has yet to come.  I’ll make another comeback, and this time I’d like to take it all the way”

I would like to thank BOTH Chris Leben and his Wife, Kaleena for setting up and partaking in this interview with FightersBlog.

 It’s a great honor to do something for such a great fighter and I hope all my followers via: tumblr.com enjoys.

@thefightersblog