Paul Buentello BEFORE the UFC | MMA History Podcast

Paul Buentello BEFORE the UFC 50 Fight Club Member Paul Buentello started his journey fighting for Steve Nelson in the very tough and rugged Amarillo Texas MMA scene. Buentello dives into what it was like fighting absolute legends in Evan Tanner, Gan McGee and Bobby Hoffman prior to getting his opportunity within the UFC. This is a feel good story featuring a guy that is hard not to like 0:00 MMA history podcast intro 0:32 Joey Venti’s guest introduction 0:52 interview start 1:00 reffing fights 4:38 training taekwondo early on 5:48 training partner Cedric Marks 7:38 Ultimate Athlete 2 riot 9:36 guarding the pain inc booth 14:11 stiffed on payment for Kerry Schall fight 19:22 USWF 8 man tournament 24:56 Paul Buentello vs Dan Severn 28:43 competing in tough man contest 33:57 Lenard Garcia coming out of USWF 34:33 Paul Buentello vs Larry Parker 39:00 training with Sven Bean 40:36 Paul Buentello vs Todd Broadaway 42:40 Heath Herring current life 44:49 getting mistaken for Babalu 47:08 losing to a WWE wrestler 48:44 Paul Buentello vs Jimmy Westfall 51:50 forcing hands into smaller MMA gloves 53:36 Paul Buentello vs Bobby Hoffman 55:18 UFC current crowd compared to previous 57:58 self managing early career 59:09 driving 27 hours to IFC event with daughter 1:02:39 Paul Buentello vs Rocky Batastini 1:04:08 Paul Buentello vs Gan McGee 1:05:29 Paul Buentello vs Rico Rodriguez Wet & Wild 1:10:39 leaving to California to Train MMA 1:12:38 training with Cain Velazquez 1:13:25 Cameron Earle story 1:17:54 Paul Buentello vs Roger Neff 1:19:57 Paul Buentello vs Mike Kyle 1:23:48 KOTC contract 1:25:20 journey to get to the UFC 1:27:13 training for Gary Marshall 1:30:49 experience with Bob Cook 1:31:45 thoughts on Frank Shamrock 1:34:18 meeting Andy Anderson 1:39:48 training partners at AKA 1:42:22 cancelled bout with Forrest Griffin 1:42:57 Bobby Hoffman protected KOTC 1:45:29 Paul Buentello vs Andy Montana 1:46:21 Paul Buentello vs Lloyd Marshbanks 1:48:59 mentally not prepared for first UFC fight 1:50:32 getting into the UFC 1:5