MMACanada Catches Up With Canadian/Indian MMA Star "Black Mamba"

MMAC: MMacanada.net is here with Kultar Gill, also known as "Black Mamba", Thanks Kultar for doing this Interview . How are you today?

Black Mamba: Everything is going splendid. Just got back from Japan on Sunday with a lot of good memories. Met many high calibre fighters and quite frankly they were all nice guys and nobody seemed to have a chip on their shoulders.

MMAC: So why are you known as Black Mamba?

Black Mamba: Black Mamba is my fighting character in Japan K-1. Black Mamba represents my fighting style and my physic. It was chosen for me after I won the K-1 tryouts in Las Vegas due to my style being fast and explosive and I have a long frame.
When I was younger and fighting muay thai I was 6 feet and 140 pounds in grade 10. They use to call me chopsticks and when I started knocking opponents out I was switched to “diamond chopsticks”. It’s pretty funny.

MMAC: Haha, I totally agree! So Kultar, for the Canadian fans who don't know you, how did you get involved in mixed martial arts and who were some of the guys you looked up to watching the sport?

Black Mamba: I always wanted to be a ninja and learn the “dim mak” and use that training to be a secret assassin. I started practicing kung-fu but wasn’t interested in doing forms and patterns. After not being able to grasp the concept of different types of animal fighting in kung fu my dreams of being an assassin were over. Then in grade 8 I saw this crazy sport of Muay Thai were two fighters stood toe-to-toe and beat the crap out of each other. I started practicing Muay Thai and by grade 10 I was fighting around the world against full grown men. I’m not going to lie to you but I was so scared when I fought these guys with beards and chest hair that I use to sweat bullets every time I fought. I was so scarred, but I kept on coming back for more and more and winning. Then eventually after taking sometime off from Muay Thai I started doing MMA for fun, and here I am today. I’m a fan of every fighter that steps in the ring or octagon especially the fighters that try to finish fights and are exciting.

MMAC: Your last fight was at Dream 1 where you lost a unanimous decision to Tatsuya Kawajiri, what are your thoughts on your performance that night and how much motivation did that loss give you?

Black Mamba: I thought I was fighting a K-1 dreams match not an Abu Dhabi tournament, LOL. Well I guess I should have gone for more submissions. Kawajiri was a strong opponent. Coming into the match I thought Kawajiri would stand with me for a bit, as he is known for having hard hands and good striking. I am trying to work a lot on my ju-jitsu as this is the only way these guys are beating me. I will be back and stronger than before. KAWAJIRI WON THE MATCH BUT I WON THE FIGHT. My motivation is still strong to fight after my last lose. I have had some major injuries for the last couple of years that have finally healed with the operation. I want to go into every fight and make it exciting as possible.

MMAC: Dream 1 is the new organization in Japan, what did that mean to you as a Canadian/Indian fighter to be part of the first ever event?

Black Mamba: I am honored to be fighting amongst the top lightweights in the world. As you know I live in Canada and I represent India where I spent my early years. I will be back in dreams sooner than later. Right now I have to catch up on all the days I took off work to compete for this tournament. I think the Dreams promotion will big as it is run by a lot of ex-pride staff. Get ready for 60,000 spectator events.

MMAC: So what your saying is we can expect Black Mamba back in the ring fighting for Dream?

Black Mamba: I’ll be back in dreams for sure. I’ll fight where ever and when ever, I just don’t care who I fight as long as I can fight. Hopefully I can fight a striker soon, that would be awesome.

MMAC: A little off topic now, but you work full time as a Correctional Officer. How has that come in between your work and training?

Black Mamba: We all have to make choices in life. I can be a full time fighter and live off my fight purses. But taking in perspective of getting injured before a fight and having fights cancelled on you doesn’t make to much financial sense for my family. The risks and the rewards don’t equal out. So I work a full time job to support my family and do a little bit of overtime to support my fight expenses. I’m not doing to bad for training 3 times a week. Call me a crazy but I just really enjoy fighting. In the gym Rajan Kajan Johnson, Blake Fredricktion, P. Lalonde, Bibi, pele and many more have fights rather than sparring matches, of course with pads but we go full out, it’s awesome.

MMAC: Kalib Starns will be fighting for the first UFC in Canada against Nate Quarry, how do you think he will do in that fight?

Black Mamba: Kalib is now with American top team so I don’t really know how his training is going and what his fight strategy is. Nate quarry is a warrior and a hard fight for anybody. I am really looking forward to that event as it is the first UFC in my own backyard.

MMAC: Would Black Mamba ever be interested in fighting for any other organizations?

Black Mamba: I am interested in fighting any where as long as I can fight. Right now I just came of the fight in Dreams and in a week or so I’ll see what my manager has in line. I would one day like to fight in North America again so my friends and family can come watch without traveling half way across the world. There are many excellent events in North America with powerful lightweights.

MMAC: On behalf of mmacanada.net I'd like to congratulate you on receiving your purple belt in BJJ by Bibiano Fernandez and good luck in your next fight.

Black Mamba: Thank you very much. I hope to be in the ring very soon. I would like to thank all my supporters for the encouragement. Revolution Fight Team and also ww.Ikk-b.com vitamins, www.mysportdoctor.com and Sumas mountain chiropractor for fixing my injures.

Back