“I train three times a day, six days a week.”

CageCraze.com Profile: Dustin “The Beast” Neace

Dustin Neace is a name that should be familiar to all Indiana fight fans.  Dustin has been fighting locally, nationally, and even internationally since 2005, most recently appearing on the same Strikeforce card in Chicago that marked Fedor Emelianenko’s debut with that promotion.  Dustin has trained in central Indiana with Damage Incorporated and with such local BJJ notables as James Clingerman and Marcello C. Monteiro, and now trains with HitSquad outside of St. Louis with a team that includes UFC veterans Matt Hughes and Robbie Lawler.

Dustin recently took some time out of his busy training schedule to sit down for an interview with CageCraze.com.

You have been fighting since 2005 and have well over thirty bouts under your belt. Tell us how you got your start in the sport, and what kind of background in combat sports you had before that.

I really just jumped into the sport and started fighting. I was a pretty good kid up until I was about 16.  I started getting into a lot of fights and going to jail for stupid stuff.  When I took my first fight I knew it was going to keep me out of trouble just because I was too tired to get into any trouble after training every day.

Can you describe some of the ways your preparation and fighting style have evolved since your first fight?

I train three times a day, six days a week.  9:00 a.m. is MMA conditioning every day. Tuesday and Thursday at 4-5 p.m. is wrestling and 5-6 p.m. is MMA grappling live. Monday and Wednesday at 4-5 p.m. is boxing and 5-6:30 p.m. is MMA sparring. Monday and Thursday is Muay Thai at 7-8 p.m.

What do you feel has been your biggest win to date, and why?

I have a lot of good wins over some really good fighters.  I would have to say winning the King Of Kombat 145-lb title was a big one for me.  That win was over Johnny Bedford.

Win or lose, who has been your toughest opponent so far, and what did you learn from that fight?

WEC world champion Mike Brown was a big fight for me. I was only 18 at the time.

You’re coming off a loss to a very tough opponent Jeff Curran who you fought in Chicago at Strikeforce.  Can you tell us how that fight came about, what went wrong and how that fight has helped you prepare for future bouts.

Strikeforce needed someone to fight Jeff last minute and no one wanted to take him on.  I was all about the fight.  It was on a week and a half notice but I wanted to fight so I did.  I ended up with three broken ribs from knees but I would not change a thing because it was fun.  The fight has done a lot for me though.  It has put me in with some great people like HitSquad and DC Management.

You have stated before that one of the fighters you most admire is Fedor Emelianenko.  What was it like being able to fight on the same event card with him?

It was great.  I have watched Fedor fight for years and have wanted to meet him for years and it happened.  He was a very nice guy and fun to be around.

What are some of your short term goals, ultimately leading to your number one long term goal in the sport?

Well I have moved to St. Louis and now train every day, three times a day, with one of the best teams in the world (HitSquad).  This is going to make me the fighter that I need to be and able to fight anyone, anytime, and get the win.

You have fought all over, not just nationally, but also around the globe.  Where did you enjoy fighting the most and why?

Canada was great!  People in Canada are fun to be around and the girls are beautiful.

You started your career fighting at LFC in Indianapolis, and during that promotion’s most recent event in January you were honored with the first-ever Jeremy Ashley Heart Award.  As Indiana fight fans know, Jeremy Ashley was an up-and-coming fighter who recently passed away.  Can you talk a bit about what the award, and Jeremy personally, have meant to you?

This award meant a lot to me.  I knew Jeremy very well.  Jeremy and I had an apartment about two years ago and we always were getting into some kind of trouble.  I also ended up fighting Jeremy for the Freestyle Combat 145-lb tournament championship in Wisconsin.

Anything else we should know?

I will be fighting in the main event on March 12th in Chicago for Fight Klub.