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NW Fightscene Interview with Lyle "Fancy Pants" Beerbohm

Interview by Jason Lusk, Photos by NW Fightscene


I've been around the fight scene for a few years now and I've had the privilege of seeing Lyle fight on several occasions in both amateur and pro fights. When you first see Lyle, you would think he was just another fan hanging around waiting for the fights to get started. He's a very mild mannered guy. I'd often walk by him myself before recognizing him as a fighter.

 


Lyle usually walks out wearing some type of warm-ups, then strips down to his fancy pants and the crowd goes crazy, the bell rings, he kicks some ass, gets the win, then leaves the ring. So far it has been that simple for Fancy Pants!

 


Name: Lyle "Fancy Pants" Beerbohm 
Team: Sikjitsu
Age: 29
Fighting out of: Spokane, WA
Weight: 170 lbs.
Record: 12-0 Amateur 9-0 Professional


What do you think of fighting Duane "Bang" Ludwig?
Duane Ludwig, hes a good standup guy, one of the best in the world, but I'm going to take him down and going to beat him up.

So what's you've been doing with yourself?
Just been training and training. I'm doing stuff that would make a billy goat puke right now. I'm going to be top 10 in the world, by the end of the year I'm going to be top 10.

 

Who have you fought for? 
Pro: Strikeforce, Elite XC, Sport fight and KOTC 

Amateur Titles? 
USA MMA 170 Belt @ XCC 4 Tacoma Dome

and the NW Fighting Welterbelt at the Spokane show down 

Pro Titles?
I am the Sportfight Lightweight Interim Champion

and Conquest of the Cage Light weight Champion.


How does it feel to be one of the only undefeated pro fighters in the Northwest?
Pretty good, but I know it only takes one punch to lose, so I am on my best behavior.

What does it mean to you to fight for Strikeforce?
I will be fighting on the Showtime card. What that means is a lot more sponsor $$$$$$.

 

Who would you like to fight and why?
Whoever has the belt. I'm gonna be the CHAMP!!

When did you start watching MMA?
I watched the first few UFC's. I thought it was really cool , but I was young and dumb at that point in my life and ended up going a different route.

Have you tried out for the TUF house? Do you think it would help your rise to the top or will you let your fighting talk for itself?
I'm not able to try out for the TUF house because of my past. So, I'm gonna do it the other way... whooping ass!! The WEC offered me a five fight deal, but I decided to go with Strikeforce. They will be having fights on Showtime. That's "The Big Show"!

Who are the guys we see in your corner? 
Rick Little, Cody McKenzie, and Mike Will are in my corner.

Okay, you knew this question was coming, "the shorts"?
My first two Amateur fights I wore regular shorts, but I wanted something different. My mom loves to sew and she had some material that was older than me. She was in the process of building a new sewing room so she asked me to help move all the fabric into her new room. That is when I came across the soon to be "fancy pants". As soon as I saw it I knew it, so I grabbed it and put it on my mom's sewing machine and told her to get to work. She laughed and thought it was a joke, so the material sat there for a week or so but I kept on her. Finally she made them. I put them on and fell in love, showed them to my dad he rolled his eyes and told me those are ridiculous. So, my third amateur fight I had them on. When I got in the ring and took off my warm ups the crowd went crazy, lots of whistling laughing the crowd loved them. They were an instant hit. Even my Dad had to admit it was a good idea. She has made me four different kinds and they are all fancy. I've have never had a problems with any of the state athletic commissions with my shorts


Tell me about your first fight ever?
It was in the 6th grade and I got beat up by some big kid.

How long have you been training? 
I have been training for 24 months MMA so I am still kinda new to the game. I was 12-0 as an amateur in Washington State and decided to go pro. As an amateur I fought 12 times in 10 months. I like to fight and wish there were more pro fights out here. Right now I am 9-0 as a pro and I am always interested in fights and/or sponsors.

Tell me what led up to you coming to the gym. Did you just walk in off the streets?
In prison I was watching the Ultimate Fighter show and knew that's what I was gonna do. So the day I got out I went to BJJ Spokane. I trained for a few days there then ended up going to Sikjitsu because there were tougher guys at that point.

How did the first day of training go?
The first day of training was the day I got out. On the way home we drove by BJJ Spokane. I told my dad to stop, so he did. He thought all the drugs I did over the years killed my body, which somehow they didn't. I was spared. I went into the gym and said that I wanted to be a fighter. So, the owner threw me a go and told me to start grappling. I rolled with a guy that was around 215 pounds and did really good. I wrestled in high school and have natural cardio so I didn't puke or anything that first day. My dad was amazed that I could do what I did. The next day I was back, and every day after. That's how it all started. Eight days later I won my first ever MMA fight. The rest is history.

Anyone coming out of Sikjitsu that we should watch for? 
I have lots of good guys I train with. My two main training partners are Cody McKenzie and Mike Hanks (both undefeated as pros). They are there fulltime for me and are damn good fighters!

 

How about sponsorship-wise?
I got all the national sponsors now. I've got Pain INC, I've got Pimpit Fight Team, I've got Full Tilt Poker, and Rockstar.

So you're not working at all, just training full-time?
Just training.

Anything else you would like to add?
I had a bad meth problem for over 6 years, went to prison and got out 2 years ago and started training MMA. MMA saved my life! I am going to be in a documentary with Jake Shields, Frank Shamrock, Rashad Evans and many others. I want to thank my training partners, Cody McKenzie, Mike Hanks and Sikjitsu. I would like to thank my family. Rick Hamlet, Curtis from Fight University, Mark from Discount Lumber. I want to thank Tax It Easy in Spokane. I want to thank anyone that likes FANCY PANTS and my Mom for making my shorts.


NW Fightscene would like to thank Lyle for taking the time to speak with us.

He can be visited online at myspace.com/lylebeerbohm.


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