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Rogers interview: Unlike Kimbo, he's ready to take on all comers

Steve Cofield

When you're making $5,000-$10,000 a fight, 11 months away from the cage is ridiculous. Brett Rogers felt the sting of EliteXC's bad business moves, he had to return to Sam's Club changing tires in the auto center. That's a bitter pill to swallow for the guy who fought in the first live network television MMA fight.

After six months off, he was chomping at the bit to get back in there and signed a deal to fight Josh Barnett on the Affliction 2 card. Because of his EliteXC contract Rogers' had to back off the deal. That would've been a huge step up in class but Rogers was ready to roll the dice because he's a fighter. He can't say the same about EliteXC's former star Kimbo Slice:

"If I was Kimbo that would motivate me that much more to get in the gym and train all different areas," told Cage Writer. "If he makes a comeback and proves to the world he can fight standing and on the ground, his fans would come back to him."

Watch Rogers with Cage Writer as he speaks about Kimbo:

All the time off gave Rogers a chance to decide if he wanted to take fighting seriously and he thought a lot about what went wrong with EliteXC:

"I definitely have to blame it on the promoters," Rogers told Cage Writer. "If I ever had to leave Strikeforce, there's no way I would partake in an organization that highlights around one person. Because you're never going to succeed that way."

Rogers knows that Kimbo was protected and "The Grim" was especially frustrated because he was supposed to be at the Florida event where Seth Petruzelli stepped in for the injured Ken Shamrock. Rogers said he knew it was a matter of time before Kimbo fell and he could've been the fill-in that night.

Rogers said he thinks Kimbo, who was making 500 large per fight, will just put his feet up or as he put it, "max and relax."

Rogers is facing the 5-foot-11, 240-pound Ron Humphrey. He doesn't understand why "Abongo" is fighting at heavyweight against a guy who is 6-5, 265. Rogers is ready to send him to light heavyweight or middleweight. EliteXC had signed Abongo after seeing him on BET's Iron Ring. He trains out of Atlanta.