Laprise Looks To Stay Busy And Undefeated In 2013
Chatham native and professional fighter Chad Laprise is looking ahead to some very big things in his career in the year ahead and while nothing is for sure or a given in the world of pro fighting, Laprise is in the drivers seat after a flawless last year inside the Bellator cage.
The Adrenaline Training Center fighter and trainer improved his undefeated record to 6-0 in 2012 with a successful debut in the Bellator fighting promotion in April when he defeated Josh Tavierne via submission. Laprise then followed that up in October with a hard fought decision win over veteran Ainsley Robinson. Both fights were in his backyard in Windsor and he will make his return to the cage when Bellator returns to Ontario.
“They haven’t confirmed anything yet, it’s just talk right now but it will be Windsor and Rama again. They are rumoured to have four shows.” he said over the phone this week.
Bellator has made a very successful imprint in Ontario and has held six shows spread between Casino Rama and Caesar’s Windsor in the past two years, with each venue holding two events each in 2012. It sounds like they are going to stick with what works in the coming year, and Laprise should be front and center on those shows.
“Yeah exactly, things went well for them all the other times, which is good for me so.”
Laprise burst out of the gate in his professional career with four first round knockouts in his first four fights in the regional circuit throughout 2010 and 2011. He gained the reputation of headhunting knockout artist and many wondered at the full aspect of his game.
Last year was a major step up for him fighting under the Bellator banner and Laprise answered all questions in his first two outings gaining a nice triangle submission win in his debut and then getting a deep decision against a grizzled veteran. Laprise takes pride in working and improving his entire game day after day at his sweaty “office” in London.
“I think honestly, the best part about my game is that I’m well rounded. I think I’m pretty even. Striking is probably still my base, but I really feel I don’t have glaring weakness in my game right now. Before I moved up here I spent over a year working and improving my wrestling. Before I had barely any wrestling and now wrestling is probably one of my stronger points with my striking.”
Laprise has top notch wrestling coaching where he trains in London.
“I have two awesome wrestling coaches in London. Andrew Elliott and Clint Kingsbury. Elliott is my MMA wrestling coach and he is amazing and an awesome guy. He is more about the grinding MMA style and Clint is more technical and has been wrestling forever. He works with wrestling Canada. So to have both those guys, I’m lucky for sure.”
Laprise is another up and coming fighter that may be affected by the Strikeforce fighters being dissolved into the UFC roster now that the promotion has been officially put out to pasture. While not particularly happy with it, he accepts it as a fact of life and he won’t let it hurt his focus in 2013.
“My plan for this year is I want to fight at least four times and if all goes well i will be 10-0 at the end of this year. That’s the plan. With a 10-0 record I should be able to get in as long as I have good exciting fights. This year, I’m not really looking UFC, I want to finish out and win all my fights and then hopefully by this time next year I will be signed.”
There could be one interesting twist in that plan, and Laprise would be a perfect fit for this scenario.
“The only other thing is maybe The Ultimate Fighter because they are rumoured to have one in Canada. If The Ultimate Fighter comes up, then that’s different I should be able to be on that and to get into the UFC it’s super hard you know. If they did it at 155 it would be perfect. Even if it was at 170 I would fight on TUF.”
Laprise would have tough company if he were able to get on that show, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Look for a very interesting year for the Chatham fighter, and his first challenge should be announced soon.