David 'The Crow' Loiseau — A Rounded and Grounded Gentleman

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© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com

All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

David Loiseau has been doing one form of martial arts or another "since I was seven years of age. I always liked martial arts movies and I started practising karate then," says The Crow.

At UFC 53: Heavy Hitters, David showed he was too skilled for Charles McCarthy. But there was a moment when the experienced Loiseau looked to be in trouble after Charles tried to submit him with a rear naked choke. Years of competition enabled David to remain cool under pressure, and he says that during McCarthy's attempted choke he did not feel threatened. "No, not really. I train with a very good jiu jitsu guy. Of course it's always a risk, but I was well defended."

With the standard of mixed martial arts ever increasing, and the more-rounded fighters finding they need to be able to escape "finishing holds", the holds that would have meant the end of a bout years ago are now being countered. A similar situation occurred when Evan Tanner was able to defend against David Terrell's guillotine choke at UFC 51: Super Saturday. And The Crow used his knowledge as an NHB fighter to do the same against the rear naked choke.

"A couple of years ago it may have been a different matter, but the thing is, it all comes with experience and I've been grappling for the past six or seven years now, so I know how to defend against that hold."

David likes to specialise in elbow and knee strikes, and in round two of their match, he caught Charles with flying knees to end the fight. He attributes these skills to his Muay Thai background: "I train a lot in Thai boxing, and there are a lot of elbows and knees in that discipline. That's one thing I'm very good at – after punching."

Of these skills, Loiseau is probably best known for his elbow strikes. It's his close-quarter techniques that make him potentially one of the most street-effective fighters in MMA. But The Crow only has this to offer about the adaptability of his Octagon skills: "They may be street effective, but I don't fight outside the ring. I'm a gentleman and I avoid trouble."

David, in UFC 51, you attempted a rear naked choke on Gideon Ray; have you won any of your fights by grappling submissions?

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Article written by Marc Wickert

Marc Wickert is one of the world's most respected martial arts journalists.

For years his articles have been published in America, Europe, Australasia, and on the acclaimed knucklepit.com website.

Having interviewed some of the most elite combatants of the No-Holds-Barred inner sanctum, and a hybrid fight system's instructor in his own right, Marc Wickert is also author of the now-famous self-defense manual Knucklepit.com - The Book.