In my latest interview with Combat Night Welterweight Champion JP Saint Louis, we discussed his journey in MMA, his mindset heading into his first title defense, and his message for the UFC. Fresh off his second-round submission victory over Daniel Morrison at Combat Night 168, Saint Louis is preparing to defend his belt against the experienced Josenaldo Silva on February 8th in Tallahassee, Florida.
For Saint Louis, the fight against Morrison marked a career milestone—his first professional title bout. Reflecting on his journey, now in its tenth year, he told me, “Yes and no,” when asked if his career had gone as expected. “I always expected myself to do great things and win. That was always my mindset, and I win a majority of the time. I’ve always wanted to be a violent fighter and impose my will on people, and I’ve definitely done that, living up to my nickname, ‘Too Much.’”
While he admitted he thought he might have been signed to a major promotion by now, Saint Louis remains optimistic, believing everything happens for a reason. His focus now is on Silva, a dangerous opponent with a reputation for knockout power. Initially, Silva’s extensive experience caught his attention. “Damn, he has a shit ton of fights…way more than I do,” Saint Louis admitted. But any nerves quickly faded, replaced by confidence. “But [Silva] didn’t fight me. All those people he fought, none of them are Jean Pierre Saint Louis.”
Saint Louis credits his training with elite fighters, including UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad and Middleweight contender Gerald Meerschaert, for sharpening his skills and boosting his confidence. When asked if he expects Silva to come out aggressively, Saint Louis acknowledged the possibility but warned, “I hit hard and fast. So you can’t come at me too sloppy—you’ll get hit with something.”
Known for his durability, Saint Louis takes pride in his ability to withstand pressure and break opponents mentally. “I’m a hard guy to get out of there. A lot of opponents have tried. When they see my eyes don’t change, and I start pressuring them against the cage, they eventually break.”
As for his message to UFC matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard, Saint Louis didn’t mince words. “They can expect to see somebody extremely confident do their thing. There’s gonna be another victim. And if Sean Shelby was in the crowd, I’d look at him and say, ‘Look what you did. This didn’t have to happen, but because I wasn’t signed, now I have to take someone else on the regional scene out.’” He added, “A confident killer is always a scary thing…get me signed.”
Outside the cage, Saint Louis enjoys cooking and watching anime. He even shared a quick dish recommendation and an anime suggestion during our conversation.
JP Saint Louis takes on Josenaldo Silva on February 8th in Tallahassee, FL. Tickets are available at Combat Night Pro.
Don’t miss the chance to see a confident champion prove why he’s “Too Much.”
