FiveKnuckles.com: If a rematch comes about between you and Miguel Torres, maybe the WEC can get it done on your home turf?

Brian Bowles: That would be awesome. There's a ton of great fighters from Georgia and a big WEC card could do great down here.

FiveKnuckles.com: You're not the only world champion to ever come out of the Hardcore Gym. Extremely popular Forrest Griffin is the other. Did you get to train around him when he was still down that way?

Brian Bowles: Of course. I trained here when he was here, but not for a long time. He moved out to Vegas to train with Xtreme Couture because there wasn't a ton of bigger guys for him around here at that time. He had to do what was best for his career and it definitely worked out.

FiveKnuckles.com: I'm sure you had the chance to learn a lot from Forrest in your early days?

Brian Bowles: He's a hard worker. I've seen the way he trains. He trains his butt off and I've never seen him get tired. He trains about as hard as anyone I've ever seen. That's one characteristic I'll never forget about him.

FiveKnuckles.com: What about the Singer [Rory and Adam] brothers? How are those guys doing these days?

Brian Bowles: They're doing well. They've just expanded into a gym about three times the size of our old one. They got a lot of new students. Things couldn't be going any better. The popularity of the sport is growing everywhere and Hardcore Gym is at the forefront down here in Georgia.

FiveKnuckles.com: Finally, what is your take on the WEC pay-per-view debut in April?

Brian Bowles: I think it's going to be great. We as fighters definitely want to make more money and hopefully pay-per-views are here to stay. The WEC is doing everything they can do to promote the fighters and the events in the best way possible. Right now, I don't think the resources are there to take huge steps, but in due time they might be.

I know WEC is the same company as the UFC, but they're not going to use money from one company to support the other. WEC needs to stand up on its own, and I think it's been doing a great job. The company has come a long ways, even since I first started fighting for them, and it's exciting to see the possibilities that the future holds.

FiveKnuckles.com: Give a shot out to sponsors, coaches, teammates, or anybody else you'd like to thank.

Brian Bowles: Off the top of my head, I'd like to thank Hitman and everyone at Hardcore Gym.

Follow Brian on Twitter @Brian_Bowles

Tommy Kail is a former athlete at the collegiate and professional levels and has been involved with sports his entire life. He is passionate about advocating for MMA athletes by shedding light on them as individuals and giving you a take you might not get anywhere else.