Alan Jouban is surging inside the Octagon and breaking down barriers outside it
When the UFC granted Louisiana native Alan Jouban's request to book him to fight on the June 6th's card in New Orleans, "Brahma" was elated. When the fighter had to pull out of his scheduled fight because of a serious injury needing surgery to the elbow he used to earn a KO at UFC 184, he was crestfallen.
Fighters are known for their ability to bounce back mentally, but Jouban admits that it took some time to get over his disappointment at not being able to fight near home in the UFC. "It took a minute, to be honest," he tells FOX Sports.
"I was really bummed out...I did fight at home as a pro one time but it wasn't really against a high level of competition. To have been able to come home, while fighting in the UFC, with a new level of fan base and growing momentum, was a dream. I also asked for it. I told the UFC I wanted the fight and they put me on the card two days later. I've got kind of a good thing going working with the UFC and so I also wanted to be able to come through for them.
"Not only that, but in a kind of jealous way, I envied the way that other Louisiana guys like DC [Daniel Cormier], Dustin Poirier, and Shawn Jordan would have been able to be a part of it and I wouldn't, anymore. I thought it would have been a cool opportunity to bond with fellow Louisiana fighters in an event that might be talked about for awhile. I had people coming out of the woodwork -- people I knew from high school, middle school -- who told me they were going to this fight. It would have felt special getting that UFC poster with my face on it hanging in my room with signatures from the other UFC fighters. I wanted people to say that those Lousiana boys killed it at that event, and I didn't want to be left out of the conversation. So, it took me awhile to get over it."
Of course, Cormier was also pulled from the card when he was tabbed to replace Jon Jones against Anthony Johnson next week at UFC 187. Cormier is more than likely disappointed that he won't get to fight in Louisiana, just as Jouban is, but DC will now get a title shot to help soothe the pain.
Jouban got some silver linings at the edge of his cloud as well. His surgery went well, and he's already back in the gym, hard at work.
What's more, he'll get to fight in his adopted home of Southern California for the second consecutive time with a July 15 bout against Matt Dwyer in San Diego. Between his injury and getting back into the gym, Jouban also got to do some exciting things in his other career -- high-end fashion modeling.
If you've read about Jouban before, you probably know that he used to work full-time as a model. That's kind of been the story on the guy since right before he made his UFC debut last year.
Well, it was until he showed in three straight fights that he's a force to be reckoned with in the uber competitive UFC welterweight division. Jouban has won two fights in the UFC by KO and his only loss was a downright bad decision against Warlley Alves last November.
As a UFC rookie, Jouban was initially a bit wary of people thinking of him as just a pretty face, instead of a legit MMA professional. Indeed, when I spoke to him before his last fight, he told me that he was happy to have turned his attention away from modeling and more towards fighting.
After all, fighting is Jouban's passion, and he's worked hard at it for over a decade to reach the place he now occupies. "I moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago to do modeling because that kind of just happened. But fighting has always been the thing in my heart," he says.
"When I got into the UFC I was in this weird transitioning stage because I thought, 'I don't want to be in this world of modeling.' It was awkward. I didn't want people to think I was some prettty boy guy when they first see who I am. I fight, and that's who I am."
However, Jouban's modeling career has reached new heights this year, matching that of his UFC career. It was a surprise to the husband and father, but when some pretty great opportunities came his way while he dealt with injuries, he couldn't help but take them.
Jouban was tabbed for the cover of At Large magazine, recently, and also featured in a well-done feature profile and photo essay in the publication. Additionally, Jouban got the call recently to fly to New York and be a part of a photo shoot for Vogue Italia done by one of the world's most prominent fashion photographers in Peter Lindbergh.
That photo feature with Jouban, as well as a short film (below), are themed on the notorious Lufthansa heist of 1978 depicted in the film Goodfellas. To the point, no MMA fighter has ever been featured in high-fashion and art photography like Jouban has so far this past year.
The success has energized Jouban about modeling, though MMA is still his focus. He loves the idea that he can break some new ground for athletes and fighters in the mainstream.
"I wondered if modeling was dragging me back in, and around the time of my first UFC fight, I didn't really want people to think about me in that life, anymore. But now I don't give a [expletive] anymore (laughs)," he admits.
"The UFC has almost 600 fighters. How can you remember any of them other than if they are a champion or have a unique story to them? Now, I pretty much embrace the modeling work. I'm just looking for opportunities in between fights, and whatever comes, but I'm really embracing it because it is something that helps me sleep at night. I got to the UFC, which was a dream of mine my entire life. But, especially now with the Reebok deal, fighters are not financially taken care of in the UFC just yet. Almost everybody has a side deal, whether it is a full-time job or training other people. So, modeling is helping me with the bills right now. My manager Ajay with Epok Agency got things going and then Soul Artist Management signed me and they took the modeling stuff to a new level for me. My agent there Jason has been a mastermind. He's made some of the top superstars in the modeling world, guys like Tyson Beckford, guys you see on TV, on fragrance boxes, guys who look familiar. He's a huge MMA fan, saw my UFC debut and wondered, 'who the hell is this guy?' I met the right person at the right time."
In addition to the Vogue shoot at the At Large magazine cover, Jouban recently appeared on Men's Health. He says that, though he knows modeling isn't a path for every UFC athlete, he hopes to help break down some barriers for athletes. "It's exciting to look to the future," he says.
"I'd never been on a cover of a magazine, before, even after ten years of modeling. Getting the chance to work with Peter Lindbergh, who also did some side portraits of me and another fighter who was at that shoot, Seijo Imazaki, in a shoot for Italian Vogue that will end up being a 10 page spread is kind of an honor. Lindbergh has shot guys like David Beckham, who created lots of opportunities outside of soccer for himself with this type of work. Not every guy is going to get a modeling contract, I know, but I do hope this opens up opportunities for people to do other stuff. I hope this helps lead the path to this realm for other guys.
"We've seen guys like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Conor McGregor open up doors with big companies like Nike and Reebok. Those big endorsements mean big money. I remember seeing Anderson come out with a Burger King patch and thinking, 'who gets sponsored by Burger King? That's huge!' I want to be one of those guys. I hope to accomplish some of those types of things."