DJ Linderman, who recently won the Sportfight Heavyweight championship and is 8-1 as a pro, signed last week to the Bellator and is an alternate in their Heavyweight tourney. DJ, who trains at Do Somthin' Athletics under coaches Tommy & Randy Davis, spoke with NW Fightscene about the signing and more...

NW Fightscene: You just got signed with Bellator. How are you feeling?
DJ Linderman: I'm feeling excited. Right now I'm sitting as an alternate for the Bellator Heavyweight Tournament, hopin' somebody gets hurt so I can get in there. If not, I have a six fight contract for 2 and a half years. And I'm looking forward to every fight.

NWFS: As a fighter, how does that feel having to sit back and wait?
Linderman: I'm really antsy. I was on hold for a few days waiting to see if his [Alexei Olenik's] visa would pass and in the gym trying to get at my peak with a fight I don't even know that I have. Its hard.

NWFS: Now is there a kind of confidence knowing that at least you got signed?
Linderman: Yeah, there's a lot of confidence there. I know there's guys in there that I can beat. I know there's guys in there that are going to be a tough fight. And I'm ready for that.

NWFS: Who in Bellator would you like to fight? Obviously you've already beat Mike Hayes having fought him in the past. 
Linderman: Well, he was talking trash about me, I believe on your website in an interview, hoping that I would retire. I'd like to see if he could retire me. But if not him, I'd like Cole Konrad or one of these other fighters.

NWFS: So what do you think when a fighter says something like that. Is that just trash talking or do you take that personally?
Linderman: When I've already beat a fighter, plain as I beat him, and he said I laid and prayed. Obviously if you watch the video, you'll see that I was striking with him, beating him on the feet. He's the only fighter I've ever had a beef with.

NWFS: So even though you've beat him once, you'd like to beat him again for what he said?
Linderman: Yes. To shut him up.

NWFS: Tell us about your training and your team.
Linderman: My training is going really well. I train five days a week, between three and five hours a day. I work full-time. I'm a roofer. So I'm constantly moving. Hopefully, here in Bellator I would like to hop into the 205 division. Right now I sit about 220 and these bigger guys are looking kind of big to me. It'll be a better fight at 205 I'm thinking... My team's great here. I got offered to go to Team Quest. I turned it down because I have a solid camp here. There's no reason for me to be anywhere else.

NWFS: Talk about Sportfight and winning the title there.
Linderman: Winning the title up there, it was a long hard fight. Daniel Stewart is one of the toughest fighters I've went against. Not the hardest, but definitely the toughest. The guy would not drop. Well, I would drop him but the guy would not stop. He'd come at me like a juggernaut. And I give all my respect to him for not quitting that fight. He's gave me one of the best fights I've had. It let me put my standup out there to let everybody know that I have standup. I ain't just a ground and pound [fighter].

NWFS: Now you have to retire that belt because you signed with Bellator?
Linderman: Yes, now I do. Its pretty nice that both guys that have won the Sportfight title the last two times have moved on to bigger places. Me and Mike Hayes have both moved on to Bellator. The next [Sportfight] champ I think it will be Daniel Stewart. I think he'll do great. And that's what I have on that.

NWFS: Anybody you'd like to thank?
Linderman: I'd like to thank my team here. I'd like to thank Throwdown down there in Vegas. And all my fans out there.

NW Fightscene thanks DJ for taking the time to speak with us. Fans wanting to hit him up online can do so at www.myspace.com/NorCal_Champ.