HOUSTON, TX, October 3, 2011 – It’s fight week here in Houston! The town is abuzz with excitement for this weekend’s UFC 136 event at the Toyota Center featuring the double-title fight main event along with many other surrounding events, such as the UFC Expo and Grappler’s Quest at the George R. Brown Convention Center and the UFC Octagon tour.
Aside from those happenings, one more reason to be excited is an October 7th seminar being put on by Paradigm TC for UFC fighter and “Filipino Wrecking Machine” Mark Muñoz, who will be coming to town for a seminar to teach his brand of wrestling and MMA that has made him one of the most feared ground-and-pound finishers in the sport.
In advance of this Friday’s seminar, we decided to speak to Mark about his background in mixed martial arts, how he got into the sport in the first place, our mutual admiration for Filipino food, and his future in the sport.
We hope you enjoy our in-depth conversation with “Filipino Wrecking Machine’ Mark Muñoz.
Mark’s Wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts Background
Mark, let’s start at the very beginning. When did you first get involved in the martial arts world and what was it like growing up in California?
I started wrestling when I 13 years old. I then started fighting (MMA) when I was 30. I loved growing up in California. More specifically, Vallejo CA! I definitely have lots of fond memories there.
Was wrestling your first love as far as sports go? Were you successful immediately (naturally) or was it anything else that you credit for your success?
Actually, football was my first love. I started playing football when I was 9 years old. I started wrestling a few years later and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I didn’t like it at first but stuck with it and I ended up liking it at the end of my first year. That’s when I think I started learning how to wrestle.
Well you certainly went on to be successful from there. How did you make the decision to go to OSU for college instead of elsewhere closer to home? What was your college experience like with wrestling and otherwise?
I made my decision to go to Oklahoma State because they were one of the best schools in the nation for wrestling and the coach John Smith was a wrestling I was trying to emulate, plus they had a great engineering department. That’s what I wanted to be at the time but I changed my major later on because it was too time consuming. I switched my major to Health Promotion and ended up graduating with my degree in that field.
So was it a natural transition for you to move into MMA after being a two-time All-American? Why did you get into this sport?
No! I never thought I’d ever become a mixed martial artist. I wanted to be a wrestling coach and professor at the college level. But then I met Urijah Faber after accepting a job at UC Davis and he pretty much had the foresight to let me know that I should do it. It took me 3 years to finally take him up on the offer and it paid off.
Though all these years, who do you credit most for shaping your style as a wrestler / fighter?
I credit my wrestling skills to my coaches Mike Minahen, Bobby Gonzalez, John Smith, Mark Perry, and Mark Cody. As a fighter, I credit Urijah Faber, Randy Couture, and all my training partners and coaches: Krzysztof Soszynzski, Jake Ellenberger, Ryron Gracie, Jason Mayhem Miller, Jay Silva, Brett Cooper, Emmanuel Newton, Satoshi Ishii, Andre Dida, Raphael Davis, Fabricio Werdum, Allan Goes, Brandon Vera, Mo Lawal, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Rafael Cordeiro, Abel Nunez, Ed Buckley, and the rest of those guys for shaping me into the fighter I am today.
Mark’s Next Fight Against Chris “The Crippler” Leben
Mark, you’re coming off a pretty big win against Demian Maia in your last fight – your third win in a row. How close do you feel you are to a title shot at this point?
I’m working hard and I feel that I’m two fights away from getting the opportunity of fighting for a title. A win against Chris Leben will definitely get me a notch closer to one day being able to challenge for that belt.
Who’s helping you training for this one?
Pretty much a lot of the names I just mentioned, specifically all my training partners and coaches at Reign Training Center and Kings MMA.
Can you give the fans any prediction as far as how you plan on winning this fight at UFC 138?
I’m going to get a KO or a submission.
Mark’s Seminar at Paradigm Training Center This Friday
How do you know Reed Shelger and the guys a Paradigm in Houston? What do you plan on teaching at your seminar?
Reed Shelger used to be an athlete of mine at UC Davis. Great all around guy! As far as what we’ll cover at the seminar – it will be geared towards the 3 stages in MMA, which are the stand up (Muay Thai and boxing), clinch work and takedowns, and the ground game, more specifically ground and pound.
Do you have any general advice for up-and-coming fighters looking to make it in this sport?
Just continue to work on your weaknesses and refine your strengths. You should really try to be a part of a close-knit gym and a gym that is very active in the world of MMA.
Mark’s Background as a Filipino and Growing the Sport Overseas
Mark, I know you were grew up in California but that state has more Filipinos than just about any other place in the US. Were you immersed in Fil-Am culture a lot even as a child?
Filipino culture runs deep within my blood! I learned about the food, language, dress, mannerisms, cultural dances, etc. just like any other Filipino kid. Make no mistake about it, I’m a Pinoy through-and-through.
Who gave you your nickname, “The Filipino Wrecking Machine?”
When I started MMA, I had the hardest time picking out a nickname and my manager decided to name me the Philippine Wrecking Machine. I didn’t like at first and when I decided to use it in a fight it stuck and people started to call me by it. Later it became ‘Filipino Wrecking Machine’ to be grammatically correct for Tagalog purposes.
What are some of your favorite Filipino foods? Are there any other things about Pinoy culture that make you really proud to have the background that you do?
Oh, I love everything about Filipino food! Specifically I love adobo (chicken or spare rib), nilaga, sinigang, mungo, pancit, pinakbet, diniguan, kare kare, longonisa, tocino, tapa, lumpia, siopao, pan de sal, ube ice cream, hopia, polboron, and the list goes on! I love to dance! That’s what our culture is pretty much all about in my heart. I believe it’s about the dancing and the getting together as a family and the loving one another and making sure we all have a good time. We’re always masaya and we’re always supporting each other, that’s why I love being a Filipino.
I definitely agree with you on that. And you just made me hungry. <laughs> I was recently in Manila and saw you have a huge following in your other home country. Any plans to do something for the Filipino fan in the near future?
I hope that I could give back in any way I can to the Philippines. I’d like to do MMA seminars and wrestling camps out there. Hopefully, I’ll be the Ultimate Fighter Coach when the UFC goes there too. All in all, I just make myself available for the Filipino fans in the Philippines always. I love how they support me. It really makes things worthwhile when I have the support of a whole country behind me. It’s a pretty awesome feeling and I definitely feel the same way about them.
Regarding The Ultimate Fighter show, there have been a lot of rumblings on the inevitable international future of the series. Have you and the powers-that-be talked about that as a possibility for you, coaching a season set in the Philippines?
One more question before we go – We recently saw a YouTube video of you dancing it out with another Filipino in boxing great Nonito Donaire. Who do you think is the better dancer between you two?
Hahahaha! I think he’s a better dancer than me but I can dance very well too! <laughs>
Ha! I guess it’s in the blood. Any sponsors you’d like to thank Mark?
Form Athletics, Xyience, Toyo Tires, and Boneheads.
How can your fans reach you best if they want to stay up to date with your career?
Filipino Dance-Off with Muñoz & Donaire Courtesy of FightHub.TV
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