10 Questions With Stephan Bonnar (5/31/2009)

[DarrickPatrick]

10 Questions With Stephan Bonnar (by Darrick Patrick)

Stephan "The American Psycho" Bonnar is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Ironheart Crown, Total Fight Challenge, Ultimate Athlete, and Jungle Fight. He was also on the first season of the television show The Ultimate Fighter and made it to the finals of that tournament, facing Forrest Griffin in The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale in what is considered to be the most important fight in UFC history. At the time of this interview, his next scheduled match is against Mark Coleman in the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 100 on July 11th, 2009.

Darrick: What was the path that led you to competing in professional mixed martial arts?

Stephan: Oh, boy...it probably had a lot to do with being the youngest of three brothers. I was constantly competing for my parent's attention, getting beat up all the time by my brothers, and basically always feeling like I had something to prove. I'd say this mixed well with a fascination for martial arts. I played regular sports such as baseball, football, basketball, and stuff like that was okay - but if I was going to kick my brother's asses, it wasn't quite good enough. I begged and begged until my parents finally let me start wrestling at the age of ten and then joined Taekwondo when I was twelve.

Darrick: Do you have any words of advice for other individuals looking to compete in MMA?

Stephan: I've noticed a lot of people just want to compete in MMA right away and I tell them, "Don't rush in...just enjoy learning the martial arts." It's a lengthy process. Find a good Jiu-Jitsu teacher and a good striking coach. Have fun training and learning first, then worry about putting it all together and competing after a year or two.

Darrick: Your next scheduled match is against Mark Coleman on July 11th. What are your thoughts about this upcoming fight?

Stephan: Well, he is definitely a big name. He is used to fighting at heavyweight, so I know he will be strong. Mark is also a phenomenal wrestler and I can't let him impose his game on me. I have to make him fight my fight. I am really thankful to be on the card for UFC 100.

Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?

Stephan: I respect Wanderlei Silva's tenacity, Lyoto Machida's skill, Forrest Griffin's dedication since he's a workhorse, and Ken Florian's preparation for opponents. Oh, and how could I forget? Miguel Torres is an absolute animal.

Darrick: What brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?

Stephan: One is always going to feel fulfillment when one is learning. In MMA, there is so much to learn. I always feel like I focus on certain things and I am constantly learning. Whether it be wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, boxing...even strength and conditioning, or nutrition. This makes it impossible to get bored. How can you when there is so much that you need to improve on?

Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?

Stephan: Well, outside of my family - there was this crazy abusive hillbilly that lived down the block from me. Let's call him "Wargo" for the time being. I was scared to death of Wargo, but my brother and I had a weird fascination with him. He didn't give a damn and didn't take shit from anyone. If someone was picking on me, I'd say to myself, "What would Wargo do?" I'd then act all apologetic, giving out that "please don't kick my ass" attitude, then blast the person in the face, and run. (Laughs) Outside of my social network, the celebrities I looked up to were the same as any typical American kid. Hulk Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and of course Bruce Lee and Van Damme.

Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?

Stephan: On one hand, I would have to say that I love outdoor adventures like snow skiing, climbing, riding jet skis, and boating. Even just climbing a mountain, then sitting and enjoying the view at the top. On the other hand, I love movie theaters.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Stephan: To be honest, I remember a lot of things from my early childhood. One of those memories is from preschool when I was three or four years old. I received my first sad face on an assignment and a sad face is the equivalent to a F. I was devastated, trying to hold back the tears. My friend Tom asked me what was wrong and I told him. He said, "Oh, don't worry about it, I got one too. I get sad faces all the time. Screw it, no big deal." Then we tore up the papers and laughed about it. I will never forget that...and Tom is still my best friend to this day.

Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.

Stephan: I love animals.

Darrick: When you're no longer amongst the living, how would you most like to be remembered?

Stephan: If there's one thing people can remember, it's that I have never been the strongest, fastest, or most gifted athlete. I have however always tried really, really, really hard and never gave up.

FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835

You can also check out Stephan Bonnar in the following places:

Official Stephan Bonnar Website:

http://www.stephanbonnar.com

Stephan Bonnar on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/stephan-bonnar-3014

Stephan Bonnar Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:

http://www.sherdog.com/pictures/gallery/fighter/3014