10 Questions With Ron Faircloth (9/3/2008)

[DarrickPatrick]

10 Questions With Ron Faircloth (by Darrick Patrick)

Ron Faircloth is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bodog Fight, World Extreme Cagefighting, Maximum Fighting Championships, Konquer The Kage, Art Of War, Freestyle Combat Challenge, Ultimate Cage Wars, Madtown Throwdown, Wild Bill's Fight Night, Euphoria, Absolute Fighting Championships, Extreme Brawl, Monroe Meltdown, Fox Valley Fight Night, HOOKnSHOOT, Explosion CFC, Midwest Extreme Challenge, Universal Above Ground Fighting, Silverback Classic, Extreme Challenge, and Icon Sport.

Darrick: How did you end up competing in professional mixed martial arts?

Ron: I started out like a lot of midwest guys, paying forty bucks to get into tournaments and fighting three or four times a night. If you placed first or second, you won back gas money. It was way different then.

Darrick: What does a typical training session for you consist of?

Ron: It usually starts out with dutch drills for stand-up or submission drills for the ground. Then we go into live work and after we get tired, we do pad work to force good technique while tired.

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

Ron: Well, of course my mother - she rocks. My dad was always a hero to me and also my brother, who beat me down as often as he could fit it in. I've always been lucky enough to have good people around me.

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

Ron: I like teaching. I think I get more out of it than my class. I have had the pleasure of teaching the realities of fighting to groups of soldiers and it was awesome every time. I also like the stress release I get from hard training. Nothing seems to matter much when you're that worn down.

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

Ron: Dave Strasser has given more to this sport than anyone I have ever known. He took me in, trained me, and has sent me around the world fighting. All he ever wanted in return was loyalty and he gets it from me for sure. Pat O'Malley is another guy that has stood by me through it all. Bad losses, great victories, bad decisions, ripped off biceps, double shoulder surgery, MRSA - any way it could come, he has always been there. We now run two businesses together and I wouldn't trade his friendship for anything.

Another would be Mark Plavcan. This is a guy who would watch tapes and come up with ways to beat people. Most of all my submission work came from him. Also Nick Thompson - when he came to me to train, he sucked out loud. Honest, you could almost hear him suck. He stuck with it and now he's a top ten fighter at 170. Hats off to The Goat.

Darrick: Any words of advice to other individuals looking to compete in MMA?

Ron: There is money in it now, but remember the guys who busted ass to get the sport where it is today. Keep yourselves humble, because this sport is rough on people. One win or loss, and you are either the greatest or the worst. If you stay humble, people will stick by you through both.

Darrick: Outside of martial arts, what are your other interests?

Ron: I run a gym and the Madtown Throwdown in Madison, Wisconsin. I do freelance artwork, write for the Wisconsin Combat Sports website, and also spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. I am currently a full-time computer shit talker.

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

Ron: I like to dress like a woman and dance around in my yard at night while the sprinkler is on.

Darrick: If you had 24 hours left to live, how would you spend that time?

Ron: Making my peace with the Almighty.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Ron: Running my head into a coffee table after taking cookies when I was three.

FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:

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

You can also check out Ron Faircloth in the following places:

Official Ron Faircloth MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/ronfaircloth

Wisconsin Combat Sports:

http://www.wisconsincombatsports.com

Ron Faircloth on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Ron-Faircloth-2290

Ron Faircloth Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:

http://www.sherdog.com/pictures/gallery/fighter/2290