10 Questions With Patrick Barrentine (11/20/2008)

[DarrickPatrick]

10 Questions With Patrick Barrentine (by Darrick Patrick)

Patrick "The Bear" Barrentine is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as Gladiators Fighting Series, Next Level Fighting, Gracie Fighting League, Full Throttle, Real Fighting Championships, International Sport Combat Federation, Legends Of Fighting, Mixed Martial Arts Championship, Gracie Proving Ground, and Fightfest. At the time of this interview, his next match was scheduled to be against Joe Mellotte but will now be with replacement Bobby Favors at Warrior Combat XXI on November 22nd, 2008.

Darrick: What was the journey that led you to professional mixed martial arts competition?

Patrick: I grew up wrestling all of my life and I started watching UFC when I was ten. I remember walking into Blockbuster with my dad and seeing the cover of UFC 1 - after watching it, I fell in love instantly. When I was about thirteen, I wanted to find something to keep me on the mat but also not get burnt out on wrestling. So my dad and I signed up for BJJ, but my first instructor really didn't know it too well, so we all learned together. Months later Jorge Gurgel showed up wanting a teaching job - he was a Blue belt then. I did that for awhile but had to take a break for some years because wrestling was getting too involved. I wanted to win a state title and there was no time for anything else.

I won a state title my senior year after second and third place finishes the years before and went on to college wrestling for WVU. It didn't quite work out how I planned, so I came home after a year and a half. Jorge had heard I was back in town and wanted me to come back to the gym. By then he was already into his fight career and working with Rich Franklin. I got my first fight three months after training and it was the biggest rush I had ever felt. I had wrestled in front of 17,000 people, but fighting in front of that crowd of 700 was nerve-racking. I'm 2-1 as an ammy and 9-3 as a pro. I train with Robert Walker at Walker MMA and Bas Rutten's Team Prodigy now.

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

Patrick: Don't expect anything to be easy. It's a hard life trying to make it in MMA and keep a job while you're trying to get in enough training hours. It takes a special breed to survive MMA, just like wrestling - that's why everybody doesn't do it. Just keep an open mind when you go to a gym and learn as much from everybody as you can, no matter how tough you think you are because there's always somebody better.

Darrick: Your next scheduled fight was supposed to be with Joe Mellotte on November 22nd, but will now be against Bobby Favors. What are your thoughts about this upcoming match?

Patrick: We just found out that Joe was suspended until February of 2009, so I'm fighting Bobby Favors now. His record is 6-4 and I have fought him before. I won by submission in one minute and fifty-two seconds, but I guess he's been doing quite well since then. I'm really looking forward to fighting in front of my home crowd, it will be a good show at the Dayton Convention Center.

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

Patrick: My parents. They are the best in the world and the most supportive. My dad got me into MMA - he used to drive to North Dakota and Delaware to watch me wrestle. My mom hates MMA and she used to cry when she watched me wrestle, but she still supports what I want to do with my life. I couldn't have asked for a better support system.

Darrick: In your experience so far, what brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?

Patrick: I'm not going to lie - it's the win. What's so crazy about standing toe to toe with someone saying "I am"? (That's a quote from Rocky Balboa) It's working your ass off and seeing what you got. Also, the family attitude we as fighters have - we know what each other has to go through to get to the point we're at and we respect that. I can fight someone and be friends with them afterwards. It's not personal, it's just business.

Darrick: Where could you possibly see the future of the sport ten years from now?

Patrick: I'm hoping to see the sport grow some more so we can start making the money that boxing does. Right now we are a business of pimps and hoes and I'm not trying to be funny, the promoters are the pimps and we are the hoes. A promoter can always find somebody who will fight for less money. I think I'm worth a certain amount, but it's hard for me to find fights at that amount because they will find someone who will undercut me. We are underpaid for what we do. We just sit at the table and hope for scraps to be thrown our way. I hope to see that change.

Darrick: Outside of competitive fighting, what are your other interests?

Patrick: Music, dancing, and movies. I love operas, musicals, plays, and any type of movie. I love watching dancing, going out to the clubs, dancing, and I would love to learn how to ballroom dance. Yeah, I know it's kind of weird for a fighter - I'm supposed to be the tough guy.

Darrick: What is your greatest memory?

Patrick: Winning the state title my senior year of high school. I messed up my junior year and lost in double overtime in the finals. Another year I had lost to the same kid in double overtime in the semis and took third place. Finally in my senior year I was getting my butt kicked losing 9 to 3 in the third period, but I came back and won 11 to 10. There was no better feeling - I cried, it was such a feeling of relief and success.

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

Patrick: I used to be in band and can play the clarinet, and I write poetry.

Darrick: If you had superpowers, what would they be?

Patrick: Super speed - it would really be useful as a heavyweight.

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 Patrick Barrentine in the following places:

Official Patrick Barrentine MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/pandabear666

Patrick Barrentine on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Patrick-Barrantine-14305

Patrick Barrentine Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:

http://www.sherdog.com/pictures/gallery/fighter/14305