10 Questions With Simon Marini (2/5/2009)

[DarrickPatrick]

10 Questions With Simon Marini (by Darrick Patrick)

Simon Marini is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as Maximum Fighting Championships, Ultimate Cage Wars, and Xtreme Fighting Organization. At the time of this interview, his next scheduled match is against Ryan Machan at MFC 20: Destined For Greatness on February 20th, 2009.

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

Simon: I was always interested in fighting growing up. Not street fighting or anything, I just loved fight movies. I also did a little bit of Karate, but quit because I hated doing those damn Katas. (Laughs) Even when I became more of an inactive kid, I still loved the idea of fighting. It wasn't until I passed the sports section of a video rental place though that I found my passion. It was the Ultimate Ultimate 2. I came home with that video and over the weekend I must have watched that event seven times. Right away, a buddy and I started "training" together - pretty much just fuckin' around thinking we knew what we were doing. The next school year in grade eleven I joined the high school wrestling team. From there, I added BJJ to my game in the summer and slowly started adding in some striking. Now, here I am training my ass off in all aspects of the fight game.

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

Simon: Find a reputable club. With MMA getting popular so fast, there's a lot of these McDojos popping up everywhere, teaching old school Karate/Taekwondo self-defense stuff and calling it MMA. Also, don't just train in one place, seek out the best training partners and coaches for each aspect. Why train your wrestling with a boxer, right? Get out to a local university/college and see if you can work in on their wrestling practices. Sure you'll get stomped for the first little while, but it'll be worth it. Find a solid boxing coach and a Thai boxing coach so you can work with them seperately, so each may compliment one another. And never be the top dog, that's the most important. If you're kicking everybody's ass that you train with, you'll be in trouble if you end up in a fight with somebody else kicking yours.

Darrick: Who is someone that greatly influenced you while growing up?

Simon: My brother was a huge influence, I always looked up to him. He always took care of me and kept me from being a dumbass. (Laughs) I followed his footsteps a bit as well. He went through being a personal trainer and a professional football player. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't have pursued personal training. Also, having a brother as a professional athlete kind of opened that mental door for me. Instead of thinking I couldn't ever be a pro athlete, he made it look more than possible.

Darrick: Your next scheduled match is against Ryan Machan on February 20th. What are your thoughts about this upcoming fight?

Simon: I think it's a great fight for me. He's a real tough guy, coming from a good camp and training with some big namers - he's part of Jason MacDonald's team. My coaches have put together a solid game plan and I'm ready to execute it perfectly. I'm going to get to showcase a lot of my skills in this fight and I'm pumped about that.

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

Simon: GSP of course, being Canadian you have to respect that guy. (Laughs) He's an animal in the cage, super polite outside of it, and never talks shit - just talks confident. Plus he trains the way I believe in, searching out some of the best trainers in all different aspects. He also always comes in with amazing game plans, which is something I really admire. He's a real professional athlete, not just a fighter. Randy Couture is also someone I look at with a lot of respect. He's an amazing fighter, amazing coach, and from the looks of it, a great businessman and all-around great person. Being able to carry over the success he's gotten from fighting into all areas of his life is inspiring and I hope to follow a similar path.

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

Simon: I don't really know actually - I just love it. I love the training, pushing msyelf, and seeing how much I can take. I love the feeling you get when your hand is being raised. It's just plain awesome, I can't imagine living any different. Who wants a "real" job? Come on. (Laughs)

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

Simon: I like being outside going for hikes, trail runs, fishing, playing with my dogs, and even just laying in the sun. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, not in the big bar/club scene or anything though, but just hanging out. Grabbing some food, hitting up a movie or something - whatever.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Simon: I remember coming down the birthing canal, it being really dark, then all of a sudden there was light, and... (Laughs) No, really - I'd have to say one of my earliest memories was from day care. We all used to get into stupid shit on our little recess. One thing in particular was sprinting down the asphalt pathway and diving onto our knees to see who can get the biggest scrapes. Yep, we were a little "off", I know.

Darrick: If you had three wishes, what would they be?

Simon: First off, I'd move Canada to Hawaii. I think Canada's an awesome country to live in, but I hate the weather. (Laughs) I can't take cold, I'm a huge pussy. Second, I would make the world less technology-oriented and more biology-oriented. Almost like the best of both worlds, mxing the lifestyle of a caveman and modern day man. My ideal world would be something like Cast Away with a solar-powered laptop. Really, I'm pretty simple so those two wishes would be all I could think of. Although if I actually had the chance to make a real wish, I'd definitely make all of the Earth's soil rich in nutrients and able to produce ample vegetation growth. It may sound a little weird, but if you think about that's all any third-world country would need to take them to a better place. Giving them the opportunity to create farms, which would produce both food and jobs for the people. It's not an extravagant wish, but it would definitely change the world for the better.

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

Simon: As my girlfriend would put it, I'm a little care bear. I love to cuddle on the couch and watch chick flicks with her all the time. (Laughs) I see nothing wrong with that. I say any guy not man enough to snuggle with his girl on a nice comfy couch in front of P.S. I Love You or something like that ain't no man at all!

In closing, I'd like to say thanks to everybody at www.Nokaut.com and www.MMA-ID.com. I'd also like to quickly thank everybody for supporting me. Especially my coach Bryan Edge and the whole team at Cutting Edge Martial Arts (www.cuttingedgemartialartsandfitness.com), David Finch of Regency Boxing (www.david-finch-boxing.com), Adam Morden of NHB Conditioning (www.nhbconditioning.com), and my manager Christina Sears (www.christinasears.com). In addition to the great people at The Centre for Chiropractic Health (www.chiropractichealth.ca), Derailed Apparel (www.derailedapparel.com), and MMA Fight Shop (www.mmafightshop.ca). And don't forget to check out my blog at www.simonmarini.ca!

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 Simon Marini in the following places:

Official Simon Marini Website:

http://www.simonmarini.ca

Official Simon Marini MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/born4thecage

Simon Marini on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Simon-Marini-23583