10 Questions With Mark Serkez (3/13/2010)

[DarrickPatrick]

10 Questions With Mark Serkez (by Darrick Patrick)

Mark "Baby Hulk" Serkez is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as Cage Warriors Fighting Championships, Art Of Fighting, Xtreme Fighting Championships, World Extreme Fighting, Combat Fighting Championship, and Real Fighting Championships. At the time of this interview, his next scheduled match is against Keith McCabe in Art Of Fighting at AOF 7: Pay Day on April 3rd, 2010.

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

Mark: I started learning Jiu-Jitsu because I got in trouble for defending a girl that was raped by some Pikes. I did the right thing but since I used my fists I got in some trouble. I was informed that I needed to learn a martial art that uses holds and chokes. Nothing that involved the fists. So, I started Jiu-Jitsu in 2003 and began training all of the time.

There were guys getting ready for MMA fights where I trained. I would roll with them, get wrecked, and eventually started giving them back some. They were beating me in different areas such as wrestling, takedown defense, striking, or ground and pound. So, I had to adapt and start learning it all. This was around 2005.

Then, Seth Petruzelli was fighting in Japan and getting ready for some other shows like King of the Cage. I decided that I truly wanted to get in there and see if I could overcome all odds. I began training deeper for MMA, and with Luigi Fioravanti and Paul Rodriguez always around preparing for their next battles, I could watch, help be a tackling dummy, and try to better educate myself in the skills that I needed for the task at hand.

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

Mark: My grandfather was an influence on me. He was like a father in many ways, but I still grew up without a male figure around for the most part. There wasn't a man around when questions arose or people would put me in awkward situations that weren't understandable to a kid. My father was influential as well, even though he was never available. He was a military veteran that was always sick from Agent Orange. He was constantly in and out of the VA hospitals due to his condition, which soon kept him in the hospital full-time. My father eventually passed away in 2008.

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

Mark: I'd say just start training right now. The sport is awesome and it's growing every day. I am so passionate about it. I'll help anybody from any school so that they may learn faster and take an easier path than the road that I am on. It's not easy and I'm still trying to take it to the big time.

Darrick: Your next scheduled match is against Keith McCabe on April 3rd. What are your thoughts about this upcoming fight?

Mark: I plan on keeping it a game of chess until the slugfest begins. It's all about keeping your cool and then letting the monster out when the time is right. I want to let everybody see who Mark Serkez really is and what I have deep inside of me.

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

Mark: Having a dream. Learning a new technique in striking. Seeing the littlest thing that clicks in someone else's noggin during training that makes them realize why they enjoy the sport so much. It's also very fulfilling when people can see why you love the sport so much with your heart and soul. It's about more than just winning and going in the ring to test your skills.

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

Mark: Paul Rodriguez, Luigi Fioravanti, Ben Saunders, Seth Petruzelli, Tom Lawlor, Todd Broadaway, Dorian Price, Mike Bell, Tommy "Trauma" Sauer, Vinnie Samero, Mitch McElroy, and Carlos "The Rooster" Gonzales. They have all helped me to get to where I am today.

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

Mark: The only interest that I have is to succeed in the sport so that I may be there for my brother's son. My brother passed on September 24th, 2009 and left behind a three-year-old who is now going on four. The goal is to make sure that I am around and can be like a father figure to him since my brother is now up above.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Mark: My dad smiling when I showed him some photos of one of my fights and a video of it. It may not be my oldest memory, but it's the one that is sticking out to me right now.

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

Mark: I have too big of a heart. I spend a lot of time and energy on other people instead of thinking about myself to further my fighting career.

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

Mark: To get a chance to fight in Japan would be the first wish. It's the "world series of fighting" and I feel that if you are good enough to hang there, the crowd will let you know. My second wish would be to make sure there are no such things as limitations or politics to get in the way of your dreams and passions. The final wish is that my family and friends are all taken care of and do not have to stress about the minor things in life. I would like them to have the opportunity to be able to just focus on the big picture - to smile, laugh, cry, and live life.

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 Mark Serkez in the following places:

Official Mark Serkez Website:

http://www.markserkez.com

Official Mark Serkez MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/mark_stateofmind

Official Mark Serkez Facebook Site:

http://www.facebook.com/mark.a.serkez

Official Mark Serkez YouTube Page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/markserkez

Mark Serkez on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Mark-Serkez-15318