Pro MMA Fighters discuss Comic Book Characters

[DarrickPatrick]

Pro MMA Fighters discuss Comic Book Characters (by Darrick Patrick)

When most people think of individuals who are familiar with comic book characters, they usually don't envision trained fighters who could probably dismantle the average person in battle within seconds. However, for fans of mixed martial arts and comics both, you can see a correlation between the reality of true fighting and the fantasy of a costumed fighter.

If our reality mimicked that of a comic book universe, without superpowers, it'd be a safe bet that some of the heroes and villains with decent careers would come from the world of professional mixed martial arts. Of course, lots of military, law enforcement, and others highly trained in combat could prosper as these types of individuals too. Basically anyone with the skills and knowledge to overpower the majority of people would have a chance to succeed as a real-life version of the archetypal comic book character.

I talked to thirty professional mixed martial artists who have appeared in various organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Strikeforce, Bellator, King of the Cage, Maximum Fighting Championship, Cage Warriors, and many more. This is their take on fantasy characters that they can possibly find themselves identifying with.

What comic book character do you relate to most?

Art Santore: I am most like Venom, who fights for good, but has a touch of that menace still in him.

Dave Yost: Definitely Wolverine. He's the coolest under pressure and has very little regard for authority. I can relate.

Elvis Sinosic: Groo the Wanderer. Groo is just trying to be himself and live his life with his loved ones. Though in the process, he gets into a lot of mischief. A funny, light-hearted comic. If you haven't read it, you should check it out.

Jesse Bowen: I think I relate most to my favorite ninja turtle, Michelangelo. He always runs his mouth and talks a lot, but when it's time to back it up he can. If you ask anyone who knows me, I'm very similar.

Dhiego Lima: The Hulk. (Laughs) It's like I save all my anger until fight day. When the day comes, I turn into a whole different animal and want to hurt somebody.

Louis Taylor: Peter Parker because Mary Jane is always getting him into trouble.

Jared Downing: One has to admire how Doomsday rolls. If we were genetically engineered to be murdered repeatedly, in an attempt to become immune to death and destruction just so that we could kill Superman, then we would phone it in for the rest of our days too.

Howard Longus: Probably Wolverine or the Punisher because certain events in my past helped shape the way I approach things now.

Chris Manuel: I would say Nightcrawler from the X-Men. I probably look like him to tell you the truth. (Laughs) Teleporting would be a cool power to have. I sometimes like to teleport from one position to another whenever I fight.

Ronda Rousey: Vegeta from Dragonball Z. He's got a lot of pride, and is not the most popular guy. When it comes down to it though, he does whatever he can to get it done.

Dave Kaplan: I like Thor because he has an awesome hammer.

Nathan Murdock: I don't know a whole lot about comics but if there was a hero that just loved having a good time and didn't like taking small matters too seriously, that would be me. I love to work hard, don't get me wrong, but most superheros are just too serious. It's probably an extremely stressful job though, so I understand.

Jason Drake: Probably the Punisher because he's a normal guy that's been through some serious shit and came out on top. Also, he is doing something to better mankind.

Dave Jansen: Wow, this is a toughie. I guess Fone Bone from Jeff Smith's epic Bone series. He doesn't have any superpowers and neither do I. He's on an epic quest and so am I. Every now and then, I have a run-in with a Rat Thing that I need to put in it's place. Part of me wants to say Wolverine for this question, but my cuts take weeks to heal.

Ben Henderson: Captain America.

Sheldon Westcott: Garfield, for sure. I just like to sit and eat. I can be happy on a couch with some pasta and a TV.

Eric Prindle: I don't really have the opportunity to read many comic books, but I think I'd probably go with Batman.

TJ Waldburger: Ummm...Superman. Mainly because I like to disguise myself and wear tights. (Laughs)

Evan DeLong: I like Wolverine's story. He is able to rise above his situation. He is also an aggressive person, which of course I can appreciate.

Darrell Montague: I'd say Cyclops from the X-Men because he is a strong, silent leader and he also has trouble with the ladies. (Laughs)

Mike Ciesnolevicz: I always liked Juggernaut the best. Honestly though, I'm not a huge comic fan. So, I'm not one hundred percent sure who I relate to the most.

Chad George: I'd have to say Homer Simpson. I know he's not exactly a comic book character but c'mon, I think he counts. Homer is my mirror image. He is horrible at most things in life but somehow always manages to end up on top. We both can agree on many topics of the world. He's very true on what he stands for, even if it makes absolutely no sense. If I say a word that's not a real word, I'm pretty sure he would understand it. I mean if I said it, then it must be a word, right?

Erik Koch: Well, I don't really relate to any of them, but my favorite is Magneto. He is a beast!

Keith Wisniewski: Groo The Wanderer. His series is actually the only comic book I've ever read.

William Romero: The Incredible Hulk. The reason being is that if I snap, you're all fucked! (Laughs)

Eddie Wineland: I'm not big into comics, but my favorites were always Wolverine and Deadpool.

Roxanne Modafferi: Unfortunately, I relate in some ways to the Dragon Ball Z gang. I say "unfortunately" because they're always getting the living crap kicked out of themselves. I relate to Vegeta because he feels like he's always being surpassed by his peers, and no matter what he does, he's frustrated he can't reach the level he wants. I sometimes feel like Krillin because he gets physically beat up a lot. Also, like Gohan who can work hard, see the fruits of his efforts, kick butt, and get recognition and fame.

Ted Worthington: The Silver Surfer is like me in a way. He wants to be left alone and is a very powerful person who is not to be messed with.

Lucas Gamaza: I don't know that I relate to him, but I always liked Wolverine. He is always super pissed and comes back from an ass-whooping to beat the shit out of the baddest villains. He also smokes, drinks, and is a womanizer.

Tristan Yunker: Well, I don't know if there is such a character as "AWESOME-Man", but I'm pretty sure that if there were, his stories would be based on me.

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