THE MARK MILLER INTERVIEW

The Mark Miller Interview by Rea Frey

Chicago native Mark Miller looks like a typical fighter. With a myriad of tattoos on his arms, a solid build, and his nose and ears marked by his relentless pursuit on the mat, this laid back fighter approaches everything with ease. He’s just as likely to make you laugh as he is to put up his thick fists in a mock old school boxing style and land a quick left hook to your chin. With a record of 14-5, Miller will make his Strikeforce debut November 7 against local fighter Deray Davis (5-1-1) in one of the preliminary bouts. Best known for his stint on season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter, this heavy-handed fighter is heralded for his strength and his stand-up game.

Fighting

“Coming up as a kid, I was always a boxing fan,” Miller says. “I always liked watching Mike Tyson smash people in the face. Then, Ultimate Fighting came out, and I thought, ‘Man, that’s some cool shit. I want to do that one day.’ I remember telling one of my friends, ‘One day, I’m going to fight on TV like those guys.’ And I did.

“I started boxing in high school for fun. When I joined the military, I saw some guys training MMA one day on base at the gym. I asked them if I could start working out with them and they let me. I picked up everything pretty fast. I ended up training with them all the time while I was there. Six months later, they asked me if I wanted to fight. A promoter in Florida had a guy drop out of a fight, and they needed a replacement. With a week’s notice, I took the fight. I won in the first round by submission, which doesn’t happen often with my fights. I’m not really a submission guy. From there, I kind of fell in love with fighting, and I’ve been fighting ever since.

“I fought on and off for fun for a couple of years. I was working construction and got laid off for the winter, and in order to make extra money, I just started fighting more often. I kept winning fights. I won some Midwest titles. People were just telling me, ‘You should do this instead of working full-time. You only have a window in your life where you’re able to fight.’ So, I kept fighting, and I kept winning. Then, I got offered a fight for the IFL. That was three years ago. Since then, I’ve been fighting full-time. I like fighting in front of big crowds. That’s a rush.”

“Stand-up is definitely my favorite part of MMA,” he continues. “I love boxing. I never really wanted to be a boxer, though. The whole idea of getting punched in the face the whole time didn’t really appeal to me that much with boxing. I like having the options of kicking and kneeing. I like the stand-up, because I think it’s more exciting for the fans, and it’s more exciting for me. I never really shoot takedowns, but I have the option, if I felt like it.” He shrugs and laughs. “I don’t think I’ve ever shot a takedown in my life.” Then why not be a boxer? “I’m too short to be a boxer,” Miller says. “If I was a boxer, I’d have to fight at 147. That’s not happening. Not as long as Taco Bell exists.

“I think the future of MMA is that it’s going to be the biggest sport around. I have mixed emotions about it, actually. As the sport grows, it means better money for the fighters and a better way to make a living, but it also means a massive influx of douche bags. It’s already started. You can go out to any bar on any given weekend and see guys with their MMA shirts on who ‘fight’ UFC. It has its pros and its cons. So, if I had to give local fighters any advice, it would be to take your time. Really learn the sport before you just jump into it. It’s not always about sparring everyday. Take the time to learn the techniques. Evolve as a fighter. Don’t just jump into it. Especially if you’re young. You’ve got all the time in the world. Don’t just take a couple of classes, fight in a local show, win a fight and then tell everybody you’re a UFC fighter. Take your time. Keep your mouth shut. Work hard in the gym. In time, if you dedicate yourself, it will all pay off.”

The Ultimate Fighter

“I never had any desire to go on that show. The idea of living with fifteen guys in a house was so erotic – I mean, no, it never really appealed to me to be on a reality show,” he laughs. “But, I remember they had the tryouts here in Chicago, and a couple of my buddies were going. Me and my friend Kevin, who I ended up fighting on the show, we actually went together. I don’t know how many times we said to each other, ‘Dude, let’s just get the hell out of here.’ It was a fifteen-hour day, there were over 1,000 people there. It was a long, boring process for maybe five minutes of exposure the whole day. We stuck it out, though, and we both ended up getting calls for second interviews. They flew us out to Vegas. We did our interviews and our physicals, and then we both made the show, and lo’ and behold, we both fought each other, which was pretty stupid, I thought. But, I guess if you’re looking for good television, that’s a good way to go about it. Overall, in the house, it was boring as hell. There were no books, no radio, no TV, no music, no anything. And I’m not a kid. I’m a grown man, so I don’t really get into the drama. I don’t sit there and talk about people and play pranks on people and complain and cry. A lot of guys complained a lot and said they couldn’t take it. I was like, ‘Come on, you knew what you signed up for. Deal with it.’ I pretty much kept to myself, but I was close to a couple of guys there. But, I didn’t get involved in any drama.

“I learned a lot of good things from the coaches out there, so it definitely helped me,” he says. “I think certain things I’ve learned will help me – but they aren’t things my coaches haven’t told me before – now, I’m just starting to realize them. Like, I need to relax. I want to turn every fight into a brawl and a street fight, and that’s when I end up doing stupid things and rushing into things. Whereas if I just relax and use my skill, instead of trying to rely on piss and vinegar, I feel like things will turn out a lot better.

“Unlike most fighters, I really don’t have a goal, though. I never set out to be a fighter. I kind of fell into it. I know I said when I was little that one day I would fight on TV, but it wasn’t something that I worked for and worked for. I just kind of fell into it when I lost my job and kept fighting. So, I really don’t have any goals, I just like to fight.”

Training

“My training is usually the same formula: conditioning in the morning and training at night. Depending on the opponent, I try and focus on certain things a little more. It varies from fight to fight. For this upcoming fight, I’ve been focusing a little bit more on my wrestling and not even my defense, but my takedowns too. I’ve been getting a lot of good wrestling work in, and I’ve actually been taking people down, which is not something I’ve done in the past. People get pretty surprised, even in practice, when they see me taking people down. I’m not saying I’m going to shoot a takedown or anything in this fight,” he jokes. “That’s not going to happen. I guarantee it’s not going to happen, but if I could get a body lock slam, I’m taking it. I want to slam somebody,” he says, pounding his fist into his open hand.

Cutting Weight

I’d like to go back in time, find the first person who cut weight, and punch him right in the face. You’re just making life miserable for the future! I don’t cut too much weight, as compared to most guys. I don’t want to win fights because I’m bigger than someone. I fight at 170, but I don’t walk around more than 15 pounds heavier. It’s a pretty easy cut. A lot of guys walk around at 190 and up if they’re fighting at 170. I’d rather just worry about getting better as a fighter than making weight.”

“I just want to say thank you to my friends, family and training partners,” he concludes. “Team Dino Costeas and West Loop Gym. If it wasn’t for all my coaches and training partners, I wouldn’t even be where I’m at today, so I think they deserve all the credit.”

Watch the action Saturday, November 7 on CBS when Mark Miller joins Fedor Emelianenko, Brett Rogers, Jason Miller, Jake Shields, Gerard Mousasi, Thierry Sokoudjou, Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum on what promises to be an exciting card at the Sears Centre in Chicago, Illinois.

PURE MMA ENTERS THE CAGE

PURE MMA’S GENESIS: Miguel Torres Shows His Support to Local Fighters by Rea Frey

On Saturday, September 12, The Odeum Sports and Expo Center in Villa Park, Illinois, filled with locals to enjoy Pure MMA’s first event, Genesis. A promising card stacked with eleven bouts, skills ranged from fresh-faced young hopefuls, still in their teens, to a charity fight showcasing a cop and a fireman, to more experienced MMA athletes who gave the crowd a mixture of entertainment and skill.

As a welcome surprise, former WEC bantamweight champ, Miguel Torres, made an appearance. “The next MMA superstars get their starts with shows like these, which give them experience,” he said. A Starbucks cup in one hand, he signed autographs and posed for pictures, happy to talk about his plans to get back in the game for a title shot. “The last fight, I got a little cocky,” he said. “But, after my next opponent, I’m looking for a title shot.” With a grin plastered to his face, he added, “But I’m not a nice guy.”

Genesis – although peppered with technical difficulties, abnormal wait times between fights, unnecessary screen intros to give background about each fighter – was still a success. The night started with 130 pound fighters John Dieckmann and Jerald Williams. It came as no surprise that Dieckmann, who actually yawned prior to his entrance, was stopped in round one due to strikes. After a quick succession of rapid fire punches, Williams got Dieckmann’s back and ended it with unanswered strikes to the head.

The second bout featured Chris Duran and Mike Wojtulewicz. Both just nineteen years old, these young fighters gassed quickly as their adrenaline rocketed and then crashed, leaving them depleted and gasping for air. After an immediate takedown by Mike, who illustrated good ground skills and a quick arm bar, Duran escaped, dropped some bombs of his own and made it out of the first round. Before the second, the ref stopped the bout, however, due to a giant goose egg protruding from Mike’s eye. Duran reigned victorious.

Featherweights Doug Fick and Alec Spencer battled with their stand-up, but both fighters lacked power, instead locking each other against the cage, blood staining their forearms and elbows, making small, red pebbles on the canvas. Finally, after an imminent tangle in the second round, the fighters brought their knees into play. After a slew of unanswered punches to the head, the ref stopped the bout at 2:45 in the second round, claiming Spencer as the winner.

Flyweights Jeremy Rennels and Dimitrius Williams brought some excitement with low kicks and smooth takedowns, which transitioned into a steady ground and pound by Williams. The ref stopped the bout in the first round, and Williams, upon his victory, completed a back flip, still energetic after his short jaunt in the cage.

Dave Pedraza and Luis Acuna fought at a catch weight (though exactly what that catch weight was remains to be seen). Though it was a mismatch from the start, this was the sole fight that went the distance. The more experienced fighter, Pedraza, clinched a split decision after three rounds.

As the night progressed, the skill improved, but the next bout was incredibly short lived, thanks to a premature stoppage by the referee. At 171 pounds, fighters Ben Koff and Jerry Henley (who was joined by his entourage consisting of professional boxer, Mike Mollo, MMA superstar, Andrei Arlovski, and Chicago coach, Dino Costeas) provided a little star power to the Expo Center. Immediately, Koff threw giant, looping punches, which Henley deflected easily, with good head movement and counterpunching. He rocked Koff immediately and knocked him down, but rather than capitalizing on this opportunity, Henley let him up and got into a quick exchange of punches. Henley got tagged and dropped to his knees. Before he had an opportunity to make his next move, the ref stopped the fight 28 seconds into the very first round.

Lucas Grabowski and “Wolverine” Shawn Gulisano gave the crowd something to cheer about, as they threw hard punches, knees, and once it went to the ground, Grabowski secured a rear naked choke, causing the Wolverine to tap out at 1:50 seconds of the first round.

The charity fight of the evening was comprised of a cop, Larry Linderman, and a fireman, Patrick Moran. Upon Moran’s entrance, one was reminded of a “good old boy,” with his gray hair and small potbelly, which distended over the waistband of his trunks. Nowhere in his demeanor did one get “fighter.” Linderman obviously had the age and shape advantage. Once the bout was underway, Moran threw tethered, uncertain punches, bobbling forward, reminding one of a Tough Man competition. Once Moran was knocked to the canvas, Linderman mounted him uncertainly, delivering calculated blows to his ribs. Near the end of round one, Linderman easily submitted Moran with a rear naked choke, though both men received a standing ovation for their services and brave wills.

The last three fights were for Pure MMA title belts. The 145-pound division kicked things off with Justin Halloran fighting Brandon Harrison. These two fighters exemplified skill and experience. Harrison maintained side control for most of the round, with Halloran being saved by the bell from a rear naked choke. Round two started with low kicks, a smattering of punches and foot stomps, and then, as a surprise to everyone, Halloran dropped Harrison with a knee to the jaw. Upon this strike, bits of Harrison’s teeth blasted from his mouth and caused an immediate ref stoppage, which gave Halloran the belt.

The co-main event was easily the best fight of the night. At 170 pounds, Ryan Storey and Mike Santiago were in stellar shape and armed with skill. Storey was able to maintain control from the top, taking Santiago’s back early on. Both fighters remained calm, looking to take advantage of the other’s mistakes. The bout, like so many others from the night, ended in the first round, due to a rear naked choke, giving Storey his first Welterweight belt.

The main event featured heavyweights Gabe Salinas and Tim Nevinger. Both fighters exchanged slow punches before taking it to the ground, where Salinas finished Nevinger with a flurry of punches in the second round.

All in all, it was a good first attempt for Pure MMA Fighting. Many fighters showed promise and Chicago will keep a look out for these future MMA stars.