MARK MATHEWS GOES TOE-2-TOE WITH ROY " HITBOY" ARRIOLA

Mark Mathews (3-3) making his way from the middle weight division to lock horns with 170lb weight class, Mathews is coming off a 21 second knockout only a couple months ago @ Red Hawk casino, he is looking to take the welterweight division by storm and is willing to take on all comers. On December 12th 2009 Mathews will get his chance to send his message loud and clear when he takes on Robert Ballard (4-0) and undefeated fighter out of Team Mixed Breed who loves to take his opponents to the ground and pound them out.

When I sat Down with Mark Mathews to interview him he had so much to say, so yes I let him speak his mind, he wanted the people to know exactly who he is...so here goes....

HB: Who is Mark Matthews?

MM: Mark Matthews is a constant work in progress. I'm always trying grow in every area of my world. And MMA is a MAJOR part of my world.
I'm a proud father and husband. I like seeing the smiles I put on the faces of my family when I win because I know I erased all of their worries concerning my fight....
I'm a slick tattoo artist who is well rounded in all areas of tattooing. My work speaks for itself. My mentality towards in MMA is very similar to my outlook on tattooing. Always give your best effort, and you'll be happy with the results. I'm a man who will only say about you what I would say to you. I have a low bullshit tolerance. Overall, I'm just a man who is always trying to improve myself....

HB: Where do you train, etc.....

MM: Spent most if my life just being a fuck up. Tryna make fast money, living a fundamentally flawed life while tryna keep up with the joneses. Paid some heavy consequences and had years of my life taken away from me while I lived behind bars and fences like the rest of the idiots thinking they didn't have to follow rules.
Never had any training until I ventured into MMA. I was always a heavy, analytical fan. The day I had my daughter come into this world. She motivated me to want to chase this dream. I figured the daughter of a successful fighter would be able to grow up with a sense of security greater than most women growing up in this world. Which I figured would have her growing up with a good sense of confidence since she would always know and feel she was safe. I began training at a school called UnderGround MMA in Jackson. It was a great school to get introduced into MMA through. A bunch of tough guys with wrestling backgrounds who conditioned me well. I also started splitting training time with Ultimate Fitness also. I have an old friend who is an instructor there, Jeromy Freitag. He kinda took me under his wing while showing me the proper training methods and lining me up to work with more of the guys from UF. Before long, I made the change to training at Ultimate Fitness full time as I realized the level of instruction there is second to none for our region. If I wanna compete with the best, I knew I'd have to train like the best. Ive been training for exactly two years now, and fought my first pro fight after training for a full year. In hindsight, I feel that one year is the MINIMUM that any aspiring fighter should train for before their first fight. It literally takes that long to correctly condition your body to allow proper technique.

HB: How soon do you see yourself challenging for the welterweight title?

MM: That all depends on my performance. I dont like to look ahead too much. I did for one fight, had big plans and even a target opponent in my scope, and got KO'd by a guy I may have been overlooking by focusing so much on that scope. So, my vision is one fight at a time. That question would be more likely to get a solid answer from the guys running the show....
All I know is that I have ALOT I want to work on, and ALOT I want to accomplish while I'm an MMA combatant. Whatever happens is a result of solid effort. And that's all I'm tryna put in. I want to be prepared enough to be able to accept ANY opportunity that comes my way.....

HB: You've found a home with GC, what's next?

MM: I'm open to anything. I wanna progress and stay busy. My goal is a minimum of 6 fights in 2010. In my first year, I will have fought 6 fights in three different weight classes for three different organizations. Even with my losses, I feel I still established myself pretty well around here. I've shown that I'll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Not alot of guys can say that. Well, they might say it, but.......
I think the fact that I've walked that walk, and worked my ass off thru this first year will bring me good opportunities. I just want to make sure I'm prepared enough to make the most of them.

HB: What goes through my head before a fight?

MM: With each fight, my focus on my gameplan gets a little better. Once I start warming up for my fight, I'm just focused on being loose and having good technique and speed thru my warm ups. Sometimes, I'll even try to sneak a peak at my opponent warming up just to see how seriously he's taking the situation or to get a small clue of where he plans on taking the fight.
I begin telling myself he doesn't want it as bad as I do. I think of everytime i pushed myself through pain in training and of whatever it is that i sacrificed in preparation for my fight. I start visualizing the fight and pretty soon everything is zoned out. When I'm waiting to take the walk, I'm just honed in on whatever my corner is telling me and hearing my self voice in my head telling me that winning is the only option. That it is my place to dictate the fight. I remind myself to leave it all on the mat.
Once my walk starts, my nerves shift to channelled excitement. I control my breathing and start running combos in my head. Telling myself that is MY cage and this mother fucker is trespassing. I see the faces of my supporters in the crowd and tell myself it's a must to win to make them proud. Especially when my son is there. He thinks I'm the baddest man on the planet and I've got to deliver on that.
I usually catch he and my wife on my walk and give them both a hug and a kiss while they say a last minute word of encouragement.
My favorite part is when I'm getting vaselined up at the foot of the stairs to the cage. I blank everything out and tell myself ITS GAMETIME!!!! It's almost meditative and any last minute intructions my corner gives me really sink in here. I calm myself at this moment, walk the stairs to the cage entrance and stop, take a breath that is accentuated by my arms moving to and away from my body with my breath, this allows me to remind myself that I am in control. I then kiss my fist and raise it to the sky. This is a moment of appreciation to my maker for allowing me to battle once again, as well as an acknowledgement to my fallen friends and family who may be watching from above.
I walk in the cage doing my best to look relaxed so that my opponent can't get a read on me. I stand in my corner and focus on my breathing. I then watch everyone exit the cage except for me, my opponent, and the ref. When the cage door closes, I get a sense of excitement and wait for the ref to ask me if I am ready. You bet your ass I'm ready mother fucker.....

Mark Mathews message to the welterweight division....

MM: If I had a message, it would be this. Just know that I come to bring it. I fight because I LOVE to. Almost even because I NEED to. I'm not gonna pussyfooting around when we are in that cage. I've fought 205ers with 30 lbs weight advantages over me. I fear no one. I'm in the gym heavily, so I WILL be prepared. I work on EVERYTHING so there is no area of the fight that I am afraid to go.
When that cage door closes, just be ready for WAR! Because there will be nothing less if I'm involved.
I'll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. If you don't believe me, check my files....
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