Fighter Profile: Simon “The Mutant” Marini
Name: Simon “The Mutant” Marini
Height: 5′8”
Weight: 155lbs
Hometown:
Fighting out of:
Record: 6-2
Why do you fight?
I love it, and it makes me happy. So I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life.
How’d you get into the game?
Initially I found out about MMA from watching an old UFC video. Then after a couple years of high school wrestling, and a few years of BJJ I got into amateur MMA south of the border with the XFO.
How would you describe your fighting style?
Smart and technical. I stay relaxed in my fights and know what I’m doing, listen to my coaches and get the job done.
What’s your best strengths as a fighter?
My strength and conditioning. I’m very well-rounded when it comes to my technical fighting abilities, but my strength and conditioning is where I really shine.
What has been your most memorable moment so far in the sport?
The thing that I’ll never forget, would have to be my very first fight. The sound the cage door made when it shut behind me. That was intense. I’ve never been so excited and pumped in my life. Just thinking about that sound gets me amped up!
What part of your personality shines through the most when you fight?
Probably my stubbornness. (laughs) I refuse to let up, and I don’t back down.
What are your short term and long term goals?
Short term goals are just to keep fighting and keep winning. Long term I want to make it to the UFC of course, and get Dana to slap that belt around my waist. Outside of fighting, and even going further long term, I want to eventually open my own gym. I’ll do some MMA teaching, but my main focus will be strength and conditioning work. I love personal training and learning new stuff on the subject, and it’s awesome working with athletes and watching them put it all together thanks to you. I imagine my gym being something similar to Joe Defranco’s club in
What have you learned about yourself through MMA?
I’m a lot tougher than I thought as a kid. (laughs) I’ve never been in a street fight in my life, so I never knew how tough I really was, just knew I liked the idea of sport fighting. After years of training, and finally fighting, I’ve learned I’m actually one tough son of a bitch. (laughs) With ton of heart.
What life lessons have you learned through being involved in the sport?
That I am way to trusting in other people. I myself am a very honest and down to earth person, and would never screw someone for no reason, well actually not if I had a reason either. (laughs) But I’ve come across some insanely shady individuals in this game – from promoters and managers, to fighters and trainers – so I’ve learned to be a little more cautious and less trusting of some people.
Quote you live by?
In the words of Rocky Balboa – “Keep Moving Forward”. In this game you can’t ever stand still, and you most certainly can’t take a step backwards, it’s always forwards, always looking to break records and reach new levels!
What’s the most interesting experience you had meeting a pro fighter?
I don’t get star struck at all, I’m in the game as well, and I’m striving to be at the top just like every other pro fighting, so I don’t see why I would put another fighter on some big pedestal. With that said, the coolest fighter I’ve meet so far would be Bisping. It was at a seminar my girlfriend was doing media coverage for. He talked to me as an equal, and we shot the shit about fighting just like we were training partners, that was pretty solid, and he seemed like an awesome all-round guy.
Any tips for new fighters?
Train your ass off! This isn’t like any other sport, there’s too much to learn, so you can never be “too prepared”. And of course find good training partners, you can never be the best guy at your gym, if you ain’t getting your ass kicked in training, then you will in the cage – and we don’t want that.
Simon Marini defeats UFC vet Crane in Winnipeg
Rising Canadian lightweight star, Simon Marini, defeated UFC vet Alberto Crane Friday night in Winnipeg, Manitoba via decision in the Ultimate Cage Wars promotion. Marini improves to 5-1.
5 Questions: Canadian Lightweight Simon Marini
How’d you get into MMA?
I first got interested in MMA when I walked past an old UFC video at the rental place. I think it was Ultimate Ultimate 2. Watched it like 5 times over that weekend and fell in love. At that point I was still a short fat kid (laughs). but I started working on that immediately! (laughing)
You’ve fought 5 times in about 8 months, do you prefer staying quite active?
I just love fighting. I actually turned down 3 other fights I could’ve had because my coach wanted to see me get more training in between fights. Now that I’ve gotten a bit more experience I’m aiming to fight every couple of months; that way I can get a few weeks of training on everything and anything I may need to work on, plus a solid training camp for my next opponent, and still get in 6 fights a year.
How have you developed as a fighter during that 8 month period?
I can’t believe the difference from 8 months ago. I would love to fight myself back then, I would just tool myself. (laughs). Most of the changes that have come haven’t been from fighting either, it’s all from my training. The fights have given me plenty of experience, but that more came in the way of perfecting my weight cutting by trial and error, getting out nerves by learning better ways to relax, getting my post-weigh-in diet down to a science, things like that.
What were your thoughts on your last fight? (triangle choke win 2 weeks ago)
I thought it went great. I really wanted the knockout, much like any fighter I suppose. And I was so close as well, if was the first time I really got to stand and trade in a fight. Eventually instinct took over and when the opportunity for a takedown came I took it without thinking and went for the submission right away. It was my first pro fight at 155, and I couldn’t have been happier with my performance.
What are some of your goals in the sport?
I want to become the most feared fighter ever to step into a cage, ring, anything. I want people to pick to fight Anderson Silva over me, that kind of scary. Becoming a legend would be phenomenal.
