10 Questions With Shonie Carter (by Darrick Patrick)
"Mr. International" Shonie Carter is a professional mixed martial artist who has appeared in organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, King Of The Cage, Xtreme Fighting Organization, World Extreme Cagefighting, International Fighting Championship, Primetime Fighting Championships, TKO Major League MMA, Extreme Challenge, Ironheart Crown, Pancrase, Worldwide Fighting Championship, Konfroncacja, Shooto, Cage Wars, Reality Submission Fighting, M-1 Mix-Fight Championship, Indiana Martial Arts Challenge, Shido, International Sport Combat Federation, Maximum Fighting Championships, Combat Fighting, Shidokan, and Icon Sport.
Carter was also a cast member on the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter, recently appeared as a trainer on BET's reality fighting show Iron Ring, and is currently looking to publish his new book. At the time of this interview, his next scheduled match was anticipated to be against Luke Stewart at Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Thomson" on June 27th, 2008. Shonie had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury to his hand that was sustained while training.
Darrick: How did you end up competing professionally in mixed martial arts?
Shonie: I was a wrestler in college and doing Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, so some friends of mine dared me to do it. I was an art major at the time and was trying to make the Greco-Roman team. I had already been overseas two times on world teams in FS and GR.
Darrick: Do you have any words of advice for younger individuals looking to train in MMA?
Shonie: Don't be in a rush to fight, train for a year or so, and get your skills set. Most importantly, don't be out there trying to fight me!
Darrick: Generally speaking, what does a typical training session for you consist of?
Shonie: A lot of cardio, drills, plyometrics, etc. - nothing new. Other than Cialis and Viagra cocktails!
Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?
Shonie: I respect the athletes who try to compete in this lonely sport and really try to make a living at it.
Darrick: What brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?
Shonie: Teaching those little snot-snatching kids who look up to me.
Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?
Shonie: My mother's parents and the Versace family.
Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?
Shonie: I bling out hats, currently writing a book, trying to be a good father, and I'm trying to find a pair of Louis Vuitton speedos!
Darrick: If you were the last person alive on Earth, what do you think you'd do to entertain yourself?
Shonie: I would try to be like Hancock or Wall-E.
Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.
Shonie: Late at night when I am bored and no one is around or notices, I play with myself. In the Xbox video game! (Laughs)
Darrick: What is your oldest memory?
Shonie: Getting run over across my throat with a ten speed by a friend of mine named Rodney Riley, or getting shot at as a child in first or second grade because I was an eyewitness to a drug deal gone bad in front of my private elementary school!
FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835
You can also check out Shonie Carter in the following places:
Official Shonie Carter Website:
http://www.shoniecarter.com
Official Shonie Carter MySpace Profile:
http://www.myspace.com/passportplaya
Shonie Carter on Fight Finder:
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?fighterid=239
Shonie Carter Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:
http://www.sherdog.com/news/Picture_gallery.asp?f_id=239@@Shonie%20Carter
Tags: Shonie Carter Darrick Patrick Interview Interviews Mma Mixed Martial Arts
