10 Questions With John Kolosci (by Darrick Patrick)
John Kolosci is a professional mixed martial artist who appeared on the sixth season of the television show The Ultimate Fighter and has competed in organizations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, International Fighting Championship, Duneland Classic, SuperBrawl, International MMA Competition, MARS, Mix Fighting Championships, Euphoria, Xtreme Kage Kombat, Freestyle Combat Challenge, Silverback Classic, Absolute Fighting Championships, and Maximum Combat.
Darrick: What road led you to fighting in professional mixed martial arts?
John: Well, I was really just looking for a way to release my excess energy and focus it in a positive direction - there were too many street fights, which I'm not proud of. I found a local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym and it did the trick by keeping me busy, motivated, and quite exhausted. Once I started to get to know this group of people, I met numerous people that were fighting in MMA.
I ended up meeting the Wisniewski brothers (Duneland Vale-Tudo) and started training with them. I never really expected to fight outside of the smaller shows in my hometown, but one thing led to another and here I am. I'm very competitive, athletic, and I love to fight - so, I guess it was just a matter of time (along with tons of hard work) before I found myself succeeding at this sport.
Darrick: From your experience so far, what brings you the most fulfillment out of MMA?
John: Winning. I know it sounds simplistic, but it's hard to explain how good it feels to win a bout in MMA. I've never felt like that with any other sport and I played all kinds of sports while growing up. It's just an amazing feeling.
The other end of that is the fact that nothing else feels as bad as losing. With the good, comes the bad, but it depends on how you bounce back. I also love the competitiveness and how much there is to learn, as I'm learning something new everyday that I'm in the gym. The competition is addicting.
Darrick: Who are a few of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?
John: Really, just my parents. My dad was a coach on my teams as I grew up playing sports and my mom was my biggest fan. My mom was very competitive and traveled the world dancing professionally, and still teaches to this day. It's inspiring because she is doing what she loves. It's just not part of my persona to look up to others, as I try to make my own way and be my own person. I admire people that do well, but I do not base my life or accomplishments on those of others.
Darrick: What does a typical training session for you consist of?
John: This is what I did for the two months leading up to my last fight - I train at Gilbert Grappling for wrestling/MMA, POW with Dino Costeas for Jiu-Jitsu, and McGarry's Boxing Club with Montell Griffin for, you guessed it, boxing. I do my strength and cardio conditioning at Classic Body Works gym. Of course, I would take a session off here and there if my body was exhausted or I felt I needed a day of rest.
Monday: Running in the afternoon, boxing and Jiu-Jitsu in the evening
Tuesday: Bike in the afternoon, strength/cardio conditioning in the evening
Wednesday: Running in the afternoon, boxing and wrestling/MMA in the evening
Thursday: Bike in the afternoon, wrestling/MMA in the evening
Friday: Running in the afternoon, boxing in the evening
Saturday: Jiu-Jitsu in the morning, strength/cardio conditioning in the evening
Sunday: Rest or possibly run if I feel up to it
I still cannot believe I lost. (Frowns)
Darrick: Who are some of the individuals in the sport that you highly respect?
John: I respect anyone that is ranked within the top ten of their respective division. I know first hand how tough it is to compete at the highest levels of the sport, so to consistently perform well and win at this level is simply amazing and a testament to the hard work put in by these individuals.
Darrick: What would you say to younger people looking to compete in martial arts?
John: The sport is growing by leaps and bounds, and the competition is getting tougher each year. I'd say be sure to put in the time and effort training every aspect of the game and to give it your all. You can't really get by with just strength and athletic ability anymore, so you need to be well-rounded.
Find a good manager that isn't going to get you bad fights, and work your way up in amateur or low-level professional shows. Use that to work on things and get a feel for the competition before moving up. While you're at it, enjoy yourself and just have fun. It may sound cliche, but you really can accomplish anything that you put your mind to.
Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?
John: My daughter and my fiance are really my only other "interests". Between fighting and working a full-time job, I really do not have time for much else. We love camping and other outdoor activities. We also really enjoy traveling and do so whenever we can get away. I love to read as well, much more than watching TV which is typically all mind-numbing garbage.
Darrick: Name a few of the moments in your life that you feel the proudest of.
John: Becoming a father would definitely be one of those moments. My fiance saying "yes" and now being engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world - and I'm not just kissing ass here, she's amazing. (Smiles) Being a part of The Ultimate Fighter Season 6 and fighting in the UFC. Even though the outcome wasn't optimal, it was still an amazing experience.
Darrick: What is your oldest memory?
John: Getting a swat and constantly getting sent to the corner with the "dunce" cap on - yes, I'm that old, I went to school when they still did that. Or it may be getting my first official Red Ryder carbine action, 200 shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock for Christmas. I don't know which memory is older.
Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.
John: Well, there's not much outside of hanging with the family, fighting, and working, but I guess I can mention that I love to read. My favorite subjects include philosophy, science, and religion (I'm an atheist/rationalist/humanist, by the way). I also love to read Star Wars novels!
You can also reach me via MySpace.com/johnkolosci
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 John Kolosci in the following places:
Official John Kolosci MySpace Site:
http://www.myspace.com/johnkolosci
Wikipedia Information on John Kolosci:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kolosci
John Kolosci on Fight Finder:
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?FighterID=9062
John Kolosci Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:
http://www.sherdog.com/news/Picture_gallery.asp?f_id=9062@@John%20Kolosci
Tags: John Kolosci Darrick Patrick Interview Interviews Mma Mixed Martial Arts
