10 Questions With Nick Roscorla (by Darrick Patrick)

Nick Roscorla is a professional mixed martial artist who has appeared in organizations such as King Of The Cage, Freestyle Fighting Championships, Rage In The Cage, Aztec Challenge, and Reality Fighting Championships.

Darrick: What was the path that led you to fighting professionally in mixed martial arts?

Nick: I started training when I was about twenty.  I was involved with drugs when I was younger and partied way too much.  I straightened myself out and wanted to keep it that way, so I found a local guy named Bill Sharp who taught Judo.  I knew if I was going to stay straight, I would have to keep myself busy with something else and Judo sounded perfect because I wrestled a bit in high school and loved it.

From Mr. Sharp's training, I moved on to Lovato's Jiu-Jitsu here in Oklahoma City.  Lovato's was great because they not only trained in Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling, but had boxing and kickboxing classes as well.  I'd been there for about two years, training four to five days a week and had earned my Blue belt, when a couple of other guys expressed an interest in competing in Vale-Tudo.  Mr. Lovato asked anyone who wanted to compete to sign up for the Vale-Tudo team and I did.  We started out with about fifteen people, and that got weeded down to myself and two other guys.  That's pretty much how I got started.

Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?

Nick: I really didn't have any positive influences.  I'd say my parents were my greatest influences - I wanted to be the exact opposite of them.

Darrick: What would you say to younger individuals looking to compete in martial arts?

Nick: Youth is one of the greatest tools that you have.  You really are capable of doing almost anything that you want to.  If you want to compete in MMA, boxing, kickboxing, or whatever - give it everything you have to give and do it.  I never became famous or rich from fighting (hell, I usually lost money traveling to competitions), but I would do it again in a second.  It was a time I will not forget.

Just do yourself a favor and do everything that you can to accomplish whatever goals you have set for yourself.  The worst feeling that you'll ever have is looking back at what you "could have done" if you'd just given it a little more effort, and then realizing that you won't ever have that opportunity again.

Darrick: As best as possible, try to describe the feeling of winning a match.

Nick: Aside from seeing my son for the first time, it's one of the best feelings that I've ever had.  You train so hard and sacrifice so much, and when you win, you know that it wasn't all for nothing.  It's amazing.

Darrick: On the other hand, what are some of the thoughts that run through your head after a loss?

Nick: It varies - sometimes you fight a great fight and just get caught, and it's like, "I'll get 'em next time".  However, sometimes you just feel low: like you're a complete disappointment to everyone.  It's an emotional sport.

Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?

Nick: Obviously, Randy Couture comes to mind.  Being in his mid-forties and having his work ethic is just amazing, the guy's a freak of nature.  I'm a huge B.J. Penn fan.  I know a lot of people don't care for him, but in my opinion (just my opinion), he's the most well-rounded fighter and probably pound for pound the best fighter around.

I like Fedor also.  People knock him for not fighting more top competition, but I think the guy just goes to where the most money is.  He's said many times that he only fights to provide the best possible life for his family that he can and that if it weren't for them, he probably wouldn't ever compete.

Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?

Nick: Honestly, these days I'm all about work.  I've gotten greedy in my old age and kids aren't cheap.  I'm pretty content to get together with my buddies and watch a good UFC while having a couple of beers.  I haven't been training much lately, but I'm getting back in the gym as soon as possible and that's always a great way to blow off steam.

Darrick: If you were stuck in the middle of an ocean with only three items, what would they be?

Nick: Considering how seasick I get, I wouldn't need three.  Only two, and they would be a gun and one bullet.

Darrick: Tell us something that most people don't know about you.

Nick: I have an uncontrollable fear of ALF.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Nick: It had to be sometime before I was four, because my dad left around that time.  The memory is of my dad laying on the couch and there's blood everywhere, and he's making these weird noises.  My mom's sitting on the couch near his head with a towel, which is also covered in blood, and she tells me that dad fell off the roof of the house.  I found out when I was older that he got the shit kicked out of him by a group of guys at a bar.  Ah, memories.

You can also check out Nick Roscorla in the following places:

Official Nick Roscorla MySpace Site:

http://www.myspace.com/roscorla1

Nick Roscorla On Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?FighterID=2953

Tags: Nick Roscorla Darrick Patrick Interview Interviews Mma Mixed Martial Arts K

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