ADCC News continues the IFL preview with an interview with Pat Miletich fighter and Silverback team member Rory Markham. Here it what Rory had to say to ADCC News regarding the IFL, his last fight, and how he came to MMA. ADCC: Rory, tell us how you got involved with mixed martial arts (mma) and ended up with Pat Miletich. RORY: Well I’ve been training in the marital arts all my life. In fact, when I was just a kid I would run around the house in my Spiderman underwear and tell my mom that I was going to be the greatest fighter in the world! So when MMA came around, I felt as if God was personally answering my prayers. Anyway, back to your question. I have been watching Pat ever since his first fight in the UFC. And during those matches I would always hear ‘Pat Miletich is building one of the best stable of fighters in the world’, so I always kind of knew that if I ever really wanted to be the best, Iowa was where I needed to head. So after some serious contemplation I went down to Iowa for a ‘trial’ week. And oh, what a trial. By my second day I was completely exhausted and overwhelmed by a couple of facts: First, I was actually training with the people I had been looking up to since childhood. Second, I had never been through such grueling work outs in my entire life, and third, I didn’t bring enough underwear for the occasion. But hey chalk that up to shotty packing. Well on the second night, Pat was so kind in asking me if I wanted to accompany him to some local fights that night. I was like ‘of course, anything to hang out with some of my idols.’ Well little did I know that wasn’t the extent of Pat’s plan. So when we got to the event he turned around and said ‘Oh and by the way your fighting tonight!’ I was like uhh, well this hurts and I don’t have any underwear on, and blah, blah, blah, when he looked me dead in the eye and asked ‘are you going to fight tonight?’ Let me tell ya, life has its cross roads and this was mine. I looked back at him and said ‘ yeah I’m fighting.’ And in within the first two minutes of the fight I had put my opponent down several times and finally knocked him out. Pat jumped in the ring and told me to pack my bags and move to Iowa. I hope the rest will be history.ADCC: Looking over your record, you have finished all of your opponents. Do you pride yourself in not letting fights go into the judges hand? RORY: Well, if there is one thing that gets hammered in my head at the camp its never leave it in the hands of the judges.ADCC: On March 18, 2006, you suffered your first loss in your young mma career to Trevor Garrett by knock out. What went wrong in that fight and do you think you were looking past him to the IFL? RORY: Ok, first off I have never been knocked out, and I don’t plan on it. The ref stopped it and yes I think it was early, but what fighter doesn’t. And I would never look past a fighter like Trevor, he’s explosive and has beaten some very tough guys. But yes there did seem to be some added tension with the IFL looming over head.ADCC: Speaking of the IFL, what made you want to sign with them? RORY: I appreciate the fact that they are as excited to take care of the fighters as they are themselves. That is truly a rarity in this business. For that I am very grateful.ADCC: Do you think the team aspect of the IFL is something that the fans will like and be able to enjoy? RORY: I believe so. Although I still believe that certain fighters will stand out above the rest, but that’s true to every sport. Even before the IFL certain teams tend to carry a certain style. So I believe stylistically the fights will be very interesting and be something the fans can easily comprehend and get excited about. ADCC: When you look over at the other coaches like, Bas Rutten, Maurice Smith, and Renzo Gracie, do you ever stop and think to say, ‘wow’? RORY: Everyday man, everyday.ADCC: On Saturday, April 29, 2006 you will be fighting Mike Pyle in the IFL’s inaugural event. What do you know about your opponent? RORY: Well I know that we will match up well against each other. All I can hope is that we will give the fans an absolute war.ADCC: Any extra added nerves about fighting in the first IFL, or is this just a fight for you? RORY: This fight is everything for me. Its more than a fight even, its a new chapter in my life. A chapter that I will be prepared for.ADCC: In the league, it looks like you will eventually be fighting the other welterweights from the Pitbulls and the Tiger Sharks. Have you looked at the possibility of fighting Gustavo Machado and Eric Dahalberg? RORY: Of course. I have scouted my competition very closely.ADCC: Let’s say that you win your fight against Pyle but your other teammates on the Silverbacks, lose and your team loses overall. Are you still happy? RORY: I am so close with all my teammates. It’s as if we fight as a symbiotic unit. So if one of us looses it will inevitably hurt the team.ADCC: Name some of your goals you would like to accomplish in mma? RORY: One day I would like people to say that I changed the face of the mma fighter forever.ADCC: Anything to say to your fans and sponsors? RORY: Well to my fans all I can say is that I hope to make more of you. And to my sponsor Joel Gold thank you for everything.
