Interview With UFC Fighter, Marcus Davis

I like this guy! Although he is still not on the top five list of UFC welterweights, nobody can deny his skills and heart. Marcus Davis has improved significantly in the past few years. An ex-pro boxer, he now is a complete MMA fighter who always puts on a show and fights pretty well.

Here is my exclusive interview with the "Irish Hand Grenade":

Okay, let's start by asking where has that nickname come from? Is it your own idea?

"Started in 1994. An elderly man who used to come into the boxing gym I trained out of started calling me it. He said he knew someone with the same moniker and I looked and fought like him. One night I fought and they announce me as the IHG because my manager had them do it. Stuck ever since."

Pro boxing is still paying better than MMA, why did you switch to MMA?

"That isn't really true. I had 24 pro boxing matches and have made MUCH, MUCH more in MMA than I did in boxing and I have an equal amount of fights. Now the big stars in boxing make a ridiculous amount, but the under card guys aren’t making what I make when I fight as an under card on a UFC event. I switched to MMA because of many reasons; one being I loved the sport and was tired of being burned in boxing."

Do you think the experience of "The Ultimate Fighter" has helped you in your MMA career?

It opened doors for me to train places I couldn’t have gone to if I hadn’t have been on the show. It also helped me realize that I had to become a MMA fighter, not a boxer in MMA.

UFC is in its peak right now, how long do you think UFC and MMA can continue their success?

This sport and the UFC will be around forever. It will have the same longevity as boxing has had.

Tell us about your experience at K-1? Have you fought in Japan? How was the experience?

Short lived, I had five fights. I enjoyed it a little but it wasn’t what I wanted.  I really loved MMA. I never fought in Japan. I only fought around the US.

It is quite obvious that you are very proud of your Irish background. I just competed in Ireland and there are a lot of good martial artists there, but why don't we see MMA fighters at the international level from there?

The training isn’t available. They don’t have the expertise we have in the US. At some point they will, and you will see more Ireland fighters making it.

When is the time for title shot? You say you can knock anyone out, can you knock GSP out?

Not sure. May never happen. Who knows? Knock GSP out? Well, he is amazing, but he is human. Matt Serra did it and I believe I am the hardest puncher in the welterweight division—period—so, yeah, if I hit him he goes sleepy sleepy. If I miss, he grounds and pounds the shit out of me.

I like your humble approach and the respect you pay to your trainer. Is it part of your personality or has martial arts brought you up like this?

Maybe some of it is from my martial arts background, but it is because Mark has transformed me. He is without a doubt the reason I am doing as well as I am. I love him like a brother.

You have opened your own schools, how do you like teaching?

I love teaching. It is a huge passion. I love to see people use things I teach them to become successful.