NWI Tuff: Band Geek, Beefcake, & Building a Winning Record

Last Updated on Thursday, 04 March 2010 06:44 Wednesday, 03 March 2010 22:28

Band Geek, Beefcake, & Building a WinningRecord

By Joe “the Professor of MMA” Pawlus

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

As he stood in front of the referee for the pre-fight equipment check, Matt Giancarlo, making his MMA debut, looked a little nervous and not all there. That changed in the matter of a heartbeat as his cornerman Danny Gilbert slapped Giancarlo three times, hard. The glazed look in his eyes switched to an expression of compete fury and focused confidence. Giancarlo spent the next five minutes dismantling his opponent and took his first steps (or punches) towards becoming a professional MMA fighter. Since his debut in the fall of ‘09, Giancarlo has put together an unblemished record of 2-0.

Matt Giancarlo is what sports enthusiasts refer to as a beefcake. Although he fights in the bantamweight division, 135 pounds, the dude is buff and ripped to shreds. With his massively compact frame, Giancarlo brings an incredible wrestling skill set to the cage, not to mention a constantly expanding knowledge of striking and submission grappling.

But probably the most compelling facet of this young fighter is the mixture of intelligence and a friendly personality. He is one of those guys that is just hard not to like. He breaks the preconceived notion of fighters as mindless brutes. He is also the perfect example of a fight fan who turned into a fighter.  The following is an interview conducted with Giancarlo last week. Anyone interested in checking out this talented athlete can cath him fighting on April 10 in Tinley Park.

Where were you born?

Oak Lawn, Illinois. I lived in the Mt Greenwood area of Chicago but moved when I was barely a year old to Merrionette Park, IL, where I am still a current resident.

What sports or extra curricular activities were you involved in high school?

I graduated from Marist High School in 2007.  I wrestled for Marist, but did not wrestle for all four years. I was actually also apart of the drumline in band as well from my Freshman-Junior year.

How long have you been training, what is your specialty, and what is your main strength and weakness?

Counting wrestling in high school, I technically started training when I was 14 (2003).

Around the age of seventeen, I picked up a great interest for MMA and began going to a private wrestling coach named Vladimir Anoshenko, where we trained wrestling specific for MMA and submission grappling. I bounced back and forth to different gyms, but was never able to commit enough. When I decided I would finally devote my time and start fighting, I found my home at Gilbert Grappling.

Who is your favorite fighter and why? Who initially inspired you to take up MMA?

Matt Hughes. At the time I really got into the sport, he was on top. It was good to see a wrestler from Illinois show such success in MMA.

You write for ChicagoMMA.net. What is your background with school and writing and how did you get started? What is your career goal outside of MMA?

As mentioned, I graduated from Marist High School, then went on to Moraine Valley Community College for Business and Financial Accounting. However, I realized I would be happier in life with a more bluecollar job, but at the same time something I can still

use my mind, which lead me to taking paramedic courses that I am currently enrolled in. As for writing, it has always been an interest of mine. I’ve even written a couple of movie scripts. Writing about MMA just came natural to me.

What would be some words of wisdom for young guys looking to compete?

The more serious you take fighting, the more success you will have.

What accolades to you possess?

2-0 in MMA... just trying to build my record up at the moment. Whether its a win or a loss, it shows I have fought

Name a few role models.

My biggest role models are Danny Gilbert and Joey Gilbert my coaches. I went into Gilbert Grappling with the intention to fight, and with their guidance and experience, I was able to make that a success. They both have fought many big names, and are coaches who know what it’s like to be a fighter. They know what I, and my teammates, go through every day, and relate to all of us that keeps us motivated. There are also two others, which are Clay Guida and Miguel Torres. Both are fighters who have lived the dream from the Chicagoland area. I remember following both fighters as just a fan when they were fighting locally, and now both are fanfavorites with some of the most epic fights in MMA history.

Where do you think your career in fighting will take you? What is your major goal? Who would you most like to compete against and why?

As of now, my job is to show up to practice, and say “ok” when my coaches and manager approach me about a fight that they are setting up. I feel by doing that, I am in good hands, and as long as I keep up with my end of the bargain, which is to train 100%, I can go rather far. As for competition, at the moment there’s no one specific, but after a couple more fights I will have more interest in fighting certain individuals to advance my career.

What rubs you the wrong way when people talk about the sport of MMA?

The thing that rubs me the wrong way the most about MMA is when highly touted and deserving fighters receive negative criticism by those who have never competed in their lives. It is completely acceptable to never want to compete in MMA, however I find it extremely disrespectful when people call fighters “over-rated,” for instance. It’s a whole different world once the cage door gets slammed, locked, and a referee tells both fighters to begin fighting. It’s an experience that cannot be fully described, therefore there is no reason for people to talk down about any fighter.

Name your favorite moment/fight/ event from being a fan of MMA.

As a fan, there has been many great moments that I have witnessed, but the top two were when Matt Hughes submitted Georges St. Pierre with an armbar with just one second left in the round, and when I was able to watch Fedor Emelianenko TKO Brett Rogers live at the Sears Centre. I actually got to meet Fedor a couple days before, followed by a dinner with Fabricio Werdum, “King” Mo Lawal, and Jason “Mayhem” Miller afterwards. That was also a fun time.

If you could be stranded on a deserted island with one woman, who would it be?

Brody Dalle. She’s from the band The

Distillers. She usually has her hair in a mohawk and overly-done makeup. Although I am openly a fan and admirer of hers, I think most guy’s would find her as a hidden pleasure as well.

What is your favorite food when you are not training to fight?

My favorite food when I’m not training is pizza. I’ll even eat a little during training too for the carbs.

What is your favorite video game?

My favorite video game of all time is Zelda for Nintendo. I also liked 007 Goldeneye and WWF No Mercy for Nintendo 64. I haven’t really been interested in more recently made video games though.