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| Hoxie's last Weigh In Picture Vs. Kym Sturdivant |
Name: Mark Hoxie
Age: 31
Height: 5’11”
Fight Weight: 205-240, whatever the promoter needs…
Record: 0-9
Age: 31
Height: 5’11”
Fight Weight: 205-240, whatever the promoter needs…
Record: 0-9
MMA/ and any other competitive wrestling/martial arts/or grappling:
1st place North East Grappling Championships 2008 (Bombsquad event)
Several 3rd place finishes in NAGA’s and multiple placements in the old Dragon’s Lair tournaments. 1st
place Greater Baltimore Mixed Martial Arts Championship back in 2002
when no one, including myself, knew any real Jiu Jitsu and it was a
bunch of Karate guys just wailing on each other…
City/State Born: Syracuse, NY
I took a pretty typical path of karate leading to boxing, boxing
leading to kickboxing, UFC becomes popular, etc. I think my training
growing up inspired my Brother Brendan to get into fighting at a very
early age. We’ve always trained together so it only made sense for us to
both go out there and fight. Much of my fight career, especially early
on, was to support him and his growth. Outside of that, I’ve always been
a huge fan of sport fighting; it’s the purest and most natural form of
competition. In nature, animals fight for dominance and survival. MMA is
a refined version of that natural desire.
On a darker note, I’ve always used fighting as a way of dealing
with some inner demons. I’ve never done a single drug and I don’t drink
too much so fighting has always been a kind of therapy. Why else would a
guy keep getting in the ring, loss after loss?! Let’s just say I’m glad
the commission doesn’t require psychological screening…
2. Do you have a background in martial arts, boxing , wrestling etc?
2. Do you have a background in martial arts, boxing , wrestling etc?
I did karate for several years as a kid and then I began boxing
under ‘88 Olympic coach Tom Coulter on and off for many years. I moved
out to California in 2003 and did a little bit of amateur kickboxing and
got my first taste of BJJ at 10th planet Jiu Jitsu under
Eddie Bravo. The ironic thing is, I had no idea who he was or what a
legend in BJJ he was. I spent a month or two there but my focus was on
kickboxing. To top it off, I didn’t really respect BJJ all that much at
the time so I didn’t really get that into it.
3. What's your nickname, how did you get it?
3. What's your nickname, how did you get it?
I’ve never had an official nickname other than HOX with some
friends but as far as fighting some people have eloquently suggested
“Suicide” over the years… I have a philosophical nickname, tattooed on
the top of my right leg but that’s too deep for this discussion…
4. What are your ultimate goals in the sport?
4. What are your ultimate goals in the sport?
Well, I’d obviously like to walk away with a win before I hang it
up but I think my goal of being the guy who will always fight anyone has
pretty much been accomplished. My ultimate goals lie in seeing my
Brother make it to the next level. There are few guys as entertaining as
he is as a fighter and none with the heart (or flexibility). I know
once his record is over .500, we’ll start seeing those goals come to
fruition.
5. What do you think about your next opponent?
5. What do you think about your next opponent?
I’ve walked into every fight in the past with some level of respect
for my opponents. There are a lot of stand up guys in the sport that
earn and deserve that respect. For me personally, Shawn Baker is not one
of those people. He’s had a lot to say about me and my Brother in the
past which is enough to make me not like him. I’m not going to take part
in pure trash talk but I will point out a few facts about the guy. The
combined record of the limited guys he’s beaten is ironically 0-9. Dan
McGuane and Ralph Johnson are the only respectable losses he’s had. I
just think it’s a lot of talk for not a lot of accomplishment at a very
weak 3-5 counting his amateur record. While researching him, I’ve seen
hype videos where he talks about having sex with his opponents
girlfriends, and how he’s going to do this and that, just a bunch of BS
that doesn’t mean anything in the cage and makes him look
unprofessional.
6. How do you see the fight going/being finished?
I don’t want to get too specific just in case Shawn can read, but I
know exactly what’s going to happen. It’s been replaying in my mind and
in training since I directly asked Pete DiLorenzo for this fight back
on July 15th.
7. What weight do you walk at/how much do you cut to fight?
7. What weight do you walk at/how much do you cut to fight?
I walk in the 230’s but I’ve been known to flirt with 250 during
winter hibernation here in snowy Syracuse… At last check I was at 229
and I’d like to get down to 220 or 215 before cutting water weight a day
or two out to make 205. Although I once cut 19.5 pounds in 24 hours,
I’d like to keep this one to 10 or 15 over a few days. My first fight
ever against Mike Laliberte was at 195 with day-of weigh-ins. If I shed
all my baby fat, I’d probably be a more appropriate fighter at 185...
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| Hoxie taking on Mike Laliberte from his debut fight in August 6th 2006 |
8. What's your favorite part about fighting?
Training with my Brother is by far the best part. Even when I’m
done, I hope I still get to train with him throughout his career. As
wild as his fights may look, he’s extremely analytical. We strip down
striking, sweeps, Jiu Jitsu, takedowns, Judo and even nutrition and
conditioning to the most minute details. We’re both very cerebral
fighters, he’s just 50 times the athlete…
9. What's the worst part about fighting?
9. What's the worst part about fighting?
Not having it legal in New York State. From the very beginning, my
Brother and I came into New England to fight the ticket sellers and the
big name guys. It’s fine and we knew what we were signing up for, but
it’s made it difficult to get favorable match ups in the past. For once
it would be nice to have 40 or 50 people who know me personally cheering
me on in a decent match up. There are a lot of supportive people in New
England, but there’s nothing like fighting in front of your own
hometown fans. (in my estimation)
Back in the day, bait and switch by promoters was a bit of a
problem. Most of they guys afloat now don’t take part in it but it made
starting a fight career pretty difficult. Before MMA I was supposed to
kickbox a guy in California. A 1-2 guy at 195. Three days before the
event, he said the fighter was hurt and put me up against a 10-0 guy at
240. Needless to say, that one didn’t go very well. An old promoter in
Boston had me fighting a guy who I wanted to fight only to tell me I had
an different opponent when I showed up to weigh in before the fight. “I
thought I emailed you…”
10. Anyone locally or in the big's that you really would love to fight, and why?
10. Anyone locally or in the big's that you really would love to fight, and why?
Shawn Baker was on the top of that list and the AFO is making it
happen. Outside of that I’d really love to go back in time and have
accepted a fight that was offered against Jon Jones in what would have
been his pro debut. At the time, I was training on and off with
Bombsquad and some of the gyms they cross trained in so I didn’t want to
fight a guy who was part of that organization. I’ll never forget how
the promoter tried to pitch him to me, “He’s a JuCo wrestler but he has
no stand up.” Other than that, I’d love to fight Matt Hamill. People
think he’s such a great guy because of his inspiring story but there’s a
lot more to him than people know and I’ll leave it at that.
11. What do you feel is your best weapon in your fights?
I’d have to say it’s my mind and my unorthodox way of looking at
some in fight situations. It hasn’t been on display much in many of my
MMA fights but it comes up more in BJJ. When I won the New England
Grappling Championship a few years back, I was losing my match 17-2
before I caught him in a Kimura by learning his style and baiting him. I
like to bait guys into thinking they have something because I end up
knowing exactly what they’re going to do to take it. If you know what a
guy’s going to do, it’s easier to impose your plan. Now some of the guys
I train with don’t go for the easy moves because they think I’m setting
something up…
To speak to my upcoming fight with Shawn Baker, my biggest weapon
is my experience. There’s nothing he can throw at me that I haven’t seen
a hundred times before. I’ve gotten into the cage against guys like
Nate Kittredge, Todd Chattelle, Parker Porter, Paddy Thompson and more.
All highly ranked if not #1 guys, belt holders, title contenders. I only
regret one of my losses. If fighting those guys didn’t shake me or
rattle my nerves, there’s nothing a guy like Shawn can do to hype me
out, intimidate or throw me off my game.
12. What is your favorite foods that you miss while cutting weight??
Probably cheese. Cheese is the most nutritionally useless food out
there but it’s so damn good. Wine and beer, definitely a bad idea as
well. Sushi isn’t bad in moderation but moderating my sushi intake can
be pretty difficult. Most of my cutting is about reducing and refining
intake, trying to make the calories count with the appropriate amounts
of protein and enough carbs for training energy; nothing more.
13. What is your most memorable moment to date in MMA??
13. What is your most memorable moment to date in MMA??
Watching Brendan get his first win against Matt Johnson with an
armbar from bottom guard. His triangle win over Nelson Gaipo in the last
moments of his fight in July has got to be a close second. If you’re
forcing me to say something about my own MMA experience, it would have
to be the moment Pete told me Shawn Baker was down to fight. Either that
or something John Hagopian said to me after my loss to Nate Kittredge.
He probably doesn’t even remember it but it’s had a lasting impression
on my life.
14. How else do you spend your time when you are not training??
14. How else do you spend your time when you are not training??
Most people know I love writing and I’ve got a few books under my
belt. I’m obsessed with cooking, which reminds me, I still owe Pete
DiLorenzo a wild mushroom and goat cheese pizza. I love traveling, I
just got back from a 12 day stint in Morocco with my beautiful
girlfriend. Anyone who knows me on Facebook knows I’m pretty into
politics as well… I know it’s cliché but I love spending time with my
family. We’ve been through so much over the past 5 years, things no one
could believe in their wildest dreams or nightmares. My best friends are
my two Brothers and my Sister, we do everything together when we can.
15. What do you do for a living besides fighting??
15. What do you do for a living besides fighting??
Day to day, I work with my Brother and Father for our family
painting business. I’ve written two books on marketing for small
businesses and one on sales and right now am trying to spin those into
more speaking, consulting and coaching opportunities. I usually work in
sales and advertising but the books and family business have been
growing more that I had expected.
I’d like to thank my Brother, Brendan, for being the one person to
stand by me through every fight and every tough loss. Many people gave
up on me many years back but he’s always been there for me. Scott and
Abbey have been my biggest fans and are the biggest driving forces
behind me going for this one final fight. Dan Sulitka and Peter Francis
Alexander, two of the best corners in fighting and life a guy could ask
for. I’d also like to thank the many people who have had an effect on my
MMA career over the years. I know many of you would not want to be
outwardly associated with me as a fighter because of my record but I
hope you know how much I appreciate everything I’ve learned from you.
This win’s for all of you.
I have known Hoxie for a little while now, not as long as Jeremy has but I learned alot from Mark. He has incredible heart and is a very inspiring guy. He is telling me this is his last fight and I guess I believe him so I expect him to go out with a bang!! For those who don't know Mark joined our WesternMassMMA.com team not to long ago and his writings are always a pleasure. No one knows the MMA scene more than he does. Even if he no longer is fighting, I know he will be a part of MMA in Mass for a long time to come. Thank you Mark for taking the time to do our featured fighter and we wish you the best of luck!!
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