11 Questions with Reggie Warren Jr.: Featuring Pat Miletich

Reggie Warren is back with another edition of his new MiddleEasy feature: ‘11 Questions with Reggie Warren Jr.‘ this time featuring the legendary, Pat Miletich, a guy that pulled an April Fool’s prank on us two days after April Fool’s Day. For those not familiar with Reggie Warren, he’s notorious for wearing pajamas and interviewing fighters. That’s not a gimmick, it’s routine behavior for Reggie. Also, Reggie Warren Jr. is not a big fan of ‘cocky Brazilians.’ Now check out 11 Questions with Reggie Warren Jr.: Featuring Pat Miletich’ and be sure to follow Reggie Warren Jr. on Twitter.

You can also check out more interviews from Reggie Warren Jr. here. Thanks to Esther Lin for the wizard-like photography.

 

I’m willing to let our differences go for this interview. But even you have to admit that the Miletich Militia was pretty damn cocky back in 2007 and maybe a few of your fighters deserved the beatings I gave them. Right?Keep dreaming, Reggie. You can’t bust a grape. Go outside and practice falling down, I’ll be right out.

 

Why do MMA guys tend to spar so much more then boxers? It seems that boxers work technique and cardio for a few months and only do a few weeks of hard sparring before a fight, but a lot of MMA fighters spar year round. Do you think too much hard sparring over the years can result in brain damage?I think MMA guys need to spar two times a week based on the fact, most have to catch up in the striking aspect of fighting. Boxers do a lot of sparring when they are younger and know how to box. They simply need to get in shape and get sharp again for fights. From the looks of it, a lot of MMA guys aren’t sparring enough. Lots of sloppy striking in MMA.

 

Most people these days recognize you as a coach or commentator, but who were your coaches back in the day when you were whoopin’ UFC fighter’s asses?

I learned BJJ from Sergio Monteiro, boxing from Alvino Pena and Muay-Thai from Long Longly.

 

Do you have any famous friends who aren’t fighters?Of course. Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? Lol.

 

I feel a good team is like having a great rock band. If John Bonham were to leave Zeppelin, it wouldn’t be the same group. Why do so many fighters think they can leave a great team and find the same success doing things on their own?I think their mentality is a lot like college wrestling in my mind and not so much like a rock band. Great college wrestlers have come out of Iowa for years and then gone out on their own and created great programs at other colleges. What I think the MMA athletes forget, is the amount of time that needs to be dedicated as a coach. Throwing a famous name on a building will attract people, but the knowledge, passion and dedication of that famous person, needs to be put to work inside the building. Tom and Terry Brands are running the Iowa wrestling program now. Both of them wrestled under the great Dan Gable and were both national champions. How successful would the Iowa wrestling program be right now if neither showed up to run practice? I think you get the idea.

 

Do you ever get tired of looking at corn fields? Ever think about switching it up with some mountains or a beautiful sandy beach?No, I never get tired of looking at corn. There is very little crime, traffic, etc., here in Iowa and the people are incredibly proud and almost everyone has great work ethic. The education in eastern Iowa is also very good, so I am happy to raise my kids here. My job allows me to travel all over the world and enjoy a lot of different places, including mountains and beaches. The nice thing is, I get to go back home to peace and quiet in Iowa. I love people, but not enough to live around millions of them on a constant basis. If I lived somewhere else, it would probably be the Flathead Valley in Montana.

 

Is it true that you wrassle and sometimes spar while keeping a fresh dip in the entire time? What happens if you get punched in the mouth?I used to chew tobacco, but I ended up stopping a while back. Never wrestled or sparred with a chew in though.

 

What sports or fighting movie brings a tear to your eye every time you watch?‘Cinderella Man’ was an incredible movie. Reminded me of what my uncle went through when he was a pro boxer during the depression. I recommend that movie to anyone who thinks they are tough since it’s a true story.

 

Be honest with me Pat…when someone doesn’t share the same political beliefs as you, how often do you contemplate punching them in the face and ripping a limb off?No, never think about punching them. I do love political debates though. I have an old school way of thinking, which is basically, “You deserve in life, only what you work for.” I know that is a unique and radical way of thinking in the current times we live in. The “entitlement” mentality so many have today is very disturbing to me.

 

Do you think there are any new rules or guidelines that should be implemented in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts that will only help to make the fights more exciting or safer?I think the athletes will always decide the excitement level of any fight no matter what the rules are. I think the rules and guidelines for judges and refs are what need changing. I cringe when I think about the lack of knowledge and common sense that is apparent in many of the athletic commissions. Not all are bad, but many are a circus of clueless people who have somehow acquired absolute power. See answer to question above regarding entitlement.

 

What do you see yourself doing in the year 2017? (And no, the world is not ending in 2012 like all the crazy’s say. You hear that Spencer Fisher? The world ain’t ending!)I see myself enjoying my wife and daughters, in pursuit of new goals and dreams and simply enjoying life. All this while Spencer is in a bunker somewhere with a lot of canned goods, guns and ammo─ha ha─ I love Spencer. If the end does come, you know that boy will be ready! I will add one side note to this though, if you are planning for a collapse of society and you have stored up a lot of food, you might want to get some guns and ammo so people like Spencer don’t steal it from you.
Published on November 29, 2011 at 5:10 pm
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