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Charles McCarthy of Freestyle Fight Academy and Academy of Fighting Arts Interview
by Ben Stark
Ben Stark/IronLife.com: Firstly thank you for taking time out to do this interview with me.
Charles McCarthy: No problem man, anything for you guys.
Stark/IL: How did you get into MMA?
McCarthy: I remember I was 14 and standin g in a video store when I saw Royce Gracie fighting in UFC 2 in the video store, I had an argument with the clerk that I thought Mike Tyson would beat up Royce Gracie. He convinced me to buy the tape and watch it myself and change my mind.
Stark/IL: You train with FFA and AFA, how did you get into 2 schools?
McCarthy: I’m originally from south FL and trained with FFA, the Avellan brothers. I had to move to GA for business and my girlfriend and trained with Cam and the Academy of Fighting Arts. While I was up there, helped train some of the guys, we built up some good fighters from the ground up and I just recently moved back to FL so I’m representing both schools.
Stark/IL: You’re a new comer, your train with 2 schools. What’s your record?
McCarthy: 3 and 0 now as a professional.
Stark/IL: Who was your toughest fight so far?
McCarthy: Its hard to say, I mean This fight I had just now I got hit harder than I had ever been hit in my life and so it tested my heart a lot you know to have to get dropped and come back for the win. So in that way it was tough but my first fight against Jay Massey he was so persistent, so strong… I never felt in danger in the fight, just the fact that I felt I had to kill him to win made it the toughest fight I’ve had.
Stark/IL: Who would you like to fight next?
McCarthy: I don’t really call out opponents. Its more so I would like to fight all over you know, I would like to get some big name promotions to take a look at me. Make it up to the next level.
Stark/IL: What kind of regiment do you put yourself through in training?
McCarthy: I try to train at least 5 days a week usually 3-5 hours a day depending on if I can get the gym to stay open that late. I try to mix it up, I usually will do specific training on specific days and some days I’ll mix it all together. Instead of doing multiple types of training in one day because I do not feel I get the muscle memory to retain as well.
So you know, some days I’ll go in and only do wrestling some days I’ll only do kick boxing. Some days I’ll just work my boxing and reflexes some days I go in and just do grappling. I try to do grappling everyday you know even if I just roll around for 20 min I try to make sure it stays fresh.
Stark/IL: You used to be something like 280lbs and now your fighting at 185, would did you do it?
McCarthy: When I first got in this I was 277 and I had my first grappling tournament, my first couple I fought at super heavyweight and I thought I was a lot better than I actually was 6 months in I fought an amateur fight no hit to the head and I got my knee popped when I gassed out. It was a real wake up call to me that is I ever want to achieve my goals in this sport that I need to take my conditioning more seriously.
So I just… I don’t recommend this to anyone else but I went on a really long starvation diet till I got to the weight I wanted. Now I’m just eating right and exercising I’ve been able to maintain it.
Stark/IL: All your fights so far have ended in the first round correct?
McCarthy: My first fight with Jay Massey went 2 ½ minutes into the 2nd round.
Stark/IL: Mostly, from what I’ve seen of you really is all grappling and submissions. How’s your striking?
McCarthy: My strikings improving…Its real good training but you know once you get in there because I feel my grappling is at such a high level that when I get in there if I feel like its going even on the feet I psych myself out a ways like “I know I can win on the ground let me take it to the ground” so you know I’m just putting in my rounds in the gym and just trying to make sure my striking is as good as my grappling.
Stark/IL: Who is your favorite fighter?
McCarthy: It varies, if you asked me a year ago I would have said Josh Barnett, but you know I cannot speak for him but it’s upsetting when you have you favorite fighter and you see them not fighting the guys you know they should be fighting, no matter what the reason is, it’s disheartening. Tito Ortiz was another guy who was one of my favorite fighters you know as an up and coming fighter your so starving to get where those guys are its almost you almost lose faith in people when you see them taking it lightly for whatever reason. Its like they don’t understand they got a good opportunities and they performed well, they don’t understand how many guys are dieing to be in there place.
So for that reason I would say Randy Couture right now is my favorite fighter cause the guy will step up for any situation.
Stark/IL: Got any one you would like to send some shout outs to?
McCarthy: Just all my brothers on the UG and the OG.
Stark/IL: Thank you very much for your time.
McCarthy: Thanks man.
* Article by Ben Stark.
* Back to Issue #5 Frontpage
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