Philippine Sports News and Updates

MANILA, Philippines -- One of the rising stars in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is a full-blooded Filipino. And his name is Mark Muñoz.

Proof of how Pinoy Muñoz is came out when he was asked during Friday’s teleconference at the ABS-CBN compound if he is really Filipino.

“Oo,” he blurted out.

“I grew up Pinoy,” said the 6-foot tall Filipino-American. “I live in the States but I grew up Pinoy. I have the culture very-very heavy in me.”

He said that among his favorite foods are Filipino dishes like dinuguan, kare-kare and adobo. He eats rice frequently like we do, he said.

He is very much Pinoy even in the way he cleans his house. “To clean my house, I use walis tambo and walis ting-ting,” he said.

Muñoz is currently on a roll in UFC, having defeated two mixed martial arts (MMA) veterans last year. He decisioned Nick Catone in a closely fought battle in UFC 102 and pummelled Ryan Jensen to submission in UFC 108.

Everything looks bright for this Filipino’s MMA career. He is called “The Filipino Wrecking Machine.”

The 31-year-old Muñoz was actually born in Japan where his father was assigned by the US Navy.

“[My father’s] parents are from Bicol, my mom is from Sta. Ana [Manila], they met in the States back in 1968,” he narrated.

The couple got married before moving to Japan. They eventually went back to the US, settling in Vallejo, California with the young Muñoz in tow.

While growing up, Muñoz never imagined becoming an MMA fighter someday.

“I never thought I’d be a fighter ever. But I wrestled and I tried out for the Olympic team,” he said.

Wrestling brought him success, leading him to win the 2001 NCAA Division National Championship. He also became a 2-time NCAA All-American in Oklahoma.

He then tried out for the Olympics but “came up a little short”.

This prompted him to take a coaching job in Oklahoma State University. Later, he transferred to University of California Davis, where he met World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) star Uriah Faber.

“At first he asked me, ‘you should do it’,” remembered Muñoz. “I said no, I’m getting my MA and teaching and coaching, I have a family, I have three kids.”

Then four years later, I’m fighting,” laughed the Fil-Am. “He stayed on me so it was a good thing.”

• ABS-CBN News
• Philippine Sports Central