411 MMA Interviews: Darrill Schoonover
Posted by Jeffrey Harris on 09.17.2009
The Ultimate Fighter interview series continues with another contestant of the all heavyweight cast, Darrill Schoonover. Darrill is only 24 and already an undefeated veteran of the sport, definitively making him one of the names to watch out for this season.
You might not have heard of the 24 year old veteran MMA fighter, Darrill Schoonover, but you will soon. Schoonover began his MMA career at the age of 17 and since that time has amassed an undefeated record of 10-0 while also serving our country in the US Army. Hailing from El Paso, TX, Darrill is one of the 16 heavyweight contestants on this season of The Ultimate Fighter. Earlier this week, 411mania spoke with Darrill who was gracious enough to set aside some time inbetween his training sessions for an exclusive interview before the premiere episode of the 10th season of TUF:
Jeffrey Harris: So where are you training right now?
Darill Schoonover: Right now I'm currently in El Paso, Texas. I'm just training up here by myself right now. After it comes up to the 20th of October, I'll be training in Colorado . . . my team before I go to Colorado is Fighting Forge, my team is in Copperas Cove, Texas.
JH: So where were you before you got the opportunity to be on the show, and how did getting on the show come about for you?
DS: Well basically I started about 7 years ago in New Mexico with a guy named Oscar Guerrero, and from there I went in and joined the Army and I was stationed in Germany and I was training a little bit off and on there, came back in-between like on Christmas leave and what not, I would have fights. Then I went ahead and got stationed in Ft. Lauderdale and that's when I met my gym, Fighters Forge, and I stayed with them for 6 more amateur MMA matches, 1 pro boxing match, and 2 pro MMA.
JH: What made you want to get started in MMA and want to compete?
DS: Actually the reason I started, I was always getting in trouble, I was always fighting, and my uncle actually got me into it. He told me if I thought I was tough enough to go over to the gym, and he took me over there and I just fell in love with it and in the first week I had a fight.
JH: Do you work another job now or are you fighting full time as your career right now?
DS: Fighting is full-time right now. I do not work, all I do is I just wake up early and go work out and that's about it. I do that about everybody. And I coach my brother and a couple of my cousins and stuff like that, but really all I do is I coach, I fight, I go and watch fights, and just revolve my whole life around fighting. Other than that, that's all I do. Whenever I'm getting ready for a fight, I go to Colorado and like have a training camp, and then leave and come back.
JH: How hard for you was house experience and being isolated from the outside world?
DS: You understand, I was in the army. I went to basic and all that stuff where you have exclusion of everything. But at least in basic you can get your e-mail. You get to like write letters every now and then and get maybe like one or two phone calls. The whole show, we didn't have anything. So yeah, it was kind of trying because they take everything away from you. They don't even let you have a bible either. You have to like ask permission and they might give you one . . . at the beginning it didn't bother me at all. Toward the end like the last week or so, I was just like yeah ok. Let's get the hell out of here. That's when it started bugging. Toward the beginning, it doesn't really bother you. Toward the end, you're like, alright let's get it over with.
JH: Now that the experience is past you, did you feel it was a good experience and that you learned a lot from being on the show? Do you feel like a better fighter because of it?
DS: Actually, yes I do. I learned a lot just from being there. And the biggest thing is, I came out with a bunch of lessons. So now I'm just going to train my ass off and get ready to start fighting.
JH: The a clip was previewed on line with the first 8 minutes of the premiere. Dana White made a big, dramatic entrance for Kimbo Slice being the 16th guy. What was the feeling in the room when that was going on, and what was going on from your end?
DS: From my end, when he came in it didn't even really bother me at all. I was just looking around, "Oh yeah, this guy's about to get killed," because everybody in that damn room was like waiting to fight Kimbo.
JH: So like Dana White said, Kimbo Slice had a target on his back and everyone in that room wanted a piece of him, including you?
DS: Oh yeah. Everybody did.
JH: When you're there in the house and you're away from home and you're no longer connected to the outside world, what's one or two things you miss the most?
DS: I miss music like just listening to my Ipod usually when I train. Like whenever I get ready to fight, I listen to a lot of music throughout all my workout sessions. So that was the one big thing when we were close to fighting. And then, the second one just comes to my family and my girl.
JH: Is there anyone or any sponsors you would like to thank or give a shoutout to?
DS: My coach Jason Schaefer and then I'd like to thank my team Fighters Forge. And I'd like to throw a shoutout to El Paso, Texas.
JH: Thanks so much for your time, and good luck with your fighting career.
DS: Great, thank you.
Darrill Schoonover can currently be seen on The Ultimate Fighter on SpikeTV. Remember to check 411mania.com for our official episode recaps of the show from the exceptional Patrick Mullin as well as our live coverage of UFC 103 this weekend by Larry Csonka. The easiest way to remember is by book marking 411mania to your favorite places, and you can also check us out on Twitter:
The Ultimate Fighter interview series continues with another contestant of the all heavyweight cast, Darrill Schoonover. Darrill is only 24 and already an undefeated veteran of the sport, definitively making him one of the names to watch out for this season.
Yeah, and that name is Titties.
Posted By: Guest#9874 (Guest) on September 17, 2009 at 06:46 AM
Yeah, and that name is Titties.
Posted By: Guest#9874 (Guest) on September 17, 2009 at 06:46 AM
he'd probably kill you in one punch.
Posted By: Guest#6555 (Guest) on September 20, 2009 at 08:43 AM
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