mixed-martial-arts-matt

MATT HORWICH

The Wolfpack’s Spiritual Warrior

27 Dec. ’07, photos © IFL

With just two days remaining before the Portland Wolfpack face off against the Quad City Silverbacks, in one of MMA’s most highly anticipated nail-biters for 2007, middleweight Matt Horwich is cool, calm and spiritually focused on his upcoming bout with Silverback opponent, Ryan McGivern.

The fighters are all gathered at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, when IFL’s Manager of Public Relations, Jerry Milani, helps Knucklepit catch up with Matt for an interview.

“I’m doing very well,” says Horwich. “I’ve been really blessed on my training and preparation for the IFL Final in two days’ time. It’s my first time in Connecticut: I’ve been all over the East Coast, but it’s my first time here. It’s an awesome world to see, and it’s great to be able to travel around and compete, doing what I love doing.”

For the first time, the team winning the IFL World Team Championship Final will receive the coveted IFL ring, so there’s a lot at stake for these athletes and a ton of pressure to stress-out over. But Matt sounds more like he’s poised for a Woodstock performance by Ravi Shankar than all-out warfare.

“I feel really good. The faith of a mustard seed can move mountains, and I’m visualizing positive results. I’ve got a tremendous team to train with, and I’ve been blessed with a lot of awesome victories. I know God has a plan and awesome things are going to happen.”

However Matt also has a serious game plan tucked under his Wolfpack belt: “I’ve been working really hard on my kickboxing, wrestling, my BJJ, and just all the facets of the game… I think the best game plan for me is to go in with courage and faith – doing what the spirit moves me to do, being alert, and being well versed in all the facets of MMA.

“I’ve learnt a lot from studying the top fighters I look up to, and learning what works for them: like Matt Lindland, BJ Penn, Shogun, Crocop, and Fedor… I study all those guys – break it down and rewind it, and try it out on my roommates. It’s awesome how much information is available for someone who wants to study MMA right now.”

Matt, I heard you like music; what sort of music are you into?

“I’m a really big fan of Megadeath and Alice Cooper, because they’re really strong Christians and they put out some good heavy metal that I like to work out to. And I’m a big fan of classical music; I play classical guitar. I got into it because I was a huge fan of Randy Rhodes, who used to play for Ozzy (Osborne). I just got a new Ibanez guitar and I’m learning Mozart’s March from the Magical Flute. I know a bit of Beethoven, and basic blues chords.

“I’m working on writing some songs about God, training, the universe, and physics. I’m really into reading about quantum mechanics and scientific America: It’s a beautiful universe, and it’s beautiful how everything works together and it’s all interconnected. It’s God’s gift to us, and it’s an honor to be part of it – to be here and live with faith and courage, and make the most of every moment.”

You’ve won 16 of your fights by submission – where did you pick up your high-kicking skills?

“Well, I stretch a whole lot; I do a lot of flexible jiu jitsu stuff that I’ve learnt from BJ Penn and Eddie Bravo. I like to throw the high kick; it’s just something that clicked for me, and I’ve studied a lot of Crocop fights. I like to wing the high kick, it’s just been natural for me and it captures a lot of people by surprise. So it’s something that’s worked really well for me, and I plan on coming back better after every fight, the more I progress.

“Like I said, I know awesome things are going to happen for me; I’m excited to be here in the finals.”

Was it an odd feeling competing against the Tiger Sharks after having been in that team?

“I’ve always liked Maurice Smith: He’s one of my heroes and one of the best kickboxers out there. I studied many of his highlights videos getting ready for my bout with Bristol Marunde, and I learnt some cool combos and high kicks watching the videos.

“I don’t think it was that odd a feeling because I don’t really know Bristol that well: We haven’t hung out that much. I’ve liked everyone I’ve fought, as a person. It’s just like competing in football or any other sport.

“Getting into training has changed my life a whole lot, positively. It’s got me living healthily and focused on my dieting. That’s the best high for me now – to be as spiritually ready as possible to compete. It says in Exodus 15:3 that God’s a warrior, and it says in Genesis that we’re made in his likeliness to be warriors and artists as well. I’m just glad to get to do what I do and be blessed with the awesome victories that I have so far.”

Bristol seemed to be attacking your left leg with low kicks and knees. Did those strikes worry you, or did the adrenaline cover that?

“The adrenaline covered it. I wasn’t really hurt afterwards. I mean my legs were fine: My shin was sore from when we clashed shins trying to kick each other, but I didn’t have any pain in my thighs.”

Were you targeting his liver with your body kicks?

“Yeah, I like to throw the body kick and switch it up to the high kick. If you kick them in the body, they’ll start to drop their hands, and I was aiming for the liver, for the ribs… And I threw it as hard as I could, so I think that they had to have done something. I was really happy that I was blessed enough to win the fight by standing up and getting my confidence up in that part of the game.”

What is the mood like at Team Quest leading up to December 29?

“It’s a really positive atmosphere; we’re all good friends, we all train together, and live in the same area. We encourage plenty of positive thinking and visualization. Positive thinking has a huge advantage for everything in life, so I think that’s one big advantage we have. And we work really hard on cardio, and we have a lot of really good people in all the weight divisions – that’s a blessing, because I think you’re as good as the people you have to train with.”

It’s interesting you say that, because the two teams that have made it through to the finals are true teams, aren’t they?

“Yeah – that’s probably one of the reasons that the Silverbacks have had so much success: the same team atmosphere. They’re all used to training together… They’ve also got a lot of great fighters to push them hard. They’ve got Jeremy Horn there, Tim Silvia, Matt Hughes, Pat Miletich… a lot of great fighters. I’m honored to be here to compete against them in the finals.”

Matt, is there anything you’d like to add?

“I just want to thank Matt Lindland: He’s the best coach in the world and I’m really blessed to have him to work with, and all my teammates, and God – Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I want to thank all my friends.”