MMA Recap

 

"The Voice" Michael Schiavello is most notorious for his wit and classic one liners during his commentary that Kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts fans have enjoyed world wide. Many have seen him commentate for K-1, Fox Sports, Dream, HDNet Fights, and even the Beijing Olympics, but some people know very little about this Australian combat sports commentator.  Schiavello boldly pulled no punches in this interview and revealed all to MMA Recap's reporter Andrew Gladstone.

 

When did you first get into mma and kickboxing?

"I grew up watching martial arts films with my dad every weekend.  My dad practiced Judo when he was young and he always liked martial arts so every weekend we would go to the video library and rent Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee films.  But my first actual introduction to kickboxing was on December 6, 1992, when I attended my first fight as a 17 year old.  It as Stan "The Man" Longinidis vs Dennis Alexio.  The fight only lasted 14 seconds but I was hooked immediately.  As for MMA like most everyone else, I saw the first UFC in 1993 and thought, this is freakin' wicked!"

 

When did you first start announcing? And what got you into announcing?

"My first ever announcing gig was in high school when I called Track and Field for the APS Championships at Olympic Park in Melbourne.  Later I would do a lot of soccer commentating on radio.  When I was 21 a promoter in Melbourne asked me to commentate his kickboxing show.  I had never done any fight commentary but I gave it a go and I was just really comfortable with it and this monster came out of me!  I was dropping Goodnight Irenes and other one liners.  Another promoter heard it and asked me to commentate his show.  Then Foxtel was coming to Australia at that time we had never had cable TV and they were taking on kickboxing content and asked me to commentate the shows on Fox Sports.  I guess I had talent for it but more than that I had a lot of passion and a willingness to always improve myself with each and every show.  I also had this original style that I just kept working on and working on until I made it my signature."

 

What has been your favorite fight to announce?

"Wow this is a hard question to someone who has commentated over 4,000 fights!! If I have to pinpoint one fight it would be 2007 at the Budokan in Tokyo when Masato fought Buakaw in a K-1 MAX fight.  It was epic. I commentated with Ray Sefo and Mike Bernardo and it was just an unbelievable fight with a commentary that just flowed.  We were on fire that night.  You can watch the fight on youtube and check out the commentary. It was just insane!" 

 

What has been your favorite event?

"Again so hard because they are all special, from calling the Olympic Games in Beijing last year to the Contender Asia, to having called seven K-1 Grand Prix's, three Dynamites, all the DREAM shows, etc.  If I had to choose just one and I'm struggling to choose just one, I would have to say Dream 9 was an awesome night and really introduced me as an MMA commentator to the US Audience.  Also Dynamite 2006 when Sakuraba fought Akiyama was off the charts.  So too was the K-1 Grand Prix 2008."

 

Who is your favorite fighter?

"What?  You can't tell by my commentary?  It is Badr Hari of course!  I have a serious man crush on Badr Hari! Joking, joking, I'm not gonna get all Brokeback Mountain on him but yes he is my favorite fighter for sure.  He just brings it every time and knocks people out better than any other fighter I have ever seen.  I am also a huge fan of Masato.  In MMA I love Fedor, that guy is just the king.  I'm also a massive fan of Gegard Mousasi.  I think he is extraordinarily talented, very intelligent, eloquent and extremely marketable."

 

Have you trained in either mma or kickboxing?

"I trained in Muay Thai for three years under Mark "The Hammer" Castagnini, the former WKA Australian cruiserweight Muay Thai champion.  He commentates with me on Fox Sports in Australia and we're aslo best mates.  I really enjoyed and learned a lot.  I keep saying to Mark that I want to get back into it but I just can't find the time right now as I am always on the road."

 

Who do you think are the best pound for pound fighters in MMA and K-1?

"In MMA Fedor is number one, for sure.  After Fedor I would put names such as Anderson Silva, GSP, Gegard Mousasi, BJ Penn, Shinya Aoki, Mike Brown.  In K-1 the pound for pound best is Masato no doubt.  After him I would say Giorgio Petrosian, Andy Souwer, Artur Kyshenko, Badr Hari, Remy Bonjasky. That would be my list"

 

You have some of the funniest punch lines during your broadcasts, have you ever thought of being a comedian?

"No.  I respect the hell out of comedians.  Those guys are super smart and just incredible in what they do. I'm good in infusing comedy in what I do but actually getting on stage and doing a comic set is something I don't think I could do.  Actually, I take that back, I probably could do it but wouldn't be any good at it!  I will leave the comedy to the experts such as Pablo Francisco, Bill Bellamy, and Gabriel Iglesias who are three of my favorite comics."

 

What's it like being the most pimp commentator in all of combat sports?

"Hahaha.  Why thank you!  I don't know what qualifies one as being dubbed a "pimp" but thank you all the same.  If you call me the most pimp commentator in combat sports then I say pimpin' is easy."

 

Who is your favorite broadcast partner?

"Again a tough question.  Back home I have such a good chemistry with Mark Castagnini that I would have to say him.  We have been doing shows for 13 years.  We're probably the longest serving fight sports commentary duo in the world.  Outside of Australia, I am really enjoying commentating with Guy Mezger on HDNet.  He is just the human wikipedia of martial arts and a great Guy (no pun intended) to boot!"

 

If there was anyone in the world you could commentate with, who would it be?

"Joe Rogan.  I respect the hell out of Joe.  Not only does he know his sh*t but he is a fan first and foremost and that comes across in his commentary.  You know we are both fans of each other's work and we had never met until just last week in Edmonton.  He was there doing his stand-up show and I was there for MFC.  We hooked up after his show and went out to dinner and just had a great time shooting the sh*t. He's a great bloke.  I think a Schiavello / Rogan combination would blow people's minds."

 

If you were to fight mma or kickboxing who would your opponent be?

"Bob Sapp.  I would just run around for 30 seconds, let Bob blow himself out and it would be over."

 

What are some of the funniest stories you have to share from the road?

"Oh man, again, so many stories over so many years.  Hanging with Ray Sefo in Sapporo and being chased down the street by 50 people at midnight and having to duck into a Karaoke bar for protection, where we ended up staying for three hours; having groupies wordlessly follow you into your hotel room at like four in the morning back in the old K-1 glory days in 2001 and 2002; being shown around the Red Light district of Amsterdam by Peter Aerts and being subjected to do some strange yet wonderful things with a banana; taking a dip in the Caribbean Ocean in Montego Bay at three in the morning pitch black with the gorgeous Liz Hendrickson; so many great and wonderful stories over the years."

 

Whats your favorite cereal?

"Coco Pops".

 

Michael Schiavello would like to thank you Andrew for interviewing me! It's a pleasure.  And thank you to all the fans who tune into the shows on HDNet.  The feedback you have given has just been overwhelming to say the least and I am sincerely flattered and humbled by it all.  Keep tuning into HDNet and I will keep doing what I do.  

 

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