INTERVIEW
MARIUS
ZAROMSKIS:
“YOU DON’T FEEL PUNCHES UNLESS YOU ARE KNOCKED OUT”
Zaromskis throws
a flying knee in Marius Zaromskis was a virtual unknown
the Dream Grand
Prix final. before his first trip to Japan in April. Then,
out of nowhere, he has been thrust into
the MMA limelight. The surprise winner of
the DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix im-
pressed the whole world with his incredible
wins over Sakurai and High in August.
How did you get started in MMA? I was very happy. Even the second keep fighting. about fighting in Japan?
I started in karate and kickboxing, time that I went back, after winning It was very hot this time, it made it
Did your KO surprise the Japanese
then just kept going. When I came in April, I still could not believe that I difficult to sleep at night. The atmos-
fans?
to England I discovered BJJ and was going back to Japan to fight. phere is very good there, I feel some
Yes, I think maybe 70 or 80% of the
wrestling and just kept going. It great energy.
Sakurai is a legend, did that make audience were surprised. But before
has been a long road.
you nervous? the fight a Japanese guy came to Do you prefer to fight in Japan or
How did you end up training at I thought that I would meet him in me and asked me to destroy Sakurai England?
London Shoot Fighters? the finals. But I met him in the semi with a kick. I said OK, no problem. I prefer Japan.
When I came to London I wanted finals and I had no choice but to win.
Your KO in the final was even Would you like to avenge your
to find a good club. A friend of
Do you think the promoters wan- more impressive. Did you think losses to Che Mills?
mine showed me this one and I
ted him to win? you had hurt Jason High? Maybe in the future, I don’t know.
liked it.
I think so, yeah. Maybe they decided Yes, I was worried. He was not He’s not good luck for me. The first
Were you already training in that I wasn’t going to be the moving for a couple of minutes. time was my mistake, the second
MMA? strongest opponent so they put me When he sat up I went to shake his time he was very lucky.
Yes, I was training a little, but my
What’s next for you?
BJJ and wrestling were not very
I’m not sure, maybe the Japanese
good.
“I had a difficult time deciding
will find an opponent like Sakurai
Why did you move to London? or Aoki. I think they will put a strong
I came here to earn money to whether to go back to univer- fighter against me to try to get the
pay for university. When I found
the club it was difficult to decide
sity or stay in London to fight”
belt back to Japan.
Who would you like to fight?
whether to go back to university or
I don’t think about it. They put
stay. I decided to stay and make a
someone in front of me and I will
career out of fighting.
against Sakurai so that he would win hand and he looked me in the eye fight them.
How did you get into the DREAM (laughs). and asked what happened. I just said
Is there anyone else in the world
GP? “nothing” and let him recover.
Was he as strong as you expected? you would like to fight?
A Lithuanian promoter who is a
Yes, he has good low kicks and hard Do you like tournaments? I like Georges St. Pierre, but I need
friend of mine, Donatas, has very
punches, you need to be careful. I I like it, but you never know what can to train more. I would not be able to
good contacts in Japan. I was
needed to have very good defense. happen. It’s very hard. When I came fight him now.
fighting in Lithuania and he put
back to London I had no strength
my name forward. When he hit you, were you hurt? Do you have a message for fans?
left. When I was there I still felt OK,
I was switched on, I don’t really Thanks for all of you who support
Were you surprised to fight in a but as soon as I arrived I felt weak.
know. You only feel punches when me, I try to fight well and put my
big event?
you are knocked out, if not you just What is the most difficult thing heart into all of my fights.
38
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