They don’t call him “The Baptist” for no reason. This is a guy who looks like he’s entering the cage with the hope of killing a man.
In truth, he’s a damn enjoyable guy to be around and train with. Enjoy this exclusive interview with WE ACADEMY MMA fighter Joeshwa Mortada as he shares with us some inside information about his path to be a Mixed Martial Arts fighter!
A Cliché question , yet it varies from one fighter to another. Why do you fight ? What goals do you aim to accomplish from competing ?
For me, competition is a male necessity. I do what I do not to follow the trend of becoming a mixed martial arts fighter. Everyone has the choice to fight and most people fight everyday. In mma, I believe a fighter is a title which someone earns after having had enough fights similar to a warrior achieving the title ‘Warrior’ after having fought enough battles. I fight for reasons of passion towards mma it and it’s journey of self-discovery. I’ve always been fascinated with fighting. I want my reputation to be real so I give 110% of myself all the time with no regrets in victory or defeat. So, if I ever reach the level of competing against world class opponents, I don’t want to be included in the world’s “best fighter” conversation with Anderson Silva and Fedor Emelianenko, but, I would want to be included with the guys who fight their hearts out no matter how the fight is going. Guys like Ken Shamrock, Forrest Griffin, Diego Sanchez and Chael Sonnen, tough guys. I want to fight and learn in order to keep winning and hopefully be able to teach.
How did you get the nickname The Baptist ?
I enjoy movies like Pulp Fiction and Boondock Saints where the vigilantes say a verse before an execution. So, just for fun and laughs, I did the same before a spar every now and then. While doing that one day, a friend called me “The Baptist” and people around the gym started calling me the same. Luckily, John the Baptist is my favorite prophet. So, I like this nickname.
What do you think about MMA and MMA fighters today ? Who would you like to fight ?
I’ve always said I’d fight anyone. Sadly, mma today has some wannabes who are giving it a bad name. MMA today has become a huge business. I root for guys like Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes, who are real fighters and pioneers of this sport. Of course mixed martial arts is still growing locally and there are good fighters around. I’m not a great fighter and I barely even have time to properly train or prepare, but I’m always ready and eager to fight, especially if I’m fighting a skilled opponent. Fighting a decent opponent is the only way a fight really counts and the only way I can achieve and keep moving up.
What’s your perfect fight finish?
I’ve always liked to finish fights by submission. The word “submission” itself is just so badass ! It means that the guy surrendered to you. It’s probably my favorite form of victory.
I don’t know about the perfect finish because there are many ways to finish a fight depending on how it’s going. I enjoy trying to mix it up. However, my favorite finish is usually the rear naked choke because it gets the job done so well and just gives you such a powerful feeling.
like to have a fighter that can talk as good as he fight