10 Questions With Jesse Forbes (by Darrick Patrick)

Jesse "Kid Hercules" Forbes is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such the Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting, Maximum Fighting Championships, Let's Get It On, Tuff-N-Uff, Worldwide Fighting Championship, Cage Fighting Federation, Wild Bill's Fight Night, and Rage In The Cage.  He also appeared on the third season of the television show The Ultimate Fighter. 

Darrick: What was the path that led you to professional mixed martial arts competition?

Jesse: Well, I grew up wrestling from about the sixth grade on.  I remember when I finished high school wrestling, I asked myself "What now?"  So I went to college wrestling and when that was all over with, I asked myself the same question - and then there was MMA.  I had met some guys that were fighters and it just sorta' took flight from there.  I started training and five months later was on The Ultimate Fighter.

Darrick: Who is someone that greatly influenced you while growing up?

Jesse: My mother definitely influenced me my whole life.  She made sure that she brought up a mentally strong kid who didn't take no shit from people.  She's been my biggest fan my whole life, and she's always been there for me through the good times and she's gotten me through the hard times.  She taught me good morals and values, and she's the reason I am who I am today.

Darrick: In your experience so far, what brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?

Jesse: To be honest, it has settled me down a whole lot.  I used to be somewhat of a wild child and I look back on all that now and I'm just not the same guy I used to be.  I'm sure that's just part of me growing up, but I know it has to do with martial arts as well.  I love all the training and pushing myself hard mentally and physically every day.  The best thing by far is getting my hand raised at the end of a fight.  All that hard work and agony of training is all worth it when I'm getting my hand raised.

Darrick: Any words of advice for other individuals looking to compete in MMA?

Jesse: Yes, I tell this to everyone - go into MMA with an open mind.  Pretend you don't know anything and you've got to build your game from the ground up.  These days one-sided fighters get exposed one way or another.  Train hard to be awesome at every aspect and you will be a champion.

Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?

Jesse: I'd say fighters like Anderson Silva, Fedor Emelianenko, and Wanderlei Silva.  Those guys are all a class act and always maintain a high level of professionalism.  They don't talk the talk, but they walk the walk.  They fight with compassion and give respect to their opponents.  I think everyone should take notes from these individuals because these are excellent representatives for MMA.

Darrick: What does a typical training session for you consist of?

Jesse: A typical day for me starts at nine a.m. with my strength and conditioning coach.  From ten to twelve it's all wrestling and ground work, whether it be gi or no gi.  Then I go home, eat and rest until six p.m. - from six to nine it's all stand-up, sparring, and MMA training with smaller gloves.  It's a load sometimes, but your body gets used to it.

Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?

Jesse: It's been so long, I forgot...no, I'm kidding.  I love football games and any other sports really.  I like just hanging out with friends and shootin' the shit.  It's been awhile, but I love camping and doing things outdoors too.

Darrick: If you were stuck in the middle of an ocean with only three items, what would they be?

Jesse: A knife, a radio, and a fishing pole - so that I could stay alive long enough to be rescued.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Jesse: Probably starting school when I was five years old.  I'll never forget how scared I was and how I tried to bring my mom with me.

Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.

Jesse: When I was a freshman in high school, I ran cross country to get in shape for wrestling season.  One day on the warm-up lap, I caught a glimpse of a gorgeous girl coming out of the school and got so caught up in staring at her that I slammed into a fire hydrant left knee first.  I flipped over the hydrant and I didn't want her to know I hit it, so I held onto the fence in extreme pain until she got in her car and left.  After she left, I let go of the fence and squealed in pain.  Trainer came and got me - I didn't run for a couple weeks.  (Smiles)

FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835

You can also check out Jesse Forbes in the following places:

Official Jesse Forbes MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/kidherc

Jesse Forbes on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/jesse-forbes-13453

Jesse Forbes Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:

http://www.sherdog.com/pictures/gallery/fighter/13453

10 Questions With Molly Helsel (by Darrick Patrick)

Molly Helsel is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as Bodog Fight, Hardcore Championship Fighting, Kick Enterprises, HOOKnSHOOT, Smackgirl, Warriors Quest, and Rumble On The Rock.

Darrick: What was the road that led you to competing in professional mixed martial arts?

Molly: I had come to a point in my life where I felt that I needed a change, but wasn't quite sure what it was that I needed.  I happened to be watching a documentary on martial arts one night and was really impressed with a female doing Kung Fu.  I started calling schools the next day and stumbled across Burton Richardson's Jeet Kune Do Unlimited school.  I showed up early for my free trial class, saw these people beating the crap out of each other, and fell in love with it right then and there.

I had always wanted to get into martial arts and I just knew I was cut out for it.  I was at the top of my class after a short while, but was still just training for fun and self-defense.  I didn't know at the time that they allowed women to compete in MMA until I saw a local fight with two women.  Of course, I am sitting there thinking "I could whoop both of those girls" and the next day at training my coach asked if I wanted him to start looking for a fight for me.  About a year later, I had my first fight in Hilo, Hawaii at Rumble on the Rock 2.

Darrick: Do you have any words of advice for other individuals looking to train in MMA?

Molly: I'm full of "advice", just ask my training partners.  (Smiles)  I encourage anyone to train MMA, but if you decide to fight MMA - make sure you think it through well.  Your motivation to fight should be mostly internal reasons.  Don't get dazzled at the prospect of all the attention and a big payday.  There is a long, hard road ahead of you if you choose this life.  Be ready to sacrifice.  There will come a point when your training becomes more than a hobby two or three times a week and martial arts will start to encompass all aspects of your life.  If you are not ready to bust your ass for little recognition and even less pay, then find another job.

Just make sure you are in it for the right reasons and if you are, then I say go for it.  You will have days when you're frustrated and you doubt yourself, but you just need to shake it off and keep coming back.  Just keep moving forward and don't take no for an answer.  Be one to make things happen, not watch them happen.

Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?

Molly: There are a ton of role models, great athletes, and skilled fighters out there, but I think the people that have impacted me most in the sport and that I have most respect for are my opponents.  I respect them all personally for different reasons, but what I admire most about them is that I have learned something from each one.  I know it sounds weird, but when you fight someone it's like sharing an intimate experience.  After a fight, especially a real war, you share something in that ring/cage.  It's very primal.  Whether I like an opponent personally or not, I always have to respect that this girl trains just as hard as I do.  She has struggled and suffered in the same ways that I have, she has shed her blood, sweat and tears just like I have, and we are all in this for one common goal.  You have to respect that.

Darrick: Are there any extra struggles being a female in mixed martial arts or do you believe it to be basically the same difficulty for both genders?

Molly: There are pros and cons to both.  Of course there are fewer opportunities and less pay for women.  On the other hand, since there is a smaller pool of competition, it is easier for a female to get to the top and to get the opportunities and exposure that are available.  Of course women will always receive some type of predjudice or stereotype as a fighter.  Perhaps it's in the gym - you may not be perceived as tough, durable, or knowledgable.  Sometimes people don't want to train with you or take you seriously as a fighter.  Outside of the gym, people tend to think you are super violent, not feminine, or a crazy femme-nazi.  It seems sometimes you just can't please 'em all.  I've learned to let it roll off my shoulders and keep doing my thing.

I think recently both the men and women's divisions have struggled equally with MMA going more mainstream.  While it is bringing more exposure to the fighters and educating the general public, it seems that the best fighters have not been getting the biggest opportunities.  Both divisions are seeing fighters picked more on entertainment value and looks over skill and true dedication to the sport.

Darrick: What does a typical training session for you consist of?

Molly: We begin with two five-minute rounds of jump rope and three five-minute conditioning/warm up rounds.  Then probably forty-five minutes of technique, drills, or sparring - and maybe another thirty minutes of sparring/rolling.  We'll finish off with leg or body conditioning and abs.  If I'm getting ready for a fight, I add in specific classes like Muay Thai, BJJ, and wrestling.  Also, cardio and strength training.

Darrick: In your experience so far, what brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?

Molly: For me, internally, it's when I face a really challenging obstacle and conquer it.  Whether it be something related to training routine, the fight, something mental, or weight cutting.  It's just that feeling of accomplishment.  That you did it even when you didn't think you could.  Obviously the feeling of winning a fight is like nothing else - best adrenaline high you could get.  Externally, I love watching new fighters learn and grow.  I like to help them get through their own challenges and I love seeing when "the light bulb clicks on" and they start really getting and understanding something they were having a hard time with.

Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?

Molly: Is there anything more interesting than MMA?  Honestly, there is not much else that captures my interest like this sport and everything surrounding it does.  I like the subjects of history, anthropology, and cultures.  I like games like poker, dominos, darts, and pool.  Love being outdoors and in nature - I like exploring and traveling, going on little mini-adventures.  I like to debate and I try working a little bit every day to change the world.

Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.

Molly: I got sent to a wilderness boot camp in Utah for bad kids when I was thirteen.  Then, I got sent back again when I was fifteen because they had a money-back guarantee.  I actually think it was the best thing that happened to me.  It made me mentally tough, taught me to push my limits, and helped me to expect more from myself and my life.

Darrick: If you had three wishes, what would they be?

Molly: First would be to fly - to be able to experience that kind of amazing freedom and to hear the silence above all the craziness of the cities.  Secondly, to always be able to make the right decesion and to have all the information available when choosing which way to go.  To be able to see into the future a little bit and see if the consequences will be worth the rewards.  The third wish would be time travel, I am fascinated by ancient cultures and I would love to be able to experience the lives of people from different times.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Molly: I went to a private preschool and during nap time the teachers would let me stay awake to play in the art room.  I'd color, paint, or make god's eyes while the rest of the school was sleeping.  There was a bus driver named Mrs. Brown and she would let me go with her to pick up the first and second graders after school.  We would stop at the 7-Eleven before getting them and she would buy me some candy.  Usually it was a candy ring, Big League Chew, or Lick'um Stix.  We'd get back to the school and I'd be tired because I didn't take a nap.  So every time my mom came to pick me up, I'd be asleep on the sidewalk with the rest of the kids playing around me.  I'm still like that, I fall asleep wherever I'm at when I'm tired.  My parents have a few pictures of me asleep in my spaghetti at the dinner table.

FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835

You can also check out Molly Helsel in the following places:

Official Molly Helsel MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspace.com/maulinator

Molly Helsel on Fight Finder:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Molly-Helsel-7063

Molly Helsel Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:

http://www.sherdog.com/pictures/gallery/fighter/7063