Those of you who have had the chance to listen to Mike Schiavello’s commentating style know that whether you love it or hate it once you hear him you will remember him. Known for his unique commentating style and masterful ability to incorporate hilarious one-liners into his commentary Mike Schiavello also known as “TheVoice” has been the primary voce of HDNet Fights since July of 2009, after capturing the attention of the company’s owner, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, and signing with the North American broadcaster. Mike has successfully incorporated touring these Great Unites States for KOTC (King Of The Cage) promotion into his worldwide traveling schedule. Relatively new to the US audience Mike has been known internationally for a long time as one of the worlds leading combat sports commentators and his ability to entertain as well as educate does not go unnoticed with any audience.
TheVoice wears many hats – in addition to being a successful sports commentator he is also a sports writer and has written for over 50 publications around the world. He is a former editor of Blitz Magazine, current editor of International Kickboxer Magazine and a feature writer for Inside Sport magazine. Mike is also a bestselling author having written four books. When he is not writing, editing or commentating Mike is a Freemason and in his “spare” time has managed to achieve Master Mason status.
Mike got started in radio when he was only 15. As he recalls it he originally planned on being an architect but when that plan failed it was his mother’s suggestion to go into radio. Mike reluctantly wrote to a radio station that he consistently listened to called Triple M and was accepted for work by a woman named Deanne Sloane whose acceptance letter Mike still has. After finishing his first assignment Mike was set on his new career path. From Mike’s own recollection: “When my work experience week was over, all thoughts of becoming an architect had vanished completely. Eddie Maguire was my new Mike Brady. Jane Kennedy was my Marcia. All I wanted to do was be a journalist, write stories and talk on radio.”
Mike got his start early in life as a commentator as well, at the age of 16 when he commentated at a Track and Field event in Melbourne. Shortly after he began hosting his own radio sports show on Southern FM. There he had a different nickname; he was called “Mr. Scoop” for his unusual ability to land interviews with world famous sports stars while still attending high school. Mike was able to interview soccer, tennis, cricket and pro-wrestling stars for his radio show. When he was 21 Mike commentated the video for a fight promoter in Melbourne after which other promoters heard him and because of his style asked him to commentate for their shows as well. Mike has been a commentator for FoxSports Australia since 1996 to this day. He is the youngest ever inductee to the Best Australian Sports Writing Awards.
Mike has an extremely busy and hectic schedule which takes him all over the world, with only about a week at a time between assignments to visit home. For this interview, MMAValor had to catch up with him in Romania where he was getting ready to commentate for the K-1 event in Bucharest on May 21st, 2010.
Q: Where are you from in Australia and how long have you been a commentator?
I am born and bred and still reside in Melbourne, Australia, which is way down south. I have been commentating since I was 16 years old in high school when my first ever gig was commentating the Victorian High School Athletics Championships. I did a lot of commentary on radio when I was young, commentating soccer. Then when I was 21 I started commentating fight sports and was actually the youngest ever commentator on Australian television (and I dare venture probably one of the youngest TV commentators in the world) commentating fights for Fox Sports.
Q: You are a pretty diverse guy, what sports have you covered in your career?
I am also a journalist by trade and long time magazine editor so I have covered a LOT of sports from soccer to bodybuilding, athletics to Aussie Rules football, the fight game to golf and many more.
Q: How did you get started in commentating for MMA?
I had been commentating kickboxing and Muay Thai for a couple of years and then in 1997 a promoter called Randy Bable put on the first ever cage fighting show in Australia, in Sydney. He asked me to commentate for it and I did. That was my first ever time commentating MMA. So I have been commentating the sport for 13 or so years now.
Q: How many fights have you commentated on and for what organizations? What organizations are you currently commentating for?
It has been estimated that I have probably commentated around 4,000 or 5,000 fights. I never counted but I would say around 5,000 is accurate. I have done everything including seven K-1 Grand Prix finals, four Dynamite shows, the Commonwealth Games, all the DREAM shows, Sengoku shows, King of the Cage, XFC, MFC, Adrenaline, M-1, three K-1 MAX finals, the biggest Muay Thai shows in the world and I am also the only MMA or kickboxing commentator to have commentated an Olympic Games, when I commentated all the boxing at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Q: Tell us about your favorite event you have covered? What about your favorite MMA event?
My favorite event is the K-1 World Grand Prix every year. That is just the most phenomenal spectacle in the world. The fights are insane, the atmosphere is intense and it is when I am most in my element. Also, commentating the Olympic Games in Beijing was an incredible experience. I was in China for almost four weeks for the Games, commentating all the boxing for the Asian Broadcasting Union which included 110 countries. It was a thrill commentating live for big television audiences such as India and Africa to small audiences like Mauritius. That said the Olympic Games was also the hardest gig I have ever done. I commentated 272 fights on my own. I was completely drained at the end of every day but it was such a rush. Also doing the finale of The Contender Asia in Singapore was crazy fun, so too was doing a Muay Thai event in Montego Bay, Jamaica last year. That Jamaica event was just nuts and part of a big celebrity golf weekend and music weekend. I worked with Cedric The Entertainer who was a lovely guy, lots of fun. I was partying with Peter “Robocop” Weller and Elizabeth Hendrickson and Grant Show. The event itself was staged on a beach front and went from 7pm until 4am. It was insanity! As for MMA, my favorite events are DREAM. I love the show, the spectacle, the pageantry, the way the sport is presented and of course the fights are amazing. I think DREAM 9 was my favorite one so far as this was also the first live MMA event I did for HDNet so it has a very special place in my heart.
Q: How many countries has your job taken you to?
As I do this interview I am in Romania for K-1. This is now the 17th country I have commentated in. I have done shows from Holland to Hong Kong, from Japan to Jamaica, from the USA to Poland, from New Zealand to China.
Q: Which is your favorite country to cover MMA in?
Japan is the bomb! I love Japan, I love Tokyo. I feel most comfortable commentating in Tokyo.
Q: What are Schiavelloisms?
(Laughs) This is the name fans have given to my many, many one-liners that I punctuate my commentaries with. If you ever listen to a show I am commentating, you will hear many “Schiavelloisms”!
Here are some examples MMAValor has picked out for more please refer to the bottom of the article for Mike’s website:
“He’s taken more hits than Nick Diaz’s bong!”
“I’m so excited! My nipples are so hard you could rub them together and start a fire!”
“He’s been tapped more times than Tiger Woods’ booty calls.”
“That round was ugly but entertaining… just like the last girl I dated.”
“The grandparents from Willy Wonka moved more than these two guys”
Q: “Goodnight Irene!” –explain that?
Well my girlfriend is named Irene, ironically, but that has NOTHING to do with Goodnight Irene being my catch cry. In fact, that has been my commentating catch cry since I was 16 years old! I am a huge pro wrestling fan, old school, and my favorite commentator ever was Gorilla Monsoon. He used to commentate one of my favorite fighters, the late Adorable Adrian Adonis, who had a finishing move Gorilla would call “the Goodnight Irene”. It was a sleeper hold. I use it as my catch cry when there is a knockout or submission as homage to my love of pro wrestling and my favorite commentator, Gorilla Monsoon.
Q: Does Irene ever think its weird you regularly scream her name on TV? What was her reaction the first time you did that?
(Laughs) Yeah she was a little freaked out the first time she heard it. Now she is used to it, but everyone always asks her about it! They say that the universe always brings you what you ask for – well I have been screaming the name Irene for almost 20 years!
Q: You had the opportunity to meet up with Joe Rogan while he was in Australia for the UFC and did an interview with him, which aired on HDNET how was it working with him, what is he like?
The interview was done exclusively for HDNet. Joe is awesome. I met him for the first time last year in Edmonton when I attended his show. He is so funny, I pissed myself laughing. After the show we met and had dinner together and really just clicked. We’re very similar in a lot of ways. We had always been fans of each others commentary styles even though we had never met. When Joe came to Australia for UFC I asked if I could interview him for HDNet and he agreed. We’re huge fans of his at HDNet and he had never been on the network before so I was thrilled to be able to interview him. I was looking to do a 30 minute interview but it went for 75 minutes. We just didn’t stop talking! Joe is amazing, a funny bloke, real down to Earth, and a good friend. I respect the hell out of him.
Q: You have been traveling the US working for HDNet Fights covering KOTC for awhile now, what are your firsts in this country?
Well, I have done many things in the US I had never done before. I went to Roswell for two nights and got my alien fix. I am a bit of an alien buff and I actually shot a picture of a UFO in the skies over Roswell! So trippy! I got to see San Francisco for the first time, which is just a gorgeous town, very European. I really loved Sausalito. I also just saw Washington DC for the first time, which was cool. It’s a beautiful city very rich in history. I saw Detroit for the first time, which was an eye opener. We were driving down 8 Mile Road, me, Frank Trigg and Maria Kanellis, and I began filming like a drug deal going down with some gang bangers. Maria cracked it at me! She thought we were going to get killed! It was so funny! Also I got to see Reno, which I wasn’t overly impressed with to be honest.
Q: You seem to genuinely enjoy yourself when covering MMA events, can we say this is your favorite sport to cover?
MMA is an incredible sport, I love it! How can you not love it? And if you love it how can you not be passionate about it?! Yes it is a favorite of mine, along with K-1. But in saying that I have been to and covered many big sports events such as the Olympic Games and two World Cups (USA 94, France 98) and no matter what the event, if you’re there live, in the thick of it, it is a thrill.
Q: What makes a great commentator in your opinion?
The ability to inform and entertain. You need to know what you’re talking about and how to communicate that in a very passionate and exciting style. My style is very full on, sometimes a bit over the top, but I also know my shit back to front. I can educate, inform and entertain. You may love my style or hate it, but you know it when you hear it!
Q: What would be harder to commentate hockey or soccer?
I have commentated soccer when I was younger and it is not so hard. I loved it though! I would love so much to commentate soccer again! Ice Hockey would be hard. The speed of the game and the way the players interchange so quickly, I have so much respect for the commentators.
Q: You have written about Freemasonry before and you are a Mason yourself. What rank are you, how did you get started in that and how does it relate to Martial Arts?
I hold the title of Sublime Degree of Master Mason, or third degree. That’s pretty much the highest level you can attain in Blue Lodge Masonry. I love being a Freemason, it has been an amazing experience and I consume every piece of information I can on Freemasonry. I recently did a story on how Freemasonry relates to the martial arts. You can read it at http://www.profighting-fans.com/articles/voice-box/freemasonry-martial-arts_042310.html This explains a lot of the similarities I see between Freemasonry and the Martial arts. I got started in Freemasonry because I saw a slogan once that said “Freemasonry makes good men better“. I like to think I am a good man but if there is something in this world that can make me better then why not try it? So many great men throughout history have been Freemasons, from Presidents to astronauts, actors to musicians, rock stars to billionaires. I figured there must be something positive to it – and there is!
Q: For those fortunate enough to go to Australia what is one thing everyone must see when visiting there?
It is so hard to list just one thing. I think if you go to Sydney and see the iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House that is pretty cool. Also, the Great Barrier Reef up north is amazing. Melbourne is the best city of all. I am biased!
Q: What are your expert tips on dealing with insomnia due to time zones and jet lag?
I don’t know about expert tips. Sometimes I survive on cocktails of sleeping pills and energy drinks. I don’t know if that is a good thing though!
Q: What’s with the two watches?
I like symbolism and the two watches are symbolic. One is stopped on the time of my birth and the other is on the current time wherever I am in the world. So they symbolize where I came from (so I never forget) and where I am and where I am going to.
Q: Rumor has it that was a result of a dare, is that true by who?
Yes originally it was a dare by Mike Kogan. We used to compete who could wear the biggest watch on TV and then one day he said “I dare you to wear two watches, so I did!”
Q: Who are your Favorite MMA fighters? Commentator? Favorite fighter ever?
My favorite MMA fighter is probably Minowaman. He is just so exciting and he is old school, lots of submission work. Also I love Fedor Emelianenko, Sakuraba, BJ Penn, Gegard Mousasi, Shinya Aoki… there are many! My favorite commentator in MMA is Joe Rogan. Favorite fighter ever is Badr Hari, no matter what you think of Badr Hari you cannot deny that he is an awesome fighter. The guy absolutely brings it every fight, he is technically superb, tremendously powerful and just an absolute demon in the ring.
Q: Best movie to watch on the plane? How about in the hotel room?
My favorite movie of all time is “Notting Hill”. I love romantic comedies. But I more so always download a different TV show when I travel and don’t watch many movies. At the moment I am watching the final season of “Lost” and then will start on the latest season of “How I Met Your Mother”.
Q: What is your most memorable MMA moment? Most unpredictable fight?
I think my greatest MMA memory was commentating DREAM 9 which was the first round of the Super Hulk tournament. That whole night was just insane. Also, doing Dynamite every year is just off the hook.
Q: How far into a fight can you accurately predict the winner; you seem to be good at that? What do you watch for?
It is actually hard to predict the winner because in MMA a fight can turn the other way in an instant. You know you can tell a lot by how the fighter looks when he is coming into the ring or cage. I was at a bar watching Machida and Rua the second time and I thought Lyoto would win until I saw him come out to the cage. As soon as I saw his face and saw Rua’s face, I knew Rua would win it.
Q: So do you have the best job in the world? Why?
Yes indeed. I get to see the world and attend these amazing shows and talk about them on TV. What could be better than that! I am getting paid to be a talking fan of the sports I love!
Q: How did the nickname come about and who gave it to you?
The nickname was given to me by Andy Raymond, who is a well known commentator on Fox Sports in Australia. He used to call me “The Voice Behind The Violence” back in like 2000. It eventually got shortened to just “The Voice”. I like it. It’s cool.
Q: Name one person you’ve met that made you feel you’re in the presence of greatness?
Fedor Emelianenko certainly has that air about him. So too does Peter Aerts. But I have met Pele twice and also Diego Maradona. Being in their presence, that air of greatness is overwhelming.
Q: Of all the places you have been where did you have the best food and what was it?
This is a good question! In Montego Bay Jamaica we stayed at this luxury 5 star resort. The lobster tails by the beach were divine!
Q: How come you can read so fast?
My mind operates at an amazing pace. I can read fast and analyze information very fast. My brain never stops!
Q: Can you tell us about the books you wrote?
I have had four books published. The first was in 1999. It was a non-fiction book called “Bouncer!” and was a collection of stories about nightclub bouncers. It went crazy on sales in Australia and became a best seller! I was pleasantly surprised by that! My next book was called “Offside!” and was a funny book about soccer. Then my third book was called “Bodies of the Rich & Famous” and was a collection of interviews I had done with famous women about their lifestyles, including Bo Derek, Raquel Welch, Pamela Anderson and more. My last book, published in 2001, was my first novel called “ReflexJack”. It is about a man who develops these amazing abilities but as a result loses his ability to be able to love. It was a cool story and would make a great movie one day!
Q: Weirdest Japanese show you have seen?
That I have seen live? I don’t know, that is hard. Some of the freak shows like Hong Mann Choi vs Canseco or Akebono vs Giant Silva were weird and crazy but oh so good!
Q: Now you are off to cover K-1 in Romania, do you mind catching up with mmavalor.com after that event to give us a recap of this international event that not many of us here in America have the opportunity to see?
Sure thing!
Thank you, for the chance to talk to MMAValor. Your questions were very good and it is a pleasure always. If people want some more information on me check out my website http://www.thevoiceofficial.com/ and also add me on Facebook ( Michael Schiavello) and on twitter (@SchiavelloVoice).
MMAValor would like to Thank Mike for his time spent with us wish him good travels and hope to catch up with him again soon.
“When you love what you do as much as I do, the anticipation & execution of the job makes the long path to get there very short” Michael Schiavello
Photos published with permission by Michael Schiavello.
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview with Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
TheVoice wears many hats – in addition to being a successful sports commentator he is also a sports writer and has written for over 50 publications around the world. He is a former editor of Blitz Magazine, current editor of International Kickboxer Magazine and a feature writer for Inside Sport magazine. Mike is also a bestselling author having written four books. When he is not writing, editing or commentating Mike is a Freemason and in his “spare” time has managed to achieve Master Mason status.
Mike got started in radio when he was only 15. As he recalls it he originally planned on being an architect but when that plan failed it was his mother’s suggestion to go into radio. Mike reluctantly wrote to a radio station that he consistently listened to called Triple M and was accepted for work by a woman named Deanne Sloane whose acceptance letter Mike still has. After finishing his first assignment Mike was set on his new career path. From Mike’s own recollection: “When my work experience week was over, all thoughts of becoming an architect had vanished completely. Eddie Maguire was my new Mike Brady. Jane Kennedy was my Marcia. All I wanted to do was be a journalist, write stories and talk on radio.”
Mike got his start early in life as a commentator as well, at the age of 16 when he commentated at a Track and Field event in Melbourne. Shortly after he began hosting his own radio sports show on Southern FM. There he had a different nickname; he was called “Mr. Scoop” for his unusual ability to land interviews with world famous sports stars while still attending high school. Mike was able to interview soccer, tennis, cricket and pro-wrestling stars for his radio show. When he was 21 Mike commentated the video for a fight promoter in Melbourne after which other promoters heard him and because of his style asked him to commentate for their shows as well. Mike has been a commentator for FoxSports Australia since 1996 to this day. He is the youngest ever inductee to the Best Australian Sports Writing Awards.
Mike has an extremely busy and hectic schedule which takes him all over the world, with only about a week at a time between assignments to visit home. For this interview, MMAValor had to catch up with him in Romania where he was getting ready to commentate for the K-1 event in Bucharest on May 21st, 2010.
Q: Where are you from in Australia and how long have you been a commentator?
I am born and bred and still reside in Melbourne, Australia, which is way down south. I have been commentating since I was 16 years old in high school when my first ever gig was commentating the Victorian High School Athletics Championships. I did a lot of commentary on radio when I was young, commentating soccer. Then when I was 21 I started commentating fight sports and was actually the youngest ever commentator on Australian television (and I dare venture probably one of the youngest TV commentators in the world) commentating fights for Fox Sports.
Q: You are a pretty diverse guy, what sports have you covered in your career?
I am also a journalist by trade and long time magazine editor so I have covered a LOT of sports from soccer to bodybuilding, athletics to Aussie Rules football, the fight game to golf and many more.
Q: How did you get started in commentating for MMA?
I had been commentating kickboxing and Muay Thai for a couple of years and then in 1997 a promoter called Randy Bable put on the first ever cage fighting show in Australia, in Sydney. He asked me to commentate for it and I did. That was my first ever time commentating MMA. So I have been commentating the sport for 13 or so years now.
Q: How many fights have you commentated on and for what organizations? What organizations are you currently commentating for?
It has been estimated that I have probably commentated around 4,000 or 5,000 fights. I never counted but I would say around 5,000 is accurate. I have done everything including seven K-1 Grand Prix finals, four Dynamite shows, the Commonwealth Games, all the DREAM shows, Sengoku shows, King of the Cage, XFC, MFC, Adrenaline, M-1, three K-1 MAX finals, the biggest Muay Thai shows in the world and I am also the only MMA or kickboxing commentator to have commentated an Olympic Games, when I commentated all the boxing at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Q: Tell us about your favorite event you have covered? What about your favorite MMA event?
My favorite event is the K-1 World Grand Prix every year. That is just the most phenomenal spectacle in the world. The fights are insane, the atmosphere is intense and it is when I am most in my element. Also, commentating the Olympic Games in Beijing was an incredible experience. I was in China for almost four weeks for the Games, commentating all the boxing for the Asian Broadcasting Union which included 110 countries. It was a thrill commentating live for big television audiences such as India and Africa to small audiences like Mauritius. That said the Olympic Games was also the hardest gig I have ever done. I commentated 272 fights on my own. I was completely drained at the end of every day but it was such a rush. Also doing the finale of The Contender Asia in Singapore was crazy fun, so too was doing a Muay Thai event in Montego Bay, Jamaica last year. That Jamaica event was just nuts and part of a big celebrity golf weekend and music weekend. I worked with Cedric The Entertainer who was a lovely guy, lots of fun. I was partying with Peter “Robocop” Weller and Elizabeth Hendrickson and Grant Show. The event itself was staged on a beach front and went from 7pm until 4am. It was insanity! As for MMA, my favorite events are DREAM. I love the show, the spectacle, the pageantry, the way the sport is presented and of course the fights are amazing. I think DREAM 9 was my favorite one so far as this was also the first live MMA event I did for HDNet so it has a very special place in my heart.
Q: How many countries has your job taken you to?
As I do this interview I am in Romania for K-1. This is now the 17th country I have commentated in. I have done shows from Holland to Hong Kong, from Japan to Jamaica, from the USA to Poland, from New Zealand to China.
Q: Which is your favorite country to cover MMA in?
Japan is the bomb! I love Japan, I love Tokyo. I feel most comfortable commentating in Tokyo.
Q: What are Schiavelloisms?
(Laughs) This is the name fans have given to my many, many one-liners that I punctuate my commentaries with. If you ever listen to a show I am commentating, you will hear many “Schiavelloisms”!
Here are some examples MMAValor has picked out for more please refer to the bottom of the article for Mike’s website:
“He’s taken more hits than Nick Diaz’s bong!”
“I’m so excited! My nipples are so hard you could rub them together and start a fire!”
“He’s been tapped more times than Tiger Woods’ booty calls.”
“That round was ugly but entertaining… just like the last girl I dated.”
“The grandparents from Willy Wonka moved more than these two guys”
Q: “Goodnight Irene!” –explain that?
Well my girlfriend is named Irene, ironically, but that has NOTHING to do with Goodnight Irene being my catch cry. In fact, that has been my commentating catch cry since I was 16 years old! I am a huge pro wrestling fan, old school, and my favorite commentator ever was Gorilla Monsoon. He used to commentate one of my favorite fighters, the late Adorable Adrian Adonis, who had a finishing move Gorilla would call “the Goodnight Irene”. It was a sleeper hold. I use it as my catch cry when there is a knockout or submission as homage to my love of pro wrestling and my favorite commentator, Gorilla Monsoon.
Q: Does Irene ever think its weird you regularly scream her name on TV? What was her reaction the first time you did that?
(Laughs) Yeah she was a little freaked out the first time she heard it. Now she is used to it, but everyone always asks her about it! They say that the universe always brings you what you ask for – well I have been screaming the name Irene for almost 20 years!
Q: You had the opportunity to meet up with Joe Rogan while he was in Australia for the UFC and did an interview with him, which aired on HDNET how was it working with him, what is he like?
The interview was done exclusively for HDNet. Joe is awesome. I met him for the first time last year in Edmonton when I attended his show. He is so funny, I pissed myself laughing. After the show we met and had dinner together and really just clicked. We’re very similar in a lot of ways. We had always been fans of each others commentary styles even though we had never met. When Joe came to Australia for UFC I asked if I could interview him for HDNet and he agreed. We’re huge fans of his at HDNet and he had never been on the network before so I was thrilled to be able to interview him. I was looking to do a 30 minute interview but it went for 75 minutes. We just didn’t stop talking! Joe is amazing, a funny bloke, real down to Earth, and a good friend. I respect the hell out of him.
Q: You have been traveling the US working for HDNet Fights covering KOTC for awhile now, what are your firsts in this country?
Well, I have done many things in the US I had never done before. I went to Roswell for two nights and got my alien fix. I am a bit of an alien buff and I actually shot a picture of a UFO in the skies over Roswell! So trippy! I got to see San Francisco for the first time, which is just a gorgeous town, very European. I really loved Sausalito. I also just saw Washington DC for the first time, which was cool. It’s a beautiful city very rich in history. I saw Detroit for the first time, which was an eye opener. We were driving down 8 Mile Road, me, Frank Trigg and Maria Kanellis, and I began filming like a drug deal going down with some gang bangers. Maria cracked it at me! She thought we were going to get killed! It was so funny! Also I got to see Reno, which I wasn’t overly impressed with to be honest.
Q: You seem to genuinely enjoy yourself when covering MMA events, can we say this is your favorite sport to cover?
MMA is an incredible sport, I love it! How can you not love it? And if you love it how can you not be passionate about it?! Yes it is a favorite of mine, along with K-1. But in saying that I have been to and covered many big sports events such as the Olympic Games and two World Cups (USA 94, France 98) and no matter what the event, if you’re there live, in the thick of it, it is a thrill.
Q: What makes a great commentator in your opinion?
The ability to inform and entertain. You need to know what you’re talking about and how to communicate that in a very passionate and exciting style. My style is very full on, sometimes a bit over the top, but I also know my shit back to front. I can educate, inform and entertain. You may love my style or hate it, but you know it when you hear it!
Q: What would be harder to commentate hockey or soccer?
I have commentated soccer when I was younger and it is not so hard. I loved it though! I would love so much to commentate soccer again! Ice Hockey would be hard. The speed of the game and the way the players interchange so quickly, I have so much respect for the commentators.
Q: You have written about Freemasonry before and you are a Mason yourself. What rank are you, how did you get started in that and how does it relate to Martial Arts?
I hold the title of Sublime Degree of Master Mason, or third degree. That’s pretty much the highest level you can attain in Blue Lodge Masonry. I love being a Freemason, it has been an amazing experience and I consume every piece of information I can on Freemasonry. I recently did a story on how Freemasonry relates to the martial arts. You can read it at http://www.profighting-fans.com/articles/voice-box/freemasonry-martial-arts_042310.html This explains a lot of the similarities I see between Freemasonry and the Martial arts. I got started in Freemasonry because I saw a slogan once that said “Freemasonry makes good men better“. I like to think I am a good man but if there is something in this world that can make me better then why not try it? So many great men throughout history have been Freemasons, from Presidents to astronauts, actors to musicians, rock stars to billionaires. I figured there must be something positive to it – and there is!
Q: For those fortunate enough to go to Australia what is one thing everyone must see when visiting there?
It is so hard to list just one thing. I think if you go to Sydney and see the iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House that is pretty cool. Also, the Great Barrier Reef up north is amazing. Melbourne is the best city of all. I am biased!
Q: What are your expert tips on dealing with insomnia due to time zones and jet lag?
I don’t know about expert tips. Sometimes I survive on cocktails of sleeping pills and energy drinks. I don’t know if that is a good thing though!
Q: What’s with the two watches?
I like symbolism and the two watches are symbolic. One is stopped on the time of my birth and the other is on the current time wherever I am in the world. So they symbolize where I came from (so I never forget) and where I am and where I am going to.
Q: Rumor has it that was a result of a dare, is that true by who?
Yes originally it was a dare by Mike Kogan. We used to compete who could wear the biggest watch on TV and then one day he said “I dare you to wear two watches, so I did!”
Q: Who are your Favorite MMA fighters? Commentator? Favorite fighter ever?
My favorite MMA fighter is probably Minowaman. He is just so exciting and he is old school, lots of submission work. Also I love Fedor Emelianenko, Sakuraba, BJ Penn, Gegard Mousasi, Shinya Aoki… there are many! My favorite commentator in MMA is Joe Rogan. Favorite fighter ever is Badr Hari, no matter what you think of Badr Hari you cannot deny that he is an awesome fighter. The guy absolutely brings it every fight, he is technically superb, tremendously powerful and just an absolute demon in the ring.
Q: Best movie to watch on the plane? How about in the hotel room?
My favorite movie of all time is “Notting Hill”. I love romantic comedies. But I more so always download a different TV show when I travel and don’t watch many movies. At the moment I am watching the final season of “Lost” and then will start on the latest season of “How I Met Your Mother”.
Q: What is your most memorable MMA moment? Most unpredictable fight?
I think my greatest MMA memory was commentating DREAM 9 which was the first round of the Super Hulk tournament. That whole night was just insane. Also, doing Dynamite every year is just off the hook.
Q: How far into a fight can you accurately predict the winner; you seem to be good at that? What do you watch for?
It is actually hard to predict the winner because in MMA a fight can turn the other way in an instant. You know you can tell a lot by how the fighter looks when he is coming into the ring or cage. I was at a bar watching Machida and Rua the second time and I thought Lyoto would win until I saw him come out to the cage. As soon as I saw his face and saw Rua’s face, I knew Rua would win it.
Q: So do you have the best job in the world? Why?
Yes indeed. I get to see the world and attend these amazing shows and talk about them on TV. What could be better than that! I am getting paid to be a talking fan of the sports I love!
Q: How did the nickname come about and who gave it to you?
The nickname was given to me by Andy Raymond, who is a well known commentator on Fox Sports in Australia. He used to call me “The Voice Behind The Violence” back in like 2000. It eventually got shortened to just “The Voice”. I like it. It’s cool.
Q: Name one person you’ve met that made you feel you’re in the presence of greatness?
Fedor Emelianenko certainly has that air about him. So too does Peter Aerts. But I have met Pele twice and also Diego Maradona. Being in their presence, that air of greatness is overwhelming.
Q: Of all the places you have been where did you have the best food and what was it?
This is a good question! In Montego Bay Jamaica we stayed at this luxury 5 star resort. The lobster tails by the beach were divine!
Q: How come you can read so fast?
My mind operates at an amazing pace. I can read fast and analyze information very fast. My brain never stops!
Q: Can you tell us about the books you wrote?
I have had four books published. The first was in 1999. It was a non-fiction book called “Bouncer!” and was a collection of stories about nightclub bouncers. It went crazy on sales in Australia and became a best seller! I was pleasantly surprised by that! My next book was called “Offside!” and was a funny book about soccer. Then my third book was called “Bodies of the Rich & Famous” and was a collection of interviews I had done with famous women about their lifestyles, including Bo Derek, Raquel Welch, Pamela Anderson and more. My last book, published in 2001, was my first novel called “ReflexJack”. It is about a man who develops these amazing abilities but as a result loses his ability to be able to love. It was a cool story and would make a great movie one day!
Q: Weirdest Japanese show you have seen?
That I have seen live? I don’t know, that is hard. Some of the freak shows like Hong Mann Choi vs Canseco or Akebono vs Giant Silva were weird and crazy but oh so good!
Q: Now you are off to cover K-1 in Romania, do you mind catching up with mmavalor.com after that event to give us a recap of this international event that not many of us here in America have the opportunity to see?
Sure thing!
Thank you, for the chance to talk to MMAValor. Your questions were very good and it is a pleasure always. If people want some more information on me check out my website http://www.thevoiceofficial.com/ and also add me on Facebook ( Michael Schiavello) and on twitter (@SchiavelloVoice).
MMAValor would like to Thank Mike for his time spent with us wish him good travels and hope to catch up with him again soon.
“When you love what you do as much as I do, the anticipation & execution of the job makes the long path to get there very short” Michael Schiavello
Photos published with permission by Michael Schiavello.
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MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello
MMA Interview With Mike “TheVoice” Schiavello