MMA365 got the opportunity for an interview with Pennsylvanian pro heavyweight fighter Carmello Marrero (4-0). In the interview we learned more about him, and were surprised to learn that Norman Schack (2-2), who fights out of Renzo Gracies camp has apparently pulled out of the fight for an unknown reason.

mma365.com: Once you learned you will be fighting Norma Schack who has a professional record of 2 wins and 2 loses...
Carmello Marrero: He dropped out, he dropped out of the fight.

mma365.com: He is out? So who is in now?
Carmello Marrero: Actually, I don't know who I will be fighting as of right now.

mma365.com: Ok, because I checked his biography, he fights out of Renzo Gracie's camp but he hasn't been fighting that often in the past, but he is out officially right?
Carmello Marrero: Yes, he is no longer fighting.

mma365.com: But the fight is still for a title?
Carmello Marrero: Yes.

mma365.com: How do you feel about fighting for the belt?
Carmello Marrero: I think its great promotion, I know the guys behind Cage Fury. I think its going to be the best show in New Jersey going right now. I'm excited being able to fight for the belt.

mma365.com: Right, well there are two weeks left before the fight, how are you feeling mentally & physically?
Carmello Marrero: I feel good. A little shakin up, you definetly want to know who you are going to be fighting, right now I don't. But, I feel that I have trained hard, and I'm ready to fight.

mma365.com: Which team do you fight for?
Carmello Marrero: I train out of Le High university, and I'm part of a small private group, and we don't really have a team name.

mma365.com (question from the forums): How did you start with MMA, and how long have you been training?
Carmello Marrero: I started martial arts right after I was done with college, it took about two weeks and I got pulled right off the bench, and I said to myself I'm going to go see whats out there...and my fights went real well, everything went real well. Then I had an opportunity to take a fight, and I took my first fight October 16th, 2004.

mma365.com (question from the forums): What do you find is the toughest thing about training for a fight?
Carmello Marrero: For me personally, I have a girl I love, and going to school finishing up my degree. I have been training out of many different places, it seems like for every other fight it seems like I have been doing alot of traveling, like North and South Jersey, Pennsylvania, and even fought a couple of fights out of Georgia training with Team Hardcore. The hardest thing is there is no set guideline on how to be a fighter; what to do to be good. Everbody is diffent, its hardest to find whats right for you, and sticking to it.

mma365.com: Since you went to school in New Jersey (I believe he said Devry University earlier), do you think you are going to have an edge over whoever you fight? Do you think the fans are going to be behind you?
Carmello Marrero: I don't know if I have any fans, the people that back me are my personal friends and family. Alot of fights I have been to there have been cheer for me, and people that support me, but they have not just been random people, they have been my friends and family that that take alot of time and effort to come out there and support me. As for the fans, I don't know? Its always good to be on the receiving end of cheers.

mma365.com: I've been asking this in my last couple of interviews, what do you think about weight training in mixed martial arts?
Carmello Marrero: It's hard to say. I come from a more wrestling backround, I believe in weight training, its essential conditioning. You definetly want to come in your best shape. I'm not the biggest of heavyweights. I walk around at about 225 now.

mma365.com: Who were your mixed martial arts idols when you were growing up?
Carmello Marrero: ..Most recent would have to be Randy Couture. I appreciate what Fedor has been doing out of Pride.

mma365.com: Any predictions for June 30th?
Carmello Marrero: A win, whatever comes, I'm going to do my best, and whatever he gives me I will take it.

mma365.com: Thank you for the interview.
Carmello Marrero: Thank you, I appreciate it.