You may not have heard of Darrill Schoonover until this past weekend, when he put a serious beat down on Rex Richards at Shark Fight 4 in Amarillo, but MMA CITY is betting Darrill is well on his way to becoming a house hold name with the likes of UFC or Strikeforce and did not miss the chance to interview the undefeated Texas Heavyweight Champion.

Fighting out of Fighters Forge Combat Sports in Copperas Cove, TX, Darrill Schoonover, a military veteran who turns 24 in June, was 12-0 as an amateur and attained the TAMMA Light Heavyweight Championship.  Since turning professional in early 2008, Schoonover now holds a 10-0 professional MMA record and the title of Texas Heavyweight Champion after taking out Rex Richards in the fourth round by TKO on May 2, 2009.  Other notable moments in his professional career include defeating Doug Williams for the XFC Light Heavyweight Championship and Mark Holata for the Freestyle Cagefighting Heavyweight Championship.

Darrill is a true mixed martial artist, who’s been training for seven years in jiu jitsu , muay thai kickboxing, submission grappling and boxing, and his 10-0 record reflects his MMA background with 5 wins by TKO or KO and 5 wins by submission.  When asked who in the UFC he would compare his style to, Darrill said

“My ultimate goal is to be fluid like Anderson Silva, very relaxed, and every punch he throws and every kick always lands”.

I suppose modeling your fight game after one of the best pound for pound fighters in MMA is a pretty smart move and so far, its been serving up victory after victory.

When asked about the Texas Heavyweight Title bout with Rex Richards, Darrill had this to say;

“Rex came in at 259 and I came in at 244” at the official weigh-in.  “  I felt like I won rounds 1 and 2, then in round 3, Rex starting kicking my @$$ all over the place, but the last minute I had his arm trapped and landed several unanswered shots.  Then in the fourth round, I was feeling pumped up but he came out waving his finger as if I couldn’t hit him, then I faked a right and caught him with a hook, he fell down, I stood over him and just started punching him”

Rex Richards, ex-Indianapolis Colt and former Strikeforce fighter who’s only other loss came to now UFC’s Shane Carwin (11-0), was on the comeback trail and expecting to make a run at the UFC.  I know there are a lot of factors in determining who gets into the big show, but Darrill Schoonover should be raising a few eye brows with another solid defeat of a very worthy opponent.  When asked if had been contacted by the UFC or Strikeforce, Darrill commented

“not yet, but I’m waiting for it … Rex is a hell of a hitter with a lot of power behind his punches, everyone was expecting me to come into this fight and get schooled, but I proved them all wrong.”

Indeed you did, Mr. Schoonover, and something tells me the big show will be calling you soon, so stay in shape and keep your cell phone charged.

Follow us on: