Interview with Shonie “Mr. International” Carter
Published by on February 28th, 2009 in Interviews

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Shonie “Mr. International” Carter has won so many championship belts throughout the course of his distinguished mixed martial arts career that it’s hard for him to remember how many belts he actually owns. In an exclusive interview with MMAMemories.com the thirty six year old father of three confessed to giving a few of his title straps to his young boys to wrestle around the house with. According to him, they’ll be carrying on the legacy, winning championships of their own in just a matter of time.

On top of being one of the most experienced competitors in the sport, Carter has long been known as one MMA’s most electrifying and colorful athletes. From his trademark speedos to the decked out super pimp entrance clothing, the lifelong martial artist backs up his flamboyant persona with one of the most well rounded and dangerous arsenals in the sport.

A road warrior in every sense of the world, it’s not hard to see how Shonie got his nickname. ‘Mr. International’ has fought all over the world against some of the very best competition in the business. From Canada, Japan, Germany, Russia, Poland, Ireland to Mexico, Carter has been there and done that in the fight game.

Most recently the Chicago based fighter squared off with a freakishly powerful Marine with a record of 8-2 by the name of George Lockhart at the Showdown III card held on Saturday, February 21st. Five grueling, hard fought rounds later Shonie emerged with yet another championship belt.

During the discussion Carter discussed his desire to fight Floyd Mayweather, Vitor Belfort, where the sport will be in twenty years and much more.

MMAMemories.com: What are your thoughts looking back on your fight with George Lockhart. Did it unfold the way you thought it would?

Shonie Carter: I actually expected a lot worse. He’s a big, strong, well muscled Marine. He had some people that were around me really nervous. There was one lady in particular that was nervous as hell. I showed her a picture of him and I should have never shown her a picture of him. Come on, you’ve seen a picture of him, he’s a big boy. The picture doesn’t do him any justice. he’s tough, I have to give it to him, but I got the belt.

MMAMemories.com: So how many belts do you own now, ten?

Shonie Carter: More than that, I’ve got twelve sitting in the school and like four at home. I gave like four of them to my kids. They like to throw them around and beat each other up with them. Actually, there’s another one that I got but it’s an unofficial belt. It’s just something that Title Boxing gave me, which is hilarious. They gave me a belt and dubbed me the official pimp of MMA.

MMAMemories.com: What did you think about how the Iron Ring came off?

Shonie Carter: Well let me choose my words carefully. I liked the premise of the idea. You know, doing the MMA with the rappers and the celebrities and everything. The problem is that a lot of these rappers have these really big egos and it was all a bit much. Then of course you have these groupies running around and the whole entourage. You forget you’re in a room full of hungry rottweilers and they’re walking around with lunch meat thongs on. I was hoping that we could end up doing Iron Ring II, Team Shonie Carter vs. Team Floyd Mayweather.

MMAMemories.com: So you would do another season of the Iron Ring if they wanted to?

Shonie Carter: Oh, hell yeah. Absolutely. That would really stir the pot. I would love to do another season.

MMAMemories.com: That’s not a bad idea actually. They could have Team Carter vs. Team Mayweather and then you two could scrap at the end of the season.

Shonie Carter: Yeah, I would have to cut down and he would have to grow up a little bit and we could have a catch weight match. Everybody wins in that fight. I get paid, he gets paid, he gets choked out and he doesn’t get beaten up that bad. Then he can go about his boxer’s way, blissfully ignorant.

MMAMemories.com: How do you feel Floyd would do in a mixed martial arts match against someone like yourself?

Shonie Carter: I’m far too experienced for him and I’m physically too big for him. He wouldn’t do too well with me. Hell, Floyd couldn’t do anything with Urijah Faber or Mike Brown. Floyd isn’t cutting that much weight. Those boys, they really have to cut down to make 145. Urijah would mangle him. A bunch of these old school cats are just so stubborn with their way of thinking. Like Larry merchant, he doesn’t like us. The worst thing about it is, even Muhammad Ali did an exhibition against Antoni Anoki. I just can’t figure out why they would sit there and berate what we do when we’ve always respected what they do.

MMAMemories.com: Is there anyone that you would really like to fight in the near future?

Shonie Carter: There’s one guy for sure. I ordinarily don’t have any, but I would love to lock horns with Vitor Belfort. A fight with Matt Serra is supposed to happen, and it will, but I would love to fight Vitor at Affliction.

MMAMemories.com: What’s the inspiration behind wanting to fight Belfort?

Shonie Carter: He knocked out my training partner Terry Martin. Southpaw vs. southpaw, I would love it. I look at what Vitor had done, and god bless him, he ‘s a former UFC champion, but so what. That was a long time ago and he was fighting guys that didn’t even know what they were doing.

Someone actually asked me today what I would do if I fought Kimbo. I told them that I would kick him, over and over. Just knocking someone out, it’s over. I like to humiliate them and make it last. Or I like to take them down and get their back and get my hooks in, and just slap the back of their head. Slap the back of their head really hard, but when you do it, lick your hand. There’s nothing worse than getting slapped in your face with someones spit hand, especially when their breath stinks really bad. I’m telling you, it is so degrading to get slapped, especially with stinky breath hands. When you slap them, don’t slap the back of their head. Make sure you slap near the side of their cheek and nose so they get a really good wiff of the stinky breath.

MMAMemories.com: Where do you see the mixed martial arts in ten or even twenty years?

Shonie Carter: Twenty years from now I see at least one of my sons holding one of the major world title, if not both of my sons. My sons are three and seven, so twenty years from now would make them twenty three and twenty seven. When my kids fight, the promoters are going to be shaking in their boots because they’re going to have to negotiate with Shoni Carter. Plus, my sons won’t need the publicity, they have the legacy.

MMAMemories.com: How long would you like to continue fighting?

Shonie Carter: I’m planning on fighting for no more than three more years. I’m thirty six right now, so I think I’ll fight until I’m about thirty nine or forty. I’m in no rush to stop, especially based on the fact that I just went five rounds with a guy that looks like the Incredible Hulk, and I won. I was bouncing up and down at the end of the fifth round.

MMAMemories.com: So do you know who you’re going to be fighting next? Do you have anything lined up right now?

Shonie Carter: I’m supposed to be fighting Victor O’Donnell in Cincinnati , Ohio next. I still have to get my comprehensive check up on myself. The promoter is actually on the way up here to shoot a promo for the fight for ESPN2. I’m fine , but I want to get checked out, especially after fighting five, five minute rounds. He did hit me. I’m not going to act like he didn’t hit me, especially in the last round when I slipped and fell and he jumped on me and started raining punches.

MMAMemories.com: Alright Shonie, well thanks for taking this time with me. Last question, really vague, what can we expect from Shonie Carter in the future?

Shonie Carter: The most important thing for everyone to know is that I’m still in the game, I’m still hustling and I’m still doing my damn thang.

MMAMemories.com: Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Shonie Carter: I want to thank all of those that supported me and I really, really want to thank all of my detractors. the people that say that I don’t have it in me anymore, or that I’m washed up, or that I’m a step slower. I really appreciate that. I love winning, but I hate losing more than I love winning, and I love proving people wrong more than I hate losing. Anyone can hit me up on Myspace or Facebook. Yes, it’s me talking back on Facebook and yes, it’s me on Myspace, so anyone can get at me. I’ll be launching an energy drink really soon and I have a seminar coming up at the Arnold Classic. I want to thank Stacy Adams, Mike Jovier, Rockwell Watches and if you want to come and train with me you can find me at Kellers Martial Arts. I just want to thank everybody. I especially want to thank all of my children, Osiris, Samerion, and Omarion.