 Mike
Ciesnolevicz: (www.mikeciesnolevicz.com)
I
was born in Harrisburg, Pa. on 10-28-79. I grew
up in the town of Williamstown, Pa. and attended
Williams Valley High School. Shortly before
my 15th birthday I became interested in Martial
Arts. I remember it like it was yesterday when
my dad told me “I can take you up to this
local tae kwon do place or I can take you to
a guy who will show you how to really fight”.
Obviously it wasn’t too hard of a choice
for me to make. The guy he was talking about
was my first martial arts instructor John Korab
who was a former marine, shorin-ryu black belt
who helped train the legendary Joe Lewis. John
had a reputation of being the baddest guy in
my town and after training with him I realized
it was a well deserved reputation. The guy had
a killer instinct and intensity that I could
not comprehend at the time. After about a solid
year training in John’s system of fighting
I felt pretty confident to handle myself in
the street. It was then the UFC came around
and changed the way the world saw fighting.
John
being the great teacher he was expanded his
system and we started learning grappling together.
We had about 4-5 solid guys and we would just
workout and try to imitate what we saw in the
UFC and the Gracie Instructional Videos. We
would workout at Jim Carroll’s Carpet
and Furniture stores basement on homemade mats.
The more I trained, the more I fell in love
with fighting. It consumed me and I realized
I need to expand and branch out to learn more
while I continued to train with John. I started
training at a kickboxing gym which was a 35
minute drive, a sambo school which was a 45
minute drive and a judo club which was also
about 45 minutes. I was training all the time
trying to learn whatever I could to improve.
At the judo club I was told about another guy,
Ty Dewees who was teaching MMA and had made
Ken Shamrock’s Lions Den. I went to Ty
and became great friends with him and he helped
to develop my skills and confidence a lot too.
I learned a lot of valuable lessons training
with him and his guys.
Eventually
I went to college at Lock Haven University in
PA. It was here that I believe I made the biggest
leaps and bounds in my training to be where
I am now. I really developed the skills necessary
to be a complete MMA fighter. I walked onto
a D-1 wrestling team and got beat up everyday
in practice by guys who were state champs, national
qualifiers and all Americans. I never even wrestled
in High School but I developed my skills fast
and before too long was hanging w/ and beating
lots of guys in the room. My coaches Mike Rogers,
Doug Buckwalter, Carl Poff, Rock Bonomo, and
Joe Eaton all really helped me develop my skills
to a competitive level wrestling wise. Also
while at Lock Haven I started boxing in the
NCBA. I gained a lot of good training and developed
my hands even more. I was thrown into the fire
early fighting my first 2 bouts against a national
silver medalist and then also the naval brigade
champion. I lost 2 unpopular crowd split decisions
but gained a lot from it in the long run.
Around
the same time I was competing a lot in submission
grappling tournaments. I competed in numerous
events and compiled a solid record of 25-4 in
tournaments such as Kipp Kollar’s NAGA
and other smaller shows. I now felt I was ready
to step in the ring and fight MMA. My first
fight was at BAMA 20 Fight Night in NJ. I fought
a very accomplished wrestler Phil Mazzuruco.
I won the fight by submission and was very excited
to fight again. Later that year I fought for
Kipp Kollar again in Reality Fighting 5 against
Romeo Gray. I would go on to win that fight
also by TKO in the first round.
Upon
graduating college I decided I wanted to take
my training to the next level I visited some
top MMA schools and contemplated my options.
I felt that Pat Miletich and Iowa was what I
was looking for. I now have the highest level
of training partners in the world of MMA and
a great group of friends. My first fight under
MFS was last October in AC, NJ once again for
Reality Fighting 7. I fought All American wrestler
Todd Going in a tough fight and ended up winning
by submission. My record is now 6-0 and I’m
very excited for the future with Pat Miletich
as my trainer and Monte Cox as my manager. Moving
to Iowa was the best move I ever made and I
don’t see myself leaving anytime soon.
A big thanks to my family for helping me to
accomplish my dreams!
BAMA
Fight Night 20 Shootfighting Champ
Reality Fighting 5 MMA Winner
Reality Fighting 7 MMA Winner
Renzo Gracie Albany Combat Challenge Absolute
Champion
Frank Shamrock Ironman Invitational Superfight
Champion
NAGA Atlanta Light Hwt. Champion-1st place
NAGA North American Championships 3rd Place
NAGA Battle at the Beach 4th Place
Grapplers Quest Shootout 3rd Place
Philadelphia Grappling Superfight Champion
World Karate Ratings Chambersburg King of the
Mat
Submission Grappling Superfight Champion
World Karate Ratings Chambersburg King of the
Mat
Absolute Submission Grappling Champion
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