Nikname: "Big Guns"
Location: Venice, CA, USA
Born: November 8, 1965
Height: 5'10"
Competition Weight: 246
Mike Matarazzo Bio/Interview
GREATEST FEAR: Growing old alone.
LIVING PERSON YOU MOST ADMIRE: My mother.
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT OUTSIDE OF BODYBUILDING: Winning the Golden Gloves as a light-heavyweight boxer in 1985.
MAIN SOURCE OF MOTIVATION/ INSPIRATION: My motivation comes from within. I'm the only one who can light a fire under my butt to compete to the nth degree of intensity.
GREATEST CHALLENGES: Waking up every morning with a positive outlook. Always working at being a good person and staying focused on taking care of business.
MOST ADMIRABLE QUALITIES: My generosity and ability to be considerate and kind to people.
QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN PEOPLE: Honesty.
QUALITIES YOU MOST DISLIKE IN PEOPLE: I hate liars and cheaters.
Rivals
DESCRIBE SHAWN RAY: An amazing guy to compete against. He did the commentary at the '91 USA Championships and he was saying that Flex Wheeler was going to win the show. I surprised him by beating Flex and Chris, and he gave me props for being such a "big boy."
DESCRIBE FLEX WHEELER: I met him at Gold's Gym in Venice six months before the '91 USA Championships. We started off on bad terms, but as we got closer to the contest, we developed a mutual respect. On the night of the show, he praised me and I gave that praise right back to him. To this day, I have nothing but respect and admiration for Flex--he's one of the best bodybuilders who has ever competed. We've always had a special relationship, and he raises the bar every time he steps onstage.
DESCRIBE CHILIS CORMIER: Another guy I met while preparing for the '91 USA at Gold's Gym in Venice. Chris would get in my face and tell me I was looking at the next USA champ. I let him know that he'd better get some arms before making bold claims to the title. Chris is another old-school guy, and I've had nothing but pleasure competing against him.
DESCRIBE KEVIN LEVRONE: He's one of the few guys who can change his physique from average to unbelievably impressive in a matter of months. The dude is just a gym warrior. He is always so laidback and cool.
DESCRIBE DORIAN YATES: The ultimate warrior. A straight-up no-bulls-t bodybuilder. He backed up everything with his physique. He silenced his critics with action. He bowed out at the end of his career with grace and style. He may go down in history as the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
Combat Zone
WEIGHT AT FIRST CONTEST: I tipped the scales at 226 pounds at the 1989 Gold's Gym Classic in Massachusetts and won both the heavyweight and overall titles.
EARLY BODYBUILDING INFLUENCES AND ROLE MODELS: Dave Draper, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Mike Katz, Sergio Oliva and Frank Zane. I idolized all of the bodybuilders who came from that old-school hardcore era. Those guys didn't need any fancy equipment; they trained with intensity and focus, regardless of the gym or other limitations. These guys could do presses with pails full of cement and still get a great workout.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Winning the NPC USA Championships in 1991. It was only my second bodybuilding contest and no one--except for yours truly--believed I had any hope of claiming that title. Conventional wisdom was that by skipping the Junior Nationals and being a virtual unknown I had no chance of beating Flex Wheeler or Chris Cormier. I had guys tell me that I would not even get a single callout. Then, when I won the show and turned pro, it was a magical experience.
CAREER LOW POINT: Placing second at two shows where I honestly believed I should have won. In 1993, Porter Cottrell beat me at the Pittsburgh Pro Cup and, in 1997, I placed second to Milos Sarcev in Toronto.
CAREER CHOICE OTHER THAN BODYBUILDER: A major-league baseball player.
Big Mike Thinks Big
HOW STRONGLY HAS BODYBUILDING INFLUENCED YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS A PERSON? It has molded and shaped my personality. It has given me inner peace. It has given me a better person. And it has made me a better person.
WHAT YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT BODYBUILDING: The egos and the drugs.
THOUGHTS ON GROWING UP IN BOSTON: It was fantastic. I would not change a thing. My family didn't have any money, but the buddies I grew up with were the closest friends I have ever had in my life. I have a loving memories of the whole Deal.
Bodybuilding Titles Won
2001 Mr. Olympia - 21st
2001 Night of Champions XXIII - 5th
2000 Night of Champions - IFBB, Didn't Place
2000 Toronto Pro - IFBB, 6th
1999 Olympia - IFBB, 11th
1998 Toronto Pro Invitational - IFBB, 3rd
1998 San Francisco Pro Invitational - IFBB, 7th
1998 Olympia - IFBB, 9th
1998 Night of Champions - IFBB, 3rd
1997 Toronto Pro Invitational - IFBB, 2nd
1997 Olympia - IFBB, 13rd
1997 Night of Champions - IFBB, 4th
1997 Grand Prix Spain - IFBB, 10th
1997 Grand Prix Hungary - IFBB, 10th
1997 Grand Prix Germany - IFBB, 11th
1997 Canada Pro Cup - IFBB, 2nd
1996 Olympia - IFBB, 13rd
1996 Night of Champions - IFBB, 5th
1996 Grand Prix Switzerland - IFBB, 9th
1996 Grand Prix Russia - IFBB, 9th
1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic - IFBB, 9th
1995 South Beach Pro Invitational - IFBB, 7th
1995 Florida Pro Invitational - IFBB, 7th
1994 San Jose Pro Invitational - IFBB, 8th
1994 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 9th
1993 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational - IFBB, 2nd
1993 Olympia - IFBB, 18th
1993 Night of Champions - IFBB, 8th
1993 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 6th
1992 Ironman Pro Invitational - IFBB, 5th
1992 Arnold Classic - IFBB, 15th
1991 USA Championships - NPC, HeavyWeight, 1st
1991 USA Championships - NPC, Overall Winner
1991 Olympia - IFBB,
