Before he became an MMA fighter in 2007, former UFC middleweight Mark Munoz was a collegiate wrestling national champion at Oklahoma State. But before accomplishing that feat in 2001, Munoz was just a Filipino kid from the Bay Area city of Vallejo, Calif., heading off to college in America’s heartland. As someone who’s lived in Vallejo, I can tell you it’s a rough place for a kid to grow up. Population is about 120,000, mostly black and brown folks, low-income to middle class. That’s important information as you now watch the video below and listen to Muñoz (14-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) describe his first moment getting off the plane in Oklahoma City when he was 18. Believe me, you’re going to love the part about the real-life cowboy who confused him for being “some type of Mexican” (via Twitter )
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‘Filipeño?’ Ex-UFC fighter Mark Munoz’s hilarious story of culture shock in Oklahoma – MMA Junkie