Local Cage Fighter to be Main Event at Sears Centre

Although he’s the main event in a big show at the Sears Centre next month, Mike Marrello compares himself to a minor league baseball player about ready to give up his dream for the majors.

With a wife and two children to support, Marrello thinks it is time to start devoting all of his attention to his day job and family.

“I don’t want to even start thinking about this being my last fight,” the 33-year-old Marrello said. “But I’m a B-player. I can’t support a family on three or four fights a year. How long can a baseball player stay in the minor leagues?”

Marrello said the economy is partly to blame. Money he had earned from outfitters to wear their gear during fights isn’t there for him anymore.

He works 60 hours a week at his day job, as a technician for Vibra-Mech, a Carol Stream-based firm that specializes in the maintenance of industrial air-moving equipment. 

Monday evening he was at a jujitsu class until around 9 p.m. He usually trains two hours after his day job — either at a health club or in . He runs four miles on a treadmill, swims 20 laps, lifts weights, boxes and attends jujitsu classes.

Sparring with , this year’s superheavyweight Chicago Golden Gloves champion, has improved his stand-up fighting skills.

“Before I started sparring with Erick, I just slugged it out,” Marrello said. “Erick taught me how to pick my shots.”

Tuesday morning he was up early for his day job and traveled downtown to a skyscraper in the Loop to pull the shaft of a giant fan in order to make repairs.

Marrello grew up in a rough neighborhood in Carpentersville. Bullies picked on him because he was overweight. He had a lot of streetfights. His stepfather enrolled him in martial arts programs and encouraged him to get involved in wrestling.

Marrello graduated in 1996 from Barrington High School.

He became a professional cage fighter about eight years ago after he met Jeff Curran, owner of Team Curran MMA. 

“I love fighting,” Marrello said. “I’m a fighter at heart. But the struggle with everyday life is tougher than anybody you’ll meet in a cage. I’ve got to focus on taking care of my family. The day job pays better.”

Marrello, 10-3-1, will be taking on Serbian-born Miodrag Petkovich, 19-13-1, at the XFO show Dec. 10 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.

Marrello and the 42-year-old Petkovich are nearly the same size and weight. Both are 6-foot-2 and weigh about 225 pounds, according mixedmartialarts.com.