This will be a place for me to post about my love for all things MMA and combat sports.
I am in the process of developing The DaMMAge Report - a new approach to the MMA news show. A show for die-hard MMA fans from an authentic perspective. Stay Tuned for more details.
Scott "Hot Sauce" Holtzman is the current XFC Lightweight Champion. He won the title vacated by "Notorious" Nick Newell when he defeated John Mahlow at XFC 24: Collision Course. Scott was 5 - 0 as an amateur, and is currently 5 - 0 as a professional. Holtzman signed a multi-fight deal with the XFC, and is set to defend his Lightweight Title against Roger "The Leprechaun" Carroll this Friday at XFC 26: Night of Champions III.
Recently Scott was nice enough to take time out of his busy training schedule to answer a few questions. I appreciate him taking time away from preparing to defend his belt to participate in this interview. Here's 10 Question with Scott "Hot Sauce" Holtzman.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Scott Holtzman, Lightweight, 5-0, XFC, Shield Systems MMA, The MMA Lab. Currently Training in Glendale, AZ, Fighting in Knoxville, TN.
2. What sports/martial arts did you participate and how did you get started in MMA?
Hockey, Baseball, Football. Started MMA after taking my first grown up job. I was working as a recruiter for high level electrical engineers. It was miserable and led me to find an outlet.
3. What gym(s) do you train at, and what is it like training there?
Shield Systems MMA in Knoxville, TN. Amy Coleman is 5-0 amateur and an upcoming prospect. The MMA Lab in Glendale, AZ where you will find a whole list of established guys in UFC, Bellator and tons of up and comers.
4. What do you feel your strengths are as a fighter?
Conditioning, Athleticism, Well rounded.
5. What do you feel you need to work on to be a more complete fighter?
All areas, have to be good everywhere now to compete at the highest level.
6. You are set to fight Roger Carroll as you defend your XFC Lightweight Title on October 18th at XFC 26: Night of Champions III. How are you preparing for this fight, and what do you expect from your opponent?
He will be tough and able to absorb a lot of punishment. Have to stay patient and take calculated risks. He is going to walk forward like a zombie throwing wildly in order to clinch and try to push me to the cage. I am preparing the same as I always do- working all areas so I can win and monopolize every position of the fight.
7. You were set to fight then XFC Lightweight Champion Nick Newell for the title before he left the XFC. Do you feel there is unfinished business with him, and would you like to face him to settle the matter?
I don't really care about Nick Newell anymore. I'm not worried about chasing him around, he made a smart business decision it seems.
8. Who are some of your role models?
Coaches Ben Harrison, Jeff Jimmo and John Crouch
9. What are your goals in MMA?
My goal is always to take it one fight at a time- defend my belt for now. I'm just riding this wave where ever it takes me. I will continue to win and climb the ladder hopefully! Whatever the future holds for me is uncertain, but I will know that I gave everything I had to be the best I can be.
10. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
Coaches Ben Harrison, Jeff Jimmo, John Crouch, Nico, Adam Gillespy, Jeff Hobbs, TJ/Brook Alcock, XFC, Liquid Ninja Energy Drinks, Ogle, Elrod and Baril PLLC, Great American Sign Co., John Foust, Frank Eppolito, Eppolito Boxing, Family, friends and fans!
The XFC will be
live streaming the XFC MMA 26 weigh ins Thursday at 5pm on USTREAM!
Thanks to their friends at LocalMMAonline.com
Tune
in to AXS TV Friday night at 9:00PM Eastern time for XFC 26: Night of
Champions III, and you can make your picks using the AXS TV Fight App:
Main Event Lightweight Championship:
Roger “The Leperchaun” Carroll Vs Scott “Hot Sauce” Holtzman (Champ)
Co-Main Event Women’s Flyweight Championship:
Cortney “Cast Iron” Casey Vs Pearl Gonzalez Flyweight 125lbs.
Jason “The Ronin” Hicks Vs Deivison “Dragon” Ribeiro Featherweight 145 lbs.
Justin Davis Vs Luis “Sapo” Santos Catchweight
Hannah “Shockwave” Cifers Vs “Hurricane” Heather Jo Clark Strawweight 115 lbs.
Luke Sanders Vs. Zach “Thunderwood” Underwood Featherweight 145 lbs.
Undercard Prelims
Nate “The Train” Landwehr Vs Keith “Rockstar” Richardson Featherweight 145 lbs.
Gerric Hayes Vs Nate Jolly Welterweight 170 lbs.
Ben Brewer Vs Anthony Lemon
Kenny Degenhardt Vs Brian Hall
Jason Gifford Vs Mario Scott
Cromwell Stewart Vs. Willie Taylor Jr.
Cortney "Cast Iron" Casey is an XFC Flyweight (125lbs) fighter who made her pro debut against Kelly Warren at XFC 24. Cortney scored a first round submission win in that fight. Before turning pro Cortney was 6 - 2 as an amateur and fought for promotions like Tuff-N-Uff and Coalition of Combat. Cortney is a former professional soccer player for the Seattle Sounders and was a D-1 soccer player at the University of Texas El Paso.
Her next fight is against Pearl Gonzales for the XFC Flyweight Title at XFC 26: Night of Champions III. Fighting out of Power MMA in Gilbert, Arizona Cortney and trains with fighters like Aaron Simpson and Ryan Bader.
Recently Cortney took time out of her busy training schedule to answer a few questions, and I appreciate her participating in this interview. I wish her well in her efforts to become the XFC Flyweight Champion. Here's 10 Questions with "Cast Iron" Cortney Casey.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Cortney Casey I’m 26 years of age and I fight in the 125lbs weight class for the XFC. I currently have a pro record of 1-0 and I fight out of Power MMA in Gilbert, Arizona.
2. What sports/martial arts did you participate and how did you get started in MMA?
I grew up playing soccer and doing karate and Tae Kwon Do. When I was in about 5th grade I had to make a choice on what I wanted to focus my time on. I made the choice to stick with soccer and I don’t regret on moment of it. I play high school, college, and even some semi-pro as well. After suffering an injury that kept me side lined. I started to look for alternative activities to fill the competitive void in my life. Grappling was suggested by a classmate of mine and after one day of training I was hooked.
3. What gym(s) do you train at, and what is it like training there?
I train out of Power MMA in Gilbert, Arizona. We have a few fighters that you may know about. Aaron Simpson, Ryan Bader, C.B. Dollaway, Seth Baczynski, and Brendan Tierney. It is awesome being able to work beside these guys and learn from them. Its not always easy being the only Girl in a group of such high level male fighters, but the camaraderie of everyone in the gym is awesome and if you’re a fighter you’re a fighter no matter what your sex is and I think that is super awesome to have that kind of respect from my teammates.
4. What do you feel your strengths are as a fighter?
I think my strengths are my pace and aggressiveness. I like to push the pace and make everywhere you go uncomfortable.
5. What do you feel you need to work on to be a more complete fighter?
Everything I don’t think you can ever be perfect in this sport. Every aspect of MMA is evolving and it’s doing so very quickly so you have to really train everything to keep up with the growth of the sport.
6. You are set to fight Pearl Gonzalez for the vacant XFC Flyweight Title on October 18th at XFC 26: Night of Champions III. How are you preparing for this fight, and what do you expect from your opponent?
I have implemented more wrestling in to my training just because she like to take the fight to the ground, but other than that camp hasn’t changed much. I think this fight is going to be super exciting we both like to push the pace and that always leads to an action packed fight.
7. Which of your fights is your favorite? Is there a fighter you wish you could fight again, if so which fighter would that be?
My favorite fight would have to be my first fight in Arizona vs. Katrina Teer. This was the first fight where I really got the chance to stand and bang with someone. as far as fighting someone again I really have no aspiration to do so.
8. Who are some of your role models?
In life I would have to say my mom, she always supported me in everything I have done. In MMA I would have to say all the first group of female fighters that paved the way for us to be where we are at today.
9. What are your goals in MMA?
After this fight on the 18th I really have no plans other than to get back to training. Other than that the rest is in the hands of the XFC and what they want next for me. My long term goals in MMA are to continue to grow as much as I can in the sport and to be a good ambassador for the younger generation of warriors.
10. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I would like to thank Power MMA. Drysdale BJJ, Lockdown Clothing, Kimurawear, Mentom Eyewear, My Urban Swagga, Liquid Ninja, Soap-a-licious, and Klench Mouth Guards. I would also like to thank my manager Mercedes White at Luta Elite.
The XFC will be live streaming the XFC MMA 26 weigh ins Thursday at 5pm on USTREAM! Thanks to their friends at LocalMMAonline.com
Tune in to AXS TV Friday night at 9:00PM Eastern time for XFC 26: Night of Champions III, and you can make your picks using the AXS TV Fight App:
Main Event Lightweight Championship:
Roger “The Leperchaun” Carroll Vs Scott “Hot Sauce” Holtzman (Champ)
Co-Main Event Women’s Flyweight Championship:
Cortney “Cast Iron” Casey Vs Pearl Gonzalez Flyweight 125lbs.
Jason “The Ronin” Hicks Vs Deivison “Dragon” Ribeiro Featherweight 145 lbs.
Justin Davis Vs Luis “Sapo” Santos Catchweight
Hannah “Shockwave” Cifers Vs “Hurricane” Heather Jo Clark Strawweight 115 lbs.
Luke Sanders Vs. Zach “Thunderwood” Underwood Featherweight 145 lbs.
Undercard Prelims
Nate “The Train” Landwehr Vs Keith “Rockstar” Richardson Featherweight 145 lbs.
Gerric Hayes Vs Nate Jolly Welterweight 170 lbs.
Ben Brewer Vs Anthony Lemon
Kenny Degenhardt Vs Brian Hall
Jason Gifford Vs Mario Scott
Cromwell Stewart Vs. Willie Taylor Jr.
Almost a year and a half ago I first heard of this fighter named "Brutal" Brendan Barrett. I was at a local MMA gym and I saw the poster for an event by Raging Warrior Promotions in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania called "Mayhem on the Mountain". The main event was between JA Dudley & Barrett, and the poster did a great job of selling the event. It left a lasting impression on my mind, and I began to follow Brendan's career.
Barrett has fought some well-known opponents in his professional career, losing to former TUF competitor Alex Schoenauer and current UFC veterans Tim Boetsch & Costas Philippou. Since these fights Brendan has gone on to become the Heavyweight Champion in several promotions. (Raging Warrior, Locked in the Cage, XFE, and Ring of Combat) Back in April he defeated Silvio Santos by KO in just 33 seconds to become the ROC Heavyweight Champion.
The moth before that win over Santos I had met Brendan in person when he attended Complete Devastation 8 in Altoona. He was there to support a friend and team-mate who was fighting that night, and I had the opportunity to introduce Barrett to the new owner of the promotion and discuss how having the "Brutal" one fight on a Complete Devastation fight card would be good for him, the promotion, and Central Pennsylvania fight fans. The fighter I had suggested to have matched-up with Barrett was Virginia Heavyweight Keith Bell. The promoter as well as Brendan seemed to like the idea of putting two exciting Heavyweights against each other for local MMA fans to enjoy watching, and interestingly enough, the day after Barrett defeated Santos in just 33 seconds Keith Bell defeated previously undefeated Azunna Anyanwu at XFE 22 with a devastating head kick KO in just 12 seconds. Complete Devastation is having an event in November, but sadly this fight is not currently scheduled on the fight card. Hopefully in their next event the promotion will get these two titans signed to a main event that surely will be one that other fights get compared to in the future.
But before that fight with Bell could possibly happen, Brendan Barret is set to defend his ROC title against a very tough Miodrag "Pele" Petkovich at Ring of Combat 46 on September 20th in Atlantic City.
Barrett is an excellent fighter, but he is a role model outside of the cage as well. I have three MMA fighters that I respect completely & look up to. One of them is former UFC veteran (and former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion & decorated Marine) "All American" Brian Stann. Another is Nick Newell because of how he hasn't let being born without his left arm below the elbow limit him from being successful in MMA and life. The other is Brendan Barrett for how he is a true champion & a total professional inside & outside the cage.
I have seen photos of Brendan visiting people in the hospital, and the way he visited one fan, a woman named Rosa - who Barrett says taught him "what it truly means to fight the good fight and never give up no matter what" - made me realize that if I could be more like Barrett it would be a very good thing, in life as well in competition.
You can follow Brendan on Twitter @OneBrutalNinja (http://twitter.com/OneBrutalNinja) If you have the opportunity to see Brendan fight, I suggest you do so. I can see larger promotions like Bellator, XFC, Legacy Fighting Championships, Resurrection Fighting Alliance or the UFC will be trying to sign him because he is definitely a fighter to watch! This heavyweight drops BOMBS, and I feel he could totally compete with the likes of LaVar "Big" Johnson, Andre Arlovski, Mike Kyle, Anthony Johnson, Alistair Overeem, or even Daniel Cormier, "Big Country" Roy Nelson, and any of the top 10 UFC fighters at Heavyweight. I predict you will be seeing Barrett in a regional or national/global promotion very soon, definitely by this time next year - so see him locally before you have to drop a week's pay to see him at a UFC event. (or have to drop $50 for the PPV) You can thank me later!
I was lucky enough that Brendan took time from his busy schedule as he was preparing to face Petkovich this weekend for him to answer a few questions. You have to respect someone who will take time away from getting ready to defend their title against what is probably his most dangerous opponent to date to do an interview. I am grateful for this interview. This interview is one of my favorites, and I hope you enjoy reading about Brendan Barrett as much as I have putting this article together.
Here's 10 Questions with "Brutal" Brendan Barrett.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Brendan Barrett, I’m a heavyweight pro MMA fighter. I never had an amateur fight, found out two weeks after my first fight that it was a pro event and never looked back. My current record is 8-5-1 (1NC) I currently hold the Raging Warrior HWT belt, the Locked in the Cage HWT belt, the XFE HWT belt, and the Ring of Combat HWT belt. I train at numerous gyms all over between NJ, Pa, NY, and even out in Oregon. This allows me to learn a much more diverse set of skills and to continually get a new look from different sparring partners.
2. How did you get started in MMA?
I was in college, finishing up a dual degree and planning on going to law school when I was in a car accident. I was sitting at a red light waiting for it to turn coming back from a trip to the mall for a study break and was hit from behind. Because of my injuries I wasn’t able to finish my senior year and had to take a medical withdraw half way through my second semester. I used up all of my scholarship money and financial aid so I was working numerous different jobs trying to get money to go back to school. I was miserable and borderline depressed. After awhile I did a lot of soul searching and meditating. I realized that the only time I was truly happy in life was when I was involved in a sport and competing. At my age there was not much available to me as far as sports and mixed martial arts was starting to become more accepted so it seemed like a natural fit.
3. What gym(s) do you train at, and what is it like training there?
This training camp has been different because I met a boxing promoter, Sal Musumeci who flew in his top trainers from Los Angeles, Buddy Bereal, and one of his top undefeated heavyweight boxers from Illinois, Natu Visinia. Buddy fine tuned my striking and helped tighten up a lot of my technique and footwork while Natu pushed me harder and harder each day. Natu is 9-0 in boxing with 8 KO’s and also had 6 professional MMA fights before he switched over to boxing so he worked with me on the ground as well. At 6’2” 280lbs he has been the biggest training and sparring partner I have had in a long time if not ever. Natu is light on his feet for a guy his size and has tremendous power so he is definitely a guy to look out for and keep an eye on.
4. What do you feel your strengths are as a fighter?
Other than my heart and determination, I feel that my strengths as a fighter are my speed and strength. These two attributes combined translate into a lot of power and the ability to utilize my footwork to land strikes and set up takedowns. At 240lbs I move much faster than guys even lighter than me so I see that presenting a big problem for many guys in the heavyweight division.
5. What do you feel you need to work on to be a more complete fighter?
I want to continually work on all aspects of the sport. I feel that I am a very well rounded and complete fighter with the 16 years of wrestling experience before I started fighting and the amount of time and dedication I put into getting my striking up to the level of my grappling. The sport is always continually evolving and changing so to continue to be a successful fighter one must always stay humble and always be open to learning new things and making changes to their training camps when necessary.
6. You are set to fight Miodrag "Pele" Petkovich on September 20th in Atlantic City for Ring Of Combat XLVI. How are you preparing for this fight, and what do you expect from your opponent?
Miodrag will probably be the biggest test of my career to date. He has such a tremendous amount of experience between the amount of time he has been training and the level of competition he has faced, especially internationally. To prepare for this fight I have focused on everything because I need to be ready for anything. I expect my opponent to come out well prepared and to potentially present some situations I may have never been in so I have made sure that I am not only physically prepared, but mentally as well.
7. Which of your fights is your favorite? Is there a fighter you wish you could fight again, if so which fighter would that be?
It would be hard to say my last fight wasn’t my favorite, but not because it ended in a very quick and violent knockout, but because it was also my fourth straight independent championship belt I won in a year. It felt like a culmination of all the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that I have put in over so many years was paying off by winning the biggest title I have to date back in Atlantic City where my career started. I was also very pleased because in the fight I studied my opponent, I searched for the right opening, and I took it when I saw it and was fortunately able to end it quickly and without being touched. I used to have one or two guys that I wanted to fight again more than anything, but I let it all go. I now focus on what is in front of me, not behind me and if I ever cross paths with any of them again than so be it.
8. Who are some of your role models?
My role model in life is my grandfather Charles, Scott. He was the hardest working man I have ever met who would do anything for his family. Later in his life he was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease. As the illness progressed, never once did he question “why me” or get bitter or negative. He remained positive through everything he endured, even as he later lost the ability to even speak. In his last hours he showed me even more so what it meant to be a true warrior in life. He fought for every last breath and never let go till he absolutely had too. In his last breath with his eyes closed he smiled. I know he is always watching over me and in there with me every fight. I can only hope that I have even half of the warrior in me that he had in him. Another person who has inspired me in a similar fashion is my friends’ sister Rosa Perez. She fought a fight she had no say in being in and stayed positive while she battled for every day she had left, just like my grandfather, to spend even another moment with her children and family. People like my grandfather and Rosa are a true inspiration and example of the type of person we should all strive to be.
9. What are your goals in MMA?
There has been a good amount of buzz and talk about what may or may not happen after this fight, but for the time being I am going to stay focused on what is right in front of me and worry about what is next afterwards. If I don’t go in and take care of business, all the speculation and talk means nothing anyway so first things first, Sept 20th.
10. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
First and foremost I’d like to thank God for giving me the gifts and abilities to do what I do. Without Him I wouldn’t be here or even doing this interview. A few people I would like to thank are of course Sal Musumeci, Buddy Bereal, and Natu Visinia for all the help, hard work, and training they gave and provided for me. I’d also like to thank my right hand man, my Ninja 2, Matty Rock for always being there for me, helping out however he can and standing by me in the trenches during the rough times. My graphics designer, Keith Hubacek of Pure Subculture, came up huge for me and took a major amount of work off my hands in helping with my graphic design, fight shirts, and fight banner so a big thank you to him. I’d like to thank Lou Neglia for the opportunity to do what I love, all the fans that come out and support me, my family for being supportive and understanding as they can be of my career choice, and all of my other trainers and training partners over the years who have helped get me where I am today. A special thank you to all of my sponsors as well, because without them I wouldn’t be able to train the way I do and prepare how I need to. Here is a list of them: J.A. Tree Service, Vibram, DIB Leasing Inc, Vespa of Philadelphia, Coastal Sign and Design, Jersey Royalty, Enzymes.com, Collins, McDonald & Gann, P.C. Attorneys at Law, Sweet Jenny's, The Shack Board Shop, Kuhl Marine Construction, RockTheGalaxy.com, and 2Nite Premium Italian Vodka.
With "The Champ" at Complete Devastation 8 (March 2013)
Brendan with his Grandfather
Brendan with fan Rosa
KO of Silvio Santos to with the ROC Heavyweight Title
Michael Patt's Coalition of Combat invaded the Montgomery County Fairgrounds last night in Dayton, Ohio for "Friday Night Fights". There were 9matches on the fight card.
Official results are:
Donnie Scott defeats Walter Hoy by RNC at 1:20 of Round 1 Darrell Gibson defeats Jason by Guillotine at :50 of Round 1 Nichole Yousko defeats Teresa Furman by Unanimous Decision Sean Highfill defeats Seth Perrin by RNC at 1:16 of Round 1 Chris Brooks defeats Brandon Workman by Triangle at :29 of Round 2 Aaron Highbaugh defeats Troy Wetzel by TKO at :11 of Round 2 David Dodd defeats Seth Moore by Unanimous Decision Ed Faison defeats Josh Blevins by Split Decision James Bunn defeats Kaleb Raymond by Achilles Lock at 1:59 of Round 1
I was talking with my nephew Patrick
earlier tonight about a project we want to do. I remember how awhile
back he had asked if I knew anyone that had old MMA themed shirts or
fight shorts that they no longer wanted/need that could be used to cut
out the fighter/gym/sponsor logos to be made into quilts to give to
members of the Military. I think he said those other ones went to Walter
Reed hospital in conjunction with the Wounded Warrior Project.
Since then I have made many more friends and developed connections with
companies, and I'm hoping there are members of the MMA community that
are willing to help out with this project and support the Troops.
I had wanted to send some of these quilts/banners to those serving over
seas in addition to possibly sending more to places like Walter Reed to
wounded warriors, and Patrick thought of sending some to Veterans at
local Veteran's Homes and I think this is an awesome idea. I am all for
supporting the Troops past & present
- and I think this simple act of giving quilts or banners to those who
are serving their Country can be an excellent way to show appreciation
for what they do for Us everyday.
I have a few shirts that are
getting old and instead of throwing them out, I want to cut out the
logos of gyms/fighters/sponsors & add them to the collection. I'm
hoping that some of the people in my family that have sewing machines
and/or sewing skills are willing to pitch in by helping to sew the
swatches of clothing together into quilts or banners.
I sent
out some inbox messages to people and got some promising responses. I
appreciate the willingness to help out & if they can contribute to
the over-all total that would be great. One company offered to send some
error/screw-ups that can be cut up to add to the quilts/banners and I
think that is amazing!
If anyone has new/newer shirts that
they are willing to contribute to send to people I would make sure they
get to Veterans and members of the Military who will appreciate them. I
know the MMA community appreciate what those who serve do for Us, and I
hope that people will respond positively to help show support for the
Troops/Veterans.
If you have anything you would like to send
for this project, contact me through my inbox on Facebook or email me at serfrat@yahoo.com & I'll provide you
with my address that you can send whatever you have for this project.
Please put "Project Appreciation" in the subject line so I know what this email is about... I
want to thank everyone in advance for whatever help you can provide to
this project!
I may try to donate some pre-paid calling cards and
other items to put in a care package that I want to send to some of the
Troops stationed in Afghanistan. I know they appreciate "every day"
items like toilet paper, tissues, magazines, etc. and even though I
don't have much in terms of "extra money" to spend on this I will try to
fit something into a budget to send because these brave men & women
sacrifice on our behalf on a daily basis.
UPDATE:
With Tommy Toe Hold mentioning us on his amazing YouTube show, I want to give Tommy a shout out!
Here's the segment from the Tommy Toe Hold Show episode on 1/22/14
Also want to give a HUGE shout out to The DaMMAge Report co-host & co-creator Ted Czech for his efforts in spreading the word on this project! Ted recently did a video on this topic on his YouTube Channel.
I remember first seeing Mitchell Killeen fight back at Complete Devastation 2 in November of 2011. Mitchell was fighting against Dignan/Brumbaugh MMA's Tyler Updike for the Complete Devastation MMA Lightweight (155lb ammy) Title. It was a barn-burner of a fight and went the full three rounds, ending with Updike winning by Unanimous Decision. If the promotion gave out fight bonuses like the UFC does for events, I would have to say my vote for "Fight if the Night" would have to go to this fight between Killeen and Updike. Mitchell had begun his amateur MMA career a few months prior to that night in Altoona when he faced Marc Fredericks at Gladiators of the Cage: Road to Glory in Pittsburgh. Mitchell won that fight by Unanimous Decision, and this was the beginning of his relationship with the up-and-coming Pittsburgh-based promotion.
Killeen started out wrestling at a very early age, and had been quite successful as a wrestler before he entered the Army. While in the Military Killeen learned about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, eventually being asked to become an assistant instructor. Through this he was introduced to competing in MACP Combatives tournaments. When his time in the Army was over he attended college and from here his interest in MMA grew, resulting in him eventually having his amateur debut at that first installment of "Road to Glory" from Gladiators of the Cage.
Mitchell Killeen is a man dedicated to learning his craft and also to serving others by being an instructor at Evolution MMA and helping the next generations of MMA fighters. He is coming of a win over Michael Guttilla back in April at "Road to Glory 4" and he is preparing to face PJ Palmer at GotC's "Road to Glory 5" on September 7th.
Recently I had the honor to ask Mitchell a few questions, and he was kind enough to take time out of his training schedule to be interviewed. Here's 10 Questions with Mitchell Killeen
With Shawn McMahon (l) and Brad Mountain (r)
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Mitchell Killeen. I'm 25 years old, I am a fighter and head instructor out of Team Evo MMA in Butler, Pa. - about 40 minutes North of Pittsburgh. I fight in the 155lb Lightweight division and I am 1 - 0 as a professional. (3 - 3 overall) I recently signed up with up-and-coming Pittsburgh based promotion Gladiators of the Cage. I have been fighting for them since beginning my amateur career and I love the guys at GotC.
2. How did you get started in MMA?
I served in the Army active duty and was stationed in South Korea for my first tour in 2008 and I completed the MACP level 1 course - which is basically hand-to-hand combat for soldiers down range to be able to protect themselves in case of a weapon jam or malfunction. The Army adopted the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu mentality and the level one course was all about BJJ. Being a former HS wrestler I fell in love with the sport. I remember heading to the gym after working 15 hour days just to roll with the Black Belts and all the other BJJ practitioners on base. After a couple months and completing the MACP level 2 course I got asked to become an assistant instructor at the dojo as a full time job.
Absolutely the best thing that happened to me was discovering this sport and being able to teach it to thousands of military and law enforcement personnel. It is something I'll never forget. After teaching and training on the regular I began to compete. In a MACP combatives tournament when you reach the finals is the only way you end up putting on 4oz gloves and fight shorts to bang it out in front of tons of soldiers.
I fought in 6 combatives tournaments and made it to the finals in all of them, going 5 - 1. When I finished my time in the service in 2010 coming home from Iraq, I started to attend Slippery Rock University and launched my amateur MMA career.
3. What gym(s) do you train at, and what is it like training there?
I train at Evolution and run the MMA program every Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 7:30PM - 9:00PM. In the gym it's a great atmosphere, and we have experienced guys that walk through the door to train with us, like Jimmy Cerra before he went out West. Also BJJ guru Kody Tuttle is another of the grappling minds I've been able to roll with since moving to Pittsburgh. I have great training partners in the gym and have had good fighters come out of Team Evo MMA. Just to name a few are Zach Shultz burst onto the MMA scene with a blaze of fire and came to the gym with only a wrestling background. He competed in numerous grappling tournaments and holds a 4 - 1 ammy record to date with more wins hopefully on the horizon. He's been my number one sparring partner and I can't wait to see his progression through the years. Team Evo produced fighters like Brad Regis going 1 -0 ammy and Joe Sadaka 1- 1 ammy before work consumed both of their schedules for awhile. Mason Booy is a great team-mate and unfortunately he lost his amateur debut, but he looked amazing in the fight before being submitted by a nasty armbar. He fought out of a similar armbar in the first round, but got caught in the second. Naming all of the student s would take forever, but we have some great up-and-coming fighters like heavyweight Matt Campbell - a prospect refining his game every practice in our gym.
4. What do you feel your strengths are as a fighter?
I've been wrestling since I was 5 and in high school I wrestled for Littlestown, Pa. - a small town about 20 minutes outside of Gettysburg. I was a pretty established wrestler and I wrestled with the best of them, like PIAA AA state champion Gary Mayfield; state place winner Chad Leggett; PIAA AA state champion/Bloomsburg collegiate standout Rick Schmelyun; not to mention wrestling everyday with PIAA AA two time state runner-up Mike Anderson. I made the Pennsylvania 100 win club and I pride myself on my wrestling background. After discovering BJJ, my wrestling became more counter-wrestling and the Jiu-Jitsu took the offensive. I believe my ground game is where I feel most superior.
5. What do you feel you need to work on to be a more complete fighter?
I feel my striking is where I need the most improvement and my last two fights show that I can throw leather whether on the ground or standing. Each day is a new day to learn and refine areas in which I need to fine-tune, but I realized in the cage the majority of the time is spent in the clinch, so I've been working my cage work and utilizing Muay Thai as my style of fighting when standing. I'm beginning to find my rhythm when standing and I can't wait to show this off in the cage.
6. When will your next fight be & who will you be facing?
My next fight is scheduled for September 7th against PJ Palmer for Gladiators of the Cage. Make sure to get your tickets at http://www.cagetix.com then scroll down to the fighter you support and click their name to purchase tickets from them. You don't want to miss this card. Tons of talented pros are signing with Gladiators of the Cage and you don't want to miss this show, trust me. Support local MMA because some of these fighters are top notch.
7. Which of your fights is your favorite? Is there a fighter you wish you could fight again, if so which fighter would that be?
One of my favorite fights was against Tyler Updike at Complete Devastation 2. It was a barn-burner and both of us tossed leather and knees at each other all fight long. On the ground or standing it was just memorable experience with submission attempts and good ground work with insane scrambles. I hit my first real X-guard sweep in that fight at the end of the third round and there was probably, I don't know... 30 seconds left and we just went at each other. I threw a Superman punch that grazed him and he hit me with a great knee and I returned one with a toss at the end when the final bell rang. I imagine how it could have been if the fight had 2 more rounds to it! Tyler and I are good friends and I love training with the guys at Dignan/Brumbaugh MMA like Shawn McMahon, Brad Mountain, etc. In that moment the person you can relate with the most is the person standing across from you and no matter what, win or lose you learn from each other.
8. Who are some of your role models?
One of my role models in MMA would have to be Frankie Edgar. His ability to absorb punishment and to persevere through his fights is extraordinary. Not only in the cage, but outside the cage he's a great advocate for the sport and he's an all-around awesome fighter and person. Maybe it's because of his wrestling background and his style of fighting that I can relate to him and his gameplan, executions on his combos/takedowns. Another role model would have to be Ramon Dekker, 8 time Muay Thai Champion and famous Dutch Kickboxer. He just has a tendency to go head-to-head with his opponents and style of fighting is ferocious. What fight fan doesn't love that? If you haven't seen him fight check him out on YouTube.
9. What are your goals in MMA?
My goals are to continue to learn and grow as this sport develops. MMA is now becoming main stream and the fans love to watch it. I couldn't ask to be in a better sport as Pittsburgh is becoming a hot spot for up-and-coming fighters in MMA. In the near future I would like to work on my ranking as I hold a 3 stripe blue belt in BJJ and I want to keep soaking up as much knowledge as I possibly can through cross training. I'm in my final semester at Slippery Rock University and I plan on pursuing a career as a Paralympic coach. I plan to keep on training and if a top gym is in the future and promotions knocking on the door it would be a dream come true.
10. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
First off I'd like to thank my family. I had an amazing support system while growing up when in wrestling and my Dad was a coach not just on the mat but also off the mat at a very early age. I have that same support system plus a girlfriend that pushes me plus awesome friends who don't miss my fights. I'd like to thank all the people I've trained with while in the military, especially Stephen Martin, Michael Craig, Cory Fukuda, and Lee Mora. Those were the guys I started this journey with and I continue to think about them all the time. My wrestling coaches, Dave Bowersox and Kenny Ferguson for pushing me to be great.
Their coaching and life lessons will always stay with me. My team-mates are great and they know who they are. I'd like to thank Robert Joseph and the guys over at Gladiators of the Cage fro allowing me to fight for a great promotion. To all my sponsors: Foundation Fight Co, Bone Breakerz Clothing, Apex Construction, Pizza Joe's, Stepanian & Muscatello LLP, Sherwin Williams, Mars Pizza, K.C. General Contracting, Mazzanti's Beans & Cream, and Toast!
Last but not least, I'd like to give a shout-out to everyone in the military - Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard - thank you all for doing what you do! I'll never forget those who I have served with.
