Part 19 of interview series with amateur MMA interview series.

Part 19 of our ongoing interview series with amateur MMA fighters, coaches and trainers features Brad Martz. Brad is currently 1-0 and fights out of Harrisburg, Pa. What is your current record? Any fights coming up soon?

My current record is 1-0. My next fight is scheduled for March 25th in Harrisburg, Pa at PFC V.

Mixed Martial Arts is clearly not for everyone. At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to become a competitive Mixed Martial Artist?

About six years ago a roommate of mine who is an ex marine began training in MMA and I was intrigued. At that time I really did not  have the time to commit to training because I was working evenings  and nights as a night club manager. When I got married and started a  family I removed myself from that industry. With some new found free  time, I began training in BJJ. Shortly thereafter I decided to set a goal for myself to be in the cage within a year.

Have there been any challenges in your life that you’ve had to overcome in order to get where you are today? If so, how did you overcome them?

As I mentioned, I used to work in the nightclub business. I did that for about seven years. There were many nights that turned into  early mornings. Partying almost consumed me. With the help of my family and a strong will to clean up my act, I gave up drinking and left the bar scene behind for good. My family is my main source of motivation, followed by my motivation to compete in MMA.

Is there a current MMA star you like to pattern yourself after?

There are several fighters I like to emulate in certain aspects. Domick Cruz is probably the guy that I would say I try to pattern myself closest to though.

Where do you train? Care to make a shout out to any of your instructors or training partners?

I train out of Harrisburg MMA in Harrisburg Pa. My BJJ coach is Nick Ortiz. (A competitor on the jiu jitsu circuit.) My Muay Thai coach is Joe Spinell. (A former pro Muay Thai fighter.) My boxing coach is Jose Martinez (Multiple time golden gloves champion.) I also train with pro MMA fighter Ryan Lutz and former Big Ten All-American wrestler Clovis Crane.

Has your fighting style evolved since you began training or have you stuck with a specific style throughout?

My style is like the sport of MMA, constantly evolving. When I was in high school I competed in wrestling and Tae Kwon Do, so that was my base in the beginning. Now I train a lot in BJJ and Muay Thai. When all is said and and done I'd like to say that I achieved becoming a well-rounded fighter and true mixed martial artist.

Is there any particular training you spend more time on? Cardio? Strength training?

I really try to diversify my training. Initially I only trained no-gi BJJ, but I've recently taken up gi training to improve my ground game. I make sure to get my strength training in on days when I'm not training stand up or working on my ground game. For my next fight I'm making a concerted effort to improve my cardio.

The mental aspects of MMA training are often overlooked. What you do to prepare mentally?

I honestly believe that some people are just "born stronger" mentally, and I feel I am one those people. Sometimes you just have to will yourself to do things that you may not necessarily want to do at that particular moment. You have to remind yourself sometimes that it won't be easy, but it will worth it in the end when you're standing in the cage with your arm raised in victory.

Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you get to where you are?

First and foremost I have to thank my family for giving me their support, patience and all the confidence in the world. I know it's not easy for them sometimes when a husband and father isn't home all the time. I also need to thank all of my coaches and training partners who push me in the gym. I know I would not be where I'm at right now without them.

What advice would you give to other people looking to get into MMA, or any competitive sport, for that matter?

My advice to others who are looking to venture in MMA, or any other competitive sport would be to make sure that you are enjoying what you do and to stay committed. In my opinion, anything worth doing, is worth doing well. I read somewhere that "the pain of discipline hurts far less than the pain of regret" and when the dust settles.