Fighter Focus; Getting to Know Johnny Coleman

Fighter Focus; Getting to Know Johnny Coleman
 
In his debut at MCC 21 “Mickle vs Marriott”, Johnny Coleman delivered a highlight worthy knock out to Josh “Jackhammer” Troen that let all fighters in his weight division know that he was more than just a wrestler.  At MCC 25: “Inferno”, he looks to bring his skills back into the cage when he faces his toughest test to date.  We caught up with Coleman as he prepares for his upcoming bout.
 
MCC:  Johnny, welcome back to to MCC.  For all the fans that don’t know who you are, tell them a little about yourself:
JC:  Thanks for having me back.  I have been anxious to get back in MCC since my last fight.  I am eighteen years old, from Des Moines, Iowa, and I have wrestled for eleven years.  Normally, I have to fight at a weight class above my normal weight because of lack of competition, but at MCC 25 I finally get to fight at 125 lbs.
 
MCC:  That’s right- you’re only eighteen.  You look pretty experienced for a younger fighter!
JC:  Yeah, well the eleven years of wrestling helps.  My record is 7-3-0.  Not too bad for a years worth of fighting!
 
MCC:  Not bad at all.  What got you interested in MMA?
JC:  I have watched it on television for a while.  Last Summer, I decided I wanted to give it a try, so I made my debut at Des Moines Xtreme.  I wanted to see how I could do with my wrestling background.  I was pretty successful, so I thought it was something I should continue to pursue.  I have been training and fighting ever since.
 
MCC:  Who are you training with now?
JC:  I do my wrestling training with my team.  I am a wrestler at Grand View University.  The rest (cardio and strength conditioning) I do on my own time along side MCC fighters Zak Laird, Dean Bradley, as well as with Ben Crowder.
 
MCC:  Grand View has a great wrestling program.  I’m sure your coach, Grant Turner has you ready for anything!
JC:  All of the workouts are extremely intense and fast paced.  I work hard at every workout.  I will definitely be ready for March 13.
 
MCC:  Is it tough to balance college, wrestling and MMA?  That’s a lot to juggle.
JC:  Sure.  Since I am a collegiate wrestler, I can only train and compete when school is out or wrestling season is over.  That makes it a little difficult ton constantly improve my MMA skills, so that means I have to work twice as hard as anyone else and more often so I can improve with every chance I get.  I feel like I still have to prove myself to people in the MMA scene, so that is my biggest motivator.  I really enjoy the competition involved with fighting.  I don’t like to lose at anything!
 
MCC:  So, you’re fighting Chris Helm at MCC 25.  What do you know about him, and how are you preparing for the fight?
JC:  I know he is going to be my toughest fight, but I am ready to rise to the challenge and earn another exciting win in MCC.    He is a decent wrestler and he has good submissions.  My wrestling is my strongest point, but as everyone has witnessed, I can knock people out too.  Plus, I have great cardio, and I will be very strong fighting at 125 lbs.
 
MCC:  Will this be a wrestler versus wrestler type match?
JC:  His wrestling is not as good as mine.  I see this fight as very high paced and action packed.  But, in the end, I will be getting my hand raised.
 
MCC:  Are there any opponents you are looking to fight after this bout?
JC:  None in particular.  I’ll fight anyone that’s put against me.  This year I would like to stay active and earn some good wins for my record.
 
MCC:  Sounds good.  Is there anyone you look up to in the sport?  Anyone you’d like to train with?
JC:  My high school wrestling coach and UFC veteran, James Giboo.  He was one of the people who really got me interested in the sport.
 
MCC:  Thanks for your time, Johnny.  Good luck to you at MCC 25, and we hope to see you compete more in 2010.
JC:  I’d like to thank MCC for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to putting on a great performance.