Interview with Guy Mezger

We are excited to bring you an email interview with Guy Mezger, winner of UFC 13 Light Heavyweight Tournament. He’s volunteered some of his precious time to answer some questions from my son Brandon. 

 Guy Mezger Highlights

Brandon: You have a background in Karate, Kickboxing and Boxing. Which of these did you find the most helpful in UFC fighting and why?

Guy: Actually my background was in wrestling first.  I wrestled as a kid thru college and started karate when I was 14.  I basically did karate & wrestling until I turned pro at age 20.  Wrestling is by far one of the main disciplines of MMA. You are not going to go far without wrestling training. Then I would say for me, boxing / kickboxing was the next important.  It’s kind of hard to say because I also trained & competed in Judo along w/ kickboxing.  Later I trained catch wrestling and Braziilain jujitsu. (I trained with some of the great catch wrestlers of Japan.)

Brandon: Who was the toughest opponent you ever beat? What was your strategy to defeat them? 

Guy: Beating the legendary Masa Funakai was my best win. My strategy for beating him was to out- smart him and out work him.  I, also, kept the fight standing; thanks to my superior wrestling ability. I also beat him up pretty badly with kicks and punches.  

Brandon: What is the difference between people training for the UFC vs. main stream martial arts classes?

Guy: Intensity level of pro fighters is the main difference and usually the UFC/pro fighters have more skills 

Brandon:  What was your training schedule like when you were preparing for a fight?

Guy: It was tough.  8:00 boxing/kickboxing training…12:00 or 1:00 was grappling…6:00 strength & conditioning 

Brandon: You run a very successful MMA school in Dallas called Guy Mezger's Combat Sport Club. What makes your school different than everyone else’s?

Guy: I have brought together the very best trainers from various displines.  My coaches are not just a judo coach or a kickboxing coach etc., they are the best judo coach or the best kickboxing coach.  I do my best to create an atmosphere of unity, intensity and leadership by example at all levels regardless if you are a pro or beginner.  

Brandon: Can you tell us who your number one mentor has been in your MMA career? What are 3 things you learned from him?

Guy: Billye Jack Jackson (my coach for over 15 yrs), 1) He taught me that good character was more important than winning (& all real winners had good character); 2) Hard work is not a talking point but any action point.  You are either willing to train like the champ or you are not.  The results speak for themselves. 3) Be grateful for the blessings you receive.

Brandon:  What was your mindset before your very first fight? How did you overcome any nervousness?

Guy:  For my first fight I was a wreck mentally & I am not sure if I ever really overcame being nervous.  I just went out there and took care of business.  I became more relaxed with each fight.  

Thank you for conduction this question and answer session with us Guy. You made a terrific impression on us by your quick response time and willingness to help with Brandon’s goals. We wish you good fortune with your future endeavors. 

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