Combat Controller to Mixed Martial Arts Fighter
EPISODE 18
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WELCOME TO ANOTHER BONE RATTLING ONES READY PODCAST! ON THIS EPISODE THE TEAM CHATS WITH CONNOR MATTHEWS: FORMER COMBAT CONTROLLER (CCT) AND CURRENT MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST.
Aaron welcomes us into the team room. Make sure you subscribe…to everything Ones Ready. Check out StrikeForce Energy for all your energy needs.
Today we welcome Connor “Bad News” Matthews to the Team Room.
WHO IS CONNOR MATTHEWS?
Connor: Currently 2-0 fighting at 145.
Insert Coronavirus jokes. SW guys ready for the zombie apocalypse.
Connor started off as a Combat Controller. Aaron asks him to share his story.
Connor’s been practicing martial arts since he was a kid.
Never planned on using CCT as part of his fighter profile. Trying to shed light on SW.
Background: Originally wanted to be a SEAL because of Act of Valor movie.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
Started MMA career in 2011 as an amateur. Started fighting right out of High School. Crushed some dude super quick. Short fights have been a habit ever since.
Went to a Navy recruiter to become a SEAL. Recruiter wasn’t very helpful.
Found the Air Force Recruiter: Originally started training for Pararescue. Ended up meeting an old school Combat Controller. Told Connor to suffer in silence during his PAST. Connor signed up for CCT.
Connor had no idea what Air Traffic Control does. Figured it out after he joined.
Connor wasn’t the best swimmer until he was introduced to finning.
ACADEMIC STRUGGLES
The physical part of the pipeline was not overly challenging for Connor. ATC academics on the other hand…”hardest part of the pipeline”.
Through a lot of hard work and studying Connor eventually mastered his ATC skills.
KEEP YOUR BRAIN ACTIVE
Peaches talks about the questions we get asking about what folks should be studying pre-pipeline.
Don’t worry about it too much. Figure it out and focus on what’s in front of you. If you meet the ASVAB requirement you’ll be fine. Keep your brain active. Read a book.
The pipeline is not all physical. Academic aptitude is important.
BECOMING A FIGHTER
Peaches asks Connor about what made him want to be a fighter. Where does the drive come from?
Connor has been very competitive his whole life. Always driven to do his best. Hockey, football, fighting, doesn’t matter. Started point sparring as a kid. Grew into a desire to fight professionally.
The background in fighting and getting over his nerves helped him through the pipeline. And his military experience has since helped him now that he’s back to fighting.
Peaches asks how Connor decided to make the leap from CCT to MMA.
Connor faced a lot of doubt from people. He had a great job in the military and gave it up for an unknown. Connor’s confidence helped him past the haters. Same thing happened within the pipeline. There will always be people trying to bring you down.
Being consistently involved in martial arts since childhood made the choice to become a fighter less sketchy.
Connor name drops Joe Lauzon. Connor trains at the Lauzon gym.
SMILE WHILE SUFFERING
Brian talks about how the pressures of fighting and SW training are similar. Asks Connor what he did in the pipeline psychologically that made him successful.
Connor learned to not listen to the negativity and to smile through the “suck”.
Peaches: Being able to smile through suffering does amazing things.
Connor talks about the importance of making the best of even the worst situations. Positivity breeds more positivity.
Brian talks about how it feels when a team comes together. Trade secrets revealed. Asks Connor about the tools he uses from his military experience to get through a fight camp.
Connor basically says the pipeline is harder than training for a fight. The pipeline grind is real. More difficult mentally. Connor uses that mental toughness to get through his training. He has a lot of reach back moments to maintain perspective and stay focused.
Little discussion about CS gas and gas masks.
DOES SIZE MATTER?
Trent asks Connor about not being as big as Brian and going through the pipeline.
It’s all about who you are as a person. It’s not about having big muscles. Need functional muscles. The same thing applies to MMA. Look to Daniel Cormier for reference. Show muscles vs go muscle.
Brian talks about some of the smaller guys he’s seen in the pipeline.
A little size does help when carrying your kit and ruck.
Connor talks about his weight cut for fighting.
CONFIDENCE, COCKY, BULLETPROOF, HUNGRY
Aaron asks Connor about confidence and how important it is. How to stay confident but stay motivated?
The day of the fight Connor lets his confidence flow. Doubt will negatively impact performance.
During training is the time to be humble.
Peaches pulls the conversation back to the pipeline. What would Connor say to someone who is unsure of their ability to make it through the pipeline.
Meet the physical standards and prove to yourself that you have what it takes. You can train all the doubt out of your brain. If you put the work in it’s not fake confidence.
WORDS OF ADVICE
Peaches: The pipeline is 80% mental, 20% physical. If you train hard you don’t have to worry about that 20% and can focus on the mental aspect.
Once Connor made it past ATC he knew he could do anything that was asked of him. Keep knocking down goals and gain confidence. The 20% is the foundation to build on. Connor tells some stories about his time at ATC.
The pipeline training exists to prove to yourself that you can do whatever is necessary when you end up downrange. It’s been proven through all of the accolades associated with our guys.
THE COMMUNITY
Peaches talks about what it’s like in the SOF community and being surrounded by legends.
Connor talks about what it’s like on team being surrounded by people who make you better. Iron sharpens iron. He was worried that people wouldn’t support him when he got out as the Controller MMA. He was wrong. Making it into the community is worth it just to be surrounded by the people in the community.
Aaron talks about the questions we get about the job and what he thinks.
If the zombie apocalypse kicks off Connor is coming back to team.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Trent starts the lightning round:
Submission vs KO: KO.
Most stacked weight class in UFC: Men’s 185, Bones is the GOAT…asterisk on the Reyes fight.
One book for folks coming into the pipeline: Alone at Dawn.
AC-130 vs A10: AC-130. Shoutout to Onstation apparel.
Lauzon Family picnics? Yes.
One horse sized duck vs 100 duck sized horses: One horse sized duck via blood choke.
Things you miss the most and the least about the military: most=the guys. Least=EPR’s and CBT’s.
Make sure y’all go follow and support Connor. IG: @thecontrollermma. Buy his shirt and watch his fights.
SPECIAL THANKS TO CONNOR FOR MAKING THIS EPISODE POSSIBLE.
GUEST BIO:
Connor Matthew was a Combat Controller who served between 2013-2019, with combat deployment in 2017-2018 . He is a professional MMA Artist and Kickboxing teacher with an undefeated professional MMA record. See more on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thecontrollermma/
TLDR: Whether it’s fighting in a cage or pursuing a career in AFSPECWAR: Train the doubt away, be confident, study hard, and surround yourself with good training partners.
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