Recently, we had the chance to sit down and speak with retired XFC Champion Nick Newell about his MMA career, his newly launched Fighting Arts Academy Connecticut, and, of course, the job search.
AMI: How did you get your start fighting MMA?
NN: I got my start fighting MMA because I was a wrestler. When I finished wrestling, I felt a need to still compete. I felt a void in my life without competition. I actually had my first fight about 2 months after I stopped wrestling. It wasn’t a long transition. I started training when I was in college after watching The Ultimate Fighter and thought “this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” I wanted to learn how to fight MMA and said to myself “I should give this a go. I should fight.” I had my first fight in 2008 when I was a senior in college.
AMI: Why did you choose the name ‘Notorious’?
NN: I chose “Notorious” because at the time nobody else had it and with the name Nick Newell it had a ring to it. They say people are supposed to give you your nickname and you’re not supposed to make it up, but I didn’t want a stupid nickname so I just came up with “Notorious.”
AMI: What were some challenges in your come-up as a fighter?
NN: Getting good is a challenge in itself. Training is a real grind. To be the best, you have to train a certain way and to be great at something you have to pour your heart into it. It was showing up first to the gym and being last to leave. Staying consistent is what I had to do. It was tough, working 8-10 hours a day. I would leave at 5am and come home at 10 at night. It’s not something everyone could do, but in the end, I think it was worth it.
AMI: What would you say was the most important part of your training?
NN: The most important part of training is finding a team that knows what they’re doing and cares about you. Someone could be the best fighter in the world, but if they don’t care about you as a coach it’s like having a great doctor that doesn’t care if you live or die. To me, it’s always been important to find a team that will really help you, that will be able to get you to the next level.
AMI: What was your proudest moment as a fighter?
NN: Winning the XFC title was a very big moment for me. To do it in front of the crowd in the fashion I did when I was an underdog was cool. To be the first guy from Connecticut to win a World Title in Mixed Martial Arts is kind of a big deal. That was my biggest moment, definitely.
AMI: What made you decide to open a school of your own?
NN: I always wanted to open a school. I like teaching. I think teaching makes you better and helps you grow. I thought something was missing in Connecticut, no offense to anyone else. I thought it would be cool to have a gym that’s MMA first and everything second. I think a lot of places around here put jiu-jitsu or kickboxing first. I wanted a place where learning a complete system is priority.
AMI: Are there any challenges in running a school?
NN: The business grind is definitely a whole different animal from the fighting grind. Making sure I have everything managed and paying all my taxes and all the proper licenses and teaching classes and getting people in are all very important. I like people, so it’s natural and not forced.
AMI: Are there any lessons you learned in the ring that can be applied to the professional world?
NN: Everything I learned from fighting and wrestling transfers over. You want to be good at something, you work hard, you give it your all, you have good energy. You bring the positive energy over and good work ethic and it transfers over to everything in life. Maybe the task or goal is different, but it’s all the same concept.
AMI: What would you say is the most difficult part of transitioning into the professional world?
NN: It was tough making sure I had everything going, but I had help from my uncle. He made sure I had all the proper licensing and stuff like that. I have an office manager who helps me stay organized and keeps me on track. It’s definitely tough, but I don’t think it’s overwhelming.
AMI: Have you heard of Aced My Interview?
NN: Yes, Aced My Interview is definitely an amazing service. I feel like a lot of people get nervous going in for interviews. It’s almost like stepping into the cage for a fight. It feels like everyone is watching you and everything is on the line. You have to make sure you do everything right because one bad move could cost you’re the job that could change your life. So, it’s important to have someone who’s going to help you and guide you through it. You need to have someone else tell you how to do things right. If I didn’t have a coach, I wouldn’t have been a good fighter. When you’re going for your job interview, it’s important to have someone to help guide you through the process so you’re not lost in the shuffle going from job to job you don’t want. I recommend it to all my students and they’ve had great success using it.
