There are few things in this world that can match the feeling of when you step into the cage for you very first MMA fight.
Austin Hagan was a high school and collegiate athlete, receiving accolades and awards for his accomplishments in wrestling and football. At the age of 24, Austin wanted to continue to stay in shape and fuel his competitive desires, so he began training mixed martial arts. It was obvious from the start that Austin had a bright future in combat sports. His Muay Thai Foundations coach, Jim Sheppard, recalls Austin’s first couple of weeks at Straight Blast Gym:
It was clear from the very beginning that Austin was a fast learner. I would show him a technique or striking combination, and he would pick it up in minutes. I remember thinking, during our first few sparring rounds that we ever had, “Man, I’m going to have to get the better of this guy while I still can, lol.” Fast forward to today and Austin’s striking is way ahead of where it should be for a guy who has been training for 6 months.
Between Austin’s drive to compete, and his wrestling background, Austin began to make some serious noise in SBG’s Muay Thai and
Expectations are always fairly tempered for someone doing their first MMA fight. No matter how much you practice, you can’t replicate that feeing of getting into a cage to fight another person. Austin was a true gamer, and despite the proverbial adrenaline-dump, he pushed through it and never stopped fighting.
After a very tough, back-and-forth fight, Austin was declared the winner! Always the competitor, Austin immediately started making plans for his next MMA fight, which has now been booked for January 27th in Atlanta, GA.
Congratulations Austin, and we look forward to seeing you in action this January!
