Brandon Halsey, the new Middleweight Bellator champion, fights out of Huntington Beach, California and has been fighting since 2012.
Prior to MMA Brandon had a successful wrestling career at Cal-State Bakersfield and was a NCAA Division 1 All-American.
He has had a relatively short career so far in MMA, but has gone 8-0 and has dispatched some high quality opponents including Shonie Carter and Hector Ramirez. Most recently Brandon dismantled Alexander Shlemenko in only 35 seconds to become the Middleweight champ.
I caught up with Brandon and had a talk about how life has changed since earning the Bellator strap.
Aaron Robbins: Brandon, Thanks for talking with me. How are you feeling since the fight?
Brandon Halsey: “I’ve been feeling great, thanks.”
AR: Alright Brandon, although you are the champ there are fans out there who may not be familiar with your background, could you fill them in?
BH: “I was born and raised in San Diego. My dad had me in wrestling shoes by four years old. I was competing in wrestling and Judo from the time I was four all the way to High School. Wrestling tournaments on Saturdays, Judo tournaments on Sunday; you know just non-stop. Once I graduated from High School I went to Fresno State University on a full-ride scholarship. I wrestled there from 2004-2006 and then they shut down their wrestling program, so I transferred to Cal-State Bakersfield. I was a 2009 NCAA All-American at Cal-State. After college I pursued international wrestling, I fell a little short trying to qualify for the Olympic teams. In 2011 I was approached by Dave Thomas, who is now my manager, and he told be he thought I had the perfect build and skill-set to be a great fighter. He told me I should move down to Huntington Beach and train to be a fighter. I told him that I would love to. So I moved down there and started training at HB Ultimate Training Center, and I’ve been there ever-since.”
AR: How about you tell us a little about your camp?
BH: “I have a really solid team around me. I have Tiki Ghosn, who is my striking and kickboxing coach. I have Paul Herrera for my wrestling and Jiu Jitsu coach. Paul is based out of Empire MMA. I handle most of my own strength and conditioning. I was a strength and conditioning coach after college. Both guys I mentioned were big factors in me taking the belt from Shlemenko Tiki knew the striking is where we would be able to set-up the shot and the take-down. Those guys worked hand-in-hand to make sure I could set up the take-down with my strikes and then be able to strike from the ground. Paul Herrera, being a submission grappler, was a huge help in making sure that I’m not just a wrestler, but also a great submission artist.”
AR: That was very apparent in your quick win over the former champ. Did you expect to overpower him like you did?
BH: “Yeah, we knew I had the physical advantage over him, so we wanted to use that strength and speed to our advantage. We figured it that would happen.”
AR: How have things changed since you won the title?
BH: “I think it got my name out there a little bit more with MMA fans. I’m still not satisfied though, I want to be known as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. I want to fight the best. I want to be able to dominate them as well. This is just a journey for me, and this is just one step in climbing that mountain. I’m already back to training and trying to get better every day. Of course I’m excited, but I didn’t celebrate that long. I just want to get back at it.”
AR: Give the fans a look at a day in the life of Brandon Halsey.
BH: “My wife gets up at 6:00 AM so I get up with her. I get an early cardio session in, and then I come home and take my dog for a walk. I have a little French Bulldog. Usually I have 10:00 MMA practice. After that I get treated at Kessler Health and Wellness. Dr. Kessler has played a big role in keeping me healthy with adjustments and stuff like that. Without him I wouldn’t be able to train as hard as I do. After that I head back home for awhile, by then my wife is home, and we spend some time together. I usually head back to the gym for a night training session at around 5:00 PM. After that it’s time to go back home, rest, and do it all over again the next day.”
AR: You hear that MMA fans? Go see a Chiropractor! Brandon you and I have talked about you having a great deal of faith. Tell the fans how that helps you in your journey.
BH: “It’s huge, being able to train like this is a blessing. I’ve been blessed by God with these talents and physical abilities, and it makes me that much more grateful for everything I have. I have a beautiful wife, and a life that lets me compete and do what I love. None of this would be possible without God. I do all things through Him.”
AR: If you didn’t fight, what would you want to do instead?
BH: “you know I’ve given that a lot of thought. My wife and I have discussed what life will be like after fighting. You never know when that last fight is going to be, and you have to prepare for what comes after. I’ve always been into physical activity, so I would want to do something that incorporates that. Fire-fighting is something I’ve always been very passionate about. Being able to give back to the community and make a difference.”
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Main Photo provided by Sherdog
