From Fighter to Coach: Billy Freedson's Combat Sports Journey

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The journey from fighter to coach often reveals the deepest insights about combat sports. Billy Freedson, standing at just 5'5", began his martial arts journey with what he calls "Napoleon syndrome" – a chip on his shoulder and a readiness to fight that eventually transformed into a sophisticated understanding of striking, grappling, and the intricate dance between them.
Billy's expertise spans multiple disciplines: Muay Thai, K-1 kickboxing, wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu, and even Filipino knife fighting. This comprehensive background has made him a valued coach at Cleveland's Upgraded Industries, where he's helped shape numerous fighters including Tony "The Latin Assassin" – a wrestling specialist whose striking has evolved from "brutish" and forward-charging to technical and angle-focused under Billy's guidance.
What makes Billy's perspective particularly valuable is his willingness to acknowledge the hard lessons of his own fighting career. From backyard brawls to a knockout loss against future UFC champion Cody Garbrandt, Billy understands the painful education that combat sports provide. After going 3-0 at 135 pounds, his fighting career ended with a difficult weight cut that drained his performance – experience that now informs his coaching approach.
The podcast explores fascinating aspects of the fight game: how wrestlers can use striking to set up takedowns, why women fighters often underestimate their own power, what six weeks of training in Thailand taught Billy about authentic Muay Thai, and even a candid assessment of Jake Paul's boxing skills ("high level amateur"). Throughout these topics runs a consistent thread – Billy's dedication to building Cleveland's combat sports community through collaborative training rather than gym rivalry

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Chapters

1. Meet Billy Friedson: MMA Coach (00:00:00)

2. Training Tony the Latin Assassin (00:09:46)

3. From Backyard Brawls to Professional Fighting (00:16:01)

4. Wrestling vs. Striking in Combat Sports (00:22:21)

5. Women in Combat Sports (00:28:31)

6. Jake Paul's Boxing Credentials (00:35:01)

7. Cleveland's Fighting Community and Fast 55 (00:44:46)