By Peyton Wood
Staff Writer
Whether it’s in a garage or in a ring, guys are enthralled by the adrenaline they get from fighting and even if they can’t fight, they love to watch fights.
Junior Cody Cammack has devoted his time to fighting on a different level than most would expect.
For his first two years in high school, Cammack played for the golf team, but nine and a half months ago Cammack put down his club and put up his dukes, as he started doing mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu.
“My dad thought it would be a good idea to get involved in something and it seemed pretty interesting so I thought I’d try it,” Cammack said. “I love it now. It’s my passion.”
Not only does Cammack love the sport, he has become an incredible fighter in the short time he has been training.
“[His work ethic is] unparalleled for someone his age. He has the determination and drive of a champion, it invigorates me,” professional cage fighter Chris Jones said. “I can’t say enough about his character and work ethic.”
Jones has been fighting for three years now and has worked with Cammack since he started.
“[Professional fighters] push me a lot harder,” Cammack said. “They are at a much higher level than I am so they show me what I need to work on to be a professional too.”
Along with professionals, Cammack has been working closely with some of his friends, too. Junior Colton Anderson was inspired by Cody and picked up fighting two months ago. Cammack and Anderson work together every week and help each other improve.
“He has really good strikes and ground game,” Anderson said. “He’s really flexible and he just dominates his weight class.”
Cammack has already competed and placed well in two tournaments.
His first tournament was held by the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) where he placed fourth out of 30 fighters. Less than a month later, he placed first in the King of the Mats tournament.
“It was hard to focus on my game and stay calm, but it felt great to win because I put in a lot of hard work before the tournament,” Cammack said.
His hard work and dedication to the sport have helped him get to the level he is at now. Cammack is at Mohler Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts gym in Coppell every day. On Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, he attends jiu-jitsu classes and MMA classes the other days.
Most fighters will specifically work on jiu-jitsu or MMA, but training for both is playing to Cammack’s advantages.
“It’s difficult to find time to do both and to find a balance between them, but doing a combination of both will help him be a well-rounded fighter,” Jones said.
As if practicing every day isn’t enough, Cammack crams in even more training when it comes time for competitions. Six weeks prior to a tournament, Cammack does weight training and runs at least three times a week.
After his win at the King of the Mats tournament, Cammack was eligible to join Texas Alliance, a world-renowned Jiu-Jitsu team.
“Alliance is one of the top ten teams in the world,” Cammack said. “We have the best instructors with prestigious backgrounds in jiu-jitsu.”
With college just a short year away, Cammack has already started planning his future, fighting included. American Top Team is the largest MMA Academy in Florida, so in order to be close to this elite gym, Cammack has been looking at various schools in Florida.
“[American Top Team] produce[s] the best fighters in the UFC,” Cammack said. “I think it would be really good for me to train there.”
Although it is unlikely, fighters can enter Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitions once they are 18. This is Cammack’s ultimate goal, but he is currently planning on graduating college and then doing everything he can to make the cut.
“The hardest part will be finding focus and staying driven,” Jones said. “He’s got the talent; he’s just got to reel it in now.”
