Brock Gorang makes professional debut at Battle at the Bay 11
Actions speak louder volumes than words especially in mixed martial arts. One must always strive for greatness and be ready to bulldoze through any obstacle standing in their way.
Bellingham MMA standout Brock Gorang has been running amok throughout the Pacific Northwest fight scene. Undefeated as an amateur, with a title belt to his credit, Gorang is fully dedicated in his evolution as a great mixed martial arts fighter which is showcased through his domination over the competition. Taking the next step in his blossoming career Gorang will be making his professional debut on May 9 at Battle at the Bay 11.
We hear at MYMMANEWS.com got the opportunity to speak with Gorang as he reflects on his amateur fighting ascent and touches on his future aspirations as he steps into the professional rank fight division.
What got you interested in becoming a mixed martial arts fighter?
Brock Gorang: “I can’t exactly pinpoint when or where I was when the idea to get involved in the sport. I have heard the same story a million times about how someone had a hard knock life and fighting was their way out, and I wish I had a story half as interesting as that but the reality is I have always been a martial artist and a competitor so MMA came as a natural progression from my years of karate and wrestling. So I might not be able to tell you exactly why I got involved, but I can tell you what keeps me interested; passion. I love being a fighter and competing. To me it’s not just a sport or a means to an end, to me fighting is a lifestyle.”
How would Brock Gorang define himself as a fighter?
Brock Gorang: “As a fighter I would define myself as determined, hardworking and committed. Whether I have a fight on the horizon or not I am always in the gym trying to improve my skills. I can honestly say as much as I love competing, I love training even more and I think that’s how it should be since the majority of your time as a fighter will be spent in the gym not in the cage.
The amateur fight division is considered the building stage which has its share of pros and cons with its experience. How would you describe your experience as an amateur?
Brock Gorang: “My experience as an amateur was fantastic! Right from the start I had a great coaching staff and a group of fellow fighters who would always push me. I also had a big source of support from my friends and family, many of which have yet to miss a single fight of mine which is something I will always appreciate. Don’t get me wrong, there were some rough patches but overall it was a good experience and it really helped me to pin down what my style is and what kind of fighter I want to be.”
What was the biggest Lesson you took away from it?
Brock Gorang: “That my friend is a tough question to answer. I fought as an amateur since I was 19 so over the years I have taken away quite a few lessons, usually on the end of a punch. I guess if I were to try and just pick one though it would be this: If there’s a will there is a way. It’s easy to come up with excuses for why you can’t be in the gym or why you couldn’t give it you’re all, but the reality is if you really want to be there or you really want to perform, the only thing stopping you is yourself.”
Outside of fighting you have been busy with a lot of other priorities such as your work in the military, school, other responsibilities. How are you able your life with that of being a fighter?
Brock Gorang: “Prioritizing in the key. As far as military and familial responsibilities go there is no balancing act to speak of, they just simply take priority. As for everything else though it’s pretty simple, there are twenty-four hours in a day, that’s more than enough time to fit in school, training and down time.”
Now you will be making your professional debut on May 9. How does it feel to finally make that crossover in your career?
Brock Gorang: “It’s exciting. This has been a long time coming and to finally be in a place where I feel ready to make the leap is exhilarating. I can’t wait to make all my coaches, teammates, family, friends and fans proud.”
Now with an amateur fight record of 9-0, you have built a lot of experience. What was it in terms of your confidence in your abilities, experience and reason for taking this route to becoming a professional even with your perfect fight record?
Brock Gorang: “Well going pro was never my ambition at first. Originally I planned on just doing a few fights to get the experience then moving on to focus on my career. However after a few wins the spark was ignited and ever since then becoming a successful professional fighter has been one of my top goals in life. The road to getting there though has been a bit bumpy. At first I told myself I was only good enough to go pro if I could win ten amateur fights. Since I started at 19 I figured by 21 I would have hit that number but I have had a consistent habit of racking up injuries so one set back after another kept coming. After my last fight I was excited to finally hit that number but took a nasty shot to the head and got a bad case of nerve damage that lasted months. Once I was finally healthy enough to begin training I figured I would jump right back in and get that last amateur fight taken care of, but due to a slip up on my schools financial aid department all my grant money and some of my loans were lost meaning I had to find a way to pay off my final quarter of school. This was the kick in the butt I needed though, because now that my education is on the line I have no more excuses for not taking the leap and really challenging myself in the pro circuit.
As far as confidence, well I wouldn’t take a fight if I didn’t believe I could win it. I have a phenomenal coaching staff and a great group of training partners. When I win this fight, it will be because of them.”
How is the training going preparing for this important moment in your career?
Brock Gorang: “Training has been going great. I am dog tired by the end of the day but I have been getting a lot of personalized focus and can see a huge progress in my skill set and athleticism. Right now a big part of my training is getting a lot of different perspectives by working with multiple coaches and gyms. At my home gym of Bellingham MMA I get to work with my team and my coaches Jeremy Saunders, Charlie Pearson and Landon Showalter, all of whom are decorated and accomplished fighters themselves. I am also traveling to C3 twice a week to get more time in with Charlie and his guys, who have all been very helpful in pushing me and showing me areas I need to improve on. I am also training at Elite BJJ with Andrew Solheim, who has been courteous enough to let me get on the mats with his crew and really perfect my ground skills. On Sundays I travel back to Bremerton to train with my Hybrid family, who have been there helping me become the fighter I am since the day I started on this journey.
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What do you feel is the importance of coming out with a victory in your professional debut?
Brock Gorang: “A victory will mean the world to me. I have trained as hard as I can as often as I can for this fight. I practically live in a gym right now, so to have all that hard-work pay off would obviously be very rewarding. Also, like I said earlier, this money is going to help me pay off my next quarter of school which is equally important to me.”
Finally looking toward the future how will Brock Gorang fit into the MMA world?
Brock Gorang: “I won’t fit in, I will be one everyone’s hit list because I intend massacre the lightweight division in this state. My goals are simple for now, I want the COGA and EQC belts and to stop out anyone in my way. Hopefully that doesn’t come off to crazy, but hey; you have got to be a little crazy just to be in this sport.”
Brock Gorang’s Special Thanks: “To everyone who has helped me and believed in me. None of this would be possible without you guys. I love you all and am eternally grateful for everything you have all done. God bless the troops and God bless America.”
