Jordan Katz, a member of Titan Fitness, faced his first Muay Thai fight on July 25, 2009 at the Hamburg Field House and won his match two minutes and 30 seconds into the third round.
Katz, 21, is a Pennsylvania State University student majoring in Information Science and Technology who is from Monroeville, Pa. Typically, Katz has trained at Titan Fitness about three times a week for the past 10 months. In the months before the fight, however, he upped his training to between eight to 10 times each week.
When UofCombat spoke with Katz the week before his fight, he was confident that his training with Titan Fitness had prepared him, and he knew that he had done everything he could to be prepared for the fight. In an interview after his fight, Katz talks about his emotions throughout the fight, factors he attributes to his victory and when he knew he had his opponent beat.
UofCombat.com: What were your emotions as you entered the facility?
Jordan Katz: I felt kind of uneasy. I didn’t know what to expect since it was my first fight, (so) I think that’s where the uneasiness came from.
UofC: How did they change throughout the match? Were you feeling positive during the fight, or wondering if your opponent would win?
JK: Honestly, I don’t remember much from the fight; my head was empty the whole time. I wasn’t thinking about winning the fight; I was just fighting.
UofC: What were your initial thoughts when your first saw your opponent?
JK: “That’s him? Okay, let’s go.”
I don’t think it would have mattered to me whether he was stocky, lanky, or whatever; I was just going to go out there and do what I came to do.
UofC: When did you realize you had your opponent beat?
JK: When the ref broke us up and I saw the towel had been thrown in.
UofC: Going into the match, did you feel you were prepared enough?
JK: Absolutely. I didn’t have any nerves or second-thoughts walking into the ring, and I know that’s because of how prepared I was.
UofC: What do you feel you did well in the match? What’s something you feel you need to improve on?
JK: I just finished watching the video, and my hands looked fast and accurate, but I wasn’t setting up my kicks very well.
UofC: Did you have supporters in the audience? How did they influence your performance?
JK: I had family and friends in the stands, but during the fight I couldn’t hear any cheering, and before the fight I didn’t want to talk to them so I could stay focused. So I would say they didn’t influence my performance, but it was great to see them after the fight, and I loved having them there to support me.
UofC: How much of an influence do you feel the staff at Titan Fitness had on your win?
JK: This is as much their win as it mine. Without Bruce Lombard my coach, Shawn Slater my training partner and Paul Zelinka along with everyone else that helped me train, that fight wouldn’t be possible. I have them to thank for everything.
UofC: What are your plans now? Will you take some time off or get right back into training?
JK: I’m home now because I couldn’t afford to stay (in State College) for the rest of summer, but I’m staying in shape and would like to continue training during the school year.
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Alyssa Gorski is a 21-year-old senior from the Pennsylvania State University majoring in print journalism, with a minor in Kinesiology. Originally from Pittsburgh, she now resides in State College and is involved in numerous campus activities, including writing for the campus newspaper at a Penn State branch campus, where she published articles covering a wide range of topics from fitness to campus life. In addition, she is a member of the Yellow Ribbon, a service group that writes letters and prepares care packages for troops around the world. Her Kinesiology education, combined with her creative writing skills and high level of sports interest, provides a unique combination of skills and perspective that result in stories that are compelling and fresh. Outside of school, she enjoys reading and writing, watching and participating in many sports and going to the gym. After graduating in fall 2009, she hopes to pursue a career in sport management or information.
