MMAbuzz.com had the opportunity to interview Keith Schmelzer, President and CEO of Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz out of Denver, Colorado, to talk to him about his upcoming show BAD BOYZ FOR TOYZ, what he looks for in a fighter, and how to fight for Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz.

MMAbuzz.com: Can you briefly give us your background experience with MMA?
Keith: Yes, I’ve been involved in kickboxing and MMA training since 1974. I got my black belt in 1981 and have fought in numerous kickboxing bouts, but I have never fought in the cage. I have a Kick boxing, Maui Thai, and MMA training team called the Freedom Fighters.

Thanks! Now let’s start with MMA events.

MMAbuzz.com: What makes a great MMA event?
Keith: Having two matched opponents who are equally talented battling in the cage.

MMAbuzz.com: What do you try to accomplish in your events?
Keith: I try to teach fighters how to become professionals, giving them an opportunity to become better in the cage. The goal is for a fighter to achieve a better skill level every time he or she steps into the cage. We as Colorado promoters don’t want fighters to get beat down in the cage every time they fight, thus discouraging our fighters and making them quite. We try to evenly match fighters, giving them equal opportunity fights, developing him or her, and elevating them to the level they need to be in order to fight in the cage.

MMAbuzz.com: Where do you see MMA in Colorado in 5 years?
Keith: MMA is going to skyrocket even more than it has now. At one time, there were only two MMA shows a month in Colorado. Now it’s huge.

MMAbuzz.com: Who are the fighters to watch for Thursday at Bad Boyz for Toyz?
Keith: Definitely, my Super Bout between Laura Sughara and Lavida Givan and the ISKA TITLE bout between Matt Howard and Phil Martin. Also, the bout between Stephen Zeytunyan who will be defending his title against Bradon Thatch is a fight to watch.

Alright, let’s talk about fighters.
MMAbuzz.com: What do you think makes a fighter successful?
Keith: A successful fighter, in my eyes, is a fighter who acknowledges his or her own ability, trains hard at the gym, including cardio, and doesn’t just go to beat on people.

MMAbuzz.com: What action should a fighter take to elevate his MMA career?
Keith: Cross-train with other fighters and at other gyms to broaden his or her experience and knowledge of MMA and kickboxing.

MMAbuzz.com: Which Colorado fighter do you feel has the most potential to make a successful MMA career?
Keith: Donald Ceronne. He trained out of Freedom Fighters and now he’s cross training all over the United States. He’s currently training in Albuquerque, NM. Donald holds a record of 28-0.

MMAbuzz.com: Do you have a most memorable fight?
Keith: The most memorable fight for me is when Travis Sherman beat Joey Welch, at Battle in the Cage. Travis has three belts in Maui Thai and now he is cross training, going to the ground like Donald Ceronne. Travis caught Joey with an arm bar, lost it and then finished Joey with a triangle in the first round.

MMAbuzz.com: What steps should a fighter take if he or she wants to fight at a Rocky Mountain Bad Boy event?
Keith: First thing is have his or her coach get a hold of me. I will then evaluate the fighter and determine what level he or she is at to see if I can match them correctly with a fighter on my card. If I determine his or her skill level is too low, I will not let him or her fight at the show and will recommend he or she spend more time in the gym to increase the skill level.

MMAbuzz.com: Would you like to share something with the audience about either you, Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz, or MMA?
Keith: Yes. Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz is a team. We’re called Team Bad Boyz – a full team. I’m just the quarterback. Everybody plays an important roll on our team and is part of the game. We’re here to stay and we’re not leaving.

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