Exactly ten years ago today—July 25, 2015—I stepped into the Octagon at UFC on FOX 16 in Chicago to face a legend of the sport: Takanori Gomi, famously known as “The Fireball Kid.”
When I was in college, I was obsessed with MMA. I’d watch old PRIDE fights on repeat, and Gomi was always a standout. His style was electric—hard punches, fearless attitude, and highlight-reel knockouts. So when the UFC called and asked if I wanted to fight him, it was a surreal moment. I was getting a shot to compete against one of my idols.
The fight itself ended quickly, but it had one memorable, dramatic moment that fans still mention today. After a short striking exchange, I timed a punch, ducked under, and secured a takedown. I worked to his back, flattened him out, and began landing punches from the top.
In seconds, Gomi went belly-down and stopped actively defending. I felt it instantly—he was done. But the referee hadn’t stopped the fight yet.
I paused, stood up, and walked away.
The crowd went silent for a second as the referee took a closer look. After a short hesitation, he waved off the fight. A rare walk-off TKO victory. It wasn’t about adding another highlight. It was about respect for someone I had admired for years.
🎥 Here’s the Video Blog Playlist
In these videos, you’ll see:
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Behind-the-scenes of fight week prep and weight cut
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My mindset heading into a fight against a personal MMA hero
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Post-fight reflections immediately after the walk-off finish
10 Years Later: Still Fighting—Just in a Different Role
Today, I’m still involved in martial arts, just from a different angle. Instead of fighting inside the cage, I’m coaching and building a martial arts community at Lauzon MMA in Raynham.
Every day, I help kids and adults build confidence, learn discipline, and experience the sense of respect and honor that defined that night in Chicago. Our programs include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for adults, kickboxing and self-defense, and youth martial arts classes like our popular Tiny Ninjas program for ages 3–5.
The values from the cage—discipline, respect, and compassion—are exactly what we teach daily at Lauzon MMA.
Ready to Step on the Mats?
If you’ve ever thought about training martial arts, now is the perfect time. Whether you’re brand new, experienced, or just curious, we have a spot waiting for you.
👉 Schedule a class or stop by the academy and say hi.
👉 And if you’ve trained with us before, please take a moment to leave a Google review. Your words help our community continue to grow.
Here’s to another decade ahead. 👊
– Joe