HOUSTON, TX, February 21, 2013 – TXMMA caught up with Thomas Galdenzi as he puts in the final preparations for his upcoming Muay Thai fight in St. Petersburg, Florida on Saturday, February 23rd. Galdenzi feels great one week away from fighting for the title against Dalton Jenkins (8-2) at Pahlavan Promotions’ “USA vs. Germany” hybrid amateur MMA/Muay Thai event. Galdenzi stepped up and took this east coast fight on short notice representing his Champions M.M.A. & Fitness academy and is looking to bring some hardware back to Texas. Here is our interview with him; TXMMA wishes him the best of luck and hopes he represents our state accordingly!
Interview – Thomas Galdenzi (Champions MMA)
TXMMA: Can you share a little about yourself for our readers who don’t know you?
Well my name is Tom ” Tommy Gun ” Galdenzi. When I was about 6 I was in the dojo training with my dad off and on. I did karate when I was younger, but I didn’t like it at all. I always wanted to hit the other kids and get hit back, so I ended up quitting karate as a blue belt. When I was in the 8th grade my buddies and I started a backyard UFC/fight club thing called Camptank. We would set up a few fights every Friday after school and a lot of people from Klein High School would come to my house and watch 3 to 4 fights. We used boxing gloves, but fought MMA rules. I went 9-0 in the Camptank back yard fights. We have a website called camptank.webs.com, check it out or YouTube Camptank. After that I thought I was a really good fighter, so when freshman year started I signed up for the Klein’s Wrestling team and started to look for kickboxing or boxing gyms. I wrestled 3 years in high school. I started boxing at L.A boxing under Mike Williams, who was in Rocky 5 and is a world champion boxer. I trained under him for about 2 year then Mike just disappeared on me.
TXMMA: What drew you to Muay Thai?
TG: First I love watching people standing up and just banging it out! I started off as a kickboxer and went 3-2 fighting in both styles of kickboxing –Full contact an International Rules. I liked the International rules way better because it is more like Muay Thai, but without knees. I love to throw knees, so I was like, “I need to fight a Muay Thai fight.” Finally I’m injury free and ready to fight my first Thai fight and win this belt for Houston, TX and show everyone Kickboxing is the highest level of striking.
TXMMA: How would you describe Muay Thai?
TG: Well Muay Thai is a lot like Kickboxing, but you can also elbow and knee instead of just kicking and punching. It’s the art of 8 limbs, because you can punch, knee, elbow, kick with both sides of your both (left and right side) which is 8 killer strikes. I got into Muay Thai, because there is no grappling. People are paying to see a show and everyone know that want to see someone get knocked out and busted up. That’s the only thing that can happen in Muay Thai.
TXMMA: What kind of fighter are you when you step inside the ring to compete?
TG: I think my style is one of a kind. I use to be a brawler, but now I fight way more calm and smarter. I use to just want to go out there and bum rush my opponent and try to knock him out in round one. I now know you should force the knock out just let it come and it will. I love to stick and move and kick people. There is no better feeling when you break someone down with leg kicks or when you land a solid body kick and watch them fall. It’s a great feeling. If am losing being the smarter fighter, then I will go back to my brawler days and see who gets Knock out first.
TXMMA: What can you tell TXMMA readers about you that they wouldn’t know from watching you compete?
TG: Well I just Graduated from Lonestar College and will be interning at Cypress Hospital as an x-ray tech. I am getting my bartending license as we speak. I am the head Muay Thai / M.M.A coach at Champion’s M.M.A, which I love that job and my students. I love to chill with my friends when I’m not in a fight competition if y’all see sorry I haven’t been around lately. Been grinding hard, but 1 week and we can party!!
TXMMA: What are some of the learning experiences you’ve gained from competing in the ring?
TG: Biggest learning lesson I learned about myself in the ring was my first loss. I was 1-0 and the guy I was fighting was 15-0 at the time. It was in IKF 2010 GRAND Prix tournament, 4 fights in 2 days. It was both are second fight of the day. I hurt Calvin bad in the first round and then gassed after trying t0 finish him. The 2 and 3 round I was getting beat up (not going to lie). I learned I need to have great cardio to fight and I learned I could take a beating and not give up and keep fighting until the end no matter how hurt I am. Lost a crazy 3 round war to a 15-0 guy no shame in that.
TXMMA: What is a learning lesson you gained from outside of martial arts competition?
TG: Biggest learning lesson outside of the ring would be when I went to jail for getting into a bar fight. I learned from that to be the bigger person and just walk away if someone is running his or her mouth. It’s not worth the trouble beating up a shit talker, because he will get the last laugh at the end. I promised myself I would never get into a street fight / bar fight again. I fight for honor / respect not to show that I can knock you out.
TXMMA: You are fighting for a title in Florida, what is the scouting report on your opponent?
TG: I will be fighting (8-2) Dalton Jenkins. He has a World Title at 147lb and has the Southeast 150lb title, which is the one I will be taking from him this weekend. I know he has great cardio and good speed and he’s very tall. I heard 6’1, but I haven’t met him in person. I think it’s an honor to fight someone at his level and I promise I will be putting on a show win or lose.
TXMMA: Congratulations on receiving a title shot, do you think the short notice will affect your preparation?
TG: It might be short notice, but I did do 3-a-days pretty much every day since I got the fight.
TXMMA: What can you tell our readers about your preparation for the upcoming title shot?
TG: I [have] been grinding with my main team Champions M.M.A with Eric Schechinger, John Ballad, Joey Carr and Tyron Biggems, which all have fights coming up. I also just started back up at 4oz MMA and I’ve getting some great [sparring] with Coach Jeremy Mahon and got big thanks to Levi West, UFC fighter Daniel [Pineda] for helping with my boxing, also thank You John and Taylor Swanson for being there since day one brothers. Thank you all so much for the help!
TXMMA: How do you see this fight going down; do you have any predictions you’d like to make?
TG: I see me out looking for the knock out. I don’t want to fight 5 rounds with anyone. I plan on going out there and getting my hands, kicks and knee on this guy early. If we go all 5 rounds that’s fine. I can go 10 if needed. I really don’t want it to go to the judges, because he’s the Champ and it’s in his hometown of Florida. I know it would be a walk in the park and I’m ready to fight my butt off! I want this belt more than anything!
TXMMA: If you could say anything to your opponent right now what would it be?
TG: I’m going to make you pay for making me drop an extra 3lb to fight you on 2-weeks’ notice. The fight was at 153lb then last week the said he wouldn’t want to fight me at 153lb anymore and the want me to drop to 150lb, when they knew I was walking around 166lb, but I sucked it up and still dropped the extra weight for this fight and I will make him pay for that.
TXMMA: What’s next on your plate after this fight, Thomas?
TG: I plan on winning the Southeast 150lb Title, then coming for the winner of the 147lb World Title fight that is the Main event on the card I will be fighting on Feb 23, 2013 USA VS Germany!!!
TXMMA: You mentioned that your fight is in Florida, are you planning to go to Disney if you win?
TG: Not to Disney World, but for sure to the beach and I’ll be partying hard after the fight with my Corner-man and brother that lives there.
TXMMA: Do you cross-train in any other disciplines?
TG: I use to train a lot of wrestling / JJ [Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu], but I stopped doing that a few months ago and only focus on stand up. Might grapple a few matches once a month.
TXMMA: Would you consider a transition towards MMA in the future?
TG: After I win a few Muay Thai / Kickboxing fights I will for sure be coming to MMA and try to win some belts!
TXMMA: Any last words?
TG: I would love to thank my sponsor’s ” Revolutus Fightwear ” & ” Intricate Apparel ” and ” Wu-M.M.A ” for helping me out with gear and clothing and believing in me. Everyone Please go check them out they’re great companies. Also Thank you to everyone at Champion’s M.M.A and 4oz M.M.A. Big thanks to my Mom Susan Galdenzi and to everyone who believes in me and supports me , because I wouldn’t be able to do this without y’all and thank you readers for reading this interview, it means a lot and Thank You TXMMA for the interview.