Dave Roche interview with Brandon Shields

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Brandon Shields was joined by Dave Roche from Sbg HQ and they talk about a host of topics, the coach/fighter relationship for me was extremely interesting, different personalities how to manage them what category they fall into. How he coaches fighters in-between rounds, when a…

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My name is Brandon Shields. Today I'm in the inaugural SBG Orland joined by none other than the man himself, Dave Roach. Coach Roach in the building. So, Coach Roach has decided that he's going to join us today for an interview. So, we're going to ask him a few questions. I have a couple of questions written down here. But first, before I get into the questions, coach, I want to ask you, what made you get into combat sports? Uh when I was a child, I was uh doing everything from judo to boxing to karate. And it was just a natural prog. I've been doing it since I'm a child. So it's just a natural progression that kind of led me to MMA because that's the truth. That's the most advanced form of fighting. >> Yeah. >> That's what brought me here. >> And if anyone [ __ ] up there, >> do I look that way or that way? By the way, you can look that way. And then when we're talking, we got to look this way. You get me? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Stop making faces. >> Um, right. So, we're going to get into the fourth question. >> You corner fighters from the very first amateur fight all the way to the UFC and the PFL. What's the biggest difference you notice between someone who can fight and someone who can reach that level? >> Ask that again. Say my brain switched off that side. >> They're all good. They're all good. You've cornered fighters from their very first amateur fights all the way to getting to the UFC and the PFL. What's the biggest difference you can notice between someone who can just fight and someone who can reach the highest level of the sport? >> Uh to be coachable. The biggest thing is to be coachable. You can, you know, really anyone can fight and you can get in there and you can win, lose or draw. You can fight. But to really succeed, to get to the highest level, you have to be coachable. You have to listen to your coaches. You have to do things right and you have to be consistent with your training. >> Yeah. >> So all that is very important. >> When you're standing in the corner during a huge fight, what are you actually looking for between rounds that the average person watching the fight wouldn't know? >> Yeah, that's that's a great question. Uh, so first thing I'm looking for, I want to bring my fighter back into the room because the the stress of a fight they sit down. I want to get that breeding right. You see some people that they run back and they scream and stuff into their face. So I want you to sit down. I want you to get your breathing right because if you get your breathing right, then you can actually listen to what I'm saying. >> Yeah. >> So that's the big thing. Just calm them down. Get them back into into the room. And I've noticed that even myself, like I've had you me corner a few times. So >> I know a lot of people are different in the corner whereas you you're a lot more settled and you just want >> get the heart rate down and then I'll talk to you and then I'll give you advice >> cuz I think then you can listen to me. You can actually take something in. Otherwise, if you're drowning trying to get your your your air into it, you can't really hear anything. >> Yeah, definitely. So what's a harder for a coach? A complete beginner who knows nothing or an elite fighter who already has years of experience and has developed their own habits. Definitely an elite fighter cuz they bring in lots of uh bad habits. They bring in good things. As a coach always learning off everyone, you know, you've learned me stuff. Different people have seen learned stuff off. Everyone on the map Yeah. has learned me stuff about them because they do stuff individually. >> Yeah. >> But they also bring a lot of bad habits and sometimes the bad habits are hard to break. >> Yeah. >> Where began you get kind of a blank canvas. >> It's like a wet sponge. >> A wet sponge and then you kind of There's always going to be bad habits, but you know, not not as much. Like you might get guys that uh you see guys who are heavily w into wrestling they lead their front foot forward. Yeah. >> And their head they lead with their head. Boxers front foot forward >> but all the way on the >> All the way on the lead leg. Toy boxers a little square. >> Yeah. >> And uh jiu-jitsu guys like to jump to the ball. >> Yeah. >> So everyone all all the martial arts that are integrated within MMA brings bad habits. So yeah, >> elite fighters definitely be [laughter] the elite fighters, right? You've experienced everything from the small local shows to the biggest stages in MMA. Does the pressure actually feel different at UFC and PFL level or does it just look different from the outside? I tell you, I tell you what, really, as a coach and as a fighter, it doesn't like like I've walked out to a an event with 200 people >> and then I've walked out with an event with 20,000 people. >> Yeah. >> And the pressure is the same. You you want the it's a fight to fight, >> a fight to fight. Uh I have to be honest with you, I I don't see a difference in the pressure uh there for the fire and certainly not for myself. Both the I get the same feelings each time. >> Yeah. >> What's the biggest mistake you see young fighters making when they're trying to progress from amateur MMA into the professional game? >> Uh so they can make a few uh different mistakes. one they can, you know, train too hard. You're the culprit. Uh so people overtrain because they they're making the program. They think, okay, I've done this. A lot of the amateurs now are trained like pros. >> Yeah. >> Like you've been trained like a pro as an amateur. >> So when you turn pro and you're you're a great example, you don't you train all day every day. So sometimes like ourselves, we'd have to pull you back and say no. Yeah. Rest is just as important. Yeah, >> that's training. >> Definitely. >> Yeah, >> I'm not taking 20 million fights a year. >> Yes, [laughter] >> I'm still getting given out for that, but we're learning. >> We're learn. We are. We're getting there. >> How much of being a great coach is actually about technique and how much is understanding the individual or psychology? >> Like there's many great coaches out there and they've got beautiful techniques. I do for me I I I I personally think that what makes a great coach is someone who will uh like customize the game. >> It's like getting a suit. You know, you could go in and you could buy a suit and the thousand of them or 100 suits are the same fit or you go in and get one that's custom made for the person. So different people I believe the style is always going to look a bit different and they're going to do techniques a bit different and you know sometimes you have to uh you know really get in touch with with what they're thinking. >> Yeah. >> You know so you know they they they your style might not suit them. >> Yeah. >> So it's really getting into their head space is a big thing. And if you can get there the head space, I think then you can kind of uh you know pass on your techniques better to them and they'll make it their own. >> So you would go more with psychology. >> I would go more with psychology right >> now. But you do need technique. >> You can't be just you know you're not going to get some uh Dr. Phil coming in teaching MMA. >> Yeah. And some people aren't suited to certain types of coaches. >> Absolutely. like an interesting study actually me and John talked about a lot and what type of coaches there are and some guys fit into a red zone, a green zone and a blue zone and that's something we might actually bring in TBG and it helps you understand different personalities. >> Yeah. >> So different personalities could be have a different way style of coaching >> and some fighters >> are more attracted to the red style or the green style or the blue style >> and that's important as well. So sometimes you see coaches and fighters gel. It's just their personalities that the coaching styles really connect to each other. And that's that's a big thing. And I found that myself like you know as you know I'm training in this gym since I'm like seven or eight years old. And when I was younger I had a lot of different coaches that were coming in now. And then when we moved into this gym as soon as I came in contact with you and came in contact with Shane it was bread and butter. >> Yeah. You know what I mean? >> Well that's a great compliment coming from yourself. So, uh, yeah, thank you for that. And, yeah, we definitely got a good connection. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Right. Have you ever had a fight where your game plan completely fell apart once the cage door closed? And if so, how do you adapt as a coach in real time? >> Yes. And it's a nightmare because you feel like you're drowning in the air and and actually it's a when the fighter drowns, you have to make sure not to drown. >> Yeah. So yeah, the game plan sometimes goes out the window. The main thing is to stay calm >> and trust your fighter. You have to know if I'm doing a corner with someone. If I'm cornering you, for instance, I know I know your style. >> Yeah. >> So I know if it's going wrong first, what advice to give you. >> Yeah. >> And sometimes I'm not giving you >> textbook techniques. Yeah. >> Because I know, well, that doesn't suit him. So I might give you something that I know that's going to advice I know that you can actually do that might work. So it's knowing the fighters style >> knowing that style and knowing them personally and >> knowing them personally >> and making sure if it's going wrong that don't let them break cuz it's easy to break in a fight. So if they're breaking you can't you know you have to just kind of you know we're still there. It's not over till the bell rings >> 100%. It's not over until the fat lady sings. cuz the fat lady sings 100%. And we don't see any fat ladies around here. Not a hope. That's why we're in the gym 24/7, isn't it? >> At SBG, you've had four years training alongside people at completely different levels throughout your career. >> How important do you think that environment is in developing an amateur into a professional? >> Yeah, that's a great question. Uh I I think that's very important because you know like the guys in the room bring everyone else up. So the top we've had top guys here like uh Connor and you know Argu you know one of the best fighters ever standing in the the UFC. >> Definitely. >> H and for guys you like yourself to be training with him. What's it feel like? >> It just brings your level up doesn't it? >> Definitely. >> And then it gives the guys like Connor and like the best guys on the map an opportunity to try different things with guys who are not quite as advanced as them >> so they can try different things so it works well for both sides and as well when you have the likes of Connor coming onto the map >> he's just a small kid from Kremlin that one of the biggest stars in the world >> yeah absolutely >> so that gives motivation to the younger amateur fighters like myself looking coming from where I come from talking >> and >> that pushes you to motivate you and say that's where I want to go. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. So that that that's a that's a big a big h a big factor just to have that type of inspiration on the map. >> Yeah. You know, >> what separates a fighter who reaches the UFC from one who has all the physical ability but never coin it? >> Oh, that's a very good question. Uh you know what? You can get to the dance. That doesn't all always mean that uh you uh you get to dance. So what I mean by that is you see some fighters and like we see some gym heroes here that they're fantastic on the map. >> Yeah. >> But under the bright lights on the sides don't shine >> and it goes the opposite way as well. >> It does go the opposite side. >> That's that's that's exactly it. Then you see some guys who are not great on the map and you have to give them a chance to see what they compete like cuz then they compete really well, you know. So >> yeah, that's that's that's a big thing in fighting >> and that that's actually bigger than I ever realized >> uh since before I became a coach. Coaching really helped me realize that that some guys don't perform on the map but do on a Saturday night and some guys are great on the map but don't perform on a Saturday night. >> Yeah, definitely. I have a b I have one more question on this, but I have one bonus question. >> Yes. >> Out of all the gyms that you've trained in over the years, so as you said, you started when you were young. Yeah. Out of all the gyms that you trained in over the years, why does SBG stand out to you the most? >> Uh I think here we're very open-minded and we we let people grow individually. Yeah. like I would say is uh I go back to that suit analogy, you know, we don't just try and uh have a one technique for all. Like you're going to fight different to Shane Mullen, >> different to Nome, different to Kenny. We understand that. So we try and tailor make uh our teachings to the person. >> Yeah. >> And I think I think that's a big thing that that we try and do here. And I really like that coaching that coaching style >> definitely you know I mean some of the top coaches in the country like we have yourself we have Marius for the jiu-jitsu we Shane for the striking we have John Cavinet as well like there some top top level coaches here >> like the best coaches in the country are here >> you know there's no doubt you know >> 100% >> yeah don't forget reborn as well don't forget Roger >> Roger as well >> don't forget I can name 10 people here >> definitely all the way from the beginners MMA game. Yeah, >> just top level. >> Top level coaching. Yeah, >> definitely. >> Right. And we have one final question for you, Dad. >> After everything you've experienced as a coach, if you could sit down with yourself when you first started coaching, what's one piece of advice that you give yourself? >> Uh, Rome was not built in the day. And I'm always saying that to you actually take your time. This is a long process and you're not going to you know fighters want it now and you want pro now and you want to be the best the world now but it's a long process and takes time >> and as coach and young young people like yourself I have to be patient and I know you know it's going to take time to for me what I want from you it's going to take a few years >> yeah if I was to get there and we have to take one step at a time you know don't rush Yeah. And it's a marathon. It's not a sprint. >> It's an it's a it's it's a marathon. It's not a sprint. 100%. >> I had to come to terms with that myself. >> Yeah. That was a big thing we discussed. Yeah. Definitely. >> Well, this been a great chat talking to you there. Really appreciate you taking the time out for a job with me. As always, we like to thank Dave Ro for coming on. Thank SVD for letting us use the facility here. And thank you Comar Sports. I've been Brandon Ch. This has been Dave Roach. Peace out. Good. Yeah.