Part 25 of our ongoing amateur MMA interview series.

For part 25 of our ongoing interview series with amateur MMA fighters, coaches and trainers we spoke with Brandon Browning. We'd like to thank Brandon for taking the time to chat with us.

Q: So Brandon, what is your current record? Any fights coming up soon?

I'm currently 1-2 with both losses via decision. Nothing scheduled right now but I'm lifting and training hard. I'll probably fight in the summer.

Q: Awesome. Let us know when you get something lined up. At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to become a competitive Mixed Martial Artist?

Well I've always been pretty competitive. Started football in fourth grade. I wrestled three years in high school. After I graduated high school, I found some MMA gyms to continue wrestling, which then led to learning jiu-jitsu and progressed to boxing and Muay Thai.
 
Q: It always seems some of the best MMA stars began with wrestling. Have there been any challenges in your life that you’ve had to overcome in order to get where you are today?

Besides the normal challenges of life, I had my elbow broken in a jiu-jitsu tournament in '08 that was tough to come back from. It took a while to rehab it. Also, I work full-time and attend college part-time during training. But all the struggles make chasing your dreams and achieving your own personal goals that much more enjoyable in the end.

Q: Very well said! Is there a current MMA star you like to pattern yourself after?

I don't think I really pattern myself after anyone but Roy Nelson is definatley a fighter that I look up to. The way he goes in and fights smartly and never quits. A prime example was the Junior dos Santos fight. He took a lot of huge shots but never quit. I also really like Mayhem Miller cuz he never quits, doesn't really slow down and he's really fun to watch. He's wild. Haha.

Q: Hence the nickname "Mayhem". Where do you train? Care to make a shout out to any of your instructors or training partners?

I train at the Tapout Training Center in Las Vegas with Team Tompkins. Shout out to Shawn Tompkins for all the help he's given me.

Q: Has your fighting style evolved since you began training or have you stuck with a specific style throughout?

Well I definatley started as a straight wrestler and although that's still a huge part of my game I feel very well rounded at now. My kickboxing has definatley evolved. But through all the different aspects of MMA, I really enjoy the mental part of it. The ability to go into the cage and break the other fighter psychologically and make them quit is often overlooked. It takes a lot of courage to step into a fight. And it takes a lot to never quit when a fight gets really tough.
 
Q: Is there any particular training you spend more time on? Cardio? Strength training?

Through training with Team Tompkins there's a lot of cardio built into the way we train. But at the moment I really want to focus in lifting and getting stronger. Also, I'm going to start training alot on my jiu-jitsu because at the higher levels it seems like everyone in UFC is a black belt so I feel that's a major area I need to focus on.
 
Q: What advice would you give to other people looking to get into MMA, or any competitive sport, for that matter?

Just jump into it. Set short term and long term goals for things you need to work on. If you're not great at first don't quit. Keep working hard. In competitive sports you sometimes need a few losses so you can reflect back and learn from your mistakes. If you really enjoy something never stop chasing your dreams.