Jimy "The Kid" Hettes
Jim The Kid Hettes was one of the break-out pros of 2009. He ran up a 4-0 record with the quickness. Not once has an opponent taken Jim into the second round in his pro or amateur careers. A purplebelt BJJ trainer at Gracie NEPA, Jim is set to main event Shogun Fights II in Baltimore MD at the end of the month.
Jim, thanks for answering a few questions. Let’s start with your background. Your a trainer at Gracie NEPA, if I’m not mistaken. How long have you been training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and how did you get hooked up with Gracie NEPA?
JH: I have been training in BJJ for around 6 years in that time i achieved a purple belt and before that I wrestled as a kid. So my whole life Ive been grappling in one way or another. I have been teaching at Gracie NEPA Swoyersville since i was 17 years old cause teaching just came natural to me. It was real convenient cause the gym is only 5 minutes away from my house so when i was small i would just walk there and train.
You’ve undercarded on some lower profile shows but really announced your presence with an :85 win over Steven Baker to open Shogun 1. First, let’s talk about Shogun, it sounds like that was a huge event. Being in an arena with the big-time production, did that affect you any?
JH: It was a real good showing at the Shogun event. It was nice to see such support for our sport, but on that note, the size of the crowd has never influenced me. Its a fight between two individuals and the rest are just there to watch. So i don’t put too much emphasis on anything that goes on outside the cage.
Your heading back down to Baltimore to face hometown favorite Binky Jones. This fight your in the clean up spot against the hometown guy. No body fights in a vacuum, so how are you preparing to be the “bad guy” fighting the home town hero?
JH: I don’t really concern myself with who is the bad or good guy for fights. The theatrics of mma has never concerned me. I like to go out and fight with all of my heart and all the knowledgeable fans will appreciate that.
When I first talked about this fight, I mentioned that Binky is old enough to be your father. He’s got an 18 year head start on you, and has 4 times as many pro fights. Obviously, once the door’s locked none of that matters, but how does his age and experience play into how you prepare?
JH: I know he has alot of experience as a fighter, but I feel ready to take on that experience. At the end of the day its still a fight between two people, and that is something i have been training my whole life for. So I am up for the challenge.
Your sponsored by MMAMelee.com, which is one probably the best fight-minded networking site. And it seems like whenever you go to a fight, MMA Melee runs up squad deep into the building. How did you get hooked up with Mike Malast and his crew, and how has the site helped you?
JH: Mike is from the same town as me, and is a huge fan of mma. So when he heard that we are from the same area he gave me a ton of good exposure and help on the politics of mma. Him and the others of MMA Melee have been extremely kind and supportive and i am extremely grateful.
The second half of 2009 was pretty active for you with 4 fights in six months. But this is the first fight of 2010. Have you thought about how active your going to be this year?
JH: I don’t really plan to far in advance when i have an upcoming fight. I believe in putting all my energy into that fight and then I will worry about the future after the fight.
One last one for the Shogun show. I could make a guess at your answer. But what’s your prediction for this fight?
JH: It will be a good fight. He is an excellent fighter and i have alot of respect for him as a person and fighter. I will let my training speak for itself. I want to push that pace and try to get another first round victory, either by submission or KO.
One of my goals for 2010 is to really build the casual MMA fan base in this area. So tell us why your a fan of MMA, what is it about going to fights that gets you excited? And what do you like to see at MMA events?
JH: For me I really enjoy the technical aspect of MMA. I’m not a big fan of the blood and gore but the martial arts aspect of the fight. I really enjoy the MMA shows with knowledgeable fans that know what is going on and not just screaming for blood.
Last question is traditionally the open mic. A chance to shout out whoever and plug your gym and your websites.
JH: I wanna give a big shout out to my gyms first. I have basically been living at these places for this fight so they have helped alot. thanks to Swoyersville Submission Wrestling, Gracie NEPA, and World Class Boxing. also thanks to my sponsors Newhart Chiropractic, Clinchgear, and of course MMA Melee.
Thanks to Mike Malast at MMA Melee for this, Jim Hettes vs Stephen Baker at Shogun 1.
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