Biography of local Fighter Justin Radford
When and how did you start MMA?
I started training in 2009 with Calven THE BUTCHER Robinson at Body guru in Umhlanga. I was always big into training and keeping fit and strong, playing a bit of club rugby at Crusaders and pushing weights at the gym.
What Made you fall in love with the sport?
When I started MMA training it was almost an instant addiction! I fell in love with the sport and all the techniques that come with it. I had my first fight when I was 20 years old at AFL and won in 58seconds. I have had 11 fights to date with 7wins 3losses and 1 no contest.
What’s your favourite part of MMA?
My favourite part of MMA hmm i love all of it, I love the boxing and doing hand pads, but i also love learning knew techniques on the floor, as soon as you think you know enough something else presents itself, and the sport will continue to do that as its forever evolving.
Where do you currently train, and who helps you with your training?
I train with GORGEOUS BOYS HARDCORE under sensei Rhyne Hassan. He is the reason I know MMA will always evolve because one man who has so much knowledge still finds new ways to make us all feel like we know nothing, then pass that knowledge on to us and then show us he still knows more lol.He is a true MMA coach & probably the best SA has to date.
Who’s your manager, and who inspires you to be better at what you do?
I am lucky enough to have one of South Africas first MMA brands owner (HUNTER MMA) as my manager, he is my big brother Sandro Avellini and has been with me and behind my MMA career from the very beginning, I am also lucky to have great friends and mentors like Justin Ferrier and Dallas Jakobi who have ample time for MMA and the growth and development of South African MMA.
What advice can you give to someone that might want to follow in your footsteps?
The only advice I can really give young and upcoming fighters as well as anyone who wants to get into MMA is “keep your hands up” “when others find excuses not to train you must find the reasons to get on with it” but the most important thing every sportsman regardless of the sport you partake in is always be humble and acknowledge and thank everyone for all the help and support they give you along your road to success.
What was/is your ultimate feeling to date during a fight?
My favorite feeling in a fight is the end haha especially when my hand is held high and my team is all smiles and my friends and family are jumping for joy and my mother can finally breathe a sigh of relief haha.
Which part of Mix Martial Arts would you say you the greatest at?
I think my strong point in MMA would have to be my boxing I love standing and trading punches even though majority of my wins have been via submission i guess that’s MMA for you, take your win wherever it presents itself.
Please tell us who Justin Radford is when you are not in the cage or training in the gym?
The JR everyone knows outside of MMA and training haha I guess I’m a pretty laid back guy, I enjoy being around my mates haha some say I’m scared of my own shadow because i always want to make plans to hang out, I am very much in love with my girlfriend Natalie yes i know MMA fighters are allowed to have a soft side to you know haha, enjoy going out to dinners with her, chilling at breakers swimming and relaxing and socializing with our friends, we are not big party animals so we spend a lot of time together chilling, we get on like a house on fire and she is my best friend and biggest fan so MMA is a big part of both our lives so I am truly lucky!
Explain to us, how a normal training day look like to you?
MMA is one of the most physically demanding sports so training is a big part of my daily routine, on a normal day I will have one weight training session and one fight session, closer to a fight I will slow down on the weights and pick up my fight training with extra sessions on pads, grappling and road running, its actually the reason I became a personal trainer, I needed to train more and naturally needed a career that would allow me to do so, naturally from training and helping guys out in the gym I thought why not use my time to help others get fit and enjoy training while making some money. I started in a double garage and after a year I moved into my current premises and have now sold it to my best mate Dallas Jakobi and will be relocating to JHB and opening the 2nd ‘JUST RESULTS PRIVATE GYM’ on the 1st of October.
Do you follow a special diet?
I believe that if you train hard you can eat worse haha I tell all my clients everything in moderation, if you want to eat cake try run a little, my weight is not an issue for me as I walk around pretty close to my fighting weight so I don’t have to pull that much weight, however when i turn pro next year i will be cutting down a lot to make light weight which is 10kgs less than what I walk around at so some serious dieting will be in order.
Do you currently have any sponsorship’s on-board to help you with your career?
I am lucky enough to have sponsors who support my career and would just like to say a big thank you to everyone else that has followed my MMA career and wishes me well and says a prayer for me for my fights. Big thank you to my family and friends who have been behind me from the beginning, my brothers at GBH and my trainer and friend sensei Rhyne Hassan, my manager Sandro Avellini, my friends Dallas Jakobi and Justin Ferrier, all my sponsors Jake from sin on skin best tattoo artist in Durban and South Africa, Hunter MMA, Global steel Oscar,Moosa an Ash,Greg Parton from Driset, Avi from Vodacom gateway and last a big thank you to my lovely Natalie O’Gorman for putting up with my whining when I Icome home sore with cuts and bruises, when I want to sleep in and miss training, for keeping my head screwed on straight when I need to see the light and stay focused, could not do it without you bub!