The fight game is no place for people with lethargy in their blood stream. In a business where being pummeled in your face is expected, anything less than full dedication is a prerequisite for success. For Fort Worth’s Alex Russ, dedication, and the sacrifices required, are ingrained into his DNA. Undefeated with a professional mixed martial arts record (MMA) of 2-0 Alex Russ is the perfect example of the rewards reaped with hard work and determination. It is these traits that have served Russ well in life and the driving force that led him into the world of combative sport.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Russ was a natural born fighter.
“Quite frankly, I’ve been fighting all my life in one way or another. I was the youngest and had two older brothers, I grew up in a fairly rough neighborhood where being physical was a part of survival; I’ll put it like that,” confides Russ. “I come from a wrestle background, and I really got into training for MMA just to be active really. I was already a professional when it came to development and graphics and whatnot in my day job, and I was at a desk all day. I’ve been an athlete all my life and there eventually came a point at that time where I was like, ‘Look, I got to do something to keep myself active.’ So, I started training in MMA and from that point on I just feel in love with it. It suited me.”
Russ continues, “To be quite honest with you, I probably would have done MMA a long time ago given the opportunity. MMA is one of the only things [people] said don’t do to be honest with you. Initially when I said I wanted to do MMA, I was discouraged by a few people. I’m happy that I was confident enough to go and do it and work hard at it like I do everything else in life.”
Despite the venom spewed by the naysayers in his life Russ is adamant that proving the haters wrong serves no motivation in bettering himself. After all, he is his harshest critic.
“You know, honestly with me the hate doesn’t motivate. It’s never really about them. It’s about a conquest of my own, really,” explains Russ. “I set my goals on something and I do everything I can to make sure I am successful at that goal. If someone tells me that I can’t do it, on average, I’ll brush it off. I don’t understand people who limit themselves. I never understood saying that you can’t do something, especially if you haven’t tried. If you tried and you have failed, that just means that you are doing something probably wrong and you just need to figure out another way to do it.”
Russ takes his job as a professional fighter with a Spartan-like pride. Motivation to be the best he can be is paramount in his success in the cage, but with that motivation Russ has a work ethic that would put most people to shame.
“Honestly, it’s a hard thing to say that I committed myself fully to MMA. I still have a day job and I have a family. When I’m getting ready for a fight I just don’t sleep,” Russ states with a laugh. “I haven’t been in the position yet where I can wake up and only focus on training. I get up at three in the morning most days and I go jogging. If I’m not up at three in the morning, I’m up at four or five so I can go swimming and I’m at work by six in the morning. A lot of days I’ll go to the gym at work and get on the stationary bike to keep up my cardio. I’m off work at 3 o’clock and I’m off to the gym. I get there around 3:15-3:30 and I’m there until sometime 9:00 PM. Then I go home, rub my head across the pillow and do it all again the next day.”
Despite being a decorated high school wrestler, Russ has only been learning the vast nuances of mixed martial arts for five short years. However, expediting his experience and tutelage is the fact that Russ trains with a hotbed of talent at The Gym in Arlington. The Gym is unique in that it caters to nearly every form of combative sport under the sun. This access to cross training is what Russ attributes to their fight teams success.
“From day one entering the place I knew it was a unique atmosphere. It really just complemented my goal. Everybody is so humble; everybody is so down to earth,” explains Russ. “You have pro boxers, pro Muay Thai guys, just any aspect of the game, great wrestlers, as a mixed martial artist it doesn’t matter what I’m working on. I could be working on my hands and a humble boxer could come along and say I’m doing something wrong, or point out a more efficient way of doing something. And, that has always been the atmosphere there. I’m not really that surprised that we are cranking out talent because it’s the culture of the place. I’ve traveled to a few gyms and this one is special.”
This Saturday night, Russ will get the opportunity to once again display the technical training he receives in training at The Gym when he faces Frank Ortega on the undercard of XKO 10 taking place at The Gym Combative Sports Arena in Arlington. With a record of 4-4, Ortega has a considerable edge in professional fighting experience. Russ seems unfazed by this.
“You know, I respect the guy, but I’m not really concerned with the experience factor,” states Russ. “When you work as hard as I do, you can’t really concern yourself with things like that. I don’t really allow myself to be concerned with things like that. I look at his talent, and I evaluate my own and I try to plug the holes in my game that he may feel he can take advantage of. I’m just looking to get in there and fight my fight to get the victory. “
A victory on Saturday night would establish Russ as one of the hottest fight prospects here in North Texas. However, for a fighter of his resolve Russ seems more focused on simply being the best fighter he can be. But, while he may stand alone in the cage against Ortega, Russ is quick to point out the numerous individuals who have helped get to this point in his career.
“I would like to thank all the guys at The Gym who help me prepare for this fight,” explains Russ. “I would like to thank my sponsors DOM Fight Gear, they have been a big help to me and my career. I would like to thank my sponsor Execution Fight Gear, and as always, give glory to God. I just want to thank him for allowing me to do the things that I love and eve found a way for me to get paid doing things I used to get in trouble for in high school.”
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