As a Nor Cal native, Connor Donaldson found Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu the same way many other have – he wanted to become an MMA fighter. With an athletic background that included 7 years of competitive gymnastics, Connor came in well-equipped from a physiological perspective but his parents weren’t thrilled with the idea of MMA so he found himself in a BJJ class and hasn’t looked back since.
With a move to university and a whole other city on the horizon, Connor Donaldson will now step onto the F2W stage this Saturday night as he takes on 10th Planet’s Alan Sanchez for the brown belt NOGI welterweight title. With his goals in the future including eventually running his own academy, Connor hopes to add a significant win here to his growing resume.
Read on and get more on his life and thoughts on the bout this Saturday night.
Fight 2 Win 94 Interview – Connor Donaldson (Gracie Barra)
Hey Connor, share for us a little bit of your life story if you don’t mind.
I grew up in a lovely Nor Cal city in the heart of Sonoma county called Rohnert Park. Growing up I had, and still have, a strong connection with my family. I was never a fan of school at any age, and I wasn’t a standout in any subject, nor was I considered to be popular by any stretch of the imagination. At the age of 10 I started gymnastics. From there my love/hate relationship for competing began. I stayed active in the sport of gymnastics till the age of 17 and in the summer of 2012 I quit. With time on my hands during the summer leading up to senior year I wanted to do something that both kept me active and filled my need for competing. Enter my idea to be an MMA fighter. My parents, not thrilled with the idea, suggested I talk to our neighbor’s personal trainer about the best training facility. He suggested a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy. I took my first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class on November 29th 2012 at Gracie Barra Rohnert Park. From there I never looked back. As my passion and love grew for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu my fantasy of becoming an MMA fighter shrank. Enthralled with BJJ, I eventually stopped other actives like boxing and focused 100% on BJJ. I eventually graduated high school and attended 2 years at a local community college, while still staying active in BJJ the entire time. My next step was to go to a university to finish out my degree with the only requirement that a good BJJ school be in close proximity. I moved down to Long Beach to attend CSULB (home of the pyramid) and start classes at Gracie Barra Long Beach under the tutelage of a Rodrigo Augusto. From there I finished college while staying active in the sport of BJJ. I have since graduated with a BS in Business Management and intend on using that knowledge to start a Gracie Barra academy in Nor Cal.
How long have you been training jiujitsu?
I will have trained 6 year on November 29th of this year.
What’s your daily routine like?
My typical routine is waking up, going to work, training and sleeping. Not the most glamorous routine but I thoroughly enjoy it.
What are some of your main competition goals?
My main competition goals are to do the best I can, have fun and compete as often as possible. I also strive to achieve a Pan Am and World title.
Who would you consider as some of your main influences?
My professor Rodrigo Augusto and my training partners that have kids, full time jobs and still are able to train BJJ on a regular basis. They are truly my BJJ inspirations.
What about besides jiujitsu? What else do you want to accomplish?
Haha I can’t really think of any goal or aspiration that isn’t somehow connected to BJJ.
What’s your biggest motivation in jiujitsu? In life?
My biggest motivation in BJJ is the never-ending processes of being able to improve myself every day, and become a better version of myself with each passing day. My biggest motivation in life is my family!
What are your biggest fears?
My biggest fear in BJJ and life is having an unsuccessful BJJ academy.
How would you describe your jiujitsu to somebody that’s never seen you compete before?
My Jiu Jitsu is very guard oriented. I incorporate my flexibility and athleticism from gymnastics into my BJJ.
Your opponent at F2W 94, Alan Sanchez, what do you know about him?
We’ve met before so I know he’s a nice guy and an avid competitor. I know he’s from 10th Planet so he only trains no gi. I also know he’s predominantly a guard player. I’ll have to watch out for his slick transitions and his attacks from guard.
What sub are you predicting for the finish?
Haha anything and everything is on the table. Nothing for me is off limits.
Any last words for the fans or anything else?
I’d just like to say thank you to all my family, teammates and friends who have been supportive of me along my BJJ journey. Lastly, I can never stress how appreciative I am of my parents and how supportive they are of me and how they come to just about every competition to cheer me on!
