Louis Smolka was well aware of the benefits of having a new gym open in Waipahu.
But it’s the benefit he wasn’t expecting that has fueled his training camp leading up to Saturday’s fight against Matheus Nicolau at UFC 219 in Las Vegas.
Hawaii Elite MMA has been open for a few months, allowing Smolka to train almost exclusively in one place as he attempts to snap a three-fight losing streak.
Part of helping run the new gym, owned by Charles Kipilii Jr., includes teaching classes for the general public.
The gym has cut down hours in a day he used to sit in traffic driving three different places to train. It has allowed Smolka to bring in guys to train with and spend more time training with top-notch equipment.
| UFC 219: CYBORG VS. HOLM
Saturday at Las Vegas
MAIN EVENT
>> Women’s featherweight title fight
>> Cris Cyborg (18-1, 3-0 UFC) vs. Holly Holm (11-3, 4-3)
3 p.m.
>> Louis Smolka (11-4, 5-4) vs. Matheus Nicolau (12-2-1, 2-0)
|
It’s also brought him the enjoyment of teaching grappling to kids, and it was in one of those classes that Smolka found the inspiration he had been looking for after suffering multiple setbacks inside the cage.
“One of the kids, his name is Keona, came up to me and asked when my next fight was,” Smolka recalled. “I told him December 30 and he got real excited and said he wanted to watch.”
It didn’t resonate with him right away, but as the days wore on, Smolka found himself thinking more and more about that kid.
Keona isn’t the only one who comes to Hawaii Elite MMA excited for Saturday’s fight, and that realization has given Smolka a sense of responsibility he hasn’t always had.
“This kid actually wants to watch me fight and watch me do something that impacts them. You realize this is a big thing for them,” Smolka said. “This gym has kind of gotten to me in that way. It’s made me take things more serious. I feel like I have a responsibility to them.”
Smolka (11-4, 5-4 UFC) had been ascending in the flyweight rankings and was closing in on a possible title shot when he suffered a stunning defeat to late replacement Brandon Moreno in October 2016.
Two more losses over the next six months forced the Kapolei native to return home and reassess his career.
He turned down fight opportunities from the UFC, opting instead to focus on opening the gym and “center myself.” Now, after an eight-month layoff, Smolka is ready to get back to his winning ways.
“It’s the longest I’ve been sober in my entire career,” Smolka said. “It’s the best I’ve ever felt. This gym has been great. The guys have been great. I’m ready to go again.”
Kipilii Jr., who spent years training Smolka inside his garage at home in Waianae, has been in Las Vegas with the team since Christmas Day.
Everyone on the team is well aware of how much is at stake in this fight.
“This is do or die for him,” Kipilii Jr. said. “He’s been more motivated in camp and he should be. He needs this fight.”
Despite the losing streak, Smolka is still ranked No. 13 at 125 pounds.
Nicolau, who is 12-2-1 overall, is unranked. He submitted Bruno Korea in his debut in November 2015 and earned a split decision over John Moraga in July of last year.
The Brazilian is coming off a one-year suspension for failing a drug test.
“I started talking to the match-makers and they were really cool about trying to find me a fight, so the next thing they gave me, I didn’t care (who it was), I’m taking it,” Smolka said.
The fight will be shown on Fox Sports 1 as the final preliminary bout scheduled for approximately 3 p.m. Hawaii time.
The pay-per-view broadcast is headlined by a women’s featherweight title fight between champion Cris Cyborg and challenger Holly Holm, a former women’s bantamweight champion who ended Ronda Rousey’s undefeated winning streak two years ago.
