MMA Referee Rob Hinds Talks Eye Pokes, 10-10 Rounds, Communication and Focus
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Longtime MMA official Rob Hinds has been inside the cage as a referee for more than 4,000 professional fights and sat outside as a judge for almost 1,000. There is not much he hasn’t seen or heard.
He is leading the charge in educating new and current MMA officials. His company, Combat Consulting, teaches MMA referees and judges in seminars around the country.
Recently, he provided his insight into the controversial and rare technical decision between Gian Villante and Ovince St. Preux. At UFC 159, referee Kevin Mulhall paused the action early in the third round after Villante suffered an inadvertent eye poke from St. Preux. Mulhall then waived off the bout after Villante informed him he couldn’t see. St. Preux won the contest by majority technical decision.
“Any time a fighters tells a referee ‘I can’t see’ or ‘I can’t breathe,’ the only procedure at that time is to call the fight,” Hinds explained on Wednesday as a guest on Darce Side Radio.
Hinds said there could have been “better communication” or “more time to deliberate" or “call in the doctor”; however, once Villante admitted he couldn’t see, proper procedure was followed.
He said, “In the heat of the moment, that procedure was heard, which caused Villanteto give the one incorrect answer that you can’t give a referee. At that point, once that is verbalized, you have to call the fight.
“Maybe ask him a more general question: Are you all right, man? Do you need to see the doctor?” Hinds suggested. “Normally that gives you a more general answer, and then you can call in the doctor and actually give a little bit of time.”
Eye pokes have been a sore subject in MMA for some time. Suggestions about altering the style of gloves are often bandied about. Another common question is: Why aren’t fighters given five minutes like they are for incidental groin strikes?
Hinds had this to say:
The reason a groin shot gets five minutes is because there’s absolutely no way for the doctor to check what’s happening there. You can’t pull down their shorts or jock strap and all that and examine. Any other injury, a thumb injury an eye injury the doctor can physically look at it, take an evaluation, clear blood away, ask questions, those types of things.
Hinds explained that it’s not necessarily about having an automatic five-minute rule but more about proper referee procedure.
It’s a determination of the referee on how much recovery time they get. So it doesn’t need to be an automatic five minutes. Again, this is a procedural thing from referees to where they need to take their time, assess the fighter, call the doctor if necessary, and this whole time they are getting a chance to recover.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
After the fight had concluded—and St. Preux had been declared the winner—thescorecards were revealed, which showed that judges Eric Colon, Michael DePasqualeJr. and Jose Tabora had scored the incomplete round 10-10.
According to Hinds, even in that short of period of time, one fighter should have been awarded 10-9 as someone had to have “some effective advantage over their opponent.”
I always say a 10-10 round is like a unicorn. Some people claim they’veseen them, some people believe in them, but they don’t really actually exist. Now, for that 33 seconds; if they just circled each other, and nobody threw a punch, kick, knee, tried a takedown, if they did absolutely nothing but circled for the 33 seconds, then you would have a 10-10 round because you didn’t have any effective offense or any effective technique.
Jose Tabora actually scored both the second and third round 10-10.
For a professional judge at that level to score a 10-10 to begin with, and then have two 10-10 rounds in one bout, that’s either the most boring bout we’ve seen or there needs to be further evaluation of those officials who score those 10-10 rounds.
Hinds explained that the sudden stop at the beginning of Round 3 between Villante and St. Preux could have provoked the three 10-10 scores.
One of the things that happens with judges on incomplete rounds is it kind of takes you by surprise. You have the pause in the action due to the injury, and some judges if they’re not focused, they’ll forget what happened up until that point.
Hinds offered a refreshing and insightful take on what many fighters, managers, promoters and fans have complained about lately. If more referees were to communicate better and more judges were to improve their focus, maybe there would be fewer complaints about refereeing and scoring.
Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Trip Report: NYC MMA Officials Training
First off, don't get confused by the title; MMA in NYC is still squirming to emerge from under a big sweaty pile of bureaucrats trying to...
...wait, that's probably not the best analogy to go with here. How about this:
Lady New York is in labor, fully dilated. Stephen Koepher, the Coalition to legalize Mixed Martial Arts in NY, various promotions, and millions of fans are eagerly awaiting the delivery of a healthy sport. But certain members of NY state's entrenched political elite, dressed up in the guise of doctors, are trying to hold her legs together in defiance of nature and what's best for the state herself.
Hrm, that wasn't much better, but that's all I've got right now as I post this from the counter of a crepes kiosk at JFK airport. (Hey, they had power strips AND single-malt scotch.)
Regardless, the point is this: this weekend's Association of Boxing Commissions-sanctioned training, was a proactive step in not only bringing a new crop of officials up to speed in anticipation of the... erm... birth of MMA in NY; but also educating media, fans, and lawmakers on the intricacies of the sport in general.
The Who and What
Rob Hinds started fighting "MMA" back in the days when you could yank a guy's beautiful 90's brony-tail out of his head, or throw uninterrupted crotch-punches without either causing the match to grind to a halt. (Good times?)He's been a referee and a judge for pretty much every one of the big shows and knows more about MMA than you do. Yes, you.
Sean Wheelock is an experienced referee and commentator for Bellator, M-1, and even other sports like Soccer which we don't really care about but good for him. He also has his own Wikipedia page, unlike us, since Internet Basement-Ninjas haven't had their feelings hurt by him making fun of their manchild stupidity. Yet.
I digress.
Seriously though, these two MMA experts have formed a group that now travels the country (and possibly world) providing expert training on exactly what it takes to be a judge or a referee in the only sport on the planet that matters. So for all those folks who've jumped up during a MMA event, spilling nachos and PBR all over their wheel-mounted residence to yell at a television they're making payments on, this point bears repeating:
Judging is hard.
There was a 10 question test on techniques and positions... it was NOT multiple choice
Rob reiterates this point many times during the course, and appends onto it the fact that it's not for everybody. To paraphrase him: if you can't focus on one thing, to the exclusion of everything else, for at least three minutes, you have no business being a judge in MMA. Aside from learning the nuances of the Unified Rules System, and judging past events, we actually watched tape of distracted and unprofessional judges doing everything but their damn jobs.
The UFC's Dan Mirgliotta was one of the celebrity guests at the training course; I sure hope he passed...
The author of this article has been a judge for about 7 years now, and I learned more than enough myself, with all my experience, to easily justify the cost of the course. Rob is one of six people who are approved to teach this course by the ABC, which itself is pretty much the closest thing to a national standards body for professional MMA.
The latter portion of the day's events involves advice on how to get work as a judge with various athletic commissions or tribal organizations where fights take place.
For those of you who are Sponsors or Supporting Members, I'll be posting my notes from the course for you to read, unedited, in the VIP section. For everyone else, even if you just consider yourself a casual fan of MMA, this course is definitely worth it when it comes anywhere near your part of the country. (Even if it isn't close, get on a plane and go. Think of the TSA's groping as a bonus.) You don't have to be a sportswriter or aspiring judge or referee to attend; for little more than the cost of renting a steamer to clean cheep beer and nacho cheese out of your carpet, you could actually be able to tell people you know what you're talking about when it comes to MMA scoring.
...without even lying.
You can see upcoming courses on their website, here:
www.combatconsulting.net
MMA referee, judge training coming to New York with hopes to educate legislators
Sean Wheelock was cageside Thursday night when a controversial decision by a referee might have cost fighter Akop Stepanyan a victory and a chance to advance in the Bellator featherweight tournament.
Stepanyan was warned about illegally grabbing the fence by referee George Allen, but he did it again anyway in the second round. Before the beginning of the third, Allen deducted a point from Stepanyan, who ended up losing a unanimous decision.
Wheelock, Bellator’s play-by-play man, was puzzled. Not because Allen had taken the point away – Stepanyan had done something illegal. The timing is what dumbfounded Wheelock.
“That’s procedurally bad to the point of being laugh-out-loud terrible,” Wheelock said.
Mistakes like that are what Wheelock and partner Rob Hinds are trying to eliminate in MMA. Since last year, the two have traveled the country teaching courses to prospective MMA referees and judges. On Saturday and Sunday, they’ll be at Tiger Martial Arts in Levittown, L.I., for their Association of Boxing Commissions-approved training seminars.
Hinds said he and Wheelock were approached by the Coalition to Legalize MMA in New York to hold the seminar with hopes to educate those in the state about the sport. New York State Athletic Commission commissioner Melvina Lathan and Michael Mazulli, the director of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, will be guest speakers.
“They need to see the safety side of things,” Hinds said of New York legislators. “If we can get the word out that this is a legitimate safe sport, it could help. I think it’s a silly thing that pro MMA is illegal in New York.”
The sport will be under review again in Albany this spring. Though the bill to legalize has passed through the state Senate the past two years, it has not even been voted on by the Assembly per Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker. The UFC is also suing the state in a First Amendment lawsuit.
As MMA grows, the quality of judging and refereeing has come under scrutiny. UFC president Dana White has been openly critical about both. Wheelock believes there is a greater issue with judging.
“I think judging overall is not very good,” Wheelock said. “My feeling for that is you have a lot of judges around the country working everything from the tiniest amateur shows to the biggest pro shows who do not like MMA. It’s counterintuitive. ... They come out of boxing. State comissions around the U.S. did not see the MMA wave. As more and more states legalize, they were put under the auspices of the athletic commissions, so you get these career boxing people or maybe kickboxing people who don’t like MMA – not just that they don’t understand it, they don’t like it. That to me is the biggest problem.”
During their sessions, Wheelock and Hinds lecture, have discussions, show demonstrations, review video and also give a final exam. Wheelock, along with being one of the voices of Bellator, is a veteran boxing referee and Hinds is a longtime judge, referee and ABC-certified trainer.
“The goal is to have consistency,” Hinds said. “The people that are judging and refereeing are playing by the same rules, assessing rounds the same way.”
This weekend will mark the first time one of their courses is open to all people in New York – from established judges and refs to pro fighters to regular fans. For more information, you can visit this link.
“Rob and I try to be inclusive,” Wheelock said. “If you like MMA, come. That’s the prerequisite.”
Judging, Wheelock says, speaks to integrity, while refereeing is all about the safety of fighters. Both are vital as MMA creeps closer and closer to the mainstream. That means equal treatment for companies like the UFC and Bellator down to underground amateur MMA events in New York, where the sport is still illegal on a professional level.
“Why should one of those fighters not get the same protection as the guy fighting for Bellator?” Wheelock said. “In those shows, there are referees who literally have no idea what they’re doing.”
Allen, who made the controversial call against Stepanyan, is a veteran and good official for the most part, Wheelock says. But perhaps he could have benefited from some extra classes.
“Lack of training,” Wheelock said. “That goes to the heart of what we’re talking about.”
mraimondi@nypost.com
ABC Approved MMA Officials' Training Coming to Levittown, NY February 16 & 17, 2013!
We are pleased to announce that Stephen Koepfer from the Coalition to Legalize Mixed Martial Arts in New York is hosting an Association of Boxing Commissions Approved MMA Judge & Referee Training on February 16 & 17, 2013 in Levittown, NY.
Please go to www.nymmatraining.com for more information and registration.
“Playing the Game”- Strategy taken to a new level
Veteran Referee, Judge & Officials’ Trainer Rob Hinds- February 2013
An interesting phenomenon has piqued debate, along with the interest and emotions of the MMA community!
Fighters have been criticized and referees looked at closely in their assessments of what has been called “playing the game”. The term (game) is in reference to a fighter using a rule to their advantage.
In the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, there are two types of strikes that are allowed when both professional competitors are standing; but not allowed when one or both fighters are “grounded”. Kicks and/or knees to the head of a grounded opponent are not allowed at any time, in any position (within the Unified Rules). Please note that there are many International organizations that allow these techniques to be legal under a different set of rules.
Many have asked and continue to clarify… “What is the definition of a grounded fighter?”
By definition and explanation: A grounded fighter is when anything but the soles of their feet is touching the floor of the fighting area. To clarify further, if a fighter has a foot in the air and one of their hands on the floor, they are still considered grounded.
Do not confuse or compare this current definition with the old one (three points of contact).
This is where “playing the game” comes into strategy. Whether it’s a knee, back side, hand or even finger on the floor, leg striking to the head of the grounded opponent is illegal.
The rule comes into play in several situations. Fighters have become very aware of the rule, and are extremely savvy in using it to their advantage. Much to the dismay of the media and fans!
Whether you’re an avid or casual fan of the sport, it is now commonplace to see a fighter pinned up against the cage and put their hand down on the floor to avoid leg attacks to the head. Taking it a step further, they will also raise and lower their hand on and off the mat, trying to bait their opponent into causing a foul, which may be enforced by point deductions or disqualification.
Many referees are wise to this phenomenon and are being pro-active in their approach to dealing with the situation before it happens. Detailed rules meetings and discussions with the fighters before their bouts help clarify the rule and make a clear case of what is expected of them. Many referees tell the fighters that if they play the game, they are taking a risk (at the mercy of the referee’s call) and gambling on getting what they want out of the strategy.
Many people may (and do) look at this gamesmanship in a negative way.
Keep this in mind. The rules were created to set parameters. Coaches and athletes in all sports will ALWAYS push the limits of those parameters to gain any edge or advantage over their rivals.
That being said, “playing the game” is allowed.
Like it or not…
Michael Stets Darce Side Radio: MMA Referee and Judge Rob Hinds
(download at www.blogtalkradio.com/darcesideradio)
This weeks guest is MMA referee and judge Rob Hinds. Hinds has refereed over 4,200 fights, and judged over 750. He started combatconsulting.net, and set out to do what those close to the sport want more than anything--the improvement of the OFFICIATING!
Combat Consulting hosts ABC approved training seminars in refereeing and judging in MMA. Whether you are an aspiring official, currently an active one, a boxing ref/judge new to MMA, broadcaster/journalist, fighter or fan, these courses are for you all. In this ever evolving, improving, and growing sport, knowledge is power!
I had the honor and priviledge of taking both the referee and judge seminars in Kansas last August. They were both eye opening and thought provoking. The amount of information I learned that weekend was incredible. Hinds is a detailed and focused instructor, breaking down two full days worth of material very clear and concisely, as well as answering every question while keeping a quick and flowing pace. The criteria included class room study and video footage breakdowns on the do's and don'ts, proper protocol and procedures in modern MMA. Hinds also had pro fighters on hand for live situational study inside an actual MMA cage.
Since August, Combat Consulting has had several more seminars, and will be continuing to expand to more cities and states in the near future.
In the interview Hinds and myself discuss the success of Combat Consulting, the contoversial DQ of Alessio Sakara vs. Patrick Cote at UFC 154, and both the Lyman Good/Michael Tsarev and Andrey Koreshkov/Marius Zaromskis controversial finishes at Bellator 78.
10 things every MMA fan needs to know about judging
By Maggie Hendricks | Cagewriter – Mon, Nov 12, 2012 11:25 AM EST
There are hundreds of MMA fights around the country every weekend. Each fight needs qualified judges to score the action, but the growth of MMA means there aren't enough judges to go around.
Over the weekend, I sat in on an MMA judging clinic by Association of Boxing Commissions-certified trainer Robert Hinds of Combat Consulting. (The ABC is the group that oversees the state commissions that administer MMA across the United States.) The clinic gives prospective judges to be a place to start their judging career, and several state commissions require certification from an event like the one I attended. Whether you want to be a judge or not, every MMA fan should know something about how winners and losers are chosen when fights go to decisions. Here is what you need to know:
1. Judges look at result of the move, not the move itself. It's not about the takedown. It's about what happens from the takedown. It's not about the punch. It's about if the punch lands, and if it has an impact.
2. Judges are not fans. If they are scoring as fans, they should be fired. Judges have to be dispassionate and objective in every fight they judge. If they are a fan of one fighter or another, they need to reconsider their job.
3. Media, fans and promoters have no business comparing their score cards to those of judges. When I'm covering fights, I'm watching the fights, taking notes, tweeting and answering emails, text messages and instant messages. When fans watch the fights, they watch the fights, order beers, talk with friends, and check out the waitress who just delivered another plate of wings. When a promoter watches the fights, he or she is watching the fights, keeping an eye on the broadcast, dealing with inevitable problems on every fight card, and talking with fans and staff.
When a good judge is watching a fight, he or she is watching the fight. That's it. He or she has been trained on how to focus on the fight and see what has affected the round. Every bit of their brain power is focused on the fight. I've never had a judge tell me how to cover a story. I shouldn't try to do their job, and neither should you.
4. Positioning matters. With three judges around the cage, each one will not see the same thing. Sometimes a judge will not see a punch because only a fighter's back is visible. While monitors help in this situation, they're not everywhere yet and they are not a cure all. The judge is then limited to the view decided by the director of the show. If you're wondering what fight a judge watched, realize that it may not be the exact same one you saw on television.
5. Judges score rounds, not fights. When a round ends, the judge should score it and forget it. What happened in round one should not affect what score a judge gives in round three. In fact, Hinds recommended the use of individual score cards for each round so that judges are not influenced by their previous score.
6. 10-10 rounds are rare. Hinds described 10-10 rounds as a "unicorn." In a five-minute round or even a three-minute round, something should happen that will give one fighter the edge over another. An observant judge should be able to catch it.
10-8 rounds have a specific definition: complete domination and significant impact for the entire round. If you don't see both, it's not a 10-8.
7. Judges can do nothing but judge. If a foul is not called by a ref, the judge cannot deduct a point. If a fighter's corner is giving the fighter terrible advice, the judge cannot give the fighter the benefit of the doubt. If the matchmaker came up with a terrible fight, the judge cannot take a round off and expect the knockout. The judge can judge the round. That's it.
8. What makes a bad judges is not the results they give, but their methods in judging and not using the criteria. Judges have a criteria and professional standards to follow. They need to carefully judge rounds, staying focused the entire time on using the criteria to call a winner in each round. If they are looking away, talking to someone, or eating or drinking during a round, that's a problem. If they can't say how the criteria applied to their judgment, that's a problem.
9. Not everyone can be a judge. During the clinic, we watched several fights to practice judging. Five minutes at a time, we practiced focusing on the fight and nothing else. It took me about a minute before my mind wandered. On Saturday night, we sat cageside for amateur fights so we could practice what we learned during the day. MMA's brutality is in your face from that distance. One man from the clinic confessed being so close to the action was emotional.
Judges have to be focused, and they cannot be squeamish. If you're not OK with listening to fighters get hit in the head, or hearing their bones crunch throughout their fights, or having blood and sweat fly onto your face, don't be a judge.
10. Judging ain't easy. Much like any profession, judges don't wake up one day and decide it's time to start judging UFC fights. Someone hoping to be a qualified judge has to practice by judging fights on television and judging sparring sessions at nearby gyms. They attend clinics and shadow judges in amateur fights before trying it themselves, then do the same routine before trying a professional fight.
With the growth of MMA from the amateurs on up the UFC, the sport needs good judges. If you think you can contribute to the sport in this way, contact your state commission.
Veteran Referee and Judge Rob Hinds Details Ways To Fix MMA Judging
Courtesy of Rob Tatum from The MMA Corner:
Without a doubt, there’s no subject in the sport of MMA that is as hotly-debated as judging. After nearly every event, controversy arises due to disagreements with scoring or officiating.
Unfortunately, many of the underlying issues that cause these debates cannot be fixed overnight. Recently, The MMA Corner reached out to Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) certified trainer, referee and judge, Rob Hinds, to discuss a variety of topics, including the current state of officiating and what can be done to correct it.
“The sport has already evolved past most of the officials and a lot of the athletic commissions,” Hinds explained. “It’s time to at least catch up.”
Perhaps the biggest problem with the sport is a lack of consistency from fight to fight, and even round to round.
“Judges seem to be on a different page,” said Hinds. “Whether they’re up to speed on the current training, or they’ve been a judge for a long time, there’s just a lot of inconsistency. What’s being assessed per round, per judge seems to be quite different.”
This has never been more prevalent than recently, as a number of high-profile fights have generated widespread discord amongst fans, fighters and even the promoters.
Hinds in the judge's seat (Thomas Rozdzynski/Thrumyeye Photography)
“Being active, throwing more strikes, getting a takedown; none of these things are in the judging criteria,” stated Hinds. ” The biggest misconception about judging is what is supposed to be assessed, and in what order. People say ‘he stole that round at the end with a takedown’ — that doesn’t exist in judging.”
Elaborating further, Hinds detailed the importance of the prioritized criteria.
“It’s actually really simple; people are making this a lot more complicated than it really is,” Hinds declared. “Judges don’t judge fights, they judge rounds. It’s about looking at the right things, in the right order. Things like aggression and cage control are further down the list than effective striking and effective grappling.”
The inconsistencies in judging have led to many people criticizing the 10-point must system. Hinds, on the other hand, doesn’t believe that the system is contributing to the problems.
“People are confused about what the 10-point must system really is,” said Hinds. “It is only the numerical scoring of a round. Whatever system you have, 10- point must, 20-point must, half-point; it is only the scoring of a round. People say it’s a boxing system, but the criteria and rules are specific to MMA. That’s what the focus needs to be on, not the points per round. The judging criteria needs to be taught to all of the judges. The system itself is only saying who won and who lost.”
When asked about how to handle poor-performing judges, Hinds did admit one of the limitations in MMA judging.
“It’s subjective, but there definitely should be consequences,” proclaimed Hinds. “It’s not the numerical score; it’s the explanation of the score for those rounds. If they explain the score based on the judging criteria, there really is no right or wrong.”
Despite all of Hinds’ efforts to spread the up-to-date information about judging criteria, it ultimately is up to the athletic commissions to ensure that officials are properly trained.
“There’s not enough things in place to correct the issues,” declared Hinds. “The ABC is a great organization; however, they are just a recommending body. They’re role is to recommend rules and regulations. It’s up to each athletic commission to adopt them and enforce them. If every state does things differently, we’re never going to have consistency.”
Hinds believes that there are ways to resolve the majority of the current dilemmas. However, many of the athletic commissions do not have the resources — or the will — to face the issues head on.
Hinds (R) raises the arm of Sean Sherk following his victory at UFC 119 (Combat Consulting)
“Athletic commissions need to step up and require proper training for their officials, both old and new,” said Hinds. “You don’t want officials to develop those same habits that the sport has already evolved past. It’s really not the judges’ or the referees’ fault. A big problem is that people doing the training don’t always know what they’re doing. Several athletic commissions have told me that they do in-house training once a year, and it’s usually just someone who works for the commission that reads off a list of what’s expected.”
Another roadblock for increasing the quality of MMA officials is pay, or the lack thereof.
“Unless you do a major promotion, where they are willing to pay more money, officials get paid dirt and there’s no (pay) scale,” revealed Hinds. “You could be Herb Dean or Joe Blow — working your first event — you both get paid the same amount of money.”
Further hindering the development of a new crop of educated officials is the amount of time and devotion it takes to work through the ranks.
“These days, everyone wants a fast track to become an MMA official,” explained Hinds. “People don’t want to put the time in. They need training on what is really supposed to happen as an official, but many are trying to shortcut the process. People take my classes and they think that they’re ready to judge the UFC tomorrow. You don’t take one class in med school and get to go into surgery the next day.”
Many have speculated that the end-all solution to judging his former fighters stepping into the judge’s chair. However, that may pose an entirely different set of circumstances.
“It’s a conflict of interest because fighters are very biased,” said Hinds. “Judges and referees are supposed to be 100 percent unbiased. When fighters watch each other fight they always say, ‘I would have done this or I would’ve done that.’ If you take that sort of thinking into judging, you’re doing a disservice to the athletes because you are going in with a bias or strategy in your mind.”
Hinds is not opposed to former fighters becoming officials, but he does not see any reason why it’s a necessity. In fact, he feels that anyone can become an MMA official.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what walk of life you come from, if you’re truly educated on the technical aspect of the fighting game — the combination of the different martial arts — and you are knowledgeable about the judging criteria, you can be a judge or referee.”
For those unfamiliar with Hinds, since 1994 he has refereed over 4,000 fights and judged more than 650. Many of these have been on the big stage with the UFC, Bellator, the International Fight League and promotions in the greater-Chicago area. Additionally, Hinds has competed both professionally and as an amateur in numerous forms of martial arts. He runs
Combat Consulting, LLC and offers ABC-approved referee and judge training for all levels. You can reach him on Twitter at
@hindsmmareferee
Top Photo:
Hinds prepares to referee a bout in the UFC’s Octagon (Combat Consulting)
About the Author
Rob Tatum
Rob Tatum joined The MMA Corner as a lead writer and news manager following his time at MMADieHards in the same capacity. Additionally, he is a Featured Columnist for the MMA portion of Bleacher Report. Beyond his writing, Rob has trained in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. He is a Colorado native that works as a mechanical engineer during the day and enjoys watching sports, playing music, or working on cars. After running his own music site from 2002-2009, Rob decided to focus solely on the sport of MMA.