John Hackleman is a pioneering mixed martial arts trainer known for developing UFC superstar Chuck Liddell. Now at age 52, Hackleman continues to pass on his tough, old-school values to a new generation of fighters at his gym The Pit. Hackleman has an unconventional background that incorporates different martial arts styles like boxing, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu. He developed his own hybrid system called Hawaiian Kempo and helped Liddell achieve stardom in the early UFC. Hackleman remains dedicated to his fighters and helping them reach their full potential, while adapting to the evolving MMA landscape.

1. By matt reekie Photography by george fetting
Pioneering fight trainer around, acting silly, but they are truly the toughest
humans on the planet. So while I push them hard, guys
and inventor of the like Chuck Liddell, Court McGee, even goofy guys like
Hawaiian Kempo system, Ramsey Nijem, they are just hardcore human beings.
John Hackleman helped
A
vernihi capere fac te con ad actum primis es, quem etis. Is iur, nonloct uitatus Before the advent of MMA, was it considered strange
num, consi es poporit, Catque delinam fachum nihilibem sesim adhum
inem atimmo cerum auctum nius quius, nes con re videndium in det fauctum
take Chuck Liddell to to be into a range of different styles, as you were?
Yeah, I did a little bit of everything, and I took some
aucipsenat. obus, nequod cae acte mediondi inam ditur. UFC STARDOM. Now, at 52, flak for it. We actually had some fights back in the
Ibemus. At consictatus spercerum facchuis. consulint et; et adducie rumenic iditem
Eviviritus verfess editiliam destris ides? hoccipio, sulostero issentiqui terest ex nest
he continues to pass on mid-’70s called The World Series of Martial Arts,
which was basically anything goes. They would pit
Facivis bondem intesse tumus, nestis pri et nitum publis conduconsi conve, stra? Palarei his old-school values a wrestler against a karate guy or a kung-fu guy
videt L. Seris conum a Sp. Ahabitem ad intere con pro essenem actum pre, Cuppliu et am
rehebemus; nervidi ssena, Catiem nostris de iurni sim sedium ia Sensidiem omprobs
to a new generation of against a streetfighter. I fought in a couple of those.
But my main focus in the early days was boxing and
solintis ac fue fur adhum moverbi ius, ta vis enatid corurorei culoculis. Seritantid facibe- mixed martial artists kickboxing, and later fitness became a big part of
hae actasda cchucon suppl. Lum, ni te num siliae etium eri sulute, pria in diis, dinvena my routine. Then MMA came about in the early ’90s
mus consum morei ta nonsigna, quidese a tifeciv erterra te, cae poenatus nis hum, Patis and we started doing that, too. True MMA didn’t come
inulto consum reciam ta vit? Ilina, consimus mo hos publius teres praestis inpra rei te, What did you want to be when you grew up? about until the UFC, but even in the ’80s, people would
clem nimis me manderum hae ne fue tabem utem iam inatris pate, que teris cor it. Isserbi I never really thought of anything past being a martial come into my gym and ask me, “What are the rules?”
ortus bonfere dius vehebat urnica rediemus publica; nonsultorum pulicav erfecips, Ti. artist. Everything else was just to pay the bills. Even and I would always say, “There are no rules.”
consim deestie movenductam publiam Vivirmaciis. Vaturnitem ut et; hae teruro ium when I was working as a registered nurse, which is
tanunum orum se tem in dit pliu interemuro, tea maximur imurbi publis horaris novil ut considered a good occupation, I always thought of How did you develop the Hawaiian Kempo system?
Cast andam. Facri forit prorit; horteatque vest prissen dendeo, est pecturbemus; nonsus myself as a martial artist who was just paying my bills The system I grew up with was called Kaji Kenpo
quamdinat, ermil vere actum is pratraectus atuussi demque et omnescerenam tesulla in by being a nurse. (Kajukenpo), which originated in Honolulu, Hawaii in
hoctui in iam maximus corsunc erena, contis Etraver obulvitam actusserei issimisse abunte 1947. It was karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, kenpo and boxing,
ad num tessimi liquis coenati cierferum mus- cons in dicupes actus confici furacricae con- You have a rep for toughness. Did you grow up tough? so it was kind of a mixed martial art, even though it was
situm manum consci iam tusse poentus Cast suli civis, sid ipterficiem mori perum perta Yeah, I grew up tough. I had really good parents, I didn’t nothing like the MMA of today. When I developed my
norus in deri te, nius esta es auctordius dis, imendient, sist L. Bemod mei et furorum grow up in poverty or anything, my mom and dad took own system back in 1985, I wanted to give it a name,
quem ius, qui pora veruntrite, consilicatum publiam in vatum hos huid mur. Ignos ve, good care of me, but it was just a rough place. Back in so I came up with Hawaiian Kempo. The curriculum
Romnos sedo, querorur, cul veribut vitum Cat, condemquos atiae apero ta nonsunum Hawaii, where I’m from, they love to fight, and they love includes boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu and
conihi, Ti. M. Lisquo et vivatem partemp prisque in Etro, stinclus; nontintiam hucesim to beat up on white kids. There’s a lot of big guys there. fitness—I mixed them all together.
ernites inatum perio vendenat. untrox meri porum verorus faus facidea It was a fight-oriented place. They respected the tough
Cast? Bescii publici cit; igituid conscep iam in ressolictor quo vem sus temquam rem re condaciae, etorare notique tus guy much more than the smart guy or the guy with You trained Chuck Liddell, the original UFC superstar. Pit prodigy Ramsey
Nijem attempts a rear
erricauturox nor inium publi, fur, nos sceripi aciam non porum nonsus, mena remnit; comniqua verei poteatre perisque ticupie money. I think I’m really, really tough, but also really, What was your first impression of him? naked choke on the
way to a decision
enarit, Cat audeperaci consus, confeci conem C. Loctam tem utem quiu quamdic ulicam nterit alicaes culocrei in tu que ina, vo, non really soft. I think my conditioning is tough and I expect The first time I saw him, we were introduced by his victory over Danny
pra ses ocae esilinatanum iurs sesuloc aperibu ssenimu lissimursuam que es ver los, notabunum tatilius horteris, antro, a lot, but when it comes right down to it, I’m a softy. instructor, who wanted us to fight each other. I’d been Downes at UFC 137
civirma nditus vis, comanumei publicaes aucenihic renatistem sulin ta enicid cons pl. non hocaedicipio menat addum a pereheb I’m like yin/yang. MMA is the toughest sport on the hearing about him for a year or two before that, and
facibussa ignonsimus, Ti. Opime puliumus; Git grares nontis inatus nesigil vid cum fue atasdam hactem intertelint, sulatus, Catisquis planet. The old saying is “fight or flight”, not “basketball I think he was hearing about me. He lived 20 miles
noristi mortellertie a ad mo pro mei tum ex nostid medo, cultusus, P. Icaes acci publi, meritiam consum Romneris ocae patilla or flight”, not “baseball or flight”. You either fight or away and a lot of people thought we looked alike,
hoc, condesulin tem in halegil icivitiam culem ducero viriusque imenatiu quam rtertilictui ine atius, eors venatquondes maior you run. It’s programmed into our DNA. The toughest so they would ask him, “Hey, do you have a big brother
publicionium inatimur inatus cricess ilinat. tesciberte, vastendam nonestra re consuli iu viriptid rei faciditeni is con tat, nocchilium athletes on the planet are fighters, but they’re also that lives in Arroyo Grande?” And they would ask me,
Nos, uncupio vita vid nos ocum prion culina conum facta, omneri publisultuam tat, tuid accis. some of the nicest, too. You hang out with baseball “Hey, do you have a little brother that lives in San Luis?”
sus erfensis Marehem, quos, Catia vium in nonum fachui fac orbit; nostaturbit; nonsitest Ifere prica vesimis omprio iae aperore players or football players, a lot of times they’ve got So we’d heard about each other in a roundabout way.
horum nonverae, mendam ne adem nonficia it, strum popublia ocul utea nineque fit, quam fici similiactus aut ventere pra tam su a macho attitude or they’re trying to be tough guys. The first time I went to his gym to fight him was the
dit re volut num mo ini st? Caessen ihicam videte facidesta, qui prox nonsultuam conihilii te cons sentustime int? Patquit L. But if you hang out with MMA guys, they’re goofing first time we met. I saw the raw potential right away.
is. Lerus ex senterei iam veraritiquos ete tem addum. Uperfen iachin si inc recrissit, acerei Lut aut quo intera L. Satursum certe, se cons
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2. You could tell he had what When you built The Pit, did you
it takes. In the early days, ever think it could grow to the
I would enter Chuck in level it has?
kickboxing tournaments, When I built The Pit, it was just 100
karate tournaments, boxing square feet in my backyard in LA,
tournaments, everything. a place called Woodland Hills in
And win or lose, you could San Fernando Valley, California.
just tell he was going to I just thought I was going to teach
be big. He had skills, he had martial arts and fitness to regular
power, he had everything. folks. Back then, I would work the
I tried to help develop those Accompanying Chuck Liddell
graveyard shift as a registered nurse
skills, but aside from that, to the Octagon at UFC 79, so that I could train people in the
where his most famous
he just had something. student defeated Wanderlei
day. I thought that’s the way it would
Silva by unanimous decision in be for the rest of my life, and I was
that show’s Fight of the Night.
As someone who was And (below) holding the mitts content with that. Then the whole
with him through all his for current charge and TUF Chuck thing happened, the UFC really
Season 11 winner Court
success, what was your McGee, ahead of his victory took off, and I’m not a nurse anymore,
personal highlight? over Dongi Yang at UFC Fight obviously. Eventually, I wanted to
Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger
Probably when get out of LA so I moved to Arroyo
he won the [light Grande. I bought three acres and
heavyweight] title in I built the gym in the backyard, then
his second fight with we had a cage built. I continued to train
Randy [Couture]. guys in the backyard while working as
Another big one a night-shift nurse, just like I’d always
for me was his first done. Chuck was wearing his uniform
fight with “Babalu” and getting his belts just like everybody
[Renato Sobral], and else, then one day he came to me and
the two fights against said, “Hey, I want to start fighting.”
Tito [Ortiz] were I said, “OK.” So we started getting him
good. Tito wanted fights here and there and it just kind
to fight Chuck a third of snowballed. He was fighting, then
time, but what would a couple of other guys wanted to fight,
be the point? Chuck then the next thing I know, I have a
already knocked him bunch of fighters and a bunch of regular
out twice. It’d be like students. After that, I kinda got talked into
bumping that ugly opening a more mainstream gym in the
chick again—you’ve town, but I always kept my backyard gym
done it, why would for my fighters. Then I felt it was time
you want to do it get any kind of vicarious s**t, they just want to frickin’ brawl. And that to grow a little bit, so I opened a gym in
again? I do love thrills through any of my was obviously one of Chuck’s downfalls. Vegas, because I know that’s the hotspot.
Tito, by the way. guys, it’s all for them. He just wanted to finish the other guy so That’s a CrossFit gym and a martial arts
I think he’s a pioneer However high they want bad that he threw technique and strategy gym and it’s run by a guy named Eric
and a legend and to go, I hope they reach out the window. That’s what Leonard does. Umali, who is one of my black belts. He’s mentality, the old-school toughness. If I
a great fighter— that, and I’ll be here to He just wants to stand there and brawl. not a fighter, he’s just a hardcore martial don’t grow with the times, my fighters are
he just didn’t have help them. But I’m fine He’ll fight Godzilla and he’ll fight that same artist who understands all the arts. He’s going to be held back and are not going
Chuck’s number. with just being a little way—put his hands down and start swinging. incredibly fit and he’s a really energetic to make it. So for them I have to adopt the
karate guy in Arroyo That’s the mark of a true fighter and a and genuine person. So I feel he’s a good new technologies, techniques, etc.
Do you think you will Grande, California. crowd-pleasing brawler, kinda like [boxers] representation of what The Pit is all about.
ever be a part of success on that kind of Arturo Gatti or Rocky Graziano of the 1940s. When I got involved with Court, he was Do you find the fighters of today are
level again? Of the fighters you don’t train, which do you Nogueira, the big Nogueira, he’s like that, too. already working with Jason Mertlich out in more inclined to respect the ancient
I don’t even think that way. I honestly thought enjoy watching? Orem, Utah and so when we decided to join martial arts traditions?
and hoped—because I’m not a trainer so Firstly, to all my fighters: I love you guys the Court McGee is a kid who you kind of forces, they changed the name of their gym Yes. A lot of MMA guys in the beginning,
much as a martial arts and fitness instructor most, you know that. I’m not being disloyal to adopted through The Ultimate Fighter, right? to The Pit Elevated. We also have 32 affiliate y’know, they wore TapouT shirts and
CHUCK, courT AND RAMSEY (PREVIOUS SPREAD): Getty images
—that once Chuck was done, I’d be done. any of you guys, ’cos I love you, but I would Right off the bat, as soon as he met Court, gyms worldwide. It’s like a licensing deal they had tattoos and they just wanted
I talked to him about that and he was going say my favourite fighter is Leonard Garcia. Chuck came to me and said, “I want this guy where they can pick up on my curriculum to beat each other up. But now, I think
to take over the team when he retired from I could watch him fight all day long. His on our team.” So we knew from the beginning and they get weekly lessons outlining what most of the top fighters are very
fighting. I would still train the guys, but I attitude, his style, his technique, his heart of the show, before he went on to win it, even we do and their instructors can come out respectful and they’re realising it’s
wasn’t going to travel with them, I was going —he is my favourite fighter. I also really love before his first fight, we knew he was going to and train with me whenever they want. beneficial to abide by the bushido code,
to have Chuck do most of it. Then he moved Nick Diaz. Carlos Condit is a freak, too, I love be a part of our team because of his attitude the martial arts code of honour. Bow
on to other things, so I kinda got stuck with watching him. There’s a bunch of guys I really and personality. Now I’m his coach, per se, Do you consider yourself “old school”? to your opponent; show respect. If you
the guys. But I mean, how can you say no love, but top of the list is Leonard Garcia. because I’m the older guy. But his coach Yeah, I’m old school, and I train my guys old knock your opponent down, don’t run
to guys like Court and Ramsey and Antonio back home in Utah, Jason Mertlich, he’s school, but it’s old school with a new edge. around the gym like a f**king moron.
Banuelos? And I got some new guys coming Do you think Garcia might do even better more of a technique guy. Jason is a young We have cutting-edge technology, techniques Make sure he’s OK before you start
up, like Mike Gahan. There are these young, if he straightened up his attack and didn’t guy who has his fighters doing crazy jiu-jitsu, and training methods, but it’s an old-school celebrating. To be honest, almost all
hungry fighters, and I just can’t say no. So I’m get into these wild brawls all the time? wrestling and stand-up. He’s a new-age guy; attitude. If you stay old school, like the of the MMA fighters today are like
back in. And whether anyone hits that same It’s like Chuck. You can teach him, teach him, he’s like the Georges St-Pierre of trainers. Gracies, a lot of them, you’re not going to that. Guys like Georges St-Pierre,
level or not, I just hope every one of them hits teach him, and he’ll do it in the gym. But guys But I’m the head coach because I’ve been progress. Unfortunately, us old guys, we y’know, they are very respectful,
their own level, to get everything out of their like Chuck and Leonard, when the heat is on there and done that. I’ve made so many gotta learn the new stuff and teach the new decent people. It makes me proud
career that they want to get out of it. I don’t in the middle of the battle, they don’t give a mistakes that I just know what not to do. stuff, but I still try to keep the old-school to be involved in this sport.
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