Adler Volmar Goes MMA

By Sharon Robb. A new journey begins for Adler Volmar this week. The two-time Olympian in judo will make his mixed martial arts debut Friday at the Revolution Fighting Championships at Gusman Center in Miami.

The 31-year-old Coral Springs father of three said he started thinking about mixed martial arts even before his second Olympic appearance in Beijing, where he lost in the first round

With a background in judo and karate, Volmar has been working on his striking at Punch Fitness in Deerfield Beach since October.
"When you are at the elite level of one sport it gives you a little edge, but it does feel like I am starting again," Volmar said. "I know people mostly think of me as the judo guy and expect throws.

"I am training to be an overall fighter. ... I want to see if I like it. This is a very different sport."

Volmar has watched mixed martial arts with his wife and children on television. He has gone to several shows, including the Warriors Collide Series at War Memorial and Revolution Fighting Championships. But stepping into the cage will be eye-opening.

"I am definitely ready," said Volmar, who has dropped from 230 to 205 pounds.

Born in Miami and raised in Cap Haitien, Haiti, a gang attack in Haiti prompted his mother to get her son involved with judo at age 13. Two years later he earned a black belt and won a national title. He was a national hero in Haiti when he went to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics at 19.

"Every time I go into something new I work very hard because I want to do good stuff," Volmar said. "I believe in hard work. Maybe I have faith that God will do something good.

"Judo teaches you how to handle anything, especially adversity. It makes you strong mentally and physically. I think I could be great in MMA. I have the skill.

"I am capable of doing a lot more in life. In many ways I do feel I am starting over again. I am making the sacrifice again, focusing 100 percent on my training. I am devoting more time toward a different goal. I am not walking in there a two-time Olympian, I am walking in there humble."