Texas MMA fighter Clay Hantz to continue quest for success at Steele Cage: Reloaded

by Sean Malone of North Texas Fisticuffs

There is a visible metamorphosis that takes place within a fighter as they step inside the confines of the cage or ring. It is a transformation that takes a normal individual and turns them into a cold machine of controlled violence. It’s what separates those who were born to fight from those of us who have no business in the cage. Few fighters illustrate this physiological change as visibly as Odessa’s Clay Hantz.

“Athletes through the ages call it the ‘zone.’ It’s just a place where you get into with your mind, where you let the fight live, where you let the fight flow,” explains Hantz. “The intensity comes from my focus, and my focus is to do one thing, and that is to oppose my will and win the fight in any fashion. A lot of people look at me and say, 'oh, you look so angry.' No, I’m just so focused, and I’m there to do something. That’s how I step forward in my fights, like I’m going to win, no matter what.”

A naturally gifted athlete, Hantz’s introduction into the world of mixed martial arts was born out of a desire to keep active and stave off boredom in his sleepy, west Texas hometown.

“There’s not a whole lot of stuff to do around here, man. Around Odessa, Midland, you either work, or you drink,” concedes Hantz. “I really wanted to stay out of trouble, so I was looking for something to do when I got back from college. I played college football in Minnesota, and I was just really bored when I got back. I was always gifted athletically, so I had to find something to do with my body, so that’s why I got into it. It kept me out of trouble.”

Training under the banner of upstart MMA powerhouse, West Texas MMA, Hantz took to the rigors of mixed martial arts like a bird to flight. Needless to say, Hantz was hooked and he soon found a particular fondness for the intricacies of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“Jiu-jitsu, I love it,” professes Hantz. “It’s something I’m always thinking about. I always call my training partner in the middle of the day and I’m like, ‘man, you have to check this out.’ I really try to adapt my Brazilian jiu-jitsu game to MMA. I think I’ve done a pretty good job at it. I love jiu-jitsu, and I can’t really say enough about it.”

Hantz's love of the ground game is evident upon looking at his professional fight ledger. Boasting a record of 4-1, all but one of Hantz’s victories has come by way of submission. But while Hantz may extol the virtues of the ground game, if you asked him what he strength as a fighter is, the answer may surprise you.

“To be honest with you, my strength would be my mind and my conditioning,” Hantz explains. “I’m more comfortable on the ground than really anywhere, but it doesn’t mean that it’s stronger than my stand-up is, or stronger than my wrestling. I wouldn’t consider a certain technique to be my strength.”

Hantz's cerebral approach to MMA is evident in watching him fight. What may look like reckless aggression to the causal observer, is in reality a formula to systematically break down your opponent in pursuit of a victory. When a fighter deviates from his game plan, defeat often follows. Such was the case in Hantz’s only professional loss, a submission by gifted prospect Joe Christopher. The loss represented a learning experience for Hantz, one that he has taken to heart.

“I really learned to let my hands go,” Hantz explains. “On my feet, I hit Joe twice in that entire fight and I think we stood for a minute and I hit him twice, and one was a counter. So if I took anything from the fight with Joe, it was to let my hands go because it really sets up the ground game. Another thing is to follow my game plan, when my corner tells me to stand, I better stand. The thing is, that was my second professional fight, I was in there with a very seasoned fighter, and it taught me to slow down and actually think about what I’m doing.”

Though only having been a professional fighter for a year, Hantz has quickly turned into one of Texas’ fan-favorite fighters. This Saturday night, Hantz will ply his craft in the cage when he appears on the undercard of Steele Cage: Reloaded taking place at Dr Pepper StarCenter in Frisco. Hantz has no easy assignment as he faces the always-game Ira “The Hurricane” Boyd. Hantz seems unfazed by his fight. If anything, he seems downright relaxed.

“I’ve had the pleasure of watching him fight a couple of times,” says Hantz. “We train all around, and the only thing I would train specifically for Ira is a left hand. But a left hand doesn’t change much when it’s answered with a straight right hand.”

Cool and confident without bordering on arrogant, it’s easy to see why Hantz is quickly becoming a household name among local MMA fanatics. Backed by the sponsorship of Phalanx Management and MMA Applications, Hantz is motivated to make a living for himself and his family in the punishing sport of mixed martial arts.

“The number one thing that drives me is to succeed [is] not just succeed in my career, but to take me and my family and succeed financially,” reflects Hantz. “Taking us from where we are and moving us to a better place. It’s not necessarily the glory, I don’t really care about all the glory or hype, I just love to compete. I love to train my body and condition it, and make it mine, and really just to compete. To put myself to the test against myself, but definitely number one is for my family.”