Sayif Saud founded Fortis MMA in 2017. Left injured after an impressive undefeated career as a Mixed Martial Artist, Saud turned coaching in 2009. After a while, alongside business partner Deron Michael Williams, he wanted to bring his coaching career to the next level with his own gym.
Since then, his operation has drawn the eyes of some major MMA fighters, including Saad Awad, Uriah Hall, and Geoff Neal.
Saud’s no-nonsense and disciplined approach has brought the gym to great heights in a very short amount of time. Even more victories seem to lie ahead. “Hard work always pays off,” says Saud with confidence. “That’s what the gym has been built off of.”
Fortis MMA: Sayif Saud works with multiple champions
Mixed Martial Arts, a full-contact sport, draws on different disciplines, including boxing, wrestling, judo, Muay Thai, karate, and more. As a result, a top training center has to have a rich background and range of expertise.
Fortis MMA is a Texas-based gym and features trainers from different disciplines. For example, Deron Michael Williams, pro basketball player/wrestler, co-founded the gym. Others include Loronz Marion, jiu-jitsu specialist, and multiple MMA specialists. As co-founder and head coach, Sayif Saud has rapidly grown the company since its inception in 2017.
Since opening, the gym has trained five UFC fighters who went on to rank in the top-15 in five different divisions in only three years. Saud credits dedication as the key to this success, both his as a coach and of the athletes.
“It’s about the culture of hard work,” he tells Cageside Press. “It is a consistent effort that you are finally seeing come to fruition all at once… The most important thing now with the success is maintaining that same work.”
Dedication and expertise drive coaching successes
Saud began training as a martial artist at the tender age of three in his father’s dojo. He received black belts in judo and Shorin-Ryu karate. Additionally, he has won multiple state titles, all while dedicating himself to academics as well. Saud graduated Indiana University Bloomington with a BA in Political Science. Next, he studied law at Indiana University Indianapolis.
Unfortunately, Saud’s impressive MMA career ended early due to injury. During his time in the ring, he remained undefeated as an amateur and continued his undefeated record as a professional as well. After this, he began coaching in 2009. Soon, he made a name for himself working with stars in the industry, such as Greg Jackson, Rashad Evans, and Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal.
Saud’s discipline as an athlete carries over into his coaching style and how he runs Fortis. “If you’re going to be on our team you’re going to be 100% committed to our team,” Saud says. “You’re going to train with our team, after you fight your fight you’ve got one week and you’re back in the gym, because that’s how the team has got built up so fast is because we have a system.”
Fortis MMA eyeing further success, Saad Awad joining the growing powerhouse
Home to multiple champions, Fortis MMA’s ranked fighters fall into five different categories. These champs include Ryan “Superman” Spann in the light heavyweight, Uriah “Primetime” Hall in the middleweight, and Macy Chiasson in the bantamweight division.
One of Fortis’ star fighters is Geoff “Handz of Steel” Neal, with 13 wins and 2 losses, and a 7 win streak currently. Saud recently announced that Neal had a serious health scare and his heart almost failed, but “he now appears to be on his way to recovery.”
One of the newest stars to be joining Fortis MMA is Saad “The Assassin” Awad. Awad will move to Texas in order to work with Saud. Fortis MMA will be his “home base” he says, and “he’s looking forward to it.” Currently, Awad has 23 wins and 13 losses, and competes in the lightweight division for the Bellator promotion.
Learn more about Fortis MMA here.
