Going back to Bravo-Young’s earliest days at Penn State, when he introduced himself to the fans in showstopping fashion and took full advantage of his newfound spotlight. Before he even got a chance to be “the new guy,” he was a fan-favorite.
Watch The UFC FIGHT PASS Invitational 4 Live June 29
“He was pretty viral early in his college career,” Recalls Zach Bogle of StaleMates podcast. “In one of his duals, I think it was against Lehigh, he was in a position that you don’t normally get out of and he did a backflip and scored. That video went viral, I think it was on the Top 10 on ESPN and everything. I feel like that really made people want to watch him wrestle and then he just kept winning and winning and winning.”
Now making his submission grappling debut, Bravo-Young could very easily take the “I’ve never competed, I’m just here to get an easy paycheck” route, but you don’t become a two-time National champion mailing in anything.
Stepping in the grappling game until I can wrestle again. June 29th. Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/Lwy0RoVcLN
— Roman Bravo-Young (@RomanBravoYoung) May 26, 2023
Bravo-Young still puts wrestling first but is going out of his way to make sure he doesn’t get used to losing, regardless of the discipline.
“[Dominick Cruz] is going to be in my corner, him and Brian Glick,” Bravo-Young said. “I have good people behind me and it isn’t like I am not training for this.”
Bringing in the big guns, Glick, once referred to by John Danaher as “the single greatest example of the transformative powers of Jiu jitsu training to take anybody from helpless to hardcore,” Glick will be shifting the impact of the highest level BJJ and instilling it into a wrestler who defined an era.
Watch The UFC FIGHT PASS Invitational 4 Live June 29
As if some of the most impressive raw skill followed by years of Cael Sanderson’s tutelage wasn’t enough, Bravo-Young’s Dominick Cruz and an OG Danaher Death Squad member possibly have him in as threatening of a position in grappling as he was in wrestling.
It’s the perfect opportunity to introduce himself to his future audience.
“It is a good platform and a good challenge. I want to do MMA, obviously and I want to get in there now so people can see my talent.”
With the access to ATT Happy Valley, with the greatest bantamweight of all time on speed dial and the greatest ground game the bantamweight division will have ever seen already under his belt, why wait?
Thank you Penn State. pic.twitter.com/ynNvU0fl9j
— Roman Bravo-Young (@RomanBravoYoung) March 19, 2023
RBY could step into the Octagon tomorrow and make a splash. What’s the sense in dipping a toe in grappling and waiting for an Olympic cycle?
MMA is inevitable, but RBY’s heart is on the mat.
“The key is that when I fully feel like I am done with wrestling and just don’t have any fire, I am going to switch over,” Bravo-Young explained. “Now, I cross train, yes. We work hands, we work striking, we work grappling. But you know I can be good with being patient and learning the fundamentals and building up slowly. I think the key thing is time, and there is no need to rush it and Dom has a plan for me and I trust him and he is my main guy, so I just do what he says. I am still going to continue wrestling until I get burnt out because I am still making good money wrestling and I am not getting punched in the face. So I am not going to stop now and I am still young, so there is still time and there is no rush.”
Watch The UFC FIGHT PASS Invitational 4 Live June 29
Until that fire is put out, Bravo-Young will continue to cross train, he’ll continue to put wrestling first and he’ll continue to dabble, but when it’s time to go all-in on MMA, bantamweights beware. A fully invested Nittany Lion is a whole different animal.
Until he steps off the mat for good, Roman Bravo-Young will always be the most exciting “new guy” out there.
Do not miss the submission grappling debut of Penn State legend Roman Bravo-Young at the FIGHT PASS Invitational 4 LIVE Thursday, June 29 ONLY on UFC FIGHT PASS!
