Bristol resident Jeff Emil Haddad (4-0) of Reality Fighting was kind of enough to answer a few questions for us this week as he prepares for his June 19 bantamweight bout with Walter Smith Cotito (3-2) at Mohegan Sun.

Nutmeg MMA: When did you first study martial arts? What was the first art that you studied and where?

Haddad: I think I was four or five years old when I started Tae Kwon Do in the Worcester area and continued until I was about nine.

Nutmeg MMA:  How many arts have you studied? Which ones?

Haddad: I have studied BJJ (Gi & No-Gi), Wresting, Muay Thai, Boxing and Kickboxing. I consider wrestling my base as I have been wrestling for 15 years (Editor's note: He stated that he has wrestled for Stafford High School, Old Saybrook High School and American International college).

Nutmeg MMA: When did you start pursuing Mixed Martial Arts as a calling?

Haddad: I saw my first UFC in 1999 or so. I thought it was crazy and cool, but I didn’t really see it as a calling until I started wrestling in 2000. Then I knew the natural progression would lead me there.

Nutmeg MMA: Have you fought for other organizations besides Reality Fighting?

Haddad: I have not. They have always treated me so well, and I love fighting at Mohegan Sun. However, I signed with Bellator before my surgeries. My contract expired due to my long lay off. Now that I am back, I am open to fight for other promotions. I really like how CES builds their fighters, runs their shows, and pushes their fighters to the next level. I see myself fighting for them this year for sure.

Nutmeg MMA: I understand that you at one point held Reality Fighting"s bantamweight belt but had to vacate the championship due to injury. Who did you defeat to earn the belt?

Haddad: I defeated Johnny McLaughlin for the belt back in 2011. He was actually a high school friend and Bellator vet. Small world!

Nutmeg MMA: What are your career goals within MMA? Do you plan on coaching or teaching at some point?

Haddad: My goals are small right now. I can’t say win a world title if I am not even in the UFC right now or in the mix for a world title. My goals are to get better everyday, win this next fight, get back to the gym and keep grinding. I’ll reassess my goals when I get in the UFC. I definitely plan on coaching more than I do now. I coach high school wrestling and help out Underdog BJJ where I can. However, I plan on opening a gym after my career is over as an active fighter.

Nutmeg MMA: Do you have any advice for aspiring fighters?

Haddad: Start small. This sport is incredibly grueling and taxing. Just set goals of making it to every practice in a year. Once you have achieved smaller goals like that, start building on those goals. So many people dream of huge goals without any idea how to get there. Life isn’t just about dreaming, it’s about preparing, planning, working, failing, reassessing, preparing, planning, working, achieving, build and repeat.

Nutmeg MMA: Do you have any fighters that you particularly like to watch? That you emulate?

Haddad: I love watching TJ Dillashaw, Dominick Cruz, Demetrious Johnson, Jon Jones, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar, etc. Without being too vague, I really try to take aspects from all great fighters across all combat sports. I love all combat sports and think it’s critical to grow and evolve.

Nutmeg MMA: The last time I checked, you were the ring girl coordinator with Reality Fighting. Do you still have that job?

Haddad: I am not longer the ring girl coordinator. It was more or less something to stay involved with the company while I was out.

Nutmeg MMA: You also work as a physical therapist. Has one calling giving you a geater appreciation for the other?

Haddad: I think they have complement each other well. I am able to work with intelligent people all the time who stimulate my mind, understand the mechanics of the body, help with injuries, and keep me motivated to grow in a mental and intellectual way. MMA helps me apply the concepts that I teach and learn as a physical therapist. I am able to identify more appropriate positions for mechanical advantages or identify areas to improve in a muscular sense. I am also able to identify when an injury is just a nagging injury or something more significant as well as help check out team members if they are concerned about something. On top of all that, physical therapy allows me to appreciate a fully functional body after seeing so many sick or injured people. It motivates me to stay in shape and make the most of that I have.

Thank you very much for your time. I would like to thank my family, friends, fans, girlfriend, coaches, training partners, and sponsors for all the support! Underdog BJJ, Fighting Arts Acadamy, Luigi’s Restaurant, Cutting Edge Chiropractic, Baddass Inc. and Bristol Gladiator’s Wrestling.