Matt 'The Law' Lindland’s stellar 15-year career saw him win silver in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Olympics, go 22-9 and fight Fedor Emelianenko in front of Russian president Vladimir Putin. He reflects on his highs and lows in the sport he loves here. And he has some forthright advice for those looking to follow in his footsteps.

Q: Three years before you even went to the Olympics in 2000 and won silver you had three MMA fights. Why?

Matt: “I really enjoyed the sport. I thought, ‘This is something I could do.’ But it was certainly not something that I could focus my time and energy on, whilst I was focusing my time and energy on being one of the best wrestlers in the world. So I had to make a decision.

After the Olympics I decided I would pursue MMA. The reason I went back to wrestling in 2001 is the World Championships were supposed to be held in New York City. It was an opportunity to compete in my sport in front of my countrymen. Unfortunately, we were bombed by some terrorists and so they were not actually held in New York that year.”

Q: Your feud with Phil Baroni in the UFC between 2001 and 2003 generated a lot of interest. Looking back, was that quite a significant moment in your career?

“Back then the UFC wasn’t quite as big of an organization and as marketable. They weren’t doing videos on the internet, and they weren’t promoting. It was a different sport in the early days. So Phil and I were required to do our own marketing and promotion of those fights. We got out there and we promoted those without the help of the organization, and without the marketing and the branding machine that it is now.

So, I think those were significant fights in that aspect as far as building our notoriety, building the excitement around the sport, getting people to buy that fight. The co-main event the second time I fought Phil (UFC 41, 2003) was BJ Penn and Caol Uno. It went to a draw, wasn’t the most exciting fight, and Phil and I had a highly anticipated fight that turned out to be super exciting. Those were good fights; those were important fights.” 

Q: You fought Fedor Emelianenko at heavyweight in 2007 in Russia, losing in the first round by armbar. You were obviously disappointed with the result…

“I was disappointed with everything in that match from allowing him to grab the ropes, then using the ropes to secure a takedown. Everything in that match was a little frustrating.”

Q: Over your entire career, coaching and fighting, what’s been the highlight?

“I guess right now it’s more about seeing my athletes compete well and watching those guys do big things, have success in the sport and bringing up some of those younger guys.

And even at our gym, the guys that don’t compete at the high level, just seeing them being able to reach their goals, whatever they are, fitness, lose weight, guys that want to just get out there and overcome their fear of getting in the ring and competing.”

Q: What advice would you give to young fighters starting out in MMA?

“Develop character. And know who you are. I’ve seen some of these young guys that come up, they get a little fame and notoriety and it certainly has changed a lot of guys’ lives for the better, but also I think I’ve seen a lot of guys change for the worse as far as character-wise. They don’t know who they are.

They get in this sport and a lot of people want to ride on their coattails and tell them how great they are. These people, they’re looking for something. I don’t know what it is; they want to be around somebody that’s winning, that’s making money, whatever. There’s a lot of guys that want to hang around and be a part of it. You see guys, they get in this sport and it really changes who they are and their values and their beliefs. People they were friends with are no longer friends with them, they’ll leave their spouses for the new hot thing that’s out there in Vegas or whatever.

I would just tell the young athletes to stay grounded. Know who you are before you get in this sport and try to stay that person.”