The world of mixed martial arts can be a tough one. Having been a professional for the past seven years, Sam Hibberd knows this as much as anyone. The former Merbein man spoke to Angus Dearlove about the trials and tribulations of making a career in the combat sport industry.
SAM Hibberd says he got into martial arts to keep himself out of trouble.
It has now blossomed into his life.
The 30-year-old started training under Mick Moloney in Mildura in his late teens, since moving to Melbourne to study at university, and is now an accomplished coach himself.
“That was grassroots, where it started from,” he says.
“Since I’ve been down in Melbourne I’ve always been involved and working in gyms and coaching.
“I went pro in 2012, I went undefeated as an amateur – so 3-0 there – my professional record is now 8-4.”
Hibberd says coaching came about because he wanted to improve himself more.
“It was very much a thirst for knowledge, once you get a taste of it and you start learning … I really like the chess match that happens behind it,” he said.
“Once you start learning that knowledge and the strategy behind it there’s a lot more to it than it appears.”
But there are drawbacks to immersing yourself as deeply as Hibberd has.
“It was incredibly difficult this year because as I’m getting older I’m sort of finding that you can’t do it all anymore,” he says.
“When I was 21-22 I could grind, I could get up at 4am, work my hour, get my hours in then go and coach, go and train, go to uni.
“You hit 30 and you just can’t do that anymore, it’s just trying to be smarter so that’s what this year has been.
“We are just coaching enough to get by and pay the bills but we are way more committed to training.”
The world of MMA competing and coaching has opened up doors for Hibberd, who recently returned from a stint in South East Asia at the home of Muay Thai boxing.
“This year I had the opportunity, Absolute MMA opened up a gym in Thailand, so I spent the past 11 months there managing that gym as well as being the head coach of the MMA program,” he says.
“I sort of had a double edged sword, I was training and doing the coaching but I was also managing the gym, dealing with Thai fighters, Thai businessmen, contracts and trying to get cuts from purses and all that side of it as well.
“I’ve relocated back to Melbourne now, this year we’ve had two international opponents on Hex Fight Series, I submitted them both in the second round.”
Hibberd has his eyes on going further in the sport, looking to get noticed by the giant Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion.
“I’ve fought seven times on Hex now, which is Australia’s biggest promotion, I’ve been on that since the very first Hex,” he says.
“I’ve also main evented at Eternal MMA, which is Australia’s other big one – I’ve fought there three times as well.
“Since my last fight (against Guam’s Juan Lizama) with my Australia/New Zealand ranking I’ve gone to five at bantamweight – I’ve dropped down a division to 61kg, and I’ve gone to eight at featherweight.”
Hibberd say the time is right to step up to the UFC if he gets the call up.
“I’ve trained internationally, I’ve been over to the States, I’ve mixed it with top level guys in the room,” he says. “Alex Volkanovski, who just won the (UFC) featherweight title, I trained with him for a couple of weeks in 2017 so we know where the standard is at.
“It’s at the point where it’s becoming reachable so we’re getting ready to go.”
Hibberd credits his time in Thailand for helping to round out his game.
“The sport has evolved a lot since the original days, I’ve always been known I think as one of the very first well rounded guys,” he says.”
My base comes from grappling, that’s what is starting to shine back through at the moment, there’s a very strong local jiu-jitsu scene in Mildura at the moment so that’s where it originated for me.”
“After spending 12 months working in Thailand with the Thais full time and getting the intricacies there I feel like I’m plugging the gaps – guys don’t want to stand with me now.
“The past 4-5 guys I’ve fought they have all tried to wrestle with me, they don’t want to stand with me, it’s falling right into my game now.”
