Virgil Zwicker Wants to Inspire Kids Through His Career

Virgil Zwicker spoke with MMAjunkie about his fight with Dan Charles at Bellator 162 and more. Some highlights are below:

On coaching a youth football team and running a martial arts program for kids: “The funny thing is, working with kids has made me learn about myself a lot more. Knowing that when they’re looking up to me they understand that and put that in themselves – that’s the reward. It’s not always about the winning and the fighting, it’s also about watching the growth that comes in the kids. That instills confidence in me to where if I am in the gym, I’m can still feel good. That’s a big part of my training, too.”

On his loss to Brian Rogers at Bellator 147: “I think I was more pumped up and excited for (my team) than the (last) fight. I used the motivation of the boys for it, but I took a lot from it. I didn’t overlook anybody. I was expecting to go in and destroy him. Brian is a tough guy. I think a couple of the shots I took kept me being hesitant and I just wanted to hit him. Ever since then, I’ve been smart and trying to stay focused and got better at what I need to do and I’m ready to fix things.”

On bring an inspiration to kids: “In this culture, not a lot of us are in position to lead them the right way. I have a vision of where I’m going and the program has been taking off. I have four different classes, three different days. It’s about knowing your boundaries, setting your boundaries and believing in yourself. That comes with MMA. You need to know how to carry yourself and have that confidence. Make it so you expect to get respected.”

On his career: “I definitely got a few years left to go in MMA. It’s not always about fighting. I would like to have a life outside the gym and cage. My biggest sport is football, I do love football. I love coaching, I love helping kids and doing all that stuff. I try to keep myself busy and spread out so I’m not just focused on the fighting – because I think too much of one thing could be a bad thing. I definitely just try to keep myself focused with other things in life than just fighting.”