Life in the Cage

Words by Dez Loreen / Photos by Shayla Snowshoe

James Williams is no stranger to athletics. Since he was a young boy, he was shown the traditions of the Northern Games from his uncle Donald Kuptana. Then throughout high school, Williams was always on the ice, eventually playing Junior A hockey for different teams across Canada.

But it wasn’t until 2012 that Williams found his true calling – in the middle of a cage as a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter.

He was six months into jiu-jitsu training when a friend convinced him to give the combat sport (popularized in Canada by Georges St-Pierre) a try.

That December Williams stepped into the ‘Just Fitness’ MMA gym in Yellowknife for the first time, and within his first few sessions he already knew he wanted more.

Then, almost immediately, an opportunity for a fight came up. He was given the Christmas holidays to decide if he would take his first fight with only four months notice.

A super card was being made for Yellowknife, where he grew up. There was already some

NWT talent on the card, and it would be a great start for Williams’ amateur MMA career.

It was a lot to think about. Even though Williams had a background in jiu-jitsu, being in a real fight would be much different. When competing in jiu-jitsu, there is no striking, only throws and holds. Williams knew he would need to increase his ability in the cage if he wanted to succeed.

In early 2013, his coach started him in boxing and kickboxing to round out his skill-set. Arming him with punches, kicks and knee attacks would strengthen his stand-up fighting. More emphasis was put on his jiu-jitsu training as well, so he would be comfortable on the ground or in any situation in a real fight.

Whenever I watch that video of my first fight, I think ‘Oh man, that was fun, that all my friends and family were there.’

In the months leading up to his first amateur MMA bout, Williams says he looked to his coaches and trainers for their advice on how to prepare.

“Before my first fight, I didn’t know what to think, but my coaches were ready to help me,” said Williams.

He lost weight in the weeks leading to the fight. There were sleepless nights and days where all he would think about was his opponent. But despite the lack of sleep, Williams said his body was ready.

“I would wake up energized from three to four hours of sleep,” he said.

He was warned about the adrenaline rush when the fight begins and the inevitable crash once the first round is over. Williams said that when you sit down in your corner after the first round of fighting, all your body wants to do is rest.

Controlling your body and using the adrenaline properly is key to making it through a fight. Williams said he kept himself in check during his first fight and wanted to avoid overstressing himself.

“It was an awesome feeling. I knew to keep my composure, keep calm,” he said.

The emotion in that arena in April 2013 was intense. That night people came from all over to see a few local fighters representing the NWT go head to head with fighters from across Canada.

That night the ringside was packed full of friends, family and MMA fans all wanting to see a real spectacle in the cage. When it was Williams’ time to enter the arena, he walked past his parents, sister, packs of friends, screaming fans and his entire hockey team who came out to support him.

Williams remembers standing in his corner of the cage before the fight, listening to the sound of his family cheering behind him.

“I could hear the whole crowd,” he said.

“Whenever I watch that video of my first fight, I think ‘Oh man, that was fun, that all my friends and family were there.’”

He won his first MMA fight that night when the doctor stopped his opponent from starting the second round. Williams described the entire experience as ‘unreal.’

Just as soon as he was cleaned up after his fight, he was surrounded by friends and family.

With his first win under his belt, it was time to keep the momentum going. The mantra his coaches told him was that nobody gets better by taking time off.

Now, Williams trains six days a week, taking Sunday as a rest day. But even that involves some activity, so he is always working his body.

“It’s a full-time job,” he said.

During the summer, Williams works as a parks enforcement officer for the Government of the Northwest Territories. It’s shift work, which means working for days on end from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. He says it can make it challenging to fit training into his daily schedule. When he is off he can train in the evenings, but when he is working during the summer months he needs to switch his training to the morning. Persistence and hard work are key to his success.

Aside from training for his fights, Williams is also an ambassador for arctic sports. In March 2015 he toured across the NWT with Aboriginal Sports Circle, putting on workshops and demonstrations of a wide variety of northern games. Williams said he is proud to be a part of the new generation of athletes who are passing on these traditions.

“We were taught by so many people, like Abel, Edward, Junior, Gerry. They passed it on to us, and it feels great to be passing it on now,” said Williams.

Back in Yellowknife, Williams trains with the rest of the members of team Warrior Strong, led by John Stanley. Stanley has been coaching professional and amateur MMA fighters for the past 19 years.

There are currently 10 fighters on the team, all training to become top-level fighters. They train for 12 hours a week in boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. They also have five conditioning sessions a week, and on top of all that they weight train as well.

“It is a time consuming and demanding sport,” said Stanley.

Williams has some advice for anyone looking to start training in MMA. He said eating healthy and making good decisions are key to being strong and fit.

“Find time to be with your supporters, friends, family, because they are the ones helping you,” he said.

Williams is the first NWT born fighter to challenge for a title.

Now, looking forward to his next challenges, Williams says he knows how to approach his fights.

“It’s just another fight, another chance to go harder than before,” he said.

Since April 2013, Williams has fought as an amateur five times, earning a record of two wins, three losses and no draws.

His first professional MMA fight is scheduled for May 2015 in Yellowknife.