Brandon Michaelis Coleman Concepts interview: His kickboxing debut

In the Brandon Michaelis Coleman Concepts interview, Michaelis told Brandon Coleman that his November 7 bout will be his kickboxing debut and first sanctioned amateur fight. He also explained how his father and brother drew him toward fighting, why joining Kaiju Kickboxing & MMA changed his training, and why he intends to fight again regardless of the result.

Why did Brandon Michaelis start fighting like his father and brother?

Brandon Michaelis grew up watching both his father and his older brother fight professionally. He told Coleman that seeing his brother headline a Tacoma Dome show at 16, with their father working as the promoter, gave him a lasting picture of what he wanted to pursue himself.

Growing up around professional fighters

His brother is about three years older than he is. Michaelis recalled his father’s last fight being in 2007 and thought his brother’s was in 2008. As a child moving between his parents’ homes, he was around fighters including Dennis Hulman, Brad Blackburn, Benjor Attic and Jeff Munson. Ken Shamrock attended one of the Tacoma Dome shows promoted by his father, Michaelis said.

That early exposure did not lead straight to a fight career. Michaelis said his father and brother stopped fighting around 2008, when he was still too young to begin. He found his own rhythm before eventually locating a gym where he could train.

His brother’s Tacoma Dome title defense

One memory stayed particularly clear: Michaelis sat cageside for one of his brother’s title defenses at the Tacoma Dome. He said his brother was 16, facing a 26-year-old while headlining the show. Their father walked in wearing a suit as the promoter. For Michaelis, the sight of his family in those roles became motivation to reach a fight of his own.

How did Kaiju Kickboxing & MMA change Brandon Michaelis’s training?

Kaiju Kickboxing & MMA gave Brandon Michaelis the active group of competitors he needed to take fighting more seriously. He said he had trained inconsistently since about 2018, but the move to Kaiju helped turn an ambition he had long held into more focused preparation from early 2022.

Michaelis was careful not to blame his previous gym. The change, he explained, was being surrounded by fighters who competed often and took numerous bouts. Watching them improve pushed him to address parts of his own training and keep improving alongside them.

He described Kaiju as a place where training partners keep him humble while he learns every day. His shorthand for that approach was, “you can get better without getting beat.” He credits the gym’s competitive atmosphere, rather than a single sudden realization, with changing how seriously he pursued a fight.

What did Brandon Michaelis say about his November 7 kickboxing debut?

Brandon Michaelis said the November 7 bout would be his kickboxing debut and first sanctioned amateur fight, on a casino show. He had already taken part in five smokers—three MMA and two kickboxing—which gave him some experience of entering a fight setting without making this debut feel routine.

During fight week, he said nerves were beginning to arrive, but he felt ready both mentally and physically. He had spent considerable time visualizing the occasion. The bout represented a step he had wanted since childhood, not just the end of one training camp.

Michaelis said the preceding two weeks had brought repeated moments of recognizing that the fight was finally close. He connected that feeling to watching his father and brother years earlier. Although he acknowledged that fighters do not come through camp feeling perfect, he was pleased with where his preparation had left him.

What does Brandon Michaelis value about Washington State?

For Brandon Michaelis, Washington State is defined most strongly by its landscape. Speaking with Coleman about where he lives, he pointed to the eastern deserts, western coast, northern mountains and the forests and mountains around his home in North Bend.

He said he was born on Earth Day, April 22, a detail he found fitting given his attachment to the outdoors. When Coleman asked what a visitor should see beyond Seattle and Tacoma, Michaelis recommended the mountains, rivers and lakes.

He felt that people who associate the state chiefly with its cities can miss how much of its natural scenery there is to explore. That was the part of Washington he wanted Coleman to experience firsthand.

What did Brandon Michaelis say about Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje?

Brandon Michaelis said he did not have one favorite fighter while growing up around the sport, but Dustin Poirier later became a favorite for both his fighting style and his manner. He also recalled an unexpected meeting with Justin Gaethje in Las Vegas and discussed the UFC fighters he has watched in person.

Why Dustin Poirier became a favorite

Michaelis said Poirier appeals to him as a fighter and as someone he considers humble. He admires the way Poirier has continued through difficult experiences while retaining support. It is the combination of style and character, rather than a single childhood fight, that made Poirier stand out to him.

Meeting Justin Gaethje in Las Vegas

On a trip to Las Vegas to see a fight, Michaelis encountered Gaethje talking to someone at a bar at about 2 a.m. He approached briefly to shake his hand. Michaelis remembered the size of Gaethje’s hand, saying it swallowed his own.

The two also discussed a possible direction for the UFC lightweight division. Michaelis thought a returning fighter should face someone outside the top three rather than immediately receive another title opportunity. He cited an existing rivalry as one reason such a matchup could work.

Watching Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski

Michaelis was a Max Holloway supporter when Holloway first fought Alexander Volkanovski. He initially disagreed with the result, but said repeat viewings changed how he saw that close fight. Later, he watched their third meeting live and came away struck by Volkanovski’s performance over five rounds.

Does Brandon Michaelis want another fight after his debut?

Brandon Michaelis expects to want another fight after November 7, regardless of whether he wins, loses or draws. He said experiencing the walkout, the lights and the sight of friends and family at the show would strengthen the drive that brought him to his first amateur bout.

At 32, Michaelis wants to make use of the time he has to compete. He did not name a next opponent or set a date for a second fight; his immediate focus was getting into the ring for the debut he had spent years anticipating.

Explaining what he tells his coach about that longer-term aim, Michaelis put it this way:

“I'm trying to be the best fighter that I can be with the life that I have”

For him, that means continuing to train and doing what he can to improve within the life he has, rather than treating November 7 as the endpoint.

Who is Brandon Michaelis?

Brandon Michaelis trains at Kaiju Kickboxing & MMA. He shares the process and experiences of pursuing combat sports and content creation.