Adam Chetnik Alan Storm interview on Raged UK decisions

The Adam Chetnik Alan Storm interview for FightTalk.mt began with two decisions Chetnik still disagrees with: he thought Andrew and Braden both won their Raged UK fights despite losing on the scorecards. The Malta Fightco coach told Storm that the promoter wants them back, explained what he plans to change in training and argued that more local shows could help MMA grow in Malta.

What did Adam Chetnik say about Andrew and Braden at Raged UK?

Adam Chetnik believed Andrew and Braden each did enough to win at Raged UK, although neither received the decision. He was pleased with their performances against local fighters in the United Kingdom and viewed the trip as valuable international experience, especially for athletes developing in Malta.

Andrew’s split decision

Andrew went the distance and lost a split decision. Chetnik thought he won, while acknowledging that judges could have wanted more from him. The coach singled out Andrew’s second round as particularly strong. In the third, stress and fatigue affected him, and Chetnik felt he could have done more.

Even so, Chetnik saw substantial progress compared with Andrew’s fight the previous year. He recalled Andrew continuing to train despite a lack of sleep and work commitments, and praised the determination he showed when tired and taking punches late in the Raged UK fight.

Braden’s timing and preparation

Chetnik was equally convinced by Braden’s performance. He pointed to his takedowns, kicks and punches, particularly the timing of his takedowns and the quality of his stand-up exchanges. Between rounds, Chetnik did not ask him to abandon the plan. He said Braden knew what to do and needed encouragement to keep doing it.

That preparation extended well before the fight. Chetnik described Braden as someone who planned his warm-up, game plan, sparring and daily work from the time the bout was arranged. Asked for one word for each fighter, he chose heart for Andrew and planning for Braden.

How does Adam Chetnik coach MMA fighters after a decision loss?

Adam Chetnik takes considerable responsibility when his fighters lose, but he does not think the Raged UK results mean their preparation failed. He said both followed the plan and that he would first give them time to themselves, then discuss the losses as experience they can use in future fights.

Training changes after Raged UK

Chetnik wants to improve their cardio, footwork and takedown defense. He also identified cage wrestling as an area for further work, though he would like more space to train it. Andrew’s fatigue in the third round made the need for a stronger gas tank especially clear.

On judging, he said MMA scoring criteria are broadly consistent and that activity can favor a fighter in the judges’ eyes. He did not propose a major change to how his athletes fight for that reason. His immediate focus was on the details they can control in preparation.

The coach’s responsibility in the corner

Chetnik described cornering as stressful because a coach can see the fight from outside while planning what comes next. The hardest moments, he said, are when a tired fighter is taking more punishment than the coach wants to see. Afterward, he tries to encourage his athletes without denying the disappointment of a loss.

For Chetnik, coaching also means noticing doubts and problems during a training camp, not just managing physical preparation. He does not call himself a great coach; he says coaches must keep learning from other people.

How did Adam Chetnik become an MMA coach?

Adam Chetnik began taekwondo at 14 in Poland and earned a black belt before moving to the United Kingdom. There, he tried MMA, added boxing, Muay Thai and wrestling, and competed as both an amateur and a professional. Injuries later shifted his attention toward coaching and the possibility of helping someone else progress.

From taekwondo in Poland to MMA in the United Kingdom

His first MMA sessions were difficult. Chetnik said he was repeatedly beaten in training because he did not yet know what to do. Rather than leave, he learned more disciplines and found that he wanted to compete. He later came to see coaching as another way to put his experience to use.

Learning to teach different fighters

Teaching was stressful at first because Chetnik disliked speaking in front of people. It became easier as he concentrated on helping students understand what he was demonstrating. His approach allows for differences in technique: if two people throw a kick or punch differently and both versions work, he does not consider one automatically wrong.

He also adjusts to how quickly individuals learn and how much encouragement they need. Discipline remains a priority. Chetnik does not want anyone to give up halfway through a session, and he expects students to follow basic rules while doing the work themselves.

What does Adam Chetnik do away from MMA training?

Adam Chetnik said that most of his time is spent at the gym, making a complete break from combat sports difficult. When he can get away, he likes holidays, fishing, eating and spending time with friends. Even watching a fight for pleasure has changed: he now analyzes positions and decisions almost automatically.

Chetnik said he used to be able to enjoy fights simply as a fan. Coaching has made that harder. He finds himself examining each step and position even when he does not intend to, a habit that follows him outside his own fighters’ training and bouts.

What did Adam Chetnik say about MMA in Malta?

Adam Chetnik sees potential in MMA in Malta but considers its scene small compared with others he has encountered. He believes the country needs more MMA shows and that one or two strong events could make a difference. He also sees overseas competition as an important test for Malta-based fighters.

More local shows

Chetnik said there had not been many MMA shows during the roughly year and a half he had spent in Malta. He wants to help develop the sport there and sees Andrew, Braden and other athletes in training as part of that effort. He spoke of additional fighters working toward opportunities to compete internationally.

Competing away from home

Travel brings challenges beyond the opponent, Chetnik said. A new place, different weather and a crowd supporting the local fighter can all matter when Malta-based athletes compete abroad. He believes performing well under those conditions can be valuable even without a win.

As an example of development, he compared Andrew’s Raged UK performance with a fight Andrew won in Malta the previous year. Chetnik said the difference in Andrew as both a fighter and a person was substantial.

What is next for Adam Chetnik at Raged UK and Malta Fightco?

Adam Chetnik said the Raged UK promoter was happy with Andrew’s and Braden’s performances and wanted them on the next show. Chetnik hopes to work toward that opportunity but said there are other options if it does not happen. His longer-term ambition is to build Malta Fightco into a leading MMA gym in its part of Europe.

At Malta Fightco, he wants more international athletes to train with the team and more chances for its fighters to compete abroad. He would also welcome international promoters staging events in Malta. Those ambitions sit alongside the immediate work on cardio, movement and defensive wrestling before Andrew and Braden fight again.

For someone hesitant to try MMA, Chetnik’s advice was to try it rather than overthink it; a person who dislikes it can choose something else. Asked which fighter from MMA history he would most like to coach, he chose Georges St-Pierre. He also named St-Pierre as the fighter he would choose to face.

What Chetnik wants for his fighters beyond competition

Chetnik hopes Andrew, Braden and the other fighters at his gym achieve their MMA goals and face the best opponents they can. He also wants them to be kind people who do not feel compelled to show off or prove themselves outside competition. Chetnik put that principle plainly:

There is nothing to prove in the street.