Rami Hamed Melissa Montenegro interview on family and Miami fight

The Rami Hamed Melissa Montenegro interview covered the sacrifice Hamed feels most sharply: living far from his family in the Middle East. The MMA fighter also explained why he now trains offensive grappling instead of concentrating on takedown defense, and said he has a Bernakal MMA fight scheduled for December in Miami. He hopes to compete in a welterweight tournament after that, while preparing for a career in physical therapy.

How did video games shape Rami Hamed’s fighting style?

Rami Hamed told Melissa Montenegro that video games and martial arts films shaped the way he wants to fight more than any single discipline did. Although he considers himself primarily a striker, he wants his MMA style to show all the skills he has learned and to look like an art, not merely a fight.

From kickboxing in Lebanon to grappling in Thailand

Hamed began kickboxing in Lebanon at about 13. Around 15, he added taekwondo and competed in it. Muay Thai and wrestling followed as MMA became more popular in the Middle East. He later lived in Thailand, where he trained in jiu-jitsu, before settling in South Florida, where he said he has lived for eight years.

Asked which achievement made him proudest, Hamed did not pick a title or a particular win. He said every stage contributed to the whole journey. The same view informs his style: he does not see kickboxing, taekwondo or Muay Thai as sufficient on its own. He recently received a jiu-jitsu black belt and described it as equally important to his other martial arts black belts.

Mortal Kombat, Elden Ring and the look of a fight

Hamed said he has played games since getting his first NES at about five. Fighting games including Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and Tekken, along with Van Damme films, influenced his sense of how combat can look. Mortal Kombat II is his favorite fighting game; Elden Ring is his favorite game overall. He told Montenegro that he wants viewers to appreciate the appearance of his fighting and want to watch it again.

Why does Rami Hamed train offensive grappling instead of only takedown defense?

Rami Hamed now practices offensive grappling for every fight because years of training have made him comfortable initiating takedowns and working through grappling exchanges. Earlier in his career, he expected opponents to take him down, so he focused mainly on defensive wrestling, defensive jiu-jitsu and getting back to his feet.

He still trains defense because he does not want to end up on the bottom. What has changed is his comfort with the fatigue of grappling: rather than panic when an exchange becomes tiring, he said he can stay engaged and use his own wrestling. Even when a fight plan emphasizes striking, he enjoys grappling enough to keep it in his training.

That shift has not changed how he approaches a knockout. Hamed said he used to hunt for them when he was less experienced; now he trusts his striking power without forcing a finish. Hamed put his approach this way:

I just fight to touch and I know that touch is enough

He described himself as a natural finisher, pointing to 11 finishes among his 15 wins. Rather than aim every exchange at one decisive shot, he said he can land one clean strike or several lesser ones and let the finish develop.

Why does Rami Hamed call being away from his family his biggest sacrifice?

Rami Hamed said the hardest cost of his fighting career is distance from his family in the Middle East. His brothers are in Dubai, and the time difference makes even phone and video calls feel unlike being together. He misses sharing meals and conversations with his brothers and parents.

Family in the Middle East and life in South Florida

Hamed described himself as close to his family. He can keep in touch through WhatsApp and FaceTime, but a conversation in his evening takes place during their daytime. For him, that difference changes the feel of the exchange. He would like to bring family members to South Florida more often or visit them more frequently.

He also values his life where he is. Hamed said he misses mountains, nature and a slower pace when he is in South Florida, but misses a faster pace when he is away. He has made friends in Lebanon, Thailand and South Florida, and does not wish to give up his current life simply to live nearer his relatives.

What representation means to him

Competing internationally matters to Hamed, but he said representing a country is not his main motive. He wants to make himself proud and make his immediate family, friends and the people he regards as family in the United States proud. That smaller circle, he explained, matters more to him than the approval of people who do not know him.

How do Acupuncture Zen and In credit support Rami Hamed’s recovery?

Rami Hamed said he has worked with Acupuncture Zen and In credit for roughly four or five years. He visits Acupuncture Zen, a wellness and acupuncture business in Delray Beach, and uses In credit’s infrared sleeves for recovery. He credits the sleeves with helping him train more often, rather than making him immediately faster or stronger.

Hamed regards wellness as important for anyone, but especially for a fighter whose body goes through demanding training. He described acupuncture as one of his favorite things to do. He also praised the people behind In credit and their interest in recovery technology.

His explanation of the sleeves was specific: if recovering faster lets him complete five workouts instead of four in a week, he gains another chance to practice technique or work on strength and speed. That is Hamed’s account of how the product helps his performance over time, not a claim that wearing it directly improves a workout. He also identified Novak Djokovic as an ambassador for the brand.

What did Rami Hamed say about fighting and studying physical therapy?

Rami Hamed said his calm personality can surprise people who expect fighters to be aggressive outside competition. He views fighting as an art and said he dislikes violence away from it. He is also a civil engineer who chose to pursue fighting and plans to return to school to become a doctor of physical therapy.

Hamed called himself a pacifist in a way and said it would take a great deal to make him act violently. He sees a distinction between his ability to fight professionally and his conduct in ordinary life. His interest in how a fight looks, rather than violence for its own sake, is part of that distinction.

He also challenged the idea that fighters lack education or other options. Hamed said he speaks three languages and is interested in science. He pointed to Arman Tsarukyan as an example of someone he believes had other opportunities yet chose fighting, and said he meets many people in the sport whose lives extend beyond it.

At the time he spoke with Montenegro, Hamed was considering going back to school at the end of that year or the next. His stated goal was to study physical therapy and become a doctor of physical therapy; he did not say he had begun the program.

Why is Rami Hamed working with Norsin USA?

Rami Hamed said he had recently started collaborating with Norsin, an omega-3 brand he described as Norwegian and based in Berlin, Germany. He said the company had come to the United States as Norsin USA and valued its approach to educating people about omega-3 products alongside selling them.

He linked his interest in the brand to recovery and general health. In Hamed’s view, people should pay attention to what an omega-3 product contains, including EPA and DHA, rather than assuming all capsules are alike. He said the brand’s products use wild-caught sources and are tested for heavy metals.

Hamed recommended that people look into Norsin USA, while making clear that his interest was not limited to athletes. He discussed the products as part of a wider concern with brain, joint and long-term health. Those were his reasons for the collaboration, not a change to his fighting plans.

What are Rami Hamed’s plans for his Miami fight and welterweight tournament?

Rami Hamed said he has a Bernakal MMA fight scheduled for December in Miami and hopes to enter a welterweight tournament the following year. He expects to compete for roughly three or four more years, a timeframe that gives his immediate fight plans importance alongside his goals outside the sport.

He described his scheduled opponent as tough but did not name them. Hamed said the promotion had held lightweight and heavyweight tournaments that year and expected a welterweight tournament to follow. He wants to win it, earn money and enjoy competing; the tournament was an ambition he discussed, not a confirmed entry.

His plans also return to the sacrifice he described earlier. More earnings could help him visit his family more often or bring them to see him. For Hamed, competing while he still can, developing another career and spending more time with his relatives are connected aims.