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Philippines, 23 Aug 2025 |
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Jonathan Burdick, RRT: Respiratory therapist by day, MMA fighter by night By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Thu, 25 Aug 2022  Fighters fight, writers write, respiratory therapists help patients breathe right. Jonathan Burdick, a full-fledged RRT, part-time author and amateur mixed martial artist can stake his claim to all that. He found his calling in respiratory care---a medical profession devoted to helping patients breathe easier with mechanical ventilation, lung protective strategy, breathing treatments, oxygen delivery devices, etcetera. In between his duties helping critically ill patients, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, he somehow found time to write a book entitled “Your Not So Average Trading Guide”. While most workers, particularly the frontline variety, go home to rest after a hard day’s work, Burdick instead heads to the gym---Catch MMA in Hayward---to train. He is at the tail end of training camp. All is set for the first defense of his SF Combat & 209 Beatdown bantamweight title in Napa, California this coming August 27, 2022. You can follow him on his Instagram account @Mongoose_MMA. Here is Jon Burdick, “The Fighting RT”, in his own words. 
What drove you to learn the art of self-defense, particularly the martial arts? “I had always been a physical kid and was fascinated by kickboxing and martial arts. I did Taekwondo when I was a kid and that was my introduction to martial arts, but the school I attended didn’t have a sparring class, so it had always left me with a void for a more physical contact sport. I was a wrestler in high school which was my first form of combat sports. I fell in love with the challenge of trying to best your opponent with only your physical skills and strength. After high school I didn’t do any type of contact sports for many years, but the hunger to compete and fight never went away. While watching UFC fights, I decided that I was one day going to be an MMA fighter. I thought about it constantly until one day in 2018 I just got up and did a Google search for the closest MMA gym in my area. I found a place that was right down the street from me, headed over I haven’t stopped training since.” Who are your coaches, trainers and where do you train? “I started my training with Brian Wilkinson who taught a small MMA class in Hayward. Brian is a retired professional MMA fighter who fought in the San Francisco Bay Area. I told him about my aspirations of getting into the cage one day, and he said “Okay, well you have to show up and be persistent if you want me to train you.” I wanted to show him I was serious about training, so I began showing up to the gym consistently 5-6 days a week. Once he saw that I was serious, he introduced me to the coach who trained him to be a fighter, Omar Kasdi. Omar at the time was a black belt Jiu Jitsu instructor who also taught MMA. I spent my first years of training, rotating between Brian and Omar learning everything I could about the sports of Jiu Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai, and Wrestling. They helped me take all my skills from multiple disciplines and develop my MMA skills. During the pandemic when all the gyms were shut down, Omar and his associate Zach Costa took the opportunity to start their own gym in Oakland named Catch MMA. Catch MMA is where I currently train with Brian, Omar, and Zach improving upon my skill set preparing for fights.” Who are your favorite Filipino fighters? “Manny Pacquiao has always been someone I looked up to on how a champion should conduct himself---A role model for fighters and citizens both inside the ring and out. Manny Pacquiao is humble but deadly and I aspire to be the same. Nonito Donaire, Jr. is another Filipino boxer I look up to. He has great footwork and head movement. Like me, he’s a smaller fighter but has ridiculous power when throwing. Also, he’s on the older end of the spectrum like I am, which gives me hope that I’ll still have a long fighting career ahead of me!” 
What is your current title and in what weight division? What are your best or favorite moves? “I currently hold two titles for the 135-lb. bantamweight division. My first title was won in Napa, and my second title was won in Modesto. On August 27th, I will be fighting for the 145-lb. title, in hopes of becoming a 2-division champion. My favorite move in a fight is the ground and pound. I’ll usually strike with my opponent for a bit to draw them into a striking battle. Once they become too focused on throwing hands, I’ll go for the take down to get them on the mat. From there I’ll work my way to a dominant position on top and beat them down with my hands until the ref stops the fight. 3 of my 6 wins have ended by ground and pound.” Any parting shots before your title defense on August 27, 2022, in wine country Napa, California? I would love to fight on a card in the Philippines. I think the movement and footwork would be different from what I’m used to seeing in the United States. It would be a challenge. I’m sure I would learn a lot from the experience. P.S. Kimberly Burdick’s assistance with the photographs is appreciated. Salamat (Thank you). Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel Rivera, RRT.  |
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