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HEADLINERS<br />
Olin Petit<br />
OLIN PETIT<br />
MMA Profile<br />
BY MATT FREEMAN & ANGELA KARIM<br />
T WAS DECEMBER 2013 when Olin was hanging<br />
out with his Dad in Lodi, California. The two were<br />
watching the Nick Diaz vs. BJ Penn fight on television.<br />
“My Dad is really into the fight scene. I remember he put<br />
on a Nick Diaz fight. It was the first time I had ever seen<br />
him and I told him I wanted to be just like him. Nick Diaz<br />
was pretty bad ass,” said Olin.<br />
It’s no surprise that when his father told him<br />
that the man he admired so much in the octagon was<br />
not only local, but actually had his own gym in Lodi<br />
that Olin immediately asked his father if he would take<br />
him there. His father did. He signed him up and Olin’s<br />
journey began.<br />
That was nearly four years ago. Today Olin is<br />
not only training at the Nick Diaz Academy, which is now<br />
located in Stockton, California. He is also competing,<br />
fighting, and serving Randy Spence, head coach of the<br />
academy. Every week he helps Spence teach a weekly<br />
kids class.<br />
“I used to get into street fights and I would win.<br />
I used to think I was the best. Then I came in (to the Nick<br />
Diaz Academy) and got whooped,” said Olin. Jiu jitsu has<br />
taught him quite a bit. He’s learned to stay humble and<br />
be disciplined.<br />
When asked what jiu jitsu does for people<br />
in general, Olin replied, “It gives you a lot of selfconfidence.<br />
You’re not worried in negative situations,<br />
because you know if someone tries to attack you<br />
that you can just put them in a choke-hold and deescalate<br />
the situation. It helps kids too if they get bullied<br />
at school, they will learn how to defend themselves.”<br />
Regarding instruction, Olin feels as though the<br />
Nick Diaz Academy has some of the best teachers. “We<br />
have Randy Spence, Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, and Victor<br />
Galdon who teach consistently.” And if anyone was<br />
thinking that jiu jitsu is too rough, Olin disagrees.<br />
“Football is more brutal than mixed martial arts and jiu<br />
jitsu is not either of those.”<br />
Olin’s plan is to have a professional mixed<br />
martial arts career. He wasn’t kidding when he said he<br />
wanted to be just like Nick (Diaz). He wants to be the<br />
best. “I’ve got to get my ground game up and perfect<br />
my striking.” said Olin. He still loves jiu jitsu and is active,<br />
competing in tournaments when he is not contending<br />
as a young mixed martial artist.<br />
Currently Olin is a blue belt and you can catch<br />
him training 6-7 days a week. I asked him if his mother<br />
supports his ambitions and he replied, “My Mom is really<br />
supportive. She makes sure that I eat a good diet. She<br />
does get worried though-she didn’t go to my last fight.<br />
She didn’t want to watch.” By the way, he won that fight<br />
and is slated to fight again very soon.<br />
To keep up with Olin Pettit, follow him on social media.<br />
Instagram: Olin_209<br />
Twitter: www.twitter.com/olinp209<br />
Snapchat: olin_209<br />
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