By: Nick Portella (@Nremtb)
Good day fight fans! I have a new format for you today — rather than a regular Q&A, I will be sitting down with husband and wife fighters Randall and Lacey Schuckman! Let’s get started!
Meet Randall Schuckman
Randall began his journey in combat sports in 1995 in sixth grade. He joined the wrestling team and then began to train traditional Taekwondo in 2001. He began his competitive career in MMA and Muay Thai in 2006 and started competing in Boxing back in 2010. He is a Hale Hilsabeck TKD Black belt and is also a 3-stripe purple belt in BJJ under Professor Joaquin Baca. He has received the World Boxing Commission’s Outstanding Amateur Award for his success in all combat sports by commissioner Stephan Blea.
Randall has received the following awards/accolades:
-141lbs. 2012 Golden Gloves Champion
-122lbs. 2013 Golden Glove Champion
-132lbs. Sparta Combat League Boxing Champion
-125lbs. Sparta Combat League Boxing Champion
-125lbs. Sparta Combat League Muay Thai Champion
-115lbs. Sparta Combat League MMA Champion
-125lbs. Legion Combat Sports Champion
Nick’s Take: That is a hefty list if you ask me.
Between Boxing, Muay Thai, and MMA he has over 45 amateur matches. Schuckman trains between 36-42 hours a week and the rest of his time is spent training adults and kids in Muay Thai, wrestling, BJJ, boxing, and fitness. He is in the process of turning professional and is excited to see what’s next.
Randall would like to thank these people and organizations for the help in his journey so far: Coaches: Mike Laurita (Wrestling), Joaquin Baca (BJJ), Don Lee (Muay Thai), and Steve Mestas (Boxing). Sponsors: Hero Supplements (https://www.facebook.com/kapowherosups), Grit Mouthguards (http://www.gritmouthguards.com/), Mass Destruction Athletics (http://massdathletics.com/), Chopz (https://www.facebook.com/Chopz-Mens-Hair-Salon-161995037163318/), Qalo Rings (www.qalo.com), Ananda Tattoo (https://www.facebook.com/anandaartandtattoo), Xionx Maximum Performance Bands (www.xionx.us), Tan Time (www.tantimelittleton.com), Botanico (http://www.botanicommj.com/), MADE (https://www.facebook.com/MMMADECONNECTED/), and Dr. Jessica Riechert (http://www.drjessicadc.com/)
Meet Lacey Schuckman
Lacey began her training when she met her now husband Randall. She began training in Tae Kwon Do with him. He started teaching her wrestling and together they pursued Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. Lacey is now a 3 stripe purple belt under Professor Joaquin Baca. She began competing in Muay Thai when she was 17 years old (2006) because the Boxing Commission wouldn’t sanction female MMA. She had six Kickboxing matches until in December of that year she convinced both Keith Kyzer, the Nevada Boxing Commissioner and Josef Mason, the Colorado Boxing Commissioner to license her and in late December she had her amateur MMA debut in Las Vegas and then her second MMA fight in January of 2007 in Denver. She had 4 more amateur MMA fights and held and defended the RMBB 120lbs. MMA Title. In 2009 she made her pro debut at the Hook N’ Shoot 115lbs. Grand Prix. She won her first match and lost her second one via decision. She also made a professional Boxing debut in 2011 getting a 1st round TKO in just 15 seconds. She currently holds the ROF Flyweight MMA Championship and is the RMBB 110-pound MMA Champion. Since then she has fought for such promotions as Strikeforce, Sparta Combat League, Airtight Boxing, and C3. She is currently signed with Invicta Fighting Championships.
The Interview!
Nick: Do you and Randall ever spar each other?
Lacey: Of course! I can’t imagine us not sparring. We have some knockout, drag-out spars in the gym. It’s kind of the comic relief when Randall and I go at it some days because we never take it easy on one another. I think that’s an attribute that makes us both better. We both fight at 115 & 125lbs, so being in the same weight class makes us great training partners for one another.
Nick: If so is it more competitive since you are married?
Lacey: Some days Randall is my Coach first during training and my husband second. We all have those days when we get frustrated with Coach and I think those are the days that bring out the best in me but I’ll tell you that husband of mine chimes in sometimes and it can definitely step the level up. From his perspective, he gets feisty when I use some of his tricks against him or if I repeatedly use a technique we’ve just started working on. He gets rowdy sometimes but again I think those moments make us great training for each other!
Nick: I have to ask for fun have you ever put your spouse in a BJJ submission when they were not looking?
Lacey: Not really we try not to make BJJ like a silly flirty thing. If I’m choking him or submitting him and vice versa it’s because we’re going for the finish. We both have the same goal at hand so it brings a whole level of determination. That’s one area neither of us really fool around, we want to win!
Nick: If you have any other playful things like this you could add?
Lacey: Randall likes to make me do self-defense techniques when we’re in the toy section at stores. He’ll grab a toy knife or gun and chase me around until I do my defense. He also likes to scream I mean sing, lol at stores to embarrass me and he typically receives a nice side kick or gut punch for it. Not that stops him! He also likes to make me demonstrate techniques anytime, no matter where we are, carpet, asphalt, cement, or what we’re doing, a family gathering, a fancy dinner, or at a park, if someone is asking about a technique he instantly must demo it.
Special Thanks To…
Lacey would like to thank these people and organizations for the help in her journey: Coaches: Mike Laurita (Wrestling), Professor Joaquin Baca (BJJ), Don Lee (Muay Thai), and Steve Mestas (Boxing). Sponsors: Mass Destruction Athletics (www.massdathletics.com), Grit Mouthguards (www.gritmouthguards.com), Qalo Rings (www.qalo.com), Fighter Girls (www.fihgtergirls.com), Tan Time (www.tantimelittleton.com), Xionx Maximum Performance Bands (www.xionx.us), Martial Arts Life (https://www.facebook.com/Martial-Arts-Life-Apparel-The-World-Is-My-Cage-341717730746/), Dr. Jessica Riechert (http://www.drjessicadc.com/), and Ananda Tattoo (https://www.facebook.com/anandaartandtattoo)
& Randall would like to thank these people and organizations for the help in his journey so far: Coaches: Mike Laurita (Wrestling), Joaquin Baca (BJJ), Don Lee (Muay Thai), and Steve Mestas (Boxing). Sponsors: Hero Supplements (https://www.facebook.com/kapowherosups), Grit Mouthguards (http://www.gritmouthguards.com/), Mass Destruction Athletics (http://massdathletics.com/), Chopz (https://www.facebook.com/Chopz-Mens-Hair-Salon-161995037163318/), Qalo Rings (www.qalo.com), Ananda Tattoo (https://www.facebook.com/anandaartandtattoo), Xionx Maximum Performance Bands (www.xionx.us), Tan Time (www.tantimelittleton.com), Botanico (http://www.botanicommj.com/), MADE (https://www.facebook.com/MMMADECONNECTED/), and Dr. Jessica Riechert (http://www.drjessicadc.com/)
Nick’s Take: I have to say that this was a fun Husband and wife MMA couple. Keep your eyes open for Lacey and Randall will be making his pro debut very soon also!
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