Connor "The Controller" Matthews, USAF Combat Controller, MMA Featherweight
SOFREP Radio
iHeartPodcasts
4.4 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 10 June 2022
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this week’s podcast, Rad interviews Connor "The Controller" Matthews, former Air Force combat controller and current MMA featherweight holding a 5-0 professional record. He shares the high-risk job of combat controllers, including performing HALO and HAHO jumps, and the need to be a strong runner and swimmer to survive this role.
Connor talks about the highly technical role of air traffic controllers and how to secure airfields. Being a lifelong athlete, Connor made a natural transition into MMA after life in the military. He shares his background in martial arts and his confidence in making it big in the UFC.
Reach out to Connor through the following links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-matthews-b3440b152/
Website: https://www.controllermma.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecontrollermma/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to software, radio, special operations, military meals, and straight talk with the guys in the community. |
| 0:30.0 | Hey, welcome to Software Up Radio. I am your host, Rad, and I have a special guest today, former Special Operation Combat Controller, the United States Air Force, Connor, the controller, Matthews, Matthews. |
| 0:48.0 | And I say Matthews twice because that's a professional ring announcers way that they introduce you into the ring in boxing, and Connor, welcome to the show. |
| 0:57.0 | I do, man, it's nice seeing you. I haven't seen you in a long time. It seems since 2016, I believe when we did that software boxing event in London. |
| 1:05.0 | Hey, man, pleasure seeing you. How's it going, brother? |
| 1:08.0 | Oh, you know, it's great, Connor. I'm happy to have you here. I was just talking with someone about you on another episode, Mike LaMonica, who's from the Special Operation, your same Special Operations as community. |
| 1:18.0 | Have you ever crossed paths with Mike before? |
| 1:20.0 | Yeah. |
| 1:21.0 | You have, yeah, former combat control. |
| 1:23.0 | I've never crossed paths in person, but I know I've talked to him recently and just talked to him recently. |
| 1:28.0 | Yesterday, he's ahead of the Combat Control Association, I believe. |
| 1:31.0 | And yeah, we've been talking, been communicating a lot lately, and yeah, but I knew he was. |
| 1:36.0 | It's just the name that he cares about. |
| 1:38.0 | Yeah, you know, he's got like, you know, lots of ribbons. He's a really nice guy to talk to you. |
| 1:43.0 | Just like, hey, you know, I know I've talked to you in the past, but let me ask you something. |
| 1:47.0 | Do you have any like specific ribbons that you're really proud of achieving on your rack of ribbons that you wear? |
| 1:53.0 | Probably my, I get a combination medal when I was deployed against information that I did. |
| 1:58.0 | That was pretty cool. That I did a lot of air traffic control. |
| 2:01.0 | I did a lot of, we got a medevac out of there. |
| 2:04.0 | We did lots of stuff like that. |
| 2:05.0 | I guess about it. Come back. I got a combat ribbon because they just talk combat in Afghanistan. |
| 2:08.0 | So that was pretty cool, but not too much. |
... |
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