Zhang Tiequan was one of China's first MMA players. Courtesy of respondents
At the end of May, The Sidaokou store of the Boxing Club, which Zhang Tiequan had been running for 11 years, closed its doors. The epidemic has left the club with no income for half a year, and Zhang Tiequan, who cannot afford to pay the rent, can only choose to close the store. It was a tough decision to make, Zhang said, and that feeling was more painful than being knocked down by an opponent during a match.
Nicknamed "Steppe Wolf", Zhang Tiequan was one of China's first MMA players and the first Chinese player to sign a UFC contract. Known as the "Whampoa Military Academy" of China's MMA, the Boxing Club has trained a number of famous players such as Li Jingliang and Yan Xiaonan in the past decade.
【Awkward】
There was no income for half a year, and the club was forced to close its doors
From Wudaokou to Sihuidong, from Sihuidong to Sidaokou, Zhang Tiequan's "Boxing World" club moved twice. At the end of May, the Boxing Club bid farewell to the four crossings. This time it wasn't a move, it was a store closure.
The closure process was so fast that Zhang Tiequan could not react a little. On the second day of the Chinese New Year, Zhang Tiequan lived in the athletes' dormitory and accompanied Li Jingliang and Yan Xiaonan to prepare for the UFC248 competition on March 8. On February 3, Zhang Tiequan took Li Jingliang and others around Thailand and South Korea to Rush to Las Vegas in the United States to compete. At that time, Zhang Tiequan was completely unaware of what kind of fatal blow the epidemic would bring to the club.
It was not until March 11 that Zhang Tiequan returned to Beijing. It has been the end of March after two weeks of quarantine, and the impact of the epidemic on the club is getting bigger and bigger.
Boxing World is located in the Sidaokou Jingguo Commercial Building, and the location of the land also means a lot of rent. Zhang Tiequan introduced that the club's annual rent is 1.65 million yuan, plus nearly 20,000 yuan of water and electricity bills per month, and there is no 2 million yuan a year. The Spring Festival holiday coupled with the sudden epidemic situation, the Boxing World Club did not have any income for half a year, which had a great impact on the fighting clubs supported by cash flow.
"We talked to the landlord and he wanted us to go and then rent it to someone else at a higher price." This year is the 6th year that the boxing world has moved to Sidaokou, Zhang Tiequan is very reluctant, originally planned to renovate the storefront this year, "If I can resist, I will definitely resist, I really can't stick to it." ”
On May 20, Zhang Tiequan wrote a letter through the club's WeChat public account, informing everyone that the Sidaokou store was closing. After that, Zhang Tiequan began to communicate with the members one by one on the phone, "Some members can't understand it, afraid that we will run." ”
Zhang Tiequan admitted that there are deficiencies in management and operation, and did not seriously calculate costs, "Now we have found deficiencies, we are not good at business, nor are we good at communicating with others." At present, Zhang Tiequan is preparing to build a flagship store in the north seven houses, when the operation and promotion of the club will be handed over to professionals, and he is only responsible for athlete training and competition.
Zhang Tiequan shows his muscles and does not lose to young players. Courtesy of respondents
【Hard Work】
I have moved cement, carried sand, and worked as a vegetable messenger and security guard
In China, many MMA athletes have had a hard time before they became famous. Zhang Weili, who is now known to everyone, worked as a kindergarten teacher, cashier, gym front desk and other work before becoming famous. The older Zhang Tiequan is the same, before the team moved cement, carried sand, worked as a vegetable passer, a security guard, and also delivered gas cans, "working during the day, training at night, this life lasted for several years." ”
After joining the sports team, Zhang Tiequan, who practiced wrestling since childhood, became a sanda athlete. In 2005, Zhang Tiequan saw the UFC competition video for the first time, "At that time, I was boiling with blood, which is the most suitable sport for me." ”
In the same year, Zhang Tiequan came to Beijing alone to practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, becoming one of the first MMA athletes in China. Years later, Zhang Tiequan received China's first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Today, there are only more than 20 people in China who have received jiu-jitsu black belts.
Zhang Tiequan, who won consecutive victories in domestic competitions, quickly attracted the attention of the UFC. At the end of 2010, Zhang Tiequan became the first Chinese player to sign a contract with the UFC.
On February 27, 2011, the 30-year-old Zhang Tiequan made his UFC debut, and it took only 48 seconds to subdue american veteran Jace Reinhardt with the "guillotine" tactic, which was almost the peak of Zhang Tiequan's sports career.
"At that time, very few people knew about MMA sports, and they didn't know that there was such a young man playing UFC." Before signing with the UFC, Zhang Tiequan established the Boxing World Club, and he hoped to make a name for himself through hard work and give some encouragement to those athletes who worked silently to make Chinese martial arts go global.
"Earlier, the clubs were basically not athletes, and they didn't know what the athletes wanted. I've been an athlete, I know athletes, I know what they want, and it's too hard for an athlete to rely on without a team. In 2009, Zhang Tiequan set up the Boxing Club in an abandoned boiler room in Wudaokou, and this insistence was 11 years, "There are still many wishes that have not been realized, but there are many things that are better than imagined." ”
In the past 10 years, boxing has cultivated a large number of outstanding players such as Li Jingliang, Yan Xiaonan, Amri Jiri Gala, Liu Delige Rihu and so on. In china's MMA circle, everyone who sees Zhang Tiequan has to be honored as "Iron Brother", and the boxing world is also known as the "Whampoa Military Academy" of China's MMA.
"I don't think I can afford it, but I'm so happy to hear people say that!" Zhang Tiequan said that fighting is not only his profession, but also his lifelong love, and he is willing to do what he can for Chinese martial arts.
Zhang Tiequan is full of confidence in the development of the MMA movement in China. Image courtesy of the recipient
【Prospects】
MMA contestants on variety shows help promote the project
When Zhang Tiequan is mentioned, many people will think of such a photo: Zhang Tiequan crouched alone by the edge of the cage, in stark contrast to the opponents who hugged in front of and behind. This photo was taken in 2012 when Zhang Tiequan went to Play in Saitama, Japan, where he was KO Byoda Tamura in the second leg. It was the first time in Zhang Tiequan's career that he had been KO, and he fainted on stage for a long time, and when he woke up, he was already in the hotel.
Two or three years ago, this seemingly "sad" photo quickly became popular on the Internet, and Zhang Tiequan, who was almost confused, became an "Internet celebrity" without any preparation.
"In fact, there were coaches and teams at that time, but there were really no sponsors, and it was really frugal. Unlike now, the project has developed well and the conditions are much better. Zhang Tiequan explained with a smile that because the UFC is only responsible for the expenses of athletes and a coach, he cannot take more people to play abroad because of tight funds.
For more than a decade, the development of the MMA movement in China has exceeded Zhang Tiequan's imagination. On February 3, Zhang Tiequan took Li Jingliang and Yan Xiaonan to the United States to participate in the UFC 248 competition, and there were coaches, sparring partners and physiotherapists in the group of 8 people, which is almost the standard team of outstanding players at present.
When Zhang Tiequan first came into contact with MMA sports in 2005, he was the only one practicing the project in China, Ao Hailin, Dai Shuanghai, and Baoligao. Today, Zhang Tiequan's Boxing Club alone has nearly 30 athletes.
"The development has been too fast in recent years, and now there are fighting clubs, jiu-jitsu clubs in large and small cities in China, there is a gym, hanging sandbags, setting up a cage, you can start." Zhang Tiequan said that everyone is now slowly understanding and accepting the sport, "Before, everyone would feel that this sport was particularly violent and bloody." After real contact, you will find that this is not the case. ”
While the outside world is familiar with MMA, it has also brought fire to Zhang Weili, Li Jingliang, Yan Xiaonan and other contestants, who frequently "go out of the circle" to become guests of variety shows. Last month, Yan Xiaonan's video of "KO" Yue Yunpeng in a variety show also appeared on the hot search list.
"I think this form is very good, it can mobilize everyone's curiosity, let everyone know what MMA is, what UFC is." Zhang Tiequan said that the number of fans of most sports stars in China is also a fraction of that of entertainment stars, and the influence is far from the same, through the drive of entertainment stars, more people will understand the sport of MMA, which is also good for the development of the project.
Beijing News reporter Sun Haiguang
Edited by Han Shuangming Proofreader Wei Zhuo