RDB Consulting Backs MMA Champion, Jeremy Smith

RDB Consulting is the official sponsor of Jeremy Smith, a champion Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter who currently holds the EFC Africa Middleweight Championship title. Jeremy won this accolade and successfully defended it in 2012. MMA is the fastest-growing sport in the world, attracting millions of viewers through televised events. These fighters represent the best in their field, mirroring RDB Consulting’s philosophy of being the best in our field, and the discipline, training, and dedication involved in getting to the top echo our ethos. We began sponsoring Jeremy last year and have enjoyed watching both his progress and his success. The sponsorship provides RDB Consulting with significant brand exposure as more than 1.5 million viewers around the world view the event on eTV and online. RDB Consulting’s logo is prominent at the events, featuring on Jeremy’s shorts and banners. We also have exposure on his website. This allows us to grow our brand awareness and recognition. Furthermore, Jeremy mentions our sponsorship after his wins in interviews.

As the name suggests, MMA is a combination of various forms of martial arts. There are many rules to the sport, and participants need to master many disciplines, as fighting involves standing, grappling, and ground fighting. Regular fights consist of three five-minute rounds, while championship fights are made up of five five-minute rounds. Different fighters prefer different combinations of disciplines, with Jeremy’s choice being a mixture of Brazilian Jujitsu, Thai boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and free style. Being the best involves serious discipline, commitment, and sacrifice. Jeremy trains for six hours a day, spreading his workouts between strength, conditioning, and fitness in the morning, boxing or Thai boxing in the afternoon, and Jujitsu and specific MMA training in the evenings. He works closely with boxing coach Nick du Randt and Jujitsu and MMA coach Marc Herbert to perfect his craft and hone his body to perfection. This strong work ethic, with training two or three times a day for months on end in preparation for a fight, is just one of the things Jeremy has in common with the team at RDB Consulting, who work hard to help our customers get real value from our outsourced offerings. His intense physical training also helps him to build the mental strength needed for his fights, which typically take many months to prepare for. Training at this intensity pushes the body and mind to the extreme. In his own words, “if you are mentally weak, then MMA is not the game for you.” His dedication has paid off, as shown by his impressive fight record of 12 wins and just one loss.

Besides his impressive fight record, Jeremy is also the only South African-based fighter to compete in the United States (US) and win his events. After beating US fighter Julio Gallegos on points in a fight in South Africa in 2010, Jeremy won a contract to compete in the US. He was based in Tampa, Florida for a month and competed in two fights during his stay, both of which he won. The first fight, against Dustin Rhodes, ended quickly as Jeremy knocked him out in the second round. The second and last fight in the US, against Joe Ray, was a lot tougher, but Jeremy still came out on top. Fighting with a broken orbital bone, which he attained in the first round, Jeremy stood his ground and eventually won the fight on points. Jeremy will be defending his EFC Championship title once more in a fight that will be held in May 2013. The date of this fight and his opponent are still to be confirmed. We wish him all the best in his training and preparation and look forward to him continuing his winning streak.