Today we’d like to introduce you to Corry McCoy.
Hi Corry, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I started training at 14yo, I started to take my training seriously at the age of 17. The first gym I trained at was JR Cardio boxing & MMA with Rocky Long off 45 and Rayford with my friend Austin Franks. I started learning boxing, kickboxing, and MMA. Not short after that I was fighting in smokers (Unsanctioned Matches) to prove my skill set. I had multiple fights (8) in a ring or cage in the once was known as Gary Spot Bar parking lot, this was 2007. The ring was set up in the front parking lot; the cage was set up in the back of the building. This was 16 years; I was 17 at the time. I was in a lot of trouble between the ages of 15-19 with the law. I had many issues personally and was in a survival mindset. I started training to be the most dangerous version on myself. It wasn’t until I started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo with Scott Caldwell and Tony Torres Aponte. Through jiu-jitsu, it taught me to master my mindset, and it truly saved my life. I ended up having the opportunity to meet Carlos Machado through my friend Eddie Avalear with Grounddwellers in spring. I joined Master Machado in 2016, and I will continue to train under his teachings. I currently train with Adam Copley and Jermey Mohan out of W4R Training Center and, of course, my own Gym McCoy’s BJJ/MMA out of Tomball, Texas. I am currently an MMA and BJJ professional athlete. I fight for Fury Fighting Championship as a featherweight. I was undefeated all my Ammy career and won the Fury Title, I didn’t receive my first loss until Pro I love to compete, but the impact I have on my students is more than any glory I could ever receive from fighting. I received a Hero’s Award from the Judah Brown Project for saving a man and his family from drowning August this past year. I choose to lead other by example; that’s why I teach and train my students to be the best versions of themselves. How to protect yourself and others instead of becoming a victim. Over the past 3 years since we opened in 2019. I’ve seen countless lives changed through Jiu Jitsu and martial arts. The things it has taught me certainly saved my life and my family’s.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
TBH, I started fighting for all the wrong reasons. I had been in many, many fights before my first real sanctioned bout. When I was 3yo I lost my sister, she tragically drowned in front of me. Less than a year or so later, my mother had left us, my brother and I. At the age of 5, I was living with my grandparents; my father was working all the time and dealing with the difficulties of losing a child. He never left and was always in our lives; I moved back in with my father at the age of 12. I was in and out of my dad’s house from 14-17yo. Staying at any friend’s house, couch, and really anywhere I could. Eventually ending up living on my own at a young age. I grew up fighting everyone and anyone as a kid. My father told me in 2009 after my last visit to jail. “Son, if you’re good at something. Don’t do it for free.” That changed everything with my fighting career.
When I was in school, my “folder” was two large blue folders filled with disciplinary slips. I had been to West Dallas JDC (when it was still around) by the age of 15. I was in and out of jail from the age 15-19yo from west Dallas JDC to Harris County. All for assault, aggravated assault, assault to a police officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to commit murder, that was a nice one? Resisting arrest, countless violations of probation’s, the list could go on. It wasn’t until I was at the age of 21 until I stopped going to jail.
I completed my 5-year probation sentence after serving 13 months incarcerated. It wasn’t until I met my wife Kelsey and we had our first daughter, Gracie, that I finally stopped going to jail. In 2011 I was in a motorcycle accident and had to get life-flighted to Houston Herman Memorial Hospital. I was hit head-on by a truck, unfortunately, I wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time… I had broken my sternum, 3 ribs, damaged parts of my vertebrae, split my forehead open needing stitches, broke my nose…again, and even managed to get 4 teeth knocked out. I didn’t come to until I was getting lifted into the Helicopter. Doctors said I’d never be able to fight again, that crushed me. I weighed 170 lbs going into the hospital and came outweighing 135 lbs. I had a newborn, couldn’t work due to my injuries, and had to get on welfare again. Took me 3-4 months to get back to work and 6 months to get back to training. I never gave up, but I had no intentions of fighting at the time; just thankful to be able to train.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about McCoy’s BJJ/MMA?
We offer training in mix martial arts. Specifically in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, and MMA to all ages. Our classes consist of kids’ class age 4-12yo, Youth Kickboxing 10yo+, and adult MMA and BJJ class. One on One private lessons are available from any of our instructors. In early 2019 we started out in our garage, by November of 2019, we had outgrown our garage space. We moved into our first gym with over 50 students. Unfortunately, Covid-19 hit, and the gym was shut down. Covid-19 didn’t keep us down, as soon as we opened, we had even more students start. By the time 2021 had came we had already outgrown our first Gym. The landlord at the time had sold the building out from underneath us. Thank god the new landlord was very helpful and understanding. They allowed for us to stay until our new facility was build right next door! Now we are currently at 503 E Hufsmith Road Tomball, Tx 77375. Our new gym is 3k sqft, with 2k sqft of mat space and a full-size 30x30ft MMA cage. We currently have active fighters and grapplers on rosters competing here in Houston. McCoy’s is a Carlos Machado and W4R Training Center affiliate.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
One thing I’ve learned is you can’t do it all on your own. You need a team in order to be successful. I use to have no trust, thought everyone was against me, and only relied on myself. Learning to trust in my students, friends, and employees was very important. I was blessed to have the community behind me once I was doing well and making something of myself. I got sponsored as an athlete by Seasons A/C & Heating, Rooftop Innovative, Human Optimization, and several others. We became a part of the Tomball Chamber of Commerce when we open. We reached out to local schools and put on a seminar for the whole school. It’s nice to give back to the community who was here for me when I didn’t expect it.
Pricing:
- $145/month for MMA or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu membership
- $195/month Unlimited Membership
- $20 drop-in fee
- Free Trial Class
Contact Info:
- Website: McCoysbjj.com
- Instagram: Corrymccoy_MMA
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corrytherealdealmccoy?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Pedro Rodriguez
Mike Jackson
