Twenty-year old Ian Matuszak may have been born with cerebral palsy but he has been able to keep a positive attitude to life. Even a cancer diagnosis in September did not dampen his spirit. In fact, he continued to train in jiu-jitsu and has received his blue belt in October. His incredible determination has earned the respect and admiration of numerous MMA stars including Chris Weidman.
Weidman is about to defend his middleweight title in UFC 194 against Luke Rockhold. To make the event more special, he has personally invited Matuszak and his family to come over to Las Vegas. He even gave the kid a fight kit consisting of a black shirt and a warm-up suit. Then came the big surprise: Matuszak is going to walk out with Weidman to the Octagon as an official member of the team.
Matuszak was visibly delighted with the invitation. As a staunch fan of Weidman and a student of the sport, he offered his own advice to the champion. He said that Rockhold’s kicks should be avoided en route to victory. Weidman and Matuszak became friends after the latter started training with Dave Patton and Pete “Drago” Sell. The UFC helped cover the expenses to bring the family over. Watch the interview Here
