THE BACKBREAKERS AND BITES PODCAST – EPISODE 32
Mitchell Chamale
In this Episode Of The Podcast:
“Promoters were evil… no one was looking out for you. I wanted to take every bad experience we had and figure out what we’d want if we were fighting.”
Mitchell Chamale, the mind behind Combat Night, joins the table to discuss the “Blueprint of Hustle” that built Florida’s MMA scene. A professional fighter who once stepped into the One FC ring on 24 hours’ notice, Mitchell has spent the last 14 years evolving from a local competitor to a promotion powerhouse.
In this episode, we talk about the reality of the fight business: the trial and error of launching a brand with Josh Samman, the logistical chaos of running events during the 2020 lockdowns, and why fighter branding is the only real way to get paid in a game that doesn’t always play fair.
Contents
Show Notes and Highlights
About the Restaurant
Episode Extras
Featured Links
Show Notes and Highlights
Side Hustles: Mitchell breaks down how he used side-hustles, from flipping Craigslist cars to reselling bodybuilding supplements, to fund the early days of Combat Night.
Florida Roots: A look at his start as a high school wrestler and how a random transition into college cheerleading provided a gymnastic foundation for his MMA career.
Combat Night Origins: Insights into the first event in Tallahassee and building a business from a car-ride conversation with the late Josh Samman.
The Pro Experience: Reflections on his 24-hour notice call-up to One FC in Singapore and the reality of fighting in major international promotions.
Fighter Branding: Discussion on the importance of weigh-in “bits” and why building a personal brand is more important for a paycheck than a winning record.
Featured Segment: The Pandemic Pioneers
Jacksonville 2020: A look at how Combat Night became the only live sporting event in the world during the March 2020 lockdowns, beating the UFC to the punch. The
Logistical Nightmare: Mitchell shares what it was like managing fire marshals with clickers and rotating fighters through separate rooms to stay under the 50-person limit.
About Rey’s Cuban Cafe
Tucked away in Casselberry, Rey’s Cuban Cafe is a local underdog story in its own right. After a family from Cuba took over a spot with failing reviews, they transformed it into a neighborhood institution through pure hospitality and authentic, home-cooked staples. Whether it’s the massive tripletas or the garlic-loaded shrimp, the food is as heavy-hitting as the conversation—proving why Mitchell has been a regular here for over a decade.