MONROE - Ryan Truong didn't envision a future as an MMA cage fighter.
Mixed martial arts wasn't his lifelong passion.
"One of my dreams is to pursue modeling and acting," Truong said.
Truong, 24, of Juda, got a callback for a tryout for the Twilight IV movie. It's only fitting that his cage name is Ryan "Twilight" Truong.
"I'm waiting to see which one takes off faster," Truong said of fighting, acting and modeling. "Modeling and acting is so much harder. There is a lot of competition, and they are always looking for a fresh face. (Fighting) is just something I'm naturally good at. It just comes second nature to me."
Truong is 8-0 and has the MMA welterweight championship belt. He is fighting his final amateur fight on Saturday against Chris Zanonni at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It will mark his final fight before he goes professional.
"I'm proud I made it this far," Truong said. "It's a big achievement. I can't wait to be in the big leagues. I'm really stoked."
Truong went to school in Monroe until seventh grade when he moved to Juda. He started wrestling in high school and his father, Mihn Truong, had a career as a taekwondo fighter. Ryan Truong went to taekwondo and kick boxing classes, which he says have paid dividends, and he started MMA fighting about a year ago.
Truong trains at the Palace Gym in Freeport and at the Green County YMCA. He works several jobs including at Colony Brands, construction and custom farming. Truong still makes time to train. He is looking forward to getting more sponsorships when he goes pro.
"I have to workout and train myself," he said. "Once I go pro I can bring in some more money and get some sponsorships."
He's doing a lot of cardio workouts leading up to the fight. He follows a regimented nutrition plan. He eats eight times a day and snacks on peanuts throughout the day. Truong also eats a lot of fish and lean meat.
"I don't eat much saturated fat," he said.
Tony Leitzen, Truong's trainer and the owner of the Palace Gym in Freeport, is adamant about Truong's passion for the sport.
"His drive to be great is what makes Ryan so successful," Leitzen said. "His strength is unmatched in the sport. You don't see many guys 175 pounds who can bench press 475. He has a great wrestling base. Ryan is just always a thrill seeker. His desire for high adrenaline makes him born to be a fighter."
Truong doesn't get paid for each fight he wins as an amateur, but he does get a percentage of the ticket sales. The money has helped him in his quest to go professional in the sport.
Truong was informed in August that he would have a chance to go pro as an MMA Strikeforce-sanctioned fighter. He's waiting on his license, and he will have the chance to train with fighters from the UFC - a separate MMA organization.
"We were really going to wait," Leitzen said of Truong going pro. "He hasn't had to deal with a loss yet. We haven't found anyone up to his standard."
The Freeport Area Church Co-op donated a building that became the Palace Gym for training 1 1/2 years ago. The Palace Gym has more than a dozen fighters competing, and Leitzen said there have been more than 50 fighters who have attended the gym at times.
"It's growing at a tremendous rate," Leitzen said. "They donated the building to keep kids off the street, and we have the backing of the police department. The sport increases every day."
Leitzen has been the promoter of fights at the Masonic Temple in Freeport and at the Stephenson County Fair.
"We will always have our naysayers," Leitzen said. "Some people think we fight because we are angry or upset. We just enjoy fighting each other. Everyone just thinks we are out for blood. To me there is more sportsmanship to be able to punch a guy in the face and then go out and have a beer with him."
Truong has handed out hundreds of T-shirts to Monroe residents and he expects about 200 in attendance Saturday night.
"I just want to see how far I can go and if I can make it," he said.
Mixed martial arts wasn't his lifelong passion.
"One of my dreams is to pursue modeling and acting," Truong said.
Truong, 24, of Juda, got a callback for a tryout for the Twilight IV movie. It's only fitting that his cage name is Ryan "Twilight" Truong.
"I'm waiting to see which one takes off faster," Truong said of fighting, acting and modeling. "Modeling and acting is so much harder. There is a lot of competition, and they are always looking for a fresh face. (Fighting) is just something I'm naturally good at. It just comes second nature to me."
Truong is 8-0 and has the MMA welterweight championship belt. He is fighting his final amateur fight on Saturday against Chris Zanonni at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It will mark his final fight before he goes professional.
"I'm proud I made it this far," Truong said. "It's a big achievement. I can't wait to be in the big leagues. I'm really stoked."
Truong went to school in Monroe until seventh grade when he moved to Juda. He started wrestling in high school and his father, Mihn Truong, had a career as a taekwondo fighter. Ryan Truong went to taekwondo and kick boxing classes, which he says have paid dividends, and he started MMA fighting about a year ago.
Truong trains at the Palace Gym in Freeport and at the Green County YMCA. He works several jobs including at Colony Brands, construction and custom farming. Truong still makes time to train. He is looking forward to getting more sponsorships when he goes pro.
"I have to workout and train myself," he said. "Once I go pro I can bring in some more money and get some sponsorships."
He's doing a lot of cardio workouts leading up to the fight. He follows a regimented nutrition plan. He eats eight times a day and snacks on peanuts throughout the day. Truong also eats a lot of fish and lean meat.
"I don't eat much saturated fat," he said.
Tony Leitzen, Truong's trainer and the owner of the Palace Gym in Freeport, is adamant about Truong's passion for the sport.
"His drive to be great is what makes Ryan so successful," Leitzen said. "His strength is unmatched in the sport. You don't see many guys 175 pounds who can bench press 475. He has a great wrestling base. Ryan is just always a thrill seeker. His desire for high adrenaline makes him born to be a fighter."
Truong doesn't get paid for each fight he wins as an amateur, but he does get a percentage of the ticket sales. The money has helped him in his quest to go professional in the sport.
Truong was informed in August that he would have a chance to go pro as an MMA Strikeforce-sanctioned fighter. He's waiting on his license, and he will have the chance to train with fighters from the UFC - a separate MMA organization.
"We were really going to wait," Leitzen said of Truong going pro. "He hasn't had to deal with a loss yet. We haven't found anyone up to his standard."
The Freeport Area Church Co-op donated a building that became the Palace Gym for training 1 1/2 years ago. The Palace Gym has more than a dozen fighters competing, and Leitzen said there have been more than 50 fighters who have attended the gym at times.
"It's growing at a tremendous rate," Leitzen said. "They donated the building to keep kids off the street, and we have the backing of the police department. The sport increases every day."
Leitzen has been the promoter of fights at the Masonic Temple in Freeport and at the Stephenson County Fair.
"We will always have our naysayers," Leitzen said. "Some people think we fight because we are angry or upset. We just enjoy fighting each other. Everyone just thinks we are out for blood. To me there is more sportsmanship to be able to punch a guy in the face and then go out and have a beer with him."
Truong has handed out hundreds of T-shirts to Monroe residents and he expects about 200 in attendance Saturday night.
"I just want to see how far I can go and if I can make it," he said.
