Hampstead, N.H.’s Brendon Marotte grew up a sports fanatic.
All sports.
From playing football, lacrosse, and even skateboarding in his youth, Marotte was involved with athletics from the day he could walk.
Despite having skill in these sports, one truly stood out to Marotte as he neared his teenage years at Pinkerton Academy: Boxing.
“Boxing was everything for me, it spiked my interest into MMA,” said Marotte. “I had a lot of boxers in my family, and it sparked my love for the fight game.”
On Saturday evening, Marotte will face off in the main event versus veteran Lionel Young in Combat Zone 81, a league that is one step below UFC, which promotes amateur and professional MMA fighters. The fight will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Manchester, N.H.
The owner of Combat Zone is none other than Methuen’s Calvin Kattar, one of the UFC’s most well-known fighters, who works closely alongside Marotte.
Marotte is apart of the New England Cartel, based out of Lawrence, led by Tyson Chartier, one of the biggest local names in the MMA community. Some other names that train with the Cartel include Kattar, Leominster’s Rob Font, and Haverhill’s Tom Pagliarulo.
“Brendon is one of the most competitive fighters I’ve ever been around, whether it’s practice or a fight, he’s always looking to win each time,” said Chartier. “He brings an intensity to each scramble and drill that can’t be taught, and it reminds me of how scrappy Calvin Kattar is.”
“Training with young, hungry, and like-minded pros that all have the same goal keeps the work competitive and high quality,” added Marotte. “Working with two guys that are high up in the UFC shows you that you’re with the right people, and shows the work it takes to be at that level of the UFC.”
The Combat Zone 81 card consists of 17 fights overall, with plenty of local names, coming from Lawrence, Hampstead, and Lowell.
Marotte has fought to an 7-1 record to begin his MMA career, and training alongside Chartier will prepare him to go further in his fighting career.
“Tyson Chartier is an all-around amazing guy,” said Marotte. “From coach, to manager, to friend, he truly has every person’s best interest in mind, and gets to know each guy on a personal level. He has a very large fight and management IQ to wrap it all up; Tyson is truly the whole package deal in this business.”
Marotte’s opponent, 39-year-old Lionel Young, has been in the MMA industry for years, with a record of 11-20. Despite Young’s experience, Marotte expects a resounding victory.
“On Saturday night, I’ll be sending Lionel Young home with a loss,” said an excited Marotte. “He’s fought many tough guys, but I can say for a fact, he has never fought someone of my skill level that possesses the power I have. It’s all respect in this game, but there’s absolutely no room for mercy.”
Marotte is excited to show the hard work he has been putting in alongside Chartier and Kattar, and prove he is one of the best upcoming stars eyeing for the UFC.
“In five years, I can guarantee I will be within the UFC, fighting for a UFC belt, or defending one,” said a confident Marotte. “I’m not in this game just to say I made it to the UFC, I’m going in to fight the best, beat the best, and ensure that my name goes down in history. It’s not about martial arts for me, it’s about proving that I can beat any man that stands in front of me, and that I am simply the best, most violent, and most entertaining fighter there ever will be.”
Follow Evan Applebaum on Twitter: @EvanApplebaum.