Go inside a day in the training life of UFC 'champ material' Al Iaquinta

LEVITTOWN, N.Y. – A sweat-soaked Al Iaquinta takes a few quick breaths and adjusts his headgear before his next roll.

To his right, UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman is working for a better position against fellow fighter Gian Villante. To his left, former UFC welterweight champion and coach Matt Serra drops a quick tip before looking at his stopwatch and shouting “Let’s go! Let’s go!” across his gym. In front of the UFC lightweight, just another black-belt viper in this snake pit of a Friday morning class in Levittown, N.Y.

Iaquinta (11-3-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and his training partner exchange the customary hand slap/fist bump and they’re off. He is one of many Long Island products working that day at Serra BJJ. It’s Iaquinta’s last grueling day of training with his team before he faces veteran Jorge Masvidal (28-8 MMA, 5-1 UFC) on Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 63, which takes place at Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. The main card airs on FOX Sports 1.

“Long Island is just breeding tough guys,” Iaquinta said. “It gives me extreme confidence, the guys that I’m training with everyday. Chris Weidman, Aljamain Sterling, Gian Villante, Eddie Gordon, training with Matt and Ray (Longo). I’m training with the best team – guys I’ve known of or known personally since high school, since we’ve all wrestled together. It’s good to come together and push ourselves.”

After a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter,” a UFC debut loss in 2012, three decision wins and a technical submission defeat to Mitch Clarke this past May, it appears Iaquinta has hit his stride with three consecutive TKO wins over Rodrigo Damm, Ross Pearson and Joe Lauzon. The former junior college wrestler has made fully the transformation to professional mixed martial artist. He’s currently a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt under Serra, and has progressed exponentially with respected striking coach Longo.

Al Iaquinta and Joe Lauzon

“He could be a professional boxer if he wanted to,” Longo said. “We bring in a lot of pros for him to spar, so I see what he does against the pros. He could definitely beat a pro boxer.”

Serra also praised Iaquinta’s growth.

“He’s looking like a jiu-jitsu guy now,” he added. “Don’t get me wrong – he’s got that wrestler’s grit. But his straight-up submission game, his jiu-jitsu game, his positional game on the floor, is night and day.”

After his morning grappling session, Iaquinta headed deeper into Nassau County to put in his work with Longo at night. Serra and Longo have their daily call to discuss their fighter’s day, and the handoff is complete.

“It’s good to have them in my corner,” Iaquinta said. “When I’m standing up, Ray takes control of the corner. He’s giving most of the instructions. Then when it hits the ground, Matt’s right there and he has taken over control. After he’s had his 5-hour ENERGY, I definitely hear Matt.”

Longo dons the focus mitts and Sterling, an undefeated UFC bantamweight, grabs the bungee cord on the main mat of Longo-Weidman MMA (LAW MMA). Iaquinta does a round of striking, then puts on the bungee suit and runs from corner to corner of the mat with Sterling in tow, providing resistance. These several rounds will be the 27-year-old’s final preparation for his opponent, who has been vocal regarding Iaquinta.

Al Iaquinta

“It’s got to be frustrating for him,” an unbothered Iaquinta said. “I’ve been there before. You can win fights, but if you don’t put guys away you’re not going to go up a level, you’re not going to get those fights with guys ranked higher than you. Coming off three knockout wins, I’m the guy they want fighting guys ahead of me. He’s coming off three decision wins.”

As Iaquinta finishes his workout, he thanks his trainer and his training partner. Behind him on the wall hangs two large photos. One is of Serra, moments after he won the UFC title against Georges St-Pierre. The second is of Weidman in a similar pose after he beat Anderson Silva. Will there be a third photo placed on the wall? The middleweight champ thinks so.

“Al is a guy I looked up to since I got into this sport,” Weidman said. “He was in it a little bit before me actually, even though he’s younger. The way he mixes up his wrestling, jiu-jitsu and his striking and puts it all together is something I look up to. I’m still watching and learning from him. He has a big future ahead of him. He’s champ material, and I knew it since Day 1.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 63, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.