Community Corner

Local Firefighter's Story: It's Anything But a Freak Show

Shorewood resident and Minooka Fire Protection District firefighter Jimmy 'The Freak' Fritz is teaching children how to lead a healthy lifestyle and chasing his dream of making it big in MMA fighting.

He is called Jimmy “The Freak” Fritz.

He walks into burning buildings and pulls out victims of smoke inhalation.

He works as a firefighter and a paramedic with the Minooka Fire Protection District.

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He teaches young children the art of self-defense and holds a two-stripe purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is six months into his pro career fighting in the MMA ranks.

His trainers know him as “The Freak” for another reason.

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“When he first came in, he was very awkward,” said James Hill, co-owner of SUDA International Center, the Joliet gym where Fritz trains six days a week. “He had started lifting weights. So, he was very strong.

“But he was very stiff when he moved. He just looked like ‘The Freak.’ These names just have to come to us. Everybody in the gym wants a nickname. But they have to come to us in the moment. His is the ‘The Freak.’ ”

Fritz, a 25-year-old resident of Shorewood, played one year of football when he attended Minooka Community High School. Otherwise, the traditional sports didn’t interest him much. He first learned about Mixed Martial Arts when he overheard some folks talking during a workout at Cardinal Fitness in Shorewood.

He was drawn to the anything-goes style of MMA—kicking, punching, wrestling. Soon, he was introduced to James Hill and his brother, Ron, and the definition of SUDA. The acronym stands for Survival Under Direct Attack.

And that’s what Fritz is all about—on the job and in the ring.

“We take him through very harsh workouts to make sure his body is prepared for competition,” Ron Hill said. “As far as being a firefighter, he’s lifting people here all day. So, if he ever has to lift someone out of a house, which he did the other day, he has the physical capabilities to do so.

“The workouts definitely translate over to his real life and his job.”

Fritz has learned the strongest survive in the cage—but only if they also are well versed in the quick explosions that distinguish MMA fighting from ordinary boxing. He competes in the welterweight division (170 pounds).

“When we train them here, it’s more about endurance than strength,” Ron Hill said. “You need to be able to get your muscles not to fatigue when you’re in the middle of the matches. You’re going to be relying on your speed, your strength and your muscle ability to keep up.”

Fritz was defeated in a second-round TKO by Belal Muhammad in his pro debut in Valparaiso, Ind. He will face Justin Brock in his next fight on June 1.

“It’s really something that’s just inside of you,” Fritz said of why he wanted to become a pro on the MMA circuit. “It’s like an unspoken desire. I love martial arts. If it wasn’t for the instruction I have in the martial arts, I probably wouldn’t be a fighter.

“I remember the first day I walked in and saw how they were teaching and I was like, ‘Wow! I understand that. It’s amazing.’ I just kind of got bit by the martial arts bug. It just took off.”

Nowadays, he shares his knowledge as an assistant instructor at the SUDA Center, working with children. His is a message that extends beyond how to fight and defend yourself.

“It’s not only how to fight, it’s how to live,” Fritz said. “It’s how to be better people. It’s not so much the violence. We teach them about responsibility, self-control and discipline. We teach them how to eat better, how to exercise—just a healthy lifestyle.”

Nothing freaky about that.


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