Interviews with Chris Luttrell (16 Years with Jackson) and Chad LeMoine (14 Years MMA Training both with Greg Jackson and with a Greg Jackson Black Belt)
By John Fullilove, jacksons.tv
Chris Luttrell is an Albuquerque Police Officer and 16 year student of Greg Jackson. He provides a unique first hand account of how Jackson's was created and has evolved.
jacksons.tv: How long have you been with Jackson's?
Chris Luttrell: I’ve been with Jackson's for 16 years.jacksons.tv: How did you become invlovled with Jackson's again?
Chris Luttrell: I wrestled in high school and college. Wrestling was a big part of my life. I was called up by Coach Mike Winkeljohn when the first UFC came out, and Coach Winkeljohn grabbed me and said, “I know you wrestled in high school and college and did a little judo and ground fighting. I would like you to help me out and in return, I will help you with the striking.” So, we hooked up, and I started training and teaching for Mr. Winkeljohn. While I was at a Judo club, I met one of Greg Jackson’s top fighters, and so we hooked up and went back to Greg Jackson’s dojo. Then I met Greg. I then introduced Greg to Mike. It pretty much started the dynamic of combining the ground fighting and the up fighting. Everybody started sharing ideas, and it started growing from there.jacksons.tv: How different was it when you were introduced to the stand up game as compared to your experience as a collegiate wrestler?
Chris Luttrell: It was very different. I was like a fish out of water, very uncomfortable. I didn’t have much confidence on my feet. Mr. Winkeljohn was very good about getting you out of your comfort zone and making you train on your weaknesses.
jacksons.tv: Is there any difference between getting mentally ready for kickboxing and a competitive collegiate wrestling match?
Chris Luttrell: No, not really. I was more uncomfortable with kickboxing. What you learn in each of the combat sports carries over into the other as far as nerves and preparation and a good work ethic.
jacksons.tv: How have you seen the gym evolve over the last 16 years?
Chris Luttrell: Greg has a done a fantastic job of creating an environment where everyone feels warm and welcomed like a big family atmosphere. Greg has done well telling everyone to leave their ego at the door, so when they 
come in, they are ready to learn. They are ready to help each other. What you have now is a group of guys who want to help each other succeed.
jacksons.tv: How have you seen MMA techniques evolve from the first UFC when it was style vs. style, to now, where it is much more blended?
Chris Luttrell: I can really account for what I’ve seen at this dojo. I believe Greg is a visionary. From day one, he saw the evolution down the road immediately. He knew that fighters would have to be world class strikers, world class wrestlers, world class grapplers and all rolled up into one. Then came fillingl the gaps with good striking, striking to passing and he saw that from day one. So, he got everyone working together. What I liked about Jackson's Dojo is Greg said from day one, “If it works, we are going to keep it and if it doesn’t work, we are going to discard it.” But, if it works in MMA, we are going to keep it. Greg has an eye for grappling and combat and he can see moves. He’ll sit at home and come in and say, “hey guys, try this angle. Let’s try this spin on this move.” Also, he can create moves. He’s done very well at mixing them together.
jacksons.tv: Do you have a preference on what you like in terms of fighting?
Chris Luttrell: Personally, I have moved into the coaching arena but I’ve got a love for the ground because I started out wrestling; I grew up wrestling since I was a small child, so my preference is definitely on the ground. I like submission, but I like to get to a good position and deliver good strikes.
jacksons.tv: Do you see the clinch work of Judo, Greco-Roman, Wrestling and Muay Thai complementing each other?
Chris Luttrell: Absolutely! I personally did freestyle wrestling in collegiate wrestling and did not do a whole lot of Greco wrestling. But the little bit of Greco I did does help significantly in the clinch while doing dirty boxing and being in proper position. Even wearing a guy out, it was very, very helpful there – wrestlers have a big edge there.
jacksons.tv: What keeps you coming back, working out, coaching and being involved after 16 years?
Chris Luttrell: I would say it's the guys involved. You know MMA has opened a lot doors for me. I’m a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, and I’ve had the honor of teaching for about 8 different federal agencies. My self and another gentleman came up with a ground control program. We would come in and bring that program to Greg Jackson and some of the fighters. Greg would help add moves. I’ve been teaching this ground control program for probably eight years. Through the years, I have had various police officers and federal agents come over and say, “Hey, I used those moves in an incident, and it really saved me or it got me out of a jam.” That was very rewarding me; not just the law enforcement side but seeing the fighters reach their goals and working with them because they have now become some of the best athletes in the world.
Chad LeMoine - 14 Years MMA Training with Greg Jackson and with a Greg Jackson Black Belt)
jacksons.tv: How long have you been training in MMA?
Chad LeMoine: I’ve been training for 14 years both directly with Greg Jackson and also with one of his Black Belts.
jacksons.tv: Did you study any other martial arts or combat sports prior to joining Jackson's?
Chad LeMoine: No, I didn’t. I didn’t do any wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu. I walked in off the street, and Greg has taught me everything I know today.
jacksons.tv: What drew you to Jackson's and why have you stayed for so long?
Chad LeMoine: I was working at a local sports facility and Brad, one of Greg’s students, came in. I saw him spar with another gentleman. He was having his way with him, taking him down, submitting him, and knocking him down with kicks and punches. I just walked up to him and asked him where he learned how to do that and he told me Greg Jackson's. I went there the next day and it took off from there.
jacksons.tv: What keeps you coming back after 14 years?
Chad LeMoine: The main reason I come back is because of my love of the sport. I love to grapple. I love to fight. I like all aspects of the game. We are just fortunate enough to have a place like Jackson's here in Albuquerque where I live. The world’s greatest fighters come through these doors.
jacksons.tv: Is your training also self-defense as well?
Chad LeMoine: Yes, for anyone who comes here who is not a UFC fighter or a cage fighter, they’re taking this stuff out onto the streets with them. If it works in the cage, it’s going work on the street. It’s definitely self-defense and a sport.
jacksons.tv: During your training, has it been difficult integrating the stand up game and ground game, or does it come naturally from the training? 
Chad LeMoine: Well, that’s the one single thing that separates Jackson's from other MMA gyms. From day one, we have been what I call pure bred MMA. We’re not kick boxers who learn to wrestle or wrestlers who learn to kick box. We have just been cage fighting or doing MMA, if you will, from day one. Everything we do is based off of what works in MMA.
jacksons.tv: Do you have a preference for stand up or ground, or is it just fighting to you?
Chad LeMoine: My particular style is that I like to get to the ground. I like to anchor, whether it is a scarf hold position or bow and arrow position. I like to anchor in and fight from the ground. In other words, I like to immobilize my opponent, and then I like to beat him down from there.
jacksons.tv: Are you still growing after 14 years of training at Jackson's?
Chad LeMoine: Yes. I’ve changed my style a little bit because when I was younger, I was stronger; I was more of a bully fighter - a lot of head/arm control, now I rely more on my technique.