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Interview By: Andrew Gladstone
Clay Goodman is the CEO and founder of Kage Concepts, a cage rental company offering MMA regulation cages mainly used in the Midwest. Goodman has worked for the UFC, WEC, Strikeforce and Bellator during his continued tenure in mixed martial arts – and looks forward to building new relationships.
CONCEDE's Andrew Gladstone recently spoke with Goodman to give MMA fans a bird’s eye view into Kage Concepts. In the first half of the interview, Concede MMA learns how Goodman entered the business and some of its early entries into the sport of MMA.
Concede MMA: How did you first get into MMA?
Clay Goodman: I came from a kickboxing background years ago and I decided to make the progression into mixed martial arts (about seven years ago). Then I started doing training seminars to become a judge. I’ve completed and passed big John McCarthy’s seminar, and I’ve completed and passed Herb Dean’s seminar.
Not only are we a cage rental company, we have certified officials we send out with our cages. As much as I love kickboxing, it’s somewhat of a dying sport, mixed martial arts was obviously more exciting and more challenging.
Concede MMA: How long has Kage Concepts been around? How did you guys get started?
Clay Goodman: Kage Concepts has been around for two-and-a-half-years and it all started with Duke Roufus out of Milwaukee and Adam Sandoval out of Green Bay. They’re two of the largest promoters in Wisconsin. We started talking about cages, they told me if I bought one they’d use me. I bought a cage and trailer and got started. Those two are the reason I got into the cage rental business
Concede MMA: How many shows have you guys worked on – and who were some of your partners?
Clay Goodman: Last year Kage Concepts did 75 shows with two cages. We’ve done Adrenaline MMA, which is a very large organization. We’ve been live on HDNet. People such as Tim Sylvia, Pat Barry, Ben Rothwell, Thomas Denny, Pat Miletich (have fought in my cages). Probably to date Adrenaline and the North American Fighting Championship shows for Duke Roufus are some of our larger shows.
Concede MMA: What gave you guys the idea to be in business of setting up cages, and being a judge for the Midwest shows?
Clay Goodman: The judging thing came first, that’s how I got my foot in the door with promoters. Once people saw that I was a good judge and I was dedicated, they started using me, that opened the door with Duke and Adam to start the cage rental part. And once people saw the professionalism I offered Duke and Adam it spread like wildfire. I did a very small marketing campaign just by e-mails and stuff like that to other promoters and it grew from there.
We made up the largest cage rental company in the Midwest. What’s happened in a lot of recent years is, a lot of people have bought cages, so what I did to up my game and make my business stand out is: All the guys who work for me had to take some type of judging seminar, so we could offer more than any other cage rental company. We have certified well-trained officials that travel with our cages to fill in with all promoters.
Concede MMA: What would you say your relationship is like with Duke Roufus?
Clay Goodman: I actually owe a lot to Duke, he’s been a huge supporter of mine. I owe a lot to him. I respect him and he’s done a lot for me. You know if Duke is using you, it’s got to be a 100% quality.
Concede MMA: What would you say is the hardest part of your job?
Clay Goodman: Traveling and being away from my family on the weekends, and still trying to have a full-time job. A lot of promoters have set up needs on Fridays. Sometimes it’s Fridays and then into Saturday. We’ve been all the way up to Canada and back down to the southern tip of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri. It’s hard to keep my quality guys because they have full-time jobs as well, so we all make a sacrifice from our families on the weekends. I can’t say it’s a fair trade, but it’s close, because it’s doing something you love and make money doing it.
Concede MMA: What lessons have you learned on the job?
Clay Goodman: Being in so many shows has made me become an outstanding judge and quality judges are something that this sport lacks. I personally get to be at 50 shows a year, it’s beaten me up; it’s made me a better judge. (The fighters) train hard, they dedicated their lives to this sport, and they need someone quality to accurately judge the competition. The business has made me a better judge and that’s what this sport needs, good quality judges. I get to hang out with good quality officials and see great fights, and hone my judging skills.
They know Clay Goodman is sitting down in a chair, they know they’re going to get a good judge and an accurate judging score on the scorecards.
(Editor’s note: Goodman’s professionalism and skill has led him to judge UFC, WEC, Bellator, and Strikeforce events.)
That’s everyone’s dream is to make it to that level and this cage business has actually gotten me there.
Concede MMA: What was it like working with the UFC?
Clay Goodman: It was a dream come true and you almost get star struck in the beginning, but you realize you’re there, and you got to a job to do. You have to sit down and focus. When it was all over, I started taking it all in. Most everyone was out of the venue and I got to take some pictures with my family at the cage and it kind of sunk in at that point: I made it, I did it, I made it. It was hard not to take it all in when you were there but you got to stay focused. It’s something that nobody could ever take from me, it’ll be something I can always list as a credential, and it’s probably the highlight of my professional life.
Concede MMA: If you could work for one MMA organization, which organization would it be?
Clay Goodman: Right now obviously the UFC is the biggest and the best, and if I could work for the UFC that would be just an ultimate dream, but I have friendships in many other organizations, the WEC and Strikeforce as well. I would love someday to get a phone call and be able to work maybe with the cage crew and set up the cages with them. That’d be a blessing for my family and me.
Part two of Concede’s interview with Kage Concepts’ Goodman will be published soon.
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