TapouT Training Center’s Rudy Morales, currently 2-1 with Tuff-N-Uff, has come a long way, literally, in his short but successful MMA career. Originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala, Morales grew up without his parents when both his mother and father moved to the United States. He became an international champion in kenpo karate and eventually moved to the United States on his own. After short stints in Texas and California, Morales eventually settled in Las Vegas, NV, where he has lived for ten years.

Morales has been training in martial arts since he was eight years old. He started at Sport Karate Guatemala and his success at that organization developed into training in mixed martial arts, which he has been doing for three years.

It took some time for Morales to find a gym once he got to Las Vegas. He began training at a small gym that eventually closed down and it took numerous searches for Morales to find one that would fit his budget and offer classes that he wanted.

Of his search for the right gym, Morales said, “No disrespect to the other gyms out there> I want to make that clear. I went to many other gyms and I told them that I wanted to be part of their team, but everywhere I went, they wanted to charge me a lot. TapouT showed me a lot of respect. Shawn Tompkins (TapouT trainer and most recently trainer of Mark Hominick) let me try out for Team Tompkins and then welcomed me to the Team Tompkins family.”

Morales didn’t jump head first into Tuff-N-Uff and compete for the organization. He started as a Spanish commentator for MMA Xplosion and also for a handful of shows in Utah and California. It snowballed from there.

“I then started working with Tuff-N-Uff and promoting them,” said Morales. “Tuff-N-Uff noticed the work I did and then they wanted me to be in their shows. They believed in me because I was a local fighter. It took off from there.”

Morales’ fight, on May 27 at the Cox Pavilion, is against a tough opponent, Troy “The Reaper” Remer (3-0). Morales knows that a win against Remer won’t be easy, but of his fight, Morales said, “He’s known as the reaper. Remer always says, ‘Remember the name.’ But the only thing he will remember is where I’m from. I have much respect for him. He’s a tough fighter. Some people think that I am getting set up for failure with this fight, because he used to fight at 155. But a fight’s a fight. Ten pounds or fifteen pounds over doesn’t mean anything to me. If I were to fight him on the street, I wouldn’t ask him how much he weighs. I come from a third world country where people fight on their streets for their lives. I’m ready for it and I’m training really hard and I just got back from Albuquerque, NM where I trained at Chavez Dojo.”

Like many amateur mixed martial artists, Morales wants to turn pro, but during the interview Morales focused more on other future plans. “I have a kid now and I want to leave a legacy. My last name is not Mir. My last name is not Couture. My last name is Morales. I’m a poor kid who grew up without parents. Now I am a parent myself and I want to prove to them that no matter what happens, you can get back up.”

“I also train youth for the Boys and Girls Club in MMA. They have started to follow me now too. Even if I don’t become as big as Machida or GSP or anyone like that, I want to get those kids out of the streets. That’s my biggest goal. I know a lot of people might say that, but I’m really doing it. I’m taking kids that are into drugs and in gangs and trying to get them out. And what little money I make in MMA, I am investing it in them, in their futures. My biggest goal is to take the Ruthless Fighting team (Morales’ own fight team) and get these kids off the streets and show them if I did it, they can too.”

Although Morales has achieved a lot on his own, there are many that have believed in him during his amateur career. Rudy would like to thank: www.maxhealth.us, Vegas Royalty, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, www.drinkrealwater.com, Sal Lugo master barber, according to Rudy, Sal makes the sickest hairstyles, Unity Through Sports, Fightbanner.com, The T-shirt Diner, www.ignent.com, www.vitalitywellnesscenter.com, www.joepicphotography.com, www.goduilaw.com, Sound Systems for Cars, Las Vegas Nutrition Center, El Steak Burrito, and Israel’s Transmissions.

Regardless of what happens in Rudy Morales’ amateur and potential professional MMA career, his contributions to the youth of Las Vegas will surely be remember far longer than any championship he may win.

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