Orlando ‘Mean Machine’ Mashaba has come a long way in his MMA career
Kruger and Read started training Mashaba and discovered he has a natural ability and wanted him in the ring as soon as possible.
Orlando ‘Mean Machine’ Mashaba has a very unique story concerning his mixed martial arts (MMA) career and hopes that his story can inspire other youths to use MMA as an outlet for frustration and anger.
Mashaba working as a tiler for MMA fighter and coach James Read when his career began.
Read slowly started to see Mashaba pitch up to work with a black eye, and Mashaba told him that he got it from street fighting.
Read subsequently took Mashaba to House of Tinkerbell (HOT) and introduced him to former MMA fighter and owner of HOT JP Kruger, and his life hasn’t been the same since.
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Kruger and Read started training Mashaba and discovered he has a natural ability and wanted him in the ring as soon as possible.
Mashaba trains at HOT and also provides private lessons there.
The Addie interviewed him to find out more about his career.
What has been the biggest fight of your career so far?
I’ve only had four professional fights.
I won two of them, which is really special and I’m very proud of how far I’ve come.
My last fight, against Danie Swart, was the closest one I have ever been in.
I thought I was going to lose, but I somehow won by submission.
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What is your favorite style of fighting?
It has always been boxing, and I always start with my fists first.
But over the years I have learnt you need to use your feet as well.
I have also learnt to grapple and fight better on the ground.
Are you interested in any other sports?
Soccer, but my main focus now is MMA.
Once you get into this sport it really starts to take over your life and changes you forever.
What is next for you in this sport?
You always try and be the best, so my goal is to win titles, but it will always be for the passion I have.
I am also coaching at HOT and I have my own private class where I teach mostly self-defence.
What is your advice to up-and-coming fighters?
The most important thing I teach my students is that they have to be patient and becoming a professional in this sport is not easy.
But, most importantly, I want them to learn how to defend themselves and get rid of some frustration and anger.
I see too many children fighting on the streets today, and it’s not right.
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I want to get them out of that situation.
Mashaba says his family, work and MMA are the three most important things in his life, and in that order.
“I am grateful to James Read and JP Kruger.
“They got me out of a really difficult place and I’m glad to have them in my life.
“They are like fathers to me,” says Mashaba.
Read says: “He has come a very long way.
“He’s a very aggressive forward fighter and his ground and pound technique is very strong.
“All in all, I’m just glad we were able to get him away from the street fighting and out of trouble.”
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