My Journey with Kyle Bochniak

Private

Jun 26

Written By Tateki Matsuda

Coupon Code TATEKI

Summary & Key Takeaways

My training partner Kyle Bochniak and I made the road to PFL 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia, out of Broadway Jiu Jitsu.
Our team: head coach John Clark and teammate Rico Disciullo.
Kyle lost his fight by TKO after a knee twist on a takedown defense; I carried him to the medical room.
At the airport, Kyle told me he was retiring. It set my own resolve: when my last fight comes, I leave with no regrets.

Inside the Cage: The Trials and Triumphs of My Journey with Kyle Bochniak

In MMA, the bond between fighters can be as compelling as the fights themselves. For me, Tateki Matsuda, and my training partner Kyle Bochniak, the road to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia, was built on shared dedication, resilience, and friendship.

Training out of Broadway Jiu Jitsu, Kyle and I have been sparring partners, pushing each other to the limit in brutal sessions that tested us physically and mentally. Alongside our head coach John Clark and teammate Rico Disciullo, we made a formidable team, each of us bringing something different.

The road to PFL5 2022 wasn't smooth. Despite our best efforts, Kyle lost his fight by TKO. A knee twist during a takedown defense ended his bout—a painful moment that hit the whole team.

Warm up was done before Kyle”s last fight

After the fight, I stepped up, carrying Kyle to the medical room and staying with him through the night. The bond between us was clear. What we've shared in the cage runs deeper than the sport.

Things took a turn at the airport. Kyle, moving through the terminals in a wheelchair, told me he was retiring. The news hit me hard. He said if he lost the next one, he'd move to the next chapter. I knew he'd retire, but I couldn't take the words from his mouth. Kyle wasn't just a training partner. He was a constant friend in my daily routine. Realizing our paths were splitting was a heavy moment.

Even so, I found resolve in it. Inspired by Kyle's courage, I decided that when my last fight comes, I'll leave the ring with no regrets. I'll give it everything, just like Kyle did. I'll miss him at the gym, but I already see his future running his own martial arts gym. Rest up and heal up that knee.

In MMA, careers can be short and the future is never certain. But for fighters like Kyle and me, the journey is what matters—the sweat, the pain, the wins, the lessons along the way. As I look ahead, I carry everything I shared with Kyle: proof of a bond that holds inside and outside the cage.

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