Overview
- Ariel Helwani posted footage that showed Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas with MMA coach Eric Nicksick, and the clips went viral on social platforms.
- Mazzulla confirmed he regularly seeks out MMA gyms on road trips and has practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu since 2017, a routine he deepened after becoming Boston’s head coach in 2022.
- He told Helwani that MMA gives him a 'fighter mentality' that keeps him mentally and physically fresh and helps him build an edge he brings to the Celtics.
- Mazzulla said he studies Nicksick’s in-fight communication techniques to simplify how he relays instructions during games so players can execute under pressure.
- Coverage focuses on the footage and public reaction to Mazzulla’s physique and methods while noting there are no reported team consequences and the training is framed as part of his culture-setting role after Boston’s recent success.