Morning Sports Update
“The pursuit of that helps with the pursuit of trying to make the Celtics great, so I’ll do it as long as I can.”
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla in May 2026. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
July 15, 2026 | 11:54 AM
3 minutes to read
Joe Mazzulla’s MMA training regiment: The Celtics‘ recent season ended in disappointment for Joe Mazzulla, but Boston’s head coach is already up off the mat.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani (of “The Ariel Helwani Show“), Mazzulla discussed his intense training regiment, which includes working with legendary MMA trainer Eric Nicksick in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Mazzulla showed his strength and physique in the video before sitting down with Helwani. After he was initially complimented, Mazzulla directed the praise toward Nicksick.
“He’s a great coach, huh?” Mazzulla said, but Helwani noted that the Celtics coach himself looked impressive despite the fact that most basketball players who dabble in MMA “can’t hit a heavy bag.”
“Thanks, appreciate it. I wasn’t a good basketball player, so I was able to do that,” Mazzulla joked.
The interview touched on a number of interesting subjects, with the always-original Mazzulla presenting his unique view of the world.
“It’s the fighter’s mind. I think I have a lot of respect for the fighter, and when we’re in other cities, it’s us against the city. It’s us against not just that team, but the arena, that city,” Mazzulla explained of his interest in the mentality of the sport. “I think it just keeps you fresh, mentally and physically, so that when I’m helping the team, I have that little fighter mentality. It just helps grow a little bit of an edge, and every little bit helps.
“And it’s fun,” he added. “I enjoy it.”
Along with the physical tests he likes to put himself through, Mazzulla also noted that there’s a psychological study happening in his brain as he tries to analyze fighting in comparison with coaching basketball.
“The other thing that’s interesting is the in-fight communication,” he said. “I think communication can be distracting. I ask Eric a lot about what his communication is during the round. It’s probably different for every fighter, but what’s my communication during the game?
“There’s a timeout component in communication, but also in-game communication. I think one of the hardest things in coaching is to relay, in a simple way, what you see to the players so that they can see it simply and execute. I think Eric does a great job of that.”
Now heading into his fifth season as Celtics’ head coach, Mazzulla is still looking for every possible edge. In terms of his MMA training, he said he intends to keep going with it, since it also helps with his day job.
“The pursuit of that helps with the pursuit of trying to make the Celtics great, so I’ll do it as long as I can.”
Scores and schedules:
The American League built a 4-0 lead and held on comfortably for an MLB All-Star Game win over the National League on Tuesday.
The Red Sox will resume games on Friday at Fenway Park against the Rays at 1:35 p.m.
Tonight, Legacy FC face the Pride in Orlando at 7 p.m.
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the first World Cup semifinal on Tuesday. Argentina face England today at 3 p.m. in the second semifinal. The final itself will be played on Sunday at 3 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
The Red Sox, contenders? ESPN analyst Jeff Passan weighed in on Boston’s recent resurgence.
On this day: In 1986, Roger Clemens was named MLB All-Star MVP after leading the American League to a 3-2 win over the National League, pitching three scoreless innings and notching a pair of strikeouts.
Daily highlight: After a characteristically impressive series of passes, Spain scored a second goal via right back Pedro Porro in the eventual 2-0 semifinal win over France in the World Cup on Tuesday.
¡¡¡GOL DE ESPAÑA!!! ¡¡¡GOL QUE HUELE A FINAL!!! ¡¡¡GOLAZO!!!
Pedro Porro define solo frente a Maignan después de una gran jugada de muchos toques… ¡Soberbia asistencia de Olmo!
La Roja vence 0-2 a Francia. pic.twitter.com/ImGyVEkRiv
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) July 14, 2026
Hayden Bird
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
