TAMPA, Fla. — UFC featherweight (145 pounds) Billy Quarantillo has a lot of work to do. His wife is due to give birth to their second child in a few weeks, he's preparing for a fight this weekend, and he's taken on a new role in running his business.
Quarantillo recently purchased Gracie Pack MMA Gym from a friend and is moving full steam ahead as an entrepreneur.
“I think the biggest surprises are the day-to-day things: Now this happened. Now this happened. What happened to this?! Taxes, contracts, liability forms, insurance, etc. All of those things,” Quarantillo said. . “I am very honored to be in this position, but this is just the beginning.”
Holding two full-time jobs is tough, but Billy said he wouldn't have it any other way.
“This is the type of busyness I've always wanted. I've always wanted to be a gym owner. I've always wanted to be a businessman,” he added. “And of course, I've always wanted to be in the UFC. That's my dream job.”
Quarantillo's fellow coaches, like Brandon Connor, said the new coach is just as hands-on in the gym as he is in training.
“He's here every day. He asks questions. If he has any thoughts or opinions,” Connor explained before the training session. “He asks us what we think, not just what he thinks and what he wants to do.”
“Billy Q” is 35 years old and has senior status in the UFC. But he only started training full-time when he was 21, so he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
“I'm 25 years old, he's older than me,” Conor said when describing what it's like to train with Quarantillo. “I’m like, ‘How can you push me to the limit and still have more?’” I’m very impressed with Coach Billy. ”
“I still feel like I'm in my mid-20s again. It feels great,” Billy added. “I take care of my body. I eat very clean. I do all my recovery sessions. And I train really smart.”
Quarantillo is preparing for the second of a four-fight contract extension he received from the UFC. But like any fighter, he knows he can't fight forever. Billy said his goal when he leaves the Octagon is to coach UFC champions.
“After my fighting career is over, I look forward to taking on the challenge of developing UFC fighters and champions,” he said while explaining what it's like to be a coach. . “Whoever it is, I hope it's a lot of players, but that's what we're aiming for.”
Billy Q still has a lot of fights left and hopes to climb his way into the top 10 featherweight title contenders.
“I feel like I have to watch TV every time I fight,” he said with a smile. “I just want to play the most exciting game possible, and of course I want to go back to Tampa with my hands up.”
Quarantillo (18-5) is in the lineup for UFC Fight Night, which airs Saturday on ESPN. The main card begins at 10 p.m. at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
