Cutting hair by day, Windsor's T.J. Laramie on track to be an MMA ultimate fighter

TJ Laramie is a barber in Windsor who is passionate about cutting hair. He takes his time, snipping away and chatting to clients — many of which probably aren't aware that despite his love for fresh fades, he's a top professional mixed martial arts fighter in Canada.

20-year-old Windsor fighter could be one win away from the UFC

Kaitie Fraser · CBC News · Posted: Mar 26, 2018 7:05 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 26, 2018

Local barber and MMA champion, T.J. Laramie poses with his featherweight TKO title belt. He won the top spot in his weight division in December, defending that title at a match on March 16. (Kaitie Fraser/CBC)

T.J. Laramie is a barber in Windsor who is passionate about cutting hair.

He takes his time, snipping away and chatting with clients — many of which probably aren't aware that despite his love for fresh fades, he's a top professional mixed martial arts fighter in Canada.

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In December, Laramie won the 145-pound featherweight division title in the TKO Canadian MMA league. On March 16, he defended that title against Brazil's Joao Luiz Nogueira with a technical knock out in the fifth round of the match.

"This fight was even bigger than the last one," said Laramie. "I was able to just beat him everywhere on feet and on the ground so it really showed my dominance and how much I improved especially being only 20-years-old in the sport."

T.J. Laramie celebrates after winning a match against Brazil's Joao Luiz Nogueira with a technical knock out in the fifth round. (T.J. Laramie)

Family affair

Laramie grew up in the Fontainebleau area of Windsor. When he was very young, his mother and brother died, leaving Laramie with a young brother Tony and his father.

Laramie said the sport brought the three men together. Tony is also a MMA fighter.

How I get motivated to go to the gym is how I get motivated to go to the barbershop to cut hair.- T.J. Laramie

"My dad was a fan and he got me into the sport kind of as a fan too," said Laramie. "I just started training for fun ... I just started getting good and started getting better. I started competing and winning and I just fell in love with it after that."

At 17-years-old Laramie won a match in Japan that got him to the pro level. Through that success he kept with his other passion for cutting hair.

Laramie finishes up a cut on the owner of Padrone, Carlos Moukhayber. (Kaitie Fraser/CBC)

"I actually enjoy cutting hair to the point where I want to try new things," he said, sitting in a chair at Padrone Barbershop where he works. "How I get motivated to go to the gym is how I get motivated to go to the barbershop to cut hair."

One more win maybe and I'll be in the UFC fighting alongside with a lot of the people I train with, just one step closer to my goal.- T.J. Laramie

He splits up his day, training in the mornings and after work, especially when he has a fight coming up.

The next one — which could be a big one for Laramie — is expected in June.

Ultimate fighting spot

"One more win maybe and I'll be in the UFC fighting alongside with a lot of the people I train with, just one step closer to my goal," said Laramie.

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He anticipates that after one more win he'll be qualified for the UFC, taking on top-ranked opponents in the biggest MMA organization in the world.

Laramie after defending his featherweight top spot in Laval, Que. on March 16, 2018. (T.J. Laramie)

But for Laramie, just getting there isn't enough.

"A big fight in Las Vegas it's really a dream come true, but at the end of the day for me it's not about getting there it's about accomplishing more than that," he said.

"The end goal for me isn't money, isn't fame nothing like that. I just want to be the best fighter."