What is your dream career? That is the exact question that persists through young adulthood, adolescence and even childhood. Everyone wants to know what you want to do. For Kyle Boller, Ring of Combat fighter and Teixeira MMA protégé, it’s always been to make it under the lights as a professional MMA fighter.

Boller has been training since he was a freshman in high school, and ever since then, he’s been working toward becoming a UFC champion.

However, it’s a long way to get there. Boller has paid his dues on the amateur scene, compiling a 3-0 MMA record, according to Tapology. Now, he looks to make his professional debut at ROC 91 against Derrick Patterson on Friday, Sept. 18, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Patterson is stepping in on short notice after Boller’s original opponent withdrew. Boller was originally scheduled to fight at 135 pounds.

Kyle Boller’s Pro Debut Announced

Ever since he was a young child, Boller has always had high aspirations for himself, whether it was directing movies with his friends as a kid or playing hockey as a teen.

Now, as an MMA athlete, the goal has always been clear: be the best he can be.

“Everything just feels right,” Boller said. “This feels like it was always meant to happen. I’m just doing the right things to go in the right direction.”

However, Boller’s goals have required a massive amount of sacrifice. Boller has lost out on family time, dates with his girlfriend and even going without birthday cake while on his fight diet.

While Boller was in college racking up amateur wins, he sacrificed going out to bars and parties with his friends in order to continue his training. While in fight camp and following a strict diet, Boller’s food options were limited during his freshman year of college.

He recalled a time when he would come back to his freshman dorm, with no kitchen, microwave a pack of Uncle Ben’s rice, put hot sauce on it and call that his dinner.

Since starting his competitive career, Boller says he feels much more mature because of his training and that it has made him a better person overall.

“Fighting takes so much of a mental toll,” Boller said. “With all the sacrifices, it’s helped me become more present and focused. Because if I can be present and enjoy everything now, after the fight I can enjoy all the things I want to do more.”

One other thing Boller wants to prove in his debut, besides working toward his ultimate goal of UFC gold, is that he belongs at the professional level. He believes his work has led him to this moment and that he can confidently move into this new era of his career.

“I have a lot of people that tell me, you know, they have a lot of faith in me,” Boller said. “I have guys like Ross Levine, Glover Teixeira and Alex Pereira telling me I have all this potential. Glover even said he thinks I can become world champion.”

On top of hearing those words from former world champions, Boller also believes he can make it. However, he stays humble, stating that he’s aware that hearing too much praise can make someone complacent.

“I have to remind myself that I’m only in the position that I am because of the work that I’ve done before,” Boller said. “I have to keep doing that work to consistently be at that level.”

This belief has helped Boller grow as a fighter while continuing to be a learner. 

Boller credits his coaches, Teixeira and Levine, for the progress he’s made as he looks toward his professional debut.

“I just want to prove to myself that I’m where I’m supposed to be,” Boller said. “I’m supposed to be doing this and to prove it to all those people.”