In today’s episode of Training Camp with Adam Marburger, Kyle Watson, a UFC veteran and owner of Watson Martial Arts, discusses his personal evolution from a small-town athlete to an elite martial artist and successful entrepreneur. Drawing on lessons from his time on The Ultimate Fighter, training under Georges St-Pierre, and building his gym from the ground up, he offers insightful takeaways on discipline, mentorship, and how those principles align with today’s retail automotive environment.
Watson’s journey began in a small town with limited opportunities and no access to martial arts. It wasn’t until college that he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and started training. His decision launched a career that would take him from grassroots gyms to the UFC.
He was selected to appear on The Ultimate Fighter and trained under one of the sport’s legends, Georges St-Pierre. His time on the show gave him access to world-class trainers, including Greg Jackson, John Danaher and Freddie Roach. These mentors instilled a “white belt mentality,” a mindset that Watson says encourages lifelong learning, humility and a constant drive to improve.
"You can have all the things you want, and you can be successful. But, you've got to put that work in, and you got to be willing to have that white belt mentality and ask other people for help."
As the owner of Watson Martial Arts, Watson translates those values into his business. He emphasizes structured systems, customer experience and long-term growth over rapid expansion.
He focuses on:
- Enhancing member retention rather than chasing large volume
- Building systems that improve the member experience
- Hiring specialized staff to elevate service quality
- Creating an environment where students feel supported and transformed
Watson is also deeply committed to giving back and helping other gym owners when possible. He recalls his early days juggling every role from janitor to administrator while trying to scale his academy. Those behind-the-scenes efforts, he explains, are the “sharpening of the blade” that later allow leaders to shine publicly.
When it comes to automotive, Watson recently purchased two new vehicles and describes the buying experience as noticeably more transparent and user-friendly compared to previous years. A key standout for him was the interactive pricing display system at the dealership, which clearly showed him how each feature impacted the total cost. He also praised the responsiveness and clarity of his sales representative, noting how these changes improved confidence and reduced stress during the transaction.
Watson sees a clear parallel between his approach to martial arts and the direction the automotive retail industry is headed: both are rooted in continuous improvement, structure and delivering a consistently positive customer experience.
