Former Football Player Turns MMA Pro

By Scott Chisholm

Joe Henle '06

Joe Henle ’06, Thousand Oaks, Calif., used his experiences at CLU and guidance from a coach and professor to pursue his dream of becoming a professional mixed martial arts fighter.

As a high school student searching for a school to provide academic, athletic and social fulfillment, Henle was immediately drawn to Cal Lutheran.

“I loved the atmosphere,” he remembers. “Everyone was smiling and seemed like they were enjoying life at CLU.”

During his four-year career with the Kingsmen football team, Henle learned lessons on and off the gridiron from his position coach and CLU alumnus Will Plemons ’97.

“Coach Plemons took our nonstop energy and harnessed it by showing us how to be disciplined and detail oriented while providing a solid work ethic and attitude of how to approach the game,” Henle said of his playing days at CLU. “Those attributes translate into various aspects of life including MMA.”

Following the completion of his undergraduate degree in business, Henle visited a Westlake Village gym where he witnessed his first MMA training session – an experience that would ultimately alter his career path. Henle couldn’t wait to try out mixed martial arts. After taking his lumps and still wanting more, he was hooked and began his own training.

Henle also returned to CLU to pursue his MBA and served as a graduate assistant coach for the CLU football team. During this time, his graduate adviser, business professor Somnath Basu, was a key figure in helping Henle focus on his goals. It was Basu who asked his young advisee a simple yet challenging question: “What do you really want to do?”

After completing his MBA and considering all the factors, Henle concluded that his next big step would be pursuing a career in MMA. After eight amateur bouts, Joe “Leonidas” Henle turned professional last July and went undefeated in his first three fights.

In addition to maintaining a hectic training regimen, Henle is Head Coach of the Thousand Oaks High School wrestling team and an assistant on the high school football coaching staff.

“The experiences at Cal Lutheran have allowed me to mature emotionally, earn a solid education and provide the opportunity to succeed at whatever I ended up pursuing,” Henle said.

For more information on the career of Joe Henle, visit www.leonidasmma.com.