Hamill fights way through adversity

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Matt Hamill is one of the more inspiring athletes you could meet.

Born deaf, he overcame countless obstacles to become a three-time NCAA Division III wrestling champion before making the switch to mixed martial arts and fighting for the UFC. He said his secret is simple.

‘‘One word: heart,’’ said Hamill, who spoke to the Sun-Times by phone with assistance from manager Duff Holmes, who helped with interpreting. ‘‘I’ve been training really hard. I’ve got a drive that no one else has. I’ll never give up and keep going after what I want.’’

You can meet Hamill on Sunday at Clay Guida’s MMASTOP Fitness (16101 Weber Road, Crest Hill), where he’ll be giving a seminar from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and signing autographs from 1 to 3 p.m.

The seminar, which focuses on wrestling, takedowns, strength and conditioning, is $75 for members and $100 for non-members. The autograph session is free and open to the public.

It’s a big year for Hamill. Since breaking into the UFC on the third season of ‘‘The Ultimate Fighter,’’ he has risen slowly but steadily up the ranks of the light-heavyweight division. He long has sought a fight against a top opponent, and he finally has gotten his wish. After Thiago Silva had to withdraw because of a failed drug test, Hamill was selected to fight Quinton ‘‘Rampage’’ Jackson at UFC 130 on May 28 in Las Vegas.

‘‘It’s taken five or six years to get to this point,’’ Hamill said. ‘‘I just knew I had to keep working to become a well-rounded fighter. Now it’s my time, and I have to take advantage of it.’’

Hamill said he thinks he has more tools than Jackson and can beat him, which should put him in line for a title shot.

‘‘It’s more like a semifinal in a wrestling bracket,’’ Hamill said. ‘‘If I beat ‘Rampage,’ I should get the winner of Rashad Evans and [champion] Jon Jones.’’

Hamill (10-2) is the only fighter to post a victory against Jones, albeit by disqualification because of illegal elbow strikes. Hamill, who was taken down for the first time in his MMA career and suffered a separated shoulder in that fight, said he wasn’t happy with that victory in December 2009.

‘‘I definitely wasn’t satisfied,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think I won that fight; I feel that Jon Jones won. I’ve got a bit of unfinished business with him.’’

It’s a big year out of the cage for Hamill, too. ‘‘Hamill,’’ a movie based on his life story, is making the rounds at film festivals and has been very well-received.

The coming-of-age feature, which depicts Hamill’s youth in small-town Ohio and culminates in Hamill becoming the first deaf college wrestling champion, gives the viewer a window into deaf culture that’s not seen in many movies or TV programs.

Hamill said he couldn’t be more pleased with the movie.

‘‘Absolutely, no question,’’ Hamill said. ‘‘Every time I watched the movie, I had flashbacks and good memories, especially of my grandfather.’’

Holmes said the producers are securing distribution deals for a late-summer or early-fall release.

Hooks and jabs

UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will visit Guida’s MMASTOP Fitness for a seminar and autograph session in mid-May.

◆ Strikeforce presents its first card tonight since being purchased by the UFC. Welterweights Paul Daley and Nick Diaz will square off in the main event that will air at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

◆ The UFC has renewed its deal with Bud Light, making it the official beer of the UFC. Bud Light will increase its sponsorship by doubling the number of times it is the presenting sponsor of UFC pay-per-views. Also, it will help promote one UFC event a year starting Sept. 17 in New Orleans.

◆ UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will defend his title April 30 in Toronto against Jake Shields. Now you can see how he got his start. ‘‘Georges St-Pierre: Rush to the Top,’’ a special that features six of his non-UFC bouts, is available all month on pay-per-view. He’s also on the cover of the April issue of Men’s Health magazine.