Adrian "Killa" Cruz

Adrian Cruz is an MMA coach and instructor who has been steeped in wrestling since he was five years old. His grandfather — a wrestling coach for a Junior Wrestling program in California — began mentoring him at a young age. Adrian excelled in Junior Wrestling and went on to compete on the varsity wrestling team for all four years of high school.

During his wrestling career, Adrian achieved numerous accolades, including placing fifth in the New Mexico state tournament as a Junior and finishing third as a senior with a record of 35-4 — defeating the previous two-time NM state champion. As an adult, Adrian seamlessly transitioned his wrestling skills to MMA, earning an 8-2 record as an amateur and a 7-2-1 professional record competing for Bellator. He also earned his No-Gi brown belt under the Machado Lineage.

Adrian's passion for wrestling and MMA led him to coaching. He began teaching wrestling techniques to Jiu-Jitsu and MMA practitioners, and eventually became a coach for junior wrestling when his son Zaiden started competing. Since then, Adrian has been part of coaching staffs that won team state championships and placed as runner-up twice. He has coached multiple state champions and placing wrestlers — including his own sons, Zaiden and Phoenix.

At Warrior Strength Martial Arts, Adrian brings the same competitive standard to every student he works with — whether they're stepping into their first training session or preparing for competition. His coaching is direct, honest, and built on the belief that athletic development is a long-term commitment.