1. Origin Story / First Engagement
What was your first real interaction with the Fight For It team once the promotion became what it is today—and what expectations or creative boundaries (if any) were set for you early on?
I received a call out of the blue from Marcelo. He explained that as the promotion was growing, the photography side hadn’t kept pace—there had been inconsistency, missed expectations, and a lot of investment without reliable results.
They had reached a point where they didn’t want to keep experimenting. They wanted it handled properly, at a high level, and consistently. His words were essentially, “At this point, there’s one person to call to get this done right—call Greg Briley.”
I appreciated that clarity. It told me they weren’t just looking for a photographer—they were looking for someone to take ownership of the visual standard and elevate it moving forward. That’s a role I naturally step into with my clients, so it was a great fit.
I’m glad Fight For It brought me into the fold. They’ve built a strong team, and it’s been a pleasure working alongside people who are just as committed to doing things at a high level.
2. Trust, Access & Creative Freedom
Who was your primary point of contact when you started—Jonathan, Marcelo, Jason—and how much creative freedom were you given when it came to what you shoot and what you share?
Marcelo was my initial point of contact. I’ve known him for about 15 years, going back to shows he promoted earlier in his career. We hadn’t worked together at that time due to budget constraints, so this became our first opportunity to collaborate. From there, I got to know the rest of the team.
From the start, I was given a great deal of creative freedom to do what I do best. At the same time, there has been strong collaboration with the team, and we’ve continued refining the visual approach to better serve the promotion as a whole.
My focus is capturing the strongest moments from every fight and delivering high-value imagery—not just for the promotion, but for the fighters as well. I see my role as one of the key moving parts that helps create a more complete and valuable experience for everyone involved.
3. The Reality of Fight Night
What does a full Fight For It event day look like for you—from arrival to final shot—and how do you physically and mentally manage the pace of capturing an entire card?
Fight nights are long, physical days, so I take staying in shape seriously. Lifting and long hikes keep my stamina where it needs to be. That’s important, because once the day starts, it doesn’t let up.
Our studio is about an hour and a half away. We leave around 12:30 to arrive by 2:00 for a 3:30 start. That gives me time to set up, prep my gear, get mentally locked in, and dial everything in. From there, it becomes a 14+ hour day, with 8+ hours of constant movement—working angles, carrying equipment, and staying sharp through every fight.
As the night builds, especially into the later bouts, it becomes about focus and endurance—being ready for the moments that matter most. Fight For It runs a tight, professional show, and that makes a difference. Marcelo consistently puts together strong matchups, and the entire team keeps everything flowing at a high level.
When the final fight ends, the day still isn’t over. After the drive home—usually around 2:30 a.m.—it transitions straight into two weeks of 12-hour days reviewing and retouching images, delivering for the promotion, and making sure the fighters have strong, valuable content from their performances.
It’s demanding, but that’s the standard. The goal is always to capture the full story of the night and deliver something that reflects the level of work everyone put into it.
4. Process & Hidden Work
After the fights are over, what are the key steps you go through to turn raw images into final content—and how much time does that behind-the-scenes work really take?
Every event starts with volume—often 9,000+ images in a single night—but that’s just the beginning. When the cage goes quiet, my work shifts into a different gear. I move straight into culling, identifying the moments that define the night—for the promotion, for the fighters, and for the event as a whole.
From there, it becomes a two-week sprint. I clear my schedule completely—turning down work and staying off the road—because timing matters. You have to deliver while the energy is still there.
Those weeks are intense. Minimal sleep, long hours, full immersion. It’s a cycle of selecting, refining, and delivering until the job is done right. My family carries a lot during that stretch, and I’m grateful for that.
At the same time, the Fight For It team—from matchmaking to event execution—creates moments worth pushing that hard for. Jonathan, Marcelo, Jason, and the entire crew consistently raise the standard, and that pushes me to match it.
By the end, I’ve emptied the tank. Then it’s a quick reset—and right back into it for the next assignment.
5. Vision & Expansion
What’s the long-term vision for your photography career—are you focused solely on Fight For It, or are you looking to expand into other promotions and opportunities in the combat sports space?
We’re always open to the next opportunity, but at our core, we’re problem-solvers. For 26 years, the standard has been simple: deliver at a high level every time, no matter who’s in front of the lens. Individuals, teams, global brands—it doesn’t change.
We’ve worked across North America—on tarmacs, inside major events, with celebrities, and helping build brands—and none of it happens alone. It takes strong teams, trust, and people who care about getting it right. I’m grateful for that, especially with the Fight For It crew.
At the end of the day, it’s simple—we care, we show up, and we do the work the right way. And I’m thankful every time someone trusts us to be part of their story.
