I do MMA and whenever someone finds out they say 'remind me not to mess with you' etc etc and I never know how to reply. I find it really awkward???

How would you respond?

I get that all the time, a lot of my friends like to joke that they are not afraid of trouble or people messing with us when I'm with them because of my training and my usual response would be: I hope your cardio is as good as mine because I will outrun you when trouble starts.

Kick boxa.

Funny you say that i got that comment the other week, i just replied "Ohh, what ever!" and just laughed to make light of the situation.

I tell people that I am a nice guy and these days I tell them that I am retired now actually. I don't want someone intimidated or to feel threatened by me in most interactions with them because it tends to taint things then. Instead I want them to know me for the type of person that I am and me learning about the type of person they are rather than being intimidated or feel like they can't be honest and upfront with me because they feel threatened in some way.

So just be friendly and yourself and tell people that you are a nice guy in spite of this and that way you will get a much more genuine idea about them and things.

They're joking. I get that all the time. So does most everyone else I work out with.

You could send them an email that says "This is just a reminder to not mess with me."

Seriously, just go along with the joke.

Depends on their tone. If they are saying it with tone of humor I'll respond back with a joke like, "hey didn't you steal my cookies earlier?" in a humorous threatening way. If there is tone of fear or awe then I play it off as no big deal like or assure the person.

I prefer that comment to the "i bet i could beat you" comment/challenge or the "martial arts are useless" comment but i digress, i typically don't tell people that i practice martial arts to not run into that situation

Tell them just because you practice a martial art doesn't mean you resort to violence over any little provocation.

Just laugh along, or say you wouldn't use it to hurt anyone. Honestly that kind of comment, is better than the comments I receive which go like "oh is that like karate?"

I do MMA and whenever someone finds out they say 'remind me not to mess with you' etc etc and I never know how to reply. I find it really awkward???

How would you respond?