Questions Answered.

For me, this past weekend was nothing less than a journey into the unknown. Having never been out of the first round in five previous amateur bouts, I had to expect the new sensation considering the caliber of opponent I was facing. Length of bout aside, I had many questions of my own that I had been dwelling over for the three years I’ve been in this sport. Most of these questions circulated around my own mental and physical fortitude. Questions like “What’s going to happen when I see my own blood?” or “How will I react to a punch that puts me on queer street?” Most, if not all of my questions were answered on Saturday evening, and I can do little more than smile at the answers presented.

I knew a bit about my opponent, Boris Rakita. Everyone I’d spoken to told me he was a decent stand up guy and had killer elbows from top position, but one characteristic no one could have emphasized enough, that is his toughness. I’ve fought a few guys who thought they were a bit tougher than they truly were. A few punches into the fight, it was clear they weren’t going to be able to handle me for a full 3 rounds, let alone the first 3 minutes. Early in my battle with Boris we traded shots, he hit hard, but nothing more than I’d felt in the past. I hit him with a few shots that would normally wobble someone, or at least give them enough warning to stop trading with me. Boris never stopped coming. Throughout the fight I’d hit him with a shot I knew he would feel the next day, he’d take a step back, regain himself and come back for more - the guy is a machine.

Early in the first round my first question was answered. Blood. Blood, and lots of it to follow. I believe, but can’t be positive, that he was the first to start bleeding. Blood trickled from his nose after I landed a punch, shortly thereafter he returned fire and I felt the liquid start pouring. Many people have issues seeing their own blood, knowing that every second they continue battling more of their body’s energy and life force is draining uncontrollably. I’ve read numerous MMA articles where fighters or trainers tell of their will to fight quickly leaving them with every drop of blood spilt. Until this fight I had a very real fear of this same sensation overcoming me. Each time I entered the cage I was afraid that the taste of my own blood would, somehow instantly, force me to throw in the towel and concede. The blood never stopped flowing for the full 15 minutes, Joel’s face was spattered as if he’d just gutted an animal, my shorts were soaked. At one point Boris attempted to take me to the ground, I looked at his back and kind of smirked as I painted a pretty picture on his back. Question 1: Can I deal with seeing my own blood? Answer: Yes, and It strangely motivates me.

Question 2: Can Stephen last 2...3...4 or even 5 rounds? This was David’s favorite question to ask over the past 3 years. Before every fight David never once questioned my power. Never once questioned my willingness to fight whoever or whenever. However, before every fight I’d hear the same words muttered - “I’m worried about your cardio”. Why wouldn’t he be? Before every fight I’ve cut way too much weight, way to close to fight time. The last couple of weeks of training have been a hodgepodge of sloppy training caused by malnourished muscles. He wasn’t the only one asking this question, it was another one of the fears that haunted me the night before I faced off with Boris. The most common mistake I see in MMA comes from what I will call “energy management”. Marathon runners train to run roughly 26 miles with a clear, concise end point. Mixed Martial Artists train for the possibility of 9, 15, or 25 minutes of combat, however the bout can end at any time. This idea I think gives novice fighters the false hope that going balls out for 2 minutes, will equate to pacing yourself for 5 minutes, false. I had never been past the first round, cardio was a big question mark. I’m smarter than the average amateur level fighter, I’m smart enough to know that if I’m going into a fight scheduled for five-three minute rounds that I can’t blow my energy in the first or second round on an 8 punch combo followed by a failed takedown attempt. I’d be lying if I said I felt fresh at the beginning of the fifth round, or that I felt my punches were just as hard at the end of the fight as at the beginning, but I was smart enough to know that midway through the fight I didn’t feel that I had enough energy to take down my opponent, and stay on top, while conserving enough energy to see my way through the rest of the fight if I couldn’t finish. So the answer to question two? Clearly I made it fifteen minutes. Certainly I have room for improvement. A better weight cut, a more consistent cardio routine and a better understanding of energy conservation should lead to me feeling faster, and stronger later in the fight. Sure I made it fifteen minutes, the plan is that next time I’m forced to do it, I’ll do it better.

My final question, and probably most important, revolved around my heart. In my life I have the uncanny ability to recognize impending failure, and avoid it at all costs. If something isn’t going my way, I would rather jump ship and find a different path, than meet it head on and push through it. Clearly in fighting it isn’t that easy, though conceivably at any point in the fight I could have gone to the corner and told Joel or Dave that I was completely unwilling to continue. The thought crossed my mind at a couple of points in the later rounds, it typically went “If I get hit with another punch like that, I might have to go down…” The thought quickly dissipated when I got hit with another punch and figured I’d be happier throwing a punch back than throwing in the towel. Early in the fight, maybe the second round, I got caught with a punch that dropped me. All machismo aside, I was not rocked, I was not stunned or on the verge of being knocked out… I just got a knuckle to the eyeball, and honestly believed my eye was bout to pop out of my head. I went blind for the remainder of the round, walked back to my corner and immediately told Joel “I can’t see out of my right eye.” His response “That’s okay.” So the fight continued, vision slowly came back, eye began to swell, the fight went on. The answer to the question… Fighting is what I do, it’s what I train for, punches hurt, eyeballs feeling like they’re about to pop out REALLY sucks, but at the end of the day, my opponent is going to have to knock me out or quit himself if he doesn’t want to fight another round.

At the end of five rounds I knew who had won, everyone did, there was no question, no doubt. I may have won a round or two early on, but the better fighter won. We rocked each other, and neither of us could pull the trigger and finish, but I think it’s safe to say that it can be attributed to both of our hearts and toughness, a lesser opponent in either corner would have folded much earlier.

Defeat is something I don’t deal with well, as I said earlier, I’d rather take a path with less bumps, than have to hit them full speed. After my first fight, which was also my first loss, I seriously considered quitting, I have no desire to pursue a sport or a passion that I am less than great at. I’m sure this is an issue I’ll have to face later down the road but waking up the morning after the fight, looking at my bruised and swollen face, the thought of quitting never crossed my mind. I smiled, I laughed, I hopped up and down and threw punches at the mirror. I was ready, and more than willing to go again. Training is my main focus, I want nothing more than to get my diet right, keep my weight down, build muscle and lose fat so that the next fight I’m faster, bigger, stronger. I have been five rounds, I know what it’s like, if training is harder this month than last, if dieting is better, my next opponent will wish he got injured during training, because I can assure him he’ll be injured by the time we leave the cage.

Thanks to Joel, David and all my training partners, friends and family who made the trip out. Without your support, without hearing the chants of “STEPHEN, STEPHEN!” drowning out the chants of “BORIS, BORIS!” I certainly wouldn’t be smiling today. Thank you to everyone.

- Stephen

Brawley Fights III--A Pictoral Journey

That's about all for now. Tammy did a wonderfully professional job with these, and if you want more of them, just send us a comment or email on the facebook site under MMAI-Charlottesville or see us at the gym. Thanks again everyone for a great time Saturday. This is the first of many good times to come.

Kimmy

The First Person Account of "Brawl in the Cage III", Part One

This is Jake reporting, a day after my fight last night at the third installment presented by Brawley Fights. Perhaps one of the most intriguing (especially if the potential reader is one of those unforgivably sadistic types about whom we incessantly hear on the news) stories about the fight is an episode that precedes the majority of fights: cutting weight. To anyone unlucky enough to be forced to bear witness to such a disheartening debacle, I have no sympathy for you! for I am forced, in a far more coercive and much less forgiving manner, to have to cut weight myself. This may be the more literarily Romantic side of me speaking, but it is within the calescent recesses of the wood and sweltering stone sauna that the most palpable and permeating sense of camaraderie is found. Cutting weight with my team mates and friends... well, suffice it to say that I would most certainly not have made the weight if a very select few of the constituents of the amateur MMA community were not sharing in my execrable plight. Lending to the efficacy of the camaraderie was, in no miniscule portion, the fact that those who were likewise partaking of my detestable fortune could be found by my side, who were extinguishing their eccrine glands without cessation. The very unfavorable truth is that cutting weight is horrible. The thought and process have become pure anathema to me, the odium of all things on this Earth that promote happiness. I, even with all of my verbal faculties, have the most unimaginably difficult time articulating the feeling in English. I suppose the idea of a person's vitality draining away is applicable, but until a person has felt that, such a stolid definition has next to no real meaning. I think we all understand heat, but in the sauna, that is where we become quite mindful of its potential, quite cognizant of its effects. I went through a particularly lengthy process this time around, and I am by no reasonable means a master at cutting weight: I never wrestled in high school, and the only other time I attempted such an unwise thing was for my last fight. As it is, though, I must admit how grateful I am that Tony, Lucas, and Adrien were there with me, through two gyms and fifty some miles between saunas, to the interminable wait for the scale to appear at weigh-ins, and the fifty feet to the water fountain that felt most oddly like fifty miles. I think the fact that we suffer together, even with something as trivial as cutting weight, is precisely what made our celebration of our clean sweep so much more mellifluous. Cutting weight is not the only suffering, of course, but the classes, the pressing cardio, the nicks and bruises that we often induce on each other, and the small victories we share both in becoming something better than we were previously and watching each other advance every day... I think this is really what makes us a team. I do not consider the records we have and the publicity we might receive even an inkling of the proper representation of who we are: all of that is plainly evident by watching us train together, and the amount of respect we have for each other. And, with this atmosphere, it is quite difficult to conceive that our records should be anything different: we win because the ring or cage is small time compared to who we are, it is just a minor part of what we do. Our true battles are won long before we ever step into there, and I know that I have nothing but love, respect, and a sense of unity for and with my team at MMAI Charlottesville, and the MMA community in general.

Besides, what other thoughts should a sane young man be experiencing in the inferno, as febrile delirium slowly overtakes his mind? Nothing else, of course. Saunas are quite conducive to clarity.

-Jake

Brawl in the Cage III

Over in Augusta County, Virginia, down Interstate 64, off Tinkling Springs Road, lies a venue like no other--Augusta Expoland. On a frightful night of severe thunderstorms and funnel clouds with piercing rains and ferocious winds, four MMA Institute fighters from Charlottesville went to war against some talented amateur fighters from all over the Mid-Atlantic region.

The first paragraph describes Tammy and my trip up to the Expo. We were both ravenously hungry from all the days activities we each accomplished, but not even voracious appetites will stop a predator, nor will it stop two insatiable MMA fans from viewing their friends in the ring.

Tammy was armed with her expensive, high-end camera. I was armed with my 39 cent notebook and a BIC pencil. Don't mess with us.

To begin the fight coverage, five MMAI guys from Harrisonburg won their fights. MMAI of Charlottesville and Harrisonburg dominated the night. With each live fight night I attend, I get more hooked and impressed at the level of respect and reverence shown between the amateurs who take to the ring. They always put on impressive shows and the action that is there is so thick, not even a chainsaw could cut through.

So onto the meat and potatoes of the post, the victories of the four MMAI-Charlottesville fighters:

Jake McLean is a fighter who knows how to have fun, especially around the gym, but also knows when it's time to get down to business. He was all business as he approached the ring. He fought Justin Rankin, who had a 0-1 record and is also just beginning his MMA career. Jake won his first fight back on Valentine's Day, before the inception of this blog.

In the first round, a determined Jake shook hands with Rankin and got down to it. He quickly dominated the fight and got on top of his opponent and threw repeated rights and lefts. The ref stopped the fight at 1:23 into the first round and Jake pulled out a victory by TKO. It was awesome to see Jake's record go to 2-0.

Adrian Yarborough is a guy who defines the word 'tough'. I've had the fantastic opportunity to see 2 of his 3 amateur fights so far, and he had decisive victories in each. Last night, he jumped up weight classes from his usual 170 pound welterweight to fight Billy Woods, a 205 light heavyweight. Adrian stepped up and took on the challenge.

Billy looked really serious from the inception, but Adrian is no stranger to serious fighters. Billy unsuccessfully tried to get the fight to the ground, but Adrian began to lay on his Muay Thai and MMA skills and threw a few punch kicks, knees to the head and chest, and other maneuvers to gain control of the fight. The fight was called at 1:36 due to strikes for Adrian to take another victory by TKO. This brings his record to 4-0. He is undefeated.

The third fight of the night was a debut for MMAI-Charlottesville. Lucas Wright has trained hard and it paid off. He fought another guy of similar status, Jonathan Hawes, who also was 0-0 in his amateur career. During the first round, both guys fought a dramatic round, but Jonathan began to gas in the last few seconds of the round. During the second round, Lucas rained elbows, knees, and kicks to eventually get Jonathan on the ground. He maneuvered his position from having Jonathan in full guard to eventually settling on a rear naked choked. Jonathan tapped out and the fight was called at 1:41 minutes into the second round. Lucas is now 1-0 on his record.

The fourth fight was another buddy of mine and Tammy's, Tony Bruno. He fought Nick Spaulding. The fight opened with Tony immediately cast into defensive mode as he avoided kicks by hallowing out and then taking it to the ground. About a minute later, after aggressive demonstrations by both guys, Tony presented Nick with a knee to the chest, then a punch to the abdominal area. The resulting effect brought Nick down to his knees, and he was unable to go on. The fight was called about 2 minutes into the first round, bringing Tony a victory. Nick and Tony embraced each other in the end, in an awesome example of what this sport is about--honorable showmanship and respect for one another's skills and talents.

All the fighters should be congratulated for their expounded efforts in completing their tasks. No one can fully appreciate Mixed Martial Arts until they experience first hand the amount of work and dedication these guys need to go through to be the best they can be. There is no 'try' in MMA, only 'do'.

We all put countless hours into our gym here in Charlottesville, and watching the victories mount up is just another testament to the dedication and love shown for the sport and for the MMAI-Charlottesville family. We are going places, and this is just the fledgling beginning of an establishment that will soar.

Until next time,

Kimmy

PS--Pictures to follow soon.

Brawley Fights MMAI Fighter Stats

Hey ya'll,

One thing I forgot to mention from last week, Joel Wyatt, one of Charlottesville MMAIs resident fighters, fought in the new Shine Promotion in Columbus, Ohio on May 9. He won his fight by rear naked choke in the third round. So congrats Joel for your hard work! You've earned it! He is going places.

On another note, I stopped by the gym yesterday to see what they've got cooking, and I stumbled upon the BJJ class. I've also noticed that the gym gets really pumped the week before a fight. It's like coming together like a family for a Thanksgiving dinner. People help each other, pick one another up after a take down, and genuinely care about their brothers and sisters in the gym. I've never seen this sort of relationship in an active gym before, but it really does remind me of the familiarity of home, and my own relationships with my brother and my friends. The closeness of the gym helps everyone perform at their best. I have full confidence that our 4 fighters will do a tremendous job of promoting MMAI-Charlottesville at Brawley in Augusta this weekend.

We've got 4 guys fighting this Saturday, May 16. Tony Bruno is an MMA fighter who will compete in the 145 pound division. Lucas Wright is a middleweight fighter at 185 pounds and he also likes MMA. This is his first fight, so be sure to give him a high-five on his way out! Our third guy is Adrian Yarboro. He's a 170 pound welterweight and he always puts his all into his fights. I think his will be one to watch. The last guy from MMAI-Charlottesville is Jake McLean. He made an impressive debut in February in his first fight, which he did win.

Overall, I think MMAI has some great representation here. So come out and make some noise for our guys! It's going to be a great weekend.

See ya at the fights,
Kimmy

Our fight is right around the corner...

Four MMAI of Charlottesville fighters are in their last week of training for Brawl in the Cage III. We've all been training very seriously for this fight and working together as a team to make sure we're all prepared. I really have to express alot of gratitude to everyone involved with MMAI who's helping me get ready for the fight. Everyone: Dave, Joel, John Ray, Mike J, Jake, Joe, Josh, Steven, Tony, Adrian, Mika, Rick, Kevin; even the ladies who work behind the counter have helped me out and the guys who I forget their name but train with anyway! It's really amazing to see this kind of support and teamwork, I have no doubt that I have some of the best teammates and friends in Charlottesville. On a sterner note, I'd like to ask that everyone who affiliates themselves with our gym in anyway, even if it's training just one day a month or wearing the MMAI shirt in public, to please represent our gym in a respectable, honorable way. If you see someone not doing so, please let them know in a respectful, tactful manner, it doesn't need to be awkward or contemptuous. When I fight I know that I'm fully in every way representing my family, the United States Marine Corps, and MMAI. You will see me be a good sport and putting 100% of my heart into performing the best that I can. Not like 100% heart-RATE, but ya know, doing my best...

-Lucas

Upcoming Fights (Brawley III)

Hey guys!

Long time no talk, but that's about to change. We hope this blog message finds everyone enjoying the great spring weather so far! So on May 16, we are going to be attending the Brawley fights in Augusta County, Virginia. You should come too! The tickets are only $20 and you get over 15 fights, which is bottom barrel cheap.

Tammy and I are pretty excited to go and especially to support our guys. The fighter's training is going well and I've been hearing that they have also been eating really healthy--think lots of fruits and veggies!

Anyway, if you are interested in seeing the fight card and the venue, here is the website for Brawley III. http://www.brawleyfights.com/ You can find plenty of info on that site and feel free to contact the managers if you need more info.

That's about all for now! See you at the fights!

Kim