Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has become the accepted term for fighters of varied disciplines competing against one another. Initially there were very few rules and before the sport was able to flourish it was nearly banned nationwide. John McCain lead the charge to outlaw what he termed “human cockfighting.” Since the mid-nineties there has been a long list of rules in MMA that keeps opponents as safe as possible while beating the hell out of one another. Winning can occur by knockout, technical knockout due to referee or doctor stoppage, or at any time a fighter can tap out due to joint holds or strikes. Fighters must be able to “defend oneself intelligently” or the referee intervenes for safety's sake to avoid further, and potentially permanent, damage. Four ounce padded gloves with open fingers are worn to avoid hand injuries while still maintaining hand movement needed for grappling. MMA welcomes all disciplines but the most successful fighters exhibit a mix of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Russian Sambo, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and Judo.
When MMA was still considered a dirty word in the mid-90's kickboxing maintained worldwide popularity and during that time Milwaukee's own Roufus brothers Duke and Rick became stars. Both won various titles and competitions during very impressive careers. In recent years Duke has focused his energies on teaching kickboxing at his own gym, the Duke Roufus Academy. Experienced fighter Eric “Red” Shafer teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu along with kickboxer turned MMA fighter Pat Barry. Boxing and grappling coaches are also on-hand to round out the Duke Roufus gym as a complete training facility.
I've followed the UFC for a few years on television pay-per-views but have never seen a live fight until this past March 13th at The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly presented by Gladiators Fighting at Wisconsin State Fair Park. The Gladiators Fighting series is produced in conjunction with the Duke Roufus gym to highlight Midwestern talent and showcase the fighters they train.
All over the U.S. organizations such as Gladiators Fighting have sprouted, acting as the de facto minor league organizations of mixed martial arts. Milwaukee sized cities and many smaller have exhibitions a few times a year. Fighters train relentlessly hoping to get that golden phone call, “How'd you like to fight in the UFC?” and it's actually more common than in team sports. Training injuries are not uncommon, forcing fighters sometimes to pull out of fights days before scheduled appearances. A fighter known to maintain top physical condition can find themselves in the main event within a day's notice. This is what happened to Seth Petruzelli when Ken Shamrock couldn't compete in a highly advertised Elite XC fight against Kimbo Slice. UFC veteran Shamrock arrived with a suspicious cut above the eye and doctors pronounced him unable to fight. Petruzelli wasn't even in the same weight class as internet brawler phenomenon Slice but was the closest competition they could find on an afternoon's notice. In an upset Cinderella Seth Petruzelli knocked out Slice within 20 seconds during the night's main event.
Initially walking into Gladiators Fighting felt like a biker bar with tight security. You vaguely acknowledge the room without making direct eye contact to any one person. Crossed arm police officers and security guards stand everywhere talking and surveying. A full trellis of theatre lighting hangs above the octagonal ring, providing most of the light for the entire venue. Dramatic shadows dance across the seated faces focused on the portable chain link coliseum. Budweiser is the drink of sponsorship and Hooters' cocktail waitresses dart around in orange hot pants serving the ringside VIP section. After my eyes adjusted to the lighting I tried to get a handle on what sort of crowd was here. But there was no sort of crowd, the people all looked so different. Everyone was at this thing, even grandmothers.
The UFC, Strikeforce, WEC and other organizations do a great job of including the gritty sounds from strikes and slams but MMA matches in person are inevitably more intense than televised fights. Maybe it's because I'm a result of the alligator tear fake blood video game generation that makes it so disarming to be within earshot of a knockout. While watching Danny “Boy” Downes pummel an opponent with a barrage of elbows, kicks, knees, and punches I couldn't stop my wincing eyes from diverting to the primer gray walls for a moment. With every consecutive attack that landed the crowd became more amazed Jake “The Bad” Omen didn't go down. In a show of incredible tenacity Omen stayed vertical for nearly two rounds. The entire hall erupted in a collective sigh of relief and cheered for both fighters when the referee intervened and waved his hands signaling TKO.
The headlining fight of the night was “Handsome” Pat O'Malley versus Karl Turek for the Gladiators Fighting middleweight (171-185 lb) title. After repeated striking by Handsome, Turek was driven to his knees at which point O'Malley spun behind him and applied a rear naked choke (the technical term for a sleeper hold). After doctors routinely checked both fighters for concussion or other injuries O'Malley was announced victorious. Pat was quick to get on the microphone and explain to the audience that another fighter was slated to appear couldn't show due to injury. He praised Karl Turek for stepping up to the fight on ten days notice then thanked his gym and coaches for their stellar training. Without trash talking or a hint of aggression the panting O'Malley handed the mike back to the tuxedoed ring announcer.
MMA has learned a few lessons about marketing from pro wrestling and as a result every fighter walks out to their chosen ring music. Depending upon the music the crowd becomes as energized as the fighter. For a fighter it's watching the head of every passerby turn, forced to hear the music blaring out of your car windows, except for the moment they're under your roof. Watching these guys walk out I scanned my mental hard drive wondering what my song would be. Human Fly? Am I Evil? Hybrid Moments? Motorhead? Nervous Breakdown? Search and Destroy by The Stooges? I felt like a little kid watching pro wrestling all over again, picturing myself flying around inside the ring. The joy of being a spectator, the underlying subconscious, “Could I do that?”
The reality is, most people can't do that. ESPN has ranked boxing as the most grueling sport with wrestling 5th and martial arts in 6th place. MMA combines three of the six most exhausting sports. Serious fighters constantly train with a mix of cardiovascular activity, weight training, and combat preparation. As with any sport, genetics play a large role in a person's ability to develop a skill set. In this game knuckle dragging is a plus. As a spectator at the minor league level it's pretty obvious which guys have a natural talent for fighting and which are hoping it develops through training. Watching a fluid fighter move is no less stunning than seeing a ballet performance, cod piece traded for protective cup. The litmus test is if he makes it look easy, if he looks like he's just having fun (and wins), the guy's pretty good.
Not once throughout the night did I hear a fighter sound like a cocky braggart. Most were more eloquent speakers than the average pro football or basketball player. After the final bell rings it's common for fighters to shake hands and begin telling their opponent which techniques impressed them. Camaraderie abounds as their opponent has offered their soul in a way rarely shown to another person.
After Pat O'Malley gave a final wave to the crowd overhead lights came on and every seated spectator blinked their eyes like bar close, scurrying outside to find the dark. Driving away from State Fair Park I decided the perfect ring entrance music had already been written by the punk band U.S. Bombs. Veteran pro skateboarder and vocalist Duane Peters starts out the song; “I ain't goin' to work t'day!” The rhythm section shouts back,“Yeah- why not?” and the song kicks in as Peters bellows “Cuz I'd rather work on breakin' my own bones with some style, ya know!?”
http://www.gladiatorsfighting.net/
http://www.milwaukeemma.com/
http://wicombatsports.com/
