MMA unites locals

Surfing. Bungee jumping. Motocross. Rock climbing. Sky diving.

Those involved in such extreme sports often cite the adrenaline rush as their main draw.

That feeling is also what motivates most of the local athletes who have taken up mixed martial arts (MMA).

"It's better than anything I've ever experienced," said 2001 Jay County High School graduate Cory Ward, who has competed in three MMA fights. "You go in there and beat or get beaten. I'm an adrenaline junkie."

JCHS senior Kyle Davidson, one of the more experienced local fighters, got his start like most others.

He was 14 years old when a UFC Unleashed event on television caught his eye. He watched MMA for the first time and saw UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes "drop Frank Trigg on his head."

"I thought that was neat," said Davidson, who was an Olympic Athletic Conference champion and regional qualifier in wrestling for the Patriots as a junior. "I don't know, I fell in love with it. ... I've loved it ever since."

From there he saw a flyer about SuperBrawl I, an MMA event being held in Bluffton, and put in a phone call to organizer Mike Vanover. He soon began training with Weaver in Bluffton, and now trains for at least two hours every weekday in his own gym on East Main Street in Portland.

Davidson has six fights under his belt (he is 5-1) heading into The Ultimate Throwdown II, an all-amateur event July 10 at Jay County Fairgrounds being organized by Kyle's father, Rob, with Vanover's help. He will have Indianapolis native Chris Lytle, who is participating today in UFC 116, as his corner man.

Other local fighters who will compete in the throwdown include Ward (2-1), who was a member of the last JCHS sectional championship wrestling team and also wrestled at Ball State; Trent VanSkyock (5-1), a 2005 JCHS graduate who played football in high school; Casey Kenney, a 2009 JCHS graduate and two-time state medalist in wrestling; Justin Gilbert, a 2006 JCHS graduate who holds the school record for rushing yards (308) in a single football game; Shelby Beechler (4-1), who attended South Adams High School; and Dylan Parr, a 2010 JCHS graduate.

Joe Wallischeck, a JCHS junior, also hopes to get on the card if there is someone for him to match up against.

"I'm really nervous, but excited at the same time," said Wallischeck, who plans to go out for the JCHS football team this year. "I'm going to expect to knock the other guy out, but you've got to be careful. I don't want to get overconfident.

"The intensity will be huge."

Following a weigh-in July 9, fighters will be paired up based on weight - they must be within 10 pounds of each other - experience and background. The fights, which take place inside a cage, will consist of three, three-minute rounds.

The battles can end via knockout, submission or decision, if the fight goes the full three rounds. It can also be halted by the referee, if he rules a technical knock out (TKO) or if blood is involved.

"These guys are amateurs. It's not a pro fight," said Vanover, noting that he expects about 1,000 fans this time around after 800 attended last year's Ultimate Throwdown I. "We don't want anybody getting injured. It's not worth it getting somebody's body torn up for an amateur event."

In addition to those who will compete in the throwdown, many other local athletes have begun training with Davidson as well. Most got started because they were his friends and/or members of the wrestling team.

Travis Callahan, Seth Trumbo and Tom Bailey all said they hope their MMA training will help them with their wrestling, and Bailey was quick to point out that his new sport is not as simple as it looks.

"When I started I thought, 'Oh, this is going to be easy, I'll go in there and hit people and it'll be nothin','" he said. "I got my butt kicked. I puked, I think three times, my first day. It just kicks your butt. It makes something out of you though."

And many of the athletes say being involved in MMA has had a positive impact on their lives.

Parr said being able to practice with Davidson every day has helped him become more confident and an "all-around better person," and Ward noted that it is a good was for him to relieve stress.

"It brings us all together as friends," said Wallischeck. "We all just come here instead of getting in trouble. It gives us something to do; brings us together as a team."

Beechler, 26, dropped out of high school after her sophomore year because she was pregnant. And she said she was out of shape when she saw her first MMA fight and decided to give the sport a try.

"It works your body and it works your mind and it tests you constantly," said Beechler. "I made a lot of wrong choices when I was younger. This has really helped me hone in on something better ... and be dedicated to something. I love it."[[In-content Ad]]