Guerrilla Journalism: It’s all about respect
As soon as the referee called an end to Saturday’s lightweight bout at Golden Skate World in Fredericksburg, Michael Ledman extended his hand and helped Billy Reynolds off the mat.
Even though the pain, disappointment and frustration of the loss clouded his face, Reynolds smiled at the man who could have broken his arm mere moments earlier and congratulated him with a hug.
That’s what Mixed Martial Arts is all about.
Most fighters don’t climb into the cage with mutilation in mind. They don’t go into a fight trying to hurt their opponent because that’s how they enjoy spending their Saturday evenings.
I haven’t competed yet, so I can’t tell you exactly how winning and losing in the cage feels. But even after experiencing a couple weeks of training that doesn’t come anywhere near what Reynolds puts himself through on a daily basis, I can tell you that coming up on the short end of a fight must be a soul-crushing experience.
But more important than the outcome of all 18 of the contests on Saturday’s Battlefield Fighting Championship fight card, is the mutual respect that all the Mixed Martial Artists in attendance shared.
Simply having the courage to climb into an eight-sided cage and put yourself in harms way in front of hundreds — not to mention thousands — of fans, demands respect in my opinion.
Also demanding of respect, are the fighters that have the guts to take last-second fights and even compete above their weight class.
After a late change, Sean Croshorn stepped into the octagon against 230-pound Nazeeh Ahmad. Even though Croshorn weighed in at around 206 pounds before the fight, he not only stood toe-to-toe with Ahmad for the better part of two rounds, but he claimed the victory after knocking the hard-swinging giant out on his feet near the end of the second round.
What does that deserve? Respect.
155-pounder Jessie Mitchell’s opponent had to pull out of their fight at the last second, leaving Mitchell to either become a spectator or step up and fight Camara Mintz — who tips the scales at around 170 pounds.
Without hesitation, Mitchell stepped into the cage with his bigger opponent and despite trading groin shots and losing by decision, he stood and held his ground with Mintz for three rounds.
Again, what’s that called? Respect.
But what demands more respect than anything is a fighter who refuses to quit. That’s where Billy Reynolds comes in. He has lost five fights in a row, but he’s not ready to pack up his gear and call it a career. Instead, he’ll be back in the gym preparing for his next fight as soon as his bumps and bruises heal.
That, my friends, is the determination and will that makes Mixed Martial Artists some of the most awe-inspiring athletes in the world.
Posted by Maggie Ramsay at 03:51 PM. Filed under:
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