Why be an MMA FighterBy: "The Shaman of Sexxxy" Abel J. G. "Auggie" CarvRecently, a great man, Jason Marlin, challenged me to write a positive article about MMA and the coaches and fighters that inspire me. Thinking about it, it's an incredible idea. Often in society, and in the entertainment industry, we find ourselves dwelling on negativity. This does us no service for our lives or for the things we love. Quite contrarily, as fighters, and more importantly as human beings, we should be building each other up and working to make each other better.
Honestly, I've had many negative experiences in MMA, however; the positive ones have been more frequent and more worthwhile, hence staying in the sport. In the three years that I've been actively competing, there have been many people that have shaped who I am as a fighter as well as a person, and whereas they do not get thanked everyday, they are very important to me. As corny as it may sound, the MMA fan-base is also very important to me. Fans are honest, they do not love you and respect you because you ask for it, they do so because you deserve it. My first MMA fight, I learned the hard way about the fans. I was a young, egotistical fighter, a glutton for attention. When I entered the audience boo'd me. In that fight, I was seriously injured, which the fans loved. I thought to myself, "this is messed up, I got hurt and people are enjoying this?". In the hospital I reflected on this, soon realizing that they hated me because I drew them to hate me. It's not the fighters ring that I'd competed in, it is the fan's ring. I was in the sport for the wrong reason. I was in it for fame and ego. I was a disgrace to the sport. As I got stronger, I joined a karate club in Laramie, Laramie Kempo, and other the tutelage of Kyoshi Amber Travesky, I began to rediscover the art of martial arts and fell in love with the art. I also grew to want to entertain and please the fans. I soon took on my second fight and competed against a guy named Devon Oswald. Devon did two very important things for me, he first taught me humility by making me submit and also showed me the camaraderie and respect due to other fighters by hanging out with me and other fighters post fight. After this fight, I went back to training and kept looking for new fights, but they kept being cancelled, I was starting to think I'd never find a good fight until a great man, Dave Harbour, offered me a fight. I was very excited, so I dropped weight and competed against Christian Dees. Dees was probably my most even opponent, and he came in with a high level of love and passion for the sport which I shared. He was equally thankful for the fight and was gracious in beating me, so I walked away knowing that I may have lost, but I was not a failure. After my fight with Christian, I took a hiatus and had gone to truck school. Upon returning, I got a phone call from a promoter offering me a title shot in Billings, Montana in seven days, despite being 0-3. I knew that he was trying to make me a sacrificial lamb, but he also knew I had the heart of a lion. Because of this challenge, I stepped up my intensity, doing nothing but training for those seven days. When I arrived in Billings, to my dismay, the fight was changed. Instead, I was fighting Victor Kenitzer, for a heavier belt, despite being small. Victor pushed me harder than I'd been pushed before and eventually submitted me, but I learned a great deal. I also realized I'd been teased with the belt, and I wanted it. I also gained a lot of respect in that though Victor knew his record was better than mine going in, he treated me with class and as if we were equals the whole time. Following my loss, I went to Massachusetts, where I got the chance to work with UMASS Boxing as well as Team Westover/ Armed Forces Boxing. Although I got a chance to train with and spar with many boxing legends, the most influential to me was Rocky Snow, my head coach. He was a man in his late 60's, but he still expected me to punch the hell out of him. Rocky was very influential on me as he not only made my punches and kicks exponentially harder and more solid, but he also showed me that size, age, experience doesn't matter, it's heart that does. Around this time, Dave Harbour blessed me with a return fight in Wyoming. I showed up and lost. The day after I went home from the fight, I rolled with Anthony Aguirre. He tapped me out several times, and I could never tap him out. This was very humbling, especially since I thought I had great endurance and physical strength being that I worked out numerous hours a day had competitively ran two 5k races recently, but he effortlessly submitted me and wore me out. I learned that though I was working hard I stood to learn and improve a lot. Now I await my next fight and look to please the fans even more. Other crucial people in pushing me to be a great fighter are Nate Nogo, John Muller, and Richard Peterson. They always call me out when I screw up and always push me to be humble and train hard. In reflection, I've been blessed with several great opportunities, mentors, and experiences. I love this sport and the fans and look to be a positive changing force in the sport as well as give the fans what they want. |