EPTAfter breakfast we head out to weigh-ins being held at a local gym, was nice meeting all the other fighters and coaches. Everyone I spoke with was cool and respectful, shared some stories and some laughs while waiting for things to start off. I met my opponent, real nice guy we chatted for a bit about work and that the winner would buy drinks after the fight. Everyone made weight and we signed the last contracts making it official. Due to it being an amateur fight under the CAMO rules we had to get our gloves and shin guards checked off, neither of mine passed, they had some extra gloves to sell, one of the officials just gave me a set for free. However they don't carry shin guards so we had to rush around town to sport goods stores to find a pair matching their specifications.
Fights were scheduled to start at 6, so we had to be at the venue around 4 for the pre-fight medical screening, and a rules meeting among other things. Rampage, Frank and Ken Shamrock were there doing a press conference about a new show they are doing on SpikeTv and Rampage was launching his own fight promotion. After that it was a lot of hurry up and wait, if you ever been to one of these shows they never start on time. Was nearly 7 before the first fight and I was scheduled for the 4th.
Getting your hands wrapped is an experience in itself, like it's that next to last moment where it all becomes real, and I'm sitting there my mind becomes focused, the background noise fades off and it's just me and my coach preparing for combat. Nothing else matters or even exists at this point. The officials come over and sign off on your wraps and tape your gloves down it's intense. Ran a few warm up drills, did some shadow boxing and then it was time, the producer tells me I'm up next and we head out to the hall way. Pausing for what seemed like an eternity waiting for my next over the speakers thinking to myself, this is what it's about this is what I've given up so much for, this is for every early more, this is for every late night, all the bruises and injuries, all the time away from my family, all of it was for this.
R1
The fans give me little to no reception while nearly going out of their mind for him, I started off well, using my speed to get inside his 88in reach and get my strikes off first and scored a solid take down which for a split second makes the crowd go silent before erupting in cheers for me while I'm getting in some nice shots on the ground, but I got a little too tunnel vision of hitting him that I stopped controlling him and he managed to get back up. Landed some big shots and rocked him a few times but just wasn't enough to finish him. I can't remember the last time I was this happy, having this much fun.
R2
He's already got his hands at his sides breathing heavily. I'm laughing and got an ear to ear smile tattooed on my face, the bell for the start of the round can't come soon enough for me I'm so excited. We circle for a second and I come in with a big push kick under his jab sending him reeling back I try to follow it up with a big superman right into a left hook but my foot slips out and I almost fall down but managed to catch myself by then he clinched up and we played dirty boxing and knees for a bit, he's getting more volume of strikes in while I'm picking my shots and I manage to rock him a few times but I have a hard time pushing out of clinch against his massive arms, about 45seconds left I throw a big knee and slip giving him top position, my foots all stuck in the ropes so I can't even post out or anything I'm wrapping his arms and looking at the ref expecting it to be restarted in the middle but nothing so the round finishes out there.
R3
We figured due to the way R2 ended that it was almost for sure going to him on the score cards so I'm going in looking for a finish and swinging with everything I got left, which at this point isn't too much. His hands are down below his waist and rush in swinging for the fences getting a few solid ones in before he managed to clinch, at this point just the sheer weight of him leaning over me in the clinch is an obstacle I push off a few times to get some strikes in but I can't seem to get far enough away and he keeps pulling me back in about 30seconds left I get a solid break away and start landing clean on him, a big shot sends his mouth piece flying and the ref pauses the fight at this point I just had nothing left I threw my very heart and soul into a few last knees and a hook but wasn't enough to get the job done before the bell rang.
Even before the judges decide I'm already disappointed in myself for getting tunnel vision and stepping away from our game plan and not finishing it in the first while I had him on the ground or getting in that knock out shot during one of the points I had him hurt, a million little could have, would have should haves come rushing forward. Judges saw the match in his favor, was heartbreaking for sure feeling like I let all my team's efforts in getting me ready for this fight go to waste, felt like I let the crowd down who after the take down in the first round were behind me cheering me on because I know I didn't show them my full potential. As I was leaving the ring the crowd starts cheering my name and I'm getting high fives all other the place and everyone's telling me "amazing fight" and the like, felt damn good and made me notice again just how much fun I was having in there. Took a few pictures and went to the back for my post fight medical screening. Then back out to watch the fight and hang with the crowd.
