On the “Path of Destruction”

I try to follow the careers of the men and women I’ve interviewed this past year, but with over 250 of them and all the other stuff going on in my life, it proves to be a bit difficult. That’s why I was excited to see the CES email earlier this week that three fighters that I interviewed at the start of Unlocking the Cage would be fighting on the same “Path of Destruction” card this Friday at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI.

It’s been nearly a year since I stepped foot into Tri-Force MMA, the first real fighters’ gym in Unlocking the Cage. As I climbed the stairs to the gym, which was hidden away in an industrial warehouse in Pawtucket, RI, there was little doubt what kind of fighters I would find. This was a place to put in work, not to look pretty. These guys were here to fight.

I wasn’t disappointed when I got inside and met the group and started taking photos. Todd Chattelle, a muscular heavyweight, was one of the first guys to catch my attention. He was training hard and very focused, bouncing back from a disappointing loss just two weeks prior. Although I didn’t have nearly enough time to talk with him after the training session, I got a good sense of who he was, the type of guy I’d be friends with. Todd was intense yet gentle, confident yet humble, someone you could trust. I owe Todd and the rest of the Tri-Force team thanks for getting this project off to such a good start. They helped me remember what fighters were all about and that this project was worth spending a good chunk of my life on.

A few days after my time at Tri-Force, I headed to Plymouth, MA to watch the Cage Titans FC fight. I’d torn the cartilage in my ribs that morning and nearly left after the first five hours of fights, but I’m glad I stayed to catch the main event, Johnny Campbell vs. Tateki  Matsuda. I very impressed with these two guys trading blows, Johnny continuing to come after Tateki no matter how many brutal leg kicks were landed. Johnny lost the decision but in a fight like that there’s no real loser.

Two days later I was at South Shore Sportfighting and Fitness where Johnny trains out of. He wasn’t in any shape to make it to the gym, but his coach put me in touch with him and I did my first house visit, a nice change from rushed interviews at the loud gyms with onlookers that could sway answers. Johnny and I probably spoke for an hour, both on and off camera, about fighting, philosophy, and life in general. By the time we were finished, I was even more impressed with him as a person than as a fighter. Unfortunately, as with Todd’s, I was still in the learning stage of filming interviews and more than half of the footage wasn’t usable.

When I returned to Massachusetts the next month, I had the opportunity to stop by Wai Kru’s brand new South Shore facility. The gym was still finishing construction and not open to the public, but the fight team was hard at work. My rib injury was still keeping me out of training, but after watching five minutes of practice, I was thankful I wasn’t joining them.  Besides it being the end of June and blazing hot, the Kru was relentless, on his guys every part of practice.

One of the fighters I was watching was John “Doomsday” Howard, who I recognized from his fights in the UFC. I remember thinking at the time that if someone was going to beat John, it wouldn’t be due to them training harder.

After the team finished the MMA class and a workout with weights, I had the pleasure of interviewing John and several of his teammates. For those that don’t know him, the nickname ‘Doomsday’ could be a bit misleading. Like nearly every other MMA fighter I meet, John’s a great guy. I loved his definition of what makes a man and think it’s something most fighters would agree with. “Being a bad ass doesn’t make you a man, it’s your attitude and how you carry yourself. You don’t have to fight to be a man. It’s about being true to yourself and standing up for what you believe in.”

I wish all three of these men the best this weekend, but regardless of the fight outcomes, it’s great to know that all three of them are on the right path. They understand what’s important in life and are giving it everything they’ve got.

I also hope they’ll each be up for participating in the short story collection I’m putting together where I’ll be working with MMA fighters on writing about a moment from their life. Each of these guys has some incredible stories behind them and I’m hoping they’ll be up for sharing one with me and the rest of the world.