How did I get where I am? Part 4
The event ended up selling out and featured the main event of Wes "Sugardaddy" Clark vs. Brandon "The Dirty Caucasian" Meyer. The event had some speed bumps too, we were struggling to produce even 6 fights for the card and were in jeopardy of cancelling the show. At the last minute, with alot of encouragement from Shain "Sawedoff" Castillo and Tim Bazer, TJ "Badboy" Benson stepped up to fight a guy who outweighed him by 20+ pounds. The night also saw a near riot when Big Fitz couldn't hear the bell to end a round.
I continued judging events for Torment MMA, held at Cow Patty's Reception Hall just outside of Underwood, Iowa and then finding a home at Chez Paree in Carter Lake, Iowa. It was around this time that I began attending every event I could go to, Omaha Fight Club, Victory Fighting Championship, and of course continued to judge for Torment MMA. As Torment MMA made the jump to holding events in Nebraska, I jumped with them getting my Judge's license with the Nebraska Athletic Commission.
Time continued to pass and I continued to judge for Torment MMA and had begun to judge here and there for Team Poundout Events. Then one night I was attending an Omaha Fight Club show at the Chez Paree and Promoter Tim Bazer asked me if I could judge the event, because one of his judges couldn't make it. I told him of course I would. After the show, his business partner, Marty Anderson asked me if I wanted to continue judging Omaha Fight Club events. I told him that I would, but if the Nebraska Athletic Commission assigned me to an event, they had top priority and I would always go where they asked me. Those are terms that I have stuck to from that day forward, regardless of the promotion.
Basically, fast forward from there. I have been judging for any promotion who wants my services since then and juggling a pretty hectic schedule at times judging two events a weekend three weekends a month. Over this time, I had worked numerous events with Referee Mark Powell, whom I had come to consider a good friend and an overall great asset to the sport. We received word that all Nebraska licensed officials were required to signup for and receive certification from "Big" John McCarthy's COMMAND seminar. Mark Powell, Big Fitz and myself decided that it would be a good time for a road trip and decided to car pool together to Kansas City, Missouri.
Over the course of the weekend, we all got to know each other a little better and even indulged in Fitz' favorite cuisine at The Waffle House. It was during this trip that Mark Powell first approached me about the idea of starting a website to help get the fighters exposure and to offer them a chance to get their name out to more than just the local promoters. I told him that it was a great idea and that I would definately get involved. We brainstormed ideas for a name and obviously came up with Midwest Fighters Focus.
Everything after that point, most of you know. Mark, myself and Ty Mansfield along with a few other contributors have continued to try and build the website that Mark and myself envisioned when we first spoke. We all realize that there are many things we have yet to explore as far as Midwest Fighters Focus is concerned, but considering the site is still in its infancy, I believe that we are doing a good job.
When I started this blog, I told you that it would be long. Even I didn't have a clue that it would end up being this long. Once I get started, I have a hard time finishing. That must be the journalism major inside of me.
