Two Quiet Competitors Look to Make Loud Noise at MCC 23

Two Quiet Competitors Look to Make Loud Noise at MCC 23

By Randy Thomas
 
The casual mixed martial arts spectator can sometimes forget that judging a book by its cover is not always the case when it comes to the ferocious combativeness of the fighters.  For example, if you met either fighter, Andy Branson or Ian Tice out on the street, you may mistake either one for a fan- not a fighter.  But make no mistake, you don’t have to be the Alpha-male, loud, boisterous type, in order to get in the cage and get the job done.
In fact, so people would know he means business, his training partners were forced to give Ian Tice the nickname, “Not So Nice”.  With several years of Tae Kwon Do, Wrestling, and mixed martial arts experience, Tice will put his unblemished record on the line when he faces fellow undefeated fighter, Andy Branson at MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”.
 
We recently caught up with Tice, at the tail end of his training camp to ask how the preperation for his upcoming bout was going.  Tice answered, “Although, I haven’t been able to put in the ring or mat time that I would have liked for this fight, I’ve mostly been focused on conditioning.  I’m hoping that my past experience and cardio can carry me through three rounds.”  He jokingly added, “If anything I should at least be able to run away for fifteen minutes”
 
Truth is, Tice really does expect the fight to last three rounds.  “I fully intend for this to be a stand up battle, going the distance.  I’ve only watched him fight once and that was against Elvis (Mutapcic). I did not pay a whole lot of attention to their match, but I do see Andy as somewhat of a showman.  He is someone who wants to give the crowd what they want, and that’s a knock out.  So naturally, I expect him to come out swinging and trying to take my head off.”  

Although Tice sees this bout as his toughest to date, he’s confident going into the cage and expects to come out victorious.
 
Andy Branson sees the fight differently…
 
A multiple time submission grappling champion, undefeated boxer, muay Thai, and mixed martial arts competitor, Branson has never tasted defeat, and he does not believe his first loss will come at the hands of Ian Tice.  He stated, “I expect to come out relaxed and ready to strike. I know Ian will be looking to go to the ground, but I hope to keep the fight up on my feet where it will be exciting. Wherever it goes I will be looking for fireworks and hope to give the great MCC fans a show.”

In addition to competing in multiple combative sports, Branson has also been a member of the 132nd Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron for the past six years. He was recently deployed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he performed air base security. Additionally, he will graduate in December from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Business Marketing and a certificate of Entrepreneurial Management. He hopes to begin law school in August of 2010.

So, with such a busy schedule, how does he prepare for a professional MMA contest?
 
“I’ve been focusing on having strong cardio for this fight. I’ve spent a lot of hours watching the girls volleyball team while running stairs at Carver Hawkeye Arena. The thought of girls watching you workout always seems to motivate you to work a little harder,” Branson stated with a smile on his face.  He added, “We’ve spent a lot of time working on stand up for this fight and the goal is to keep it standing throughout. I’ve also been training with Elvis Mutapcic and we have both been helping each other to improve greatly for our fights coming up.  I’m in the best shape yet for a fight, and my camp leading up to this fight has been great.”

 
This Wednesday, MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown” will features three title bouts along with several of the top mixed martial artists in the Midwest.  Tickets are available on-line at www.MidwestCageChampionship.com, at all Dahl’s ticket outlets, Iowa Events Center Box Office, or by phone at 515-229-8566.  For more information check out the MCC web site.