Laramie Shaffer

Hello everybody my name is Laramie Shaffer and I will be fighting Will Shutt on August 5 at HyVee Hall in Des Moines. This will be my 7th fight for MCC and every time I fight for them I feel like I have gotten much better than the time before. Looking back on my life it doesn’t surprise me very much that I got into this sport and have excelled at it. Ever since I was 4 years old I have been running around the state and the country wrestling all kinds of opponents. I not only wrestled most of the year I also was involved in many other contact sports including bull riding, soccer, and football. So as you can see most of my childhood was spent running around to various events beating the crap out of other people and my body.

Through high school I excelled at one sport in particular and that was wrestling capping off my career with 189 wins the 4th most in Iowa history at the time. I also was a 4 time state place winner, 3 time finalist, and two time state high school champion. After high school I decided on going to Iowa State where I was coached by Cael Sanderson and learned technique I didn’t know even existed. After wrestling there for four years I decided I was down with wrestling in college, but couldn’t kick the itch and ended up wrestling for Augustana College for my last semester of eligibility and ended up being an All- American for them helping the team to a 2nd place National finish.

I competed in mixed martial arts for the first time when I was just out of high school and had to lie about my age at some back alley bar. I had no idea what I was doing and only did it because some friends pushed me into the ring basically. I ended that fight by breaking the kids arm and didn’t do it again until I had training to keep myself and other people from getting hurt. During my last year of Iowa State is when I got into Mixed Martial Arts legitimately and I sort of just fell into it. One day a friend of mine called me up and said “hey I have a wrestler in my next fight will you help me work on takedown defense?” Naturally I said yes I could and that is when I started my training.

Most my back round was in wrestling so at first this is what I relied on, but as I started training more and more I went with people who couldn’t be beaten by just wrestling and that is when I started into the world of jiu jitsu. Being comfortable on my back was a foreign concept to me and I surprisingly got used to it fairly quickly. I also realized I needed to get better on my feet and I used my resources at Iowa State to get hooked up with a Muay Thai instructor. At this point I was still just a training partner for the multiple friends I had in the sport which being a D1 wrestler I knew quite a few that had transitioned into MMA. After a few months of this though I was thinking it was time to get into the cage and test out what I had been learning and after checking with the NCAA to make sure what I was doing was in the confines of their rules I tried setting up my first fight with MCC. I fought for MCC at the MCC trials at what was then DMX and the rest is history.

More than a year later I currently live in Council Bluffs and train out of Premier Combat Center in Omaha. I have improved greatly since I started training at this gym and have multiple high level training partners from UFC vets to up and coming talent at my weight. This sport and I go like mac and cheese. The training pushes your body similarly to that of wrestling and the cutting weight is actually easier than wrestling because of the weight classes and span in between fights. It also helps weigh ins are the night before a fight instead of an hour like I was used to before.

Training at Premier has helped me get on a regular training regime where before I was kind of just whenever I could get into the gym was when I would train. It also helps I work 6 blocks away from the gym so if I ever feel the need for an extra workout I can just jog down the street. I am very excited for this next fight as I believe I can show the fans some of the skills I have been working on these past months and like always I plan to put on a good show. That is all for now until next week. I will be writing a weekly blog, posted every Monday leading up to my fight with Will Shutt. Follow along!

Laramie Shaffer

The fight is less then 2 weeks away, my training and focus is getting on point. Im around 12lbs over which is really good right now, and im taking it off slowly and healthy. I will cut maybe 5-6lbs the day of weigh ins which is very simple. I had to give up my love for cheeseburgers for a few weeks, but it will be worth it in the end!

Monday was strictly a cardio day with no MMA training, but Tuesday I made my way to Spartan Strength for some cone drills, ab work and sprints. Then I headed to Ankeny for some takedowns with submissions when it hit the ground. As a wrestler all my life I try my best not to get taken down, which is why I’m proud to say I’ve only been taken down only four times in my fight career.

Wednesday I made the 4 hour drive to Minnesota, and it was cold and snowy which made the hotel stay nice and warm. Waking up early Thursday morning I made my way to Minnesota MMA Academy, and it was sparring day. My warm up partner was TUF 10 veteran Zak Jensen, a 6-3inch 270lb grizzly bear. He ended up being one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. I then sparred with my good freind Paul Bradley who is also a TUF vet. He has come a long way since we last sparred in 2008. Next was a couple of their top level Muay Thai guys. I did pretty good against them except for one guy named Ryan, who had some interesting kicks which caught me off guard.

Friday was grappling, and I have to say it is what I needed. I needed someone to make me work and it came in the form of a 155lb UFC fighter named Jacob Volkmann. Now I have rolled with a lot of people in my life and he is up there for being one of the pound for pound strongest guys I have ever rolled with. I then rolled with Kaitlin Young who has defeated Meisha Tate and lost to Gina Carano, and she was tough as nails. I then finished it off with 2-time Iowa Wrestling All-American Paul Bradley. I got some world class grappling training and I will return.

Saturday was some more sparring. On my off time I took the family to Mall of America and my daughter to Nickelodean Universe in the mall. It’s a amusement park which she enjoyed as did I. I also recommend eating at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. if you enjoy seafood.

Fight time is getting close and I will be ready!

Be safe all!

“Native Warrior” Tyrone Roberts

One more week down and now six days till fight time. I’m feeling confident and ready for this fight. I’ve been pushing myself these last few weeks and it has really paid off. Thanks to a few key people, I am in the best shape I have ever been in for a fight. Training 3-4 times a day really pays off in the long run, yes it sucks while going through those long gruesome workouts, and most time I just want to say screw it and eat a cheeseburger, but this fight means a lot to me, and I am going to prove to everyone that I am ready for the next level. I have what it takes to make a name for myself, and you will be seeing me on PPV one day. I will do whatever it takes to make it to the next level, and I know Kamery is the one standing between me and the belt. I have been working my ass off, and I am more determined for this fight than I have ever been for any other fight in my life.

I have been training for the last two months preparing for this fight. It all comes down to who is more prepared and who wants that belt more. I know I have been working my ass off to get ready so I’m feeling pretty confident in myself. Things are going really good worked a lot on my stand-up and on my cardio, had to make sure I could last all 25 minutes if it went that long. I just have to keep busting my ass from now, until they raise my hand at the end of the fight. Because we will see who wants to win more than the other come Saturday.

So come down to HY-VEE HALL this Saturday and show your support. If you haven’t already gotten your tickets its NOT to late. You can get them from me, just let me know!

Oh and before I go, I just want to thank everyone that is coming out to support me, and I also want to thank my parents and my girlfriend. I know you guys put up with a lot of shit from me when I’m cutting weight, so thanks.

LIVE by the glove DIE by the glove

Zak “The Maniac” Laird

Monster Energy Drink Makes MCC Debut Next Saturday
 
Fight fans have saw national brands such as Budweiser and Army plastered across the canvas and cage at MCC events.  At MCC 25: “Inferno”, one of the most recognized names in the extreme sports industry will be added to the Midwest Cage Championship roster.  With big names such as supercross legend, Ricky Carmichael and skater extraordinaire turned reality TV sensation, Rob Dyrdek proudly sporting the Monster Energy logo, the popular beverage whose tag line states, “Unleash the Beast” will be in full force in one of the most stacked cards of 2010.
 
Check out the Monster Energy girls and sample one of the best tasting energy drinks on the market today.  MCC 25: “Inferno” takes place next Saturday, March 13 at Hy Vee Hall.  For more information, check out www.MidwestCageChampionship.com.

This fight was a three round war, which came as a split decision going in favor of Andy “Danger Zone” Branson.

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Heath Johnson vs Josh Christensen

For The Bull, Getting Revenge Could be Sweeter Than a Belt

By Randy Thomas

Following a victory at MCC 22 “Reality Check,” the promotion’s match maker sat down with, Josh “The Bull” Christensen, and asked what he wanted next.  Christensen, who is enjoying a two fight win streak and on the verge of a big fight, said he’d rather avenge a loss before moving forward.  Christensen stated, “I’m still upset with the questionable officiating from my first fight with Johnson and asked if I could set up another fight?”  He added, “That’s all he I’ve been thinking about for a year, and until I get another crack at Johnson, I’m not going to be happy.”
 

One year ago, at MCC 17 “Thanksgiving Throwdown,” Christensen lost to Heath Johnson by a verbal submission in the second round.  Christensen said, “In the first round, I had a kimura locked in, had pressure on it, and he was not going to get out of it.  The referee called for the fight to get stood up.  I got robbed and Johnson capitalized on that gift.  Next time, if I get a hold of a limb, I’m taking it home with me.  The ref can stop the fight then!” 
 
Since his loss to Johnson, “The Bull” has stopped Justin Grizzard and Matt Scaggs, both in the first round.  He’s hungry to get back in the cage and pick up on a fight he believes to be unsettled.  The soft spoken wrestler, Heath Johnson, who has faced MCC alums, Chuck Grigsby, Mike Van Meer, and Cristensen’s team mate, Jesse Lund, had no problem accepting the rematch.  “The only difference from then to now, is that I will beat Josh up worse this time, so there is no confusion,” stated Heath Johnson. On November 25th, sparks will fly at MCC 23.  Will “The Bull” get his revenge, or will Johnson close the book on any controversy?
 
Tickets for MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown” are available on-line at MidwestCageChampionship.com, or by phone at 515-229-8566.  To see the full card, log on to the MCC web site, www.MidwestCageChampionship.com.