Jesse Lund

I thought I would have some video for this weeks blog, but it will have to wait til next week. This week I joined a new fitness club in Winterset, which is where I work most of the time during the day. Now I can stop in over lunch and get a workout in everyday. Nick at Spartan has been pushing me even harder and sparring sessions have turned into fighting sessions. I have had the opportunity to work with Grigsby the past 2 weeks, which has really opened my eyes as to what the next level will take. Slow but sure, I will be in the best shape mentally and physically for this fight!

With my winning streak in full force, the next fight would be a one of a kind. Again, I was going against another good wrestler. My training camp for this fight was one of the worst I had ever had. With work and family, I was struggling to find the time to train. I told my training partners that I was only training for a one round fight, and if it went any longer than that, I could be in trouble. I came out with a lazy jab expecting the shot. He just stood there and looked at me. So much for the “game plan.” As I moved in we both threw right hooks and we both landed them. His caught me right on the cheekbone on some scar tissue. Busted me wide open! Then he threw about 30 punches in such a flurry that I had no idea what would be next. My only hope…..to go for the takedown. I kind of shot in on a single, trying to avoid the onslaught leather he was throwing from every direction he could. I turned it into a double leg and ended up on top. By now blood was everywhere. I have never let my emotions play out in a fight, but I was pissed! I did not want this to end because of a cut. I had no idea where it was, but it was bleeding bad. As I worked a few strikes, then tried to mount, he shot back up and was in on a leg. The blood was so bad I could only see a red haze. The ref stopped to fight to have the doctor take a look. Lucky for me the cut was below my eye and I was cleared to continue. We resumed with him in on the shot. I threw a knee and he grabbed it and down we went. The blood made it impossible to hold him down. He ended up in full mount and I tried to roll and get out the back door. He snagged an arm bar and I fought it off to take his back and sink in the choke to finish the fight. All of this in two and a half minutes! This was a fast paced crazy fight, and a good learning experience for me. I looked pretty cool though for thanksgiving dinner with 8 stitches hanging off my cheek!

After that fight I took some time off. Teresa and I were expecting our third child, and I knew training would not be an option. In fact, I was talking about getting out of the sport for good. I was having trouble finding time with two kids, let alone three. The summer slipped by fast, changing diapers, taking a vacation, and starting an addition on our house to accommodate the new family member. I still attended the MCC fights, cheering on my former teammates and training buds. The first MCC event at Vets would draw me back in. The larger cage was one of the main reasons. I jumped back in the gym, heavier than I had been in years. This is when I was introduced to Nick at Spartan Strength. He worked us to the bone! It was a new conditioning program that I had never experienced before and I loved it. I was taking his class three days a week, and going to Roundkick. I felt great and was ready to step in the cage. The next opponent would be Chad Vance. Grigsby fought him the night of my last fight as a title defense. I thought it would be a great match up for me, and for the fans to watch. About 2 weeks out from the fight, I had a bad staff infection show up on the back of my left leg behind my knee. If you have ever had this, you know it is nasty and painful. I had to postpone the fight for another event. I didn’t want to be the guy who bailed on a fight, but it happened.

Next week I will throw up some video on my training and continue on with the next fight. For all the fans, stop by www.insanityfightwear.com and pick up one of my shirts!!!! Until next week……………..
Jesse Lund
“Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” – Muhammad Ali

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.

Elvis Mutapcic

What’s up everyone!  It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve written my last blog; here’s what’s been happening in my life since then.  As most of you know, last weekend I was in Los Angeles supporting my teammate Josh Neer in UFC 104, and trying out for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. 

I’d like to take a minute to talk about Josh’s fight, Saturday night, and say that I was very proud of the effort he put into the fight.  Even though the turn out wasn’t what we all wanted it to be, he gave it his all in the cage just like he does every day in practice.

On Monday I tried out for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.  My teammate and I checked into the Hotel that the tryouts were being held Sunday night, so we would be one of the first fighters there to check-in for the tryouts Monday morning.  We got down to the lobby at 7:00AM so that we could get in line and wait for the registration to begin at 8:00AM; I was the 57th Middle Weight to tryout.  Tryouts took a very long time. The Light Heavyweight fighters tried out first, then the Middleweight fighters tried out, each tryout group consisting of 40 fighters at a time.  My flight was supposed to leave the LAX Airport at 2:30PM; my tryout didn’t start until approx. 3:30PM (Yes, I missed my flight!!).  As we walked into the room that the actual tryouts were held Dana White, Joe Silva, the TapOut creators and the SpikeTV producers were all sitting at a very long table.  Once we all got into the room and situated Dana White explained how the tryouts were work:

      First Round – 2 minutes of Grappling 

      Second Round – Hitting Pads

      Third Round – Interview

There would be eliminations after each round.

As Dana White called Elvis and attempted to pronounce my last name I walked toward the judges table.  Dana asked me a few questions about myself and my career then I headed toward the mat as he called out my opponent.  After Dana was finished talking to my opponent we got ready to grapple.  We had 2 minutes to go all out and show the judges what we were made of.  I didn’t want to waste any time so I pulled guard right away.  With as many fighters as there were that showed up to try out I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to impress the judges in 2 minutes; I gave it my all but in the end I was cut.

After my teammate and I finished the tryouts we headed to the LAX Airport to try and find a flight home.  After many conversations with my family back home and problems trying to find a flight we finally booked a flight which left the LAX Airport at 9:00PM on Monday and landed in Des Moines at 2:00PM on Tuesday.
Thursday I went to Iowa City to weigh in for my fight for RCC.  Leading up to this fight I had two opponents back out so I ended up fighting a “young up and comer.”  He is a very tough, explosive and wild fighter; Andy Branson calls him “floppy.” I was the first professional fight of the night; following some very impressive amateur fights.  As I was walking into the cage the only thing on my mind was that I wanted the fight to last long enough to put on a good show.  When the referee called us to the middle of the cage to go over the rules, my opponent got real close and personal.  As the fight began he threw a few kicks that didn’t land solid.  About 30 seconds into the round he took me down and I was given an opportunity to finish the fight with a triangle.  He tapped 43 seconds into the first round.  
Next week’s blog I will talk in detail about my fight against Andy Branson during the MCC 21: Mickle vs. Marriott. 

Thanks for all the support!

Elvis “The King” Mutapcic

Jesse Lund

The countdown has now started. It has become crunch time and stepping my training up to the next level is now priority number one.

The second fight of my current win streak proved to be one of the toughest fights of my career. It was against Justin Guthrie, who had been fighting at 185 and stepped up to 205 to challenge me. I had watched him in the past really enjoyed watching him fight. He is a very strong and determined fighter. The first round he pretty much dominated me. I was taken down early in the fight, battled off some good ground n pound from him and threw a few submission attempts at him that all failed. At the end of the round I managed to gain control as the bell rang. I remember asking, Chuck Grigsby, if I won the round and he of course said, “ya you got em,” but i knew I lost it. The second round we decided to stand and bang with me getting the best of him. I landed everything that I threw at him and could not figure out why he was still standing! My legs were burning, my hands would not stay up, and I ended up back on the canvas with him on top. After eating some more punches I regained control and finished the fight with some brutal ground n pound of my own. The doctor actually stopped the fight due to the cuts and bleeding. I have never been so happy to know the fight was over. My body was shutting down and I didn’t have a third round in me. I learned the hard way about not having cardio for a fight, it would never happen again.

The next fight was a quick sub, against a kid who was clearly not ready for this level of the game. After really working my cardio I would pair up against Heath Johnson. This would be another good battle. I had also seen a few of his fights and knew he was no pushover. His wrestling was top notch and I knew I would spend time fighting off my back again. As it played out, I threw a punch and he shot in. I tried to defend it, and ended up on my back. He pinned me against the cage and worked his ground n pound. I managed to control him pretty good, taking little damage. One punch really got me good and I realized I needed to be careful. I threw high guard on him and he reacted like he did not like it. I started to work a sub but the first round came to an end. I knew I was behind on the card, but felt really good. Round two he shot again and I defended it, ending up on top in a half assed arm bar that failed. It gave him my back and he went for a rear naked choke. With only one hook in, it gave me the opportunity to spin out and end up planting a choke of my own that finished the fight. I felt like I could have gone five rounds that night.

Training the last couple of weeks is starting to pay off. I have a long ways to go, but I will be in top form for the title fight. I may even let you have a “sneak peak” at what I go through!!!   Until then, I’ll keep training, you keep watching, keep cheering, as I strive to put on one of the best shows yet.
 
Jesse Lund           
 
“Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” – Muhammad Ali

Miguel Rios

Fall Seven Times, Stand up Eight

 By Randy Thomas

On April 2, 1986, long before he became “El Rey,” Miguel Rios Jr. was born in New York City.  Proud of his strong Puerto Rican heritage, he lived in his home land briefly before his family made the journey across the United States and settled in Ankeny, Iowa.  An athletic kid, Rios competed in baseball, basketball, and track.  But in 2006 his dream became a reality when Rios received a phone call from fellow MCC veteran Billy “The Kid” Armstrong, and he was presented an opportunity to compete in the first ever MCC Trials.
 
Rios remembers that night.  “I had just got out of class at DMACC when I got the call. Billy told me about a four man tournament in MCC.  The show was September, 1 and he called me August 28!  I went over to his house that night and went over some basic moves. Between Monday and Friday, I had to cut about 25lbs to make the 170 lb weight limit.”  He continued, “Fight night came quick!  Going into the venue I wasn’t nervous one bit. I was actually very excited for my first fight. I won my first fight pretty quick, but I had one more to go.  And by the final fight, I was way nervous.  I didn’t think I had a chance against my opponent who had been actively training at Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy (DMMMA).   Somehow though, I won!  I remember getting off of him after he tapped out and thinking…did that just happen?”
 
From that very moment Miguel “El Rey” Rios Jr. was hooked.  He wanted to compete with the best, so he knew he had to train with the best.  Rios dove in head first and sought out Anthony Porcelli who owns and coaches at DMMMA.  He was learning to become a mixed martial artist.  Although it was hard juggling college, a job, and training, Rios pushed through as best as he could.  He was spending most of his time doing one of those three things.  But, before he knew it, he was only getting three hours of sleep every night, sometimes less- hardly enough for a student, let alone a fighter.  Soon, the pressure to excel was too much, and Rios was forced to make a decision.
 
“I was out of my element for the first couple months at DMMMA. It was so hard with everything I had going on and trying to learn the ins and out of mixed martial arts. I had a hard time doing it and eventually I had to drop training and fighting all together.  I ended up having a nervous breakdown and turned to some bad alternatives to try and make it all better.  It was the most terrifying time in my life.  I had to drop out of MCC.  I cut mixed martial arts out of my life for almost two years. I had to walk away in order to get better.  It was so hard but I always knew I would get back into it.”
 
It wasn’t until August 2008 that Rios returned to the gym and the sport he loved.  There was one problem; he came back weighing close to 220 lbs- 50 lbs too heavy for the welterweight class he competed in.  Shortly after his return to the sport he was contacted by MCC and offered a second chance.  Rios stated, “I quickly lost 30 lbs. by training six days a week, lifting weighs, wrestling, boxing and re-dedication myself to MMA.”  By November, he was in top shape when he faced Mike Miller.   His come back fight was a sucess.  Rios submitted Miller with a triangle in the very first round.  El Rey was back!
 
What does the future hold for the versatile competitor?
 
“Right now I’m just focused on my next fight in November.  I’m making my professional debut against Thomas Naumann and I’ll be looking to finish the fight.  I don’t care whether it’s ten seconds or three rounds, I will be looking to finish the fight.  That’s what I do- fight to finish.”
 
Despite his rigorous six day fight training schedule, Rios manages to hold down a full time job as an Automotive Technician at a major dealership.  On the weekends he is a counselor for at-risk youths.  He’s still as busy as ever, but he’s found the key to balance his life.  Rios stays grounded with the help from his fiance, Tiffany, who he credits for being there for everything from preparing his meals to helping him promote his fights.
 
Rios has a lot to be thankful for and the humble mixed martial artist is quick to give credit where credit is due.  “I would like to thank all my training partners and Anthony Porcelli at DMMMA. It’s amazing how much talent the guys have there and they have showed me everything I know. I would like to thank my best friend Chris Fitch for giving me the drive to fight since we were little kids and always believing in me. Finally I’d like to thank my fiance, Tiffany she is the main reason I can work and fight. She is my life and makes it go very smooth.”
 
Miguel Rios Jr. will face Thomas Naumann at MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”, Wednesday, November 25 at Vets Auditorium.  Tickets are available on-line at MidwestCageChampionship.com.  For more information call 515-229-8566 or log on the the Midwest Cage Championship web site.
 
 
FIGHTER STATS
 
Name: Miguel “El Rey” Rios Jr.
Born: New York City, NY
Resides: Ankeny, IA
Age: 23
Style: Jiu Jitsu, Striker
Gym: Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy
Amateur Record: 8-0-0
Professional Record: 0-0-0
Accomplishments: 2009 NAGA Midwest no-gi champion, MCC Trials Welterweight Champion

This is a video blog Elvis did at Spartan Strength, before leaving to tryout for the next season of the Ultimate Fighter.

Jesse Lund

As another week goes by, I always wonder if I am doing everything I can do to prepare for the next event. There is always room for improvement, but not always time to apply myself the way I think I need to. 

Coming back from a two fight loosing streak was next on the agenda. The first win came by taking a fight on a days notice. Not the smartest thing in the world to do when you are on vacation and have not stepped in the gym for about a month! I would fill in for “Bull” who opted to take the title fight against Grigsby. This is the only fight that I felt I dominated from start to finish, and would put the fire back in my eyes to move forward in the sports.

Picking up the pace in my training for the next few fights would really pay off.  I bounced from gym to gym, house to house, and a dance studio. I had sessions at TJ O’Brien’s house to flip, throw, and sledge hammer tractor tires, kettle bell workouts, and sprints. Then we would switch it up the next week to my wife’s dance studio where we would do the same workouts, and then spar and grapple until we could not move. This training helped me to win the Warrior Spirit Award in two of my next three fights.

Fitting training in with a full time job, three children, and making time for my wife has been a challenge. Teresa works evenings so I have the runts all night. The goal is to get off work by five, hopefully have a sitter lined up, and get to practice. Then when I get home, spend the rest of the night with the family, get the kids in bed and finally have about an hour of time with Teresa to catch up on the day’s activities, if I don’t crash on the couch first! Does that work everyday? No. I could write a book on why it doesn’t but it’s just called life. I have the utmost respect for my family and what I put them through when I train.

My last loss has now been over two years ago. I have won all six of my last fights on the way to my title fight. I think it is well deserved. I plan on taking home the belt and hanging it in my son’s room. I guess until then, back to the gym. Don’t forget to check back in next week!!!!!!!!
 
Jesse Lund 
 
 
            “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” – Muhammad Ali

Chris Mickle & Will Shutt

By Randy Thomas

Former Champions Collide in Non-Title Bout
 
At MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown,” two former champions have agreed to face each other in a bout that is expected to be one of the most fast paced of the evening.  Following a side-lining shoulder injury due to an automobile accident, Will “The Real Deal” Shutt will step back in the cage to take on Chris “Mad Dog” Mickle.  Prior to moving back up to his natural weight class, Mickle lost his featherweight belt to current champion, Eric Marriott,  who is set to defend his title at MCC 23.  Will Shutt, who has been on the hunt for the featherweight crown since losing the strap in 2007, will come up to the lightweight division in hopes to make a statement.  A win against Mickle could possibly set him up for another title shot down the road.
 
Any fight fan would agree, that Shutt vs Mickle is a very interesting match up.  Mickle’s last two fights have been five round title bouts where he battled until the final bell.  Both fights were main events along with the added pressure to perform since he had just competed in the WEC in front of millions.  With this contest only scheduled for three rounds, we should see the best Chris Mickle.   We caught up with the frustrated former champion, who stated, “I’m down three fights, and I won’t be at ease until I’m up more then three consecutive fights.”  He added, “I’m mad, and it just sucks for Will Shutt, because he will just be my first victim.”
 
  His opponent, Will Shutt answered, ”I feel we are tailor made for each other, and we’ll both be fighting with the same exact styles.”   The always exciting Shutt, and his go for broke fighting style makes this bout very much anticipated. He promised, “I’m coming out to knock Chris Mickles’ head off!  I’m looking for the big KO, as I know Mickle will be looking to do the same. Anything can happen though. If I don’t get it, I plan to earn my victory one way or another, even if it takes all three rounds.”  
 
Although he has been out of the cage for some time, Shutt says the break was a blessing in disguise, and it gave him the much needed time to re-charge. Not to mention, sitting back and watching the success of his training partners Jake Brown and Josh Henry, has done nothing but light a fire and help him improve.
 
Shutt concluded with, “Come Wednesday, November 25th at Vets, this will be the most excited I will ever be to get in the cage. And, I couldn’t be more excited to do it against such a veteran of the sport.”
 
MCC 23 “Thanksgiving Throwdown”, Wednesday, November 25 at Vets Auditorium features three title bouts.  Tickets are available on-line at MidwestCageChampionship.com, or by phone at 515-229-8566.  To see the full card, visit the MCC web site.

Elvis Mutapcic