Throwdown's "Border Wars" Rocks The E Center
June 10th, 2009
Local event brings mixed martial arts bliss for Utah fight fans
by Jacob Hodgen
12 matches, 24 fighters, 4 title belts on the line. . . it was great night for Utah fight fans.
Border Wars
Throwdown Elite is a relative newcomer to the mixed martial arts scene in Utah. Opening their doors about about a year ago, Throwdown's mega-training center in Orem has quickly become the premier alternative training facility in the state, and it currently serves as a springboard for local fighters to jump into the big leagues of professional fighting.
This last weekend, Throwdown Elite's Showdown IV Cuatro, also known as "Border Wars," pit some of Utah's toughest mixed martial artists against fighters from across the country in a spectacular event at the E Center. In what turned out to be a supremely intense night of non-stop action, all four of the local champions managed to retain their belts. The event was filled with passion and drama, and the crowd was treated to some of the closest and most exciting matchups anyone had ever seen. Between the submissions, a knockout, and multiple rounds that went to the judge's decision, the electrified audience was kept breathless and on the edge of their seats.
The highlight of the night was the epic battle of West Jordan's Radley "Boo" Martinez, the current Throwdown lightweight champion, against Oregon's undefeated Stryder Davis in what the announcer later called, "one of the best lightweight matches in history." At 5'8'' and only 155 pounds, Rad Martinez looks like a professional bodybuilder and stunned the audience with his superhuman tenacity. Though Stryder dominated the stand-up portion of match and pummeled his opponent with a never ending supply of lightning fast and powerful punches, Rad seemed indestructible and maintained control over the ground game, even after taking tremendous punishment from the indefatigable Davis, taking him down to the mat again and again. Going the full five rounds and ending in a controversial split decision from the judges, Rad kept his title by the narrowest of margins. The crowd seemed confused at his victory, and some booed. Rad, who was so tired he seemed like he could barely stand, seemed to agree with the crowd and offered his opponent the victory in a bittersweet post-match interview. "I hope they noticed that I didn't lie down or just lay there," he said. "I hope they understand I fought my heart out." When the crowd's tensions were at their highest, Throwdown Elite's founder Adam Legas took the microphone and addressed the crowd: "You can disagree with the decision, but these fighters don't deserve to get booed. They put their hearts into this." His plea seemed to calm the audience somewhat, and his speech was greeted with renewed cheers for the two courageous athletes.
I spoke with numerous fans after this match and asked people what they thought. Some were shocked at the decision, but even those who were displeased with the results told me it was one of the best fights they had ever seen. "I don't know what fight the refs were watching, but Stryder clearly won," said one fan. Some others agreed with the judges, and after speaking with people on both sides of the issue, it became clear that much of controversy surrounding this bout revolved around a misunderstanding of the rules. "Rad may not have landed as many punches," I was told by another fan, "but he was really aggressive and took down Davis over and over again. That factors in when the judges decide, and I think they made the right call."
I also spoke with one of the evening's fighters, Shawn Bias, who flew in on only four days' notice to replace another combatant who was injured and could not attend. I asked him what he thought of the judge's split decision. "I think it was a good call," he said. "To be the new champion, you really have to beat the current champion. On the ground, the champ was definitely dominating, and I feel good about what the judges decided."
A Misunderstood Sport Takes the Country by Storm
Though it has only grown to mainstream success within the last decade in America, mixed martial arts (MMA) traces its roots back to 648 BC to the Greek Olympic sport of Pankration where athletes competed using a combination of boxing and wrestling to subdue their opponent.
MMA now surpasses both boxing and professional wrestling in popularity in America, but there are still many misconceptions and myths perpetuated in the public about the sport. Senator John McCain was once one of its many outspoken critics. He called it "human cockfighting" and sought to bring about a national ban on the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993. However, a lot has changed since then. Modern mixed martial arts matches are now carefully regulated, and, unlike Pankration, there are many strikes and holds that are prohibited for the safety of the competitors. A 2006 study by Johns Hopkins University (view here) concluded that MMA was actually considerably safer than boxing--a sport that ironically does not receive the same level of criticism from alarmist groups. Their research showed that, "Knockout rates are lower in MMA competitions than in boxing. This suggests a reduced risk of traumatic brain injury in MMA competitions when compared to other events involving striking."
Boxing matches can drag on for up to 12 grueling rounds, and the rules allow fighter to be knocked out up to three different times, which can lead to severe concussions. On the other hand, MMA bouts usually go for only three or five rounds, and the fight ends at the very fist sign of a knockout. MMA matches can also be won by means of a submission, where one athlete wrestles the other into position from which they cannot escape. This leads to a voluntary end of the match. It not uncommon for a match to end in a submission with both fighters walking away entirely unscratched. Throwdown's matches are sanctioned by the Utah Athletic Board, and a team of medical professionals are always ready at ringside should an injury occur. This is certainly more than I can say for most other sports, such as my childhood soccer team, which incidentally caused far more frequent and serious injuries than I have ever seen inside of a sanctioned MMA ring.
Sure, MMA athletes are tough and the sport requires extreme physical conditioning, and to the untrained eye, it appears that it's just two fighters trying to pound the other to a pulp. However, strength and toughness are only parts of this highly strategic sport. If the art of fencing claims to be chess at 100 miles per hour, then perhaps mixed martial arts is like a game of full contact chess. Every strike, throw, hold, or submission has a counter, and athletes must choose their moves wisely at all times and execute them with patience and cunning, lest they find themselves checkmated on the ground through a submission, as several fighters did at this event. A successful MMA combatant is a master tactician and knows exactly when to launch the attack.
Throwdown's Orem facility trains more than just cage fighters; in fact, most of the people who attend the club are there solely for the physical and mental health benefits. Adam Legas tells me that he is thrilled to be part of such a dynamic organization. "There so much more to this sport than the fighting," he says. "I can't tell you how many letters I have gotten from mothers who write me and say that their kids are doing better in school and are learning discipline and self control since they started training with us. It's really a great feeling to be a part of something that makes such a positive impact in people's lives."
To learn more about Throwdown Elite, visit their website:
Photos by Richard Markosian and Jacob Hodgen
Reader Comments
Randy G.
Throwdown was AWESOME! They are the Bomb.com
