I hate to start another funny streetfight or shit talking idiot thread, but with all of the recent Manny Reyes stuff, I thought it'd be funny to tell some stories about guys who HAVE actually been in the ring, and don't do that well or maybe they do well, but against low class opponents, and then go on to brag to their friends and famalies about being world class competitors.
Jose Velasquez fought in a small event in waterloo, Iowa. He fought a guy who was 0-1 and was terrible to begin with. The guy took Jose down and started kneeing him in the arm and shoulder. He then tried to jump to mount or something and kneed himself in the nose and broke his own nose. He tapped out and Jose jumped up and proceeded to celebrate like he had just won the olympics.
Shortly after this fight, Jose started a rumor that he was fighting in the next UFC against another local fighter named Riley McIlhon. I heard this rumor from several people and when a source asked him if I was fighting in that UFC too, Jose said that he is way better than me and is currently the #2 ranked fighter in the world and that I wasnt even good enough to be in the UFC.
It took some finagling, but I convinced Jose to fight again and he did and got whooped.
Kevin leemon fought in some other small events in Iowa and went 0-9. He "retired" and moved to a small town about 30 miles away. I saw him for the first time in about 6 months and he asked me to come to his house and hang for a bit. I went there and he had a few friends over. I started talking to a few of them and one of them asked my name, and when I told them they looked shocked and then said that it is cool that Kevin and I were still friends. I asked what he meant and he said "Well Kevin beat you in the UFC and took your world title and then beat you again in the rematch and you guys had a falling out"
I looked at Kevin and that kid was sweating bullets. I proceeded to bust him out and inform everybody that Kevin was 0-9 and that he was a terrible fighter. Needless to say I havent seen him since.
I know of other fighters who made belts for themselves and won them on their own shows against shitty fighters, and comical stuff like that, but the stories are no where near as interesting as the dumbass street fighter who jumped in the ring one time stories.
There was a kid named Jason Kastli who fought 3 hand picked opponents. He has always been cool, but was kind of a pussy when it came to who he was going to fight.
I heard from several different people that said he was 30-0 or one of the best fighters in the world, or something like that. Nobody ever said that they heard it from his mouth, but these people all told similar stories, so Im sure he had been telling people that.
Another one was a local kid named Mike Gramlich who went 1-7 before giving it up. His family believed he was tough and I saw a few of them once and they told me if I ever wanted a real fight I should take on "Mikey" of course I had to tell them that Mike wasnt that tough and it wouldnt be much of a fight. As any good Iowan knows, its not wise to get the white trash riled up in a bar. The men in the group were cowards, but the dirty old women didnt take my opinion of "Mikey" kindly, and proceeded to claim that he would kill me if we ever fought.
Mike called me the next day and offered a full apology on the part of his family.
Another terrible fighter named Kirk Nielsen claims to be 31-1 and is the current K-1 champion. This guy is awful and gets worse every time he steps in the ring.
A guy named Jason Bentley who fought in the first few Iowa Challenges(and was pampered because he invested money in the shows)started talking trash that he had a fight set up with Tank Abbot and that he could whoop anybody. I wanted to fight the guy bad and got it arranged. He really believed he could beat me, and apparently the local white trash spectators agreed.
We fought and right away he closed the distance like an idiot and I threw him to the ground and only got to land one shot and he tapped. Of course people cried fixed fight right away because they were so sure that this monster could beat me.
I still to this day hear that he claims to be undefeated and he tells people that he was paid to take a dive to me. He seems to forget that a 185 lbs Dennis Reed whooped him too. I met a guy who asked me about fighting and then asked if I knew "The Big Red Machine" Jason Bentley. I said yes and that I had fought him. He replied "Man, that must have been scary. Isnt that guy like 50-0?" I informed him that I beat him in 40 seconds and the guy said that Bentley told him himself just a few days prior that he was undefeated.
PS, I should mention that none of the guys I speak of should be considered fighters. They all were able to fight because the events that they fought in were small local promotions.
Well they say that youre never a prophet in your own village, but in my redneck, backwoods, hometown area, most people think that Im just another dipshit local fighter. There are lots of fighting events in thsi area with the Iowa Challenge, the few small shows Ive done, and the kickfest events in which they usually throw a few MMA fights on their cards.
If and when I go out here are my most frequently asked questions:
Are you still doing that toughman stuff?
Are you still fighting?
Did you know that (enter any local tough guys name) claims he beat you up in a street fight last weekend?
I met a kid in Pittsburgh who told me he fought Vitor Belfort in UFC. His name was Brad Danoff (I think). What a tool. He was like 5'5, 160 lbs. soaking wet and told me he stood toe to toe with Vitor for ten minutes before getting knocked out from a lucky punch. After I called him on it, he disappeared. And he'd never train with me, always had excuses. I told him about Mike Wilus (a real Pittsburgh fighter) and he told me he'd "wipe the floor with him". What an ass.
And on a side note, Travis, I always enjoy your fights and wish you well in your training. You gonna be at MFC? If so, shoot me an email, because I'd like to interview you for www.nhbfights.com
I got to hang out with Travis in Lake Havasu a while back when he fought there. He had some cool stories to tell. He has been around for sure. But what shocked me the most was the lack of respect he gets in his own town. I think Travis gets respect anywhere he goes EXCEPT his own town. That sucks.
I especially liked his story of a fight he had with a local Phoenix instructor a few years back. He just confirmed what many people here already believed.
If you saw the people that lived in Travis's hometown you'd understand.They come up to Travis and tell him how great he is and as soon as he's gone they talk about how bad he sucks and he's going to get his ass kicked tonight
Another thing I am sure Travis has heard --- I hear it all the time.
I wrestled in college @ Iowa--- funny how they squirm out of it once a few questions are asked--
I ask what yr.. all the basic stuff--some even get past that stuff. Then I tell them my brother wrestled there and they start to backpedal--
umm..I meant I wrestled in a tournament held in Iowa once..
There is a pretty big name fighter that claimed he wrestled at Iowa under Gable and was bragging about this at an event Rico Chiapparelli was at-- this fighter didnt know Rico at the time and didnt know Rico wrestled at Iowa----
Funny thing is Rico didnt say a thing--just shook his head.But he knew the guy never wrestled at Iowa.
lol @ Novak, I've heard that one also. My coach actually did wrestle at Iowa and I always tell him about the phonies.
I met a guy who said his trainer could destroy Rickson. I think his trainer's name was Monte something and he was in Cali. The guy told me he called his teacher God and that he was invincible. The reality of it is that he would challenge all these fighters, never fight them and then brag about how they were afraid to fight him. I wanted to bring some of Rickson's students over there but I'm sure it would have gotten real ugly!
