As Cage Titans 20th show rapidly approaches, were taking a look, not towards the future milestone show, but at the roots of the organization. Operating as a launching pad of elite MMA in Eastern Massachusetts, many revered fighters have walked into their cage and found success on the merit of their performance under the Cage Titans banner. Here is one such story: * * * * * On January 28th, the growing Cage Titans promotion set out to bring their brand of MMA action to Eastern Massachusetts, as their third show came to fruition. The ice of the crisp New England winter was mirrored within by the chandeliers of Lombardos, yet there was no cold to be found there; cage lights more than powerful enough to stave off winter for a while. An epic bill of sixteen fights came and went in a blur, with brutal knockouts and hotly-contested battles that drove the pulse to pounding, but one bout and one fighter would change the perception of the sport forever. The fighters story wasnt so different in the details, as he had many similarities to other young men breaking into the sport. He had a rough start in high school wrestling, and had the fortitude to stick it out and be successful. He had the skill to find his way to the collegiate mats, and had the alacrity of mind to make the most of it. He had respect in the muay thai gym for his exceptional skills and work ethic. He had finished with school, and he had interest in pursuing a professional MMA career, though he found himself climbing through more red tape than others. The thing that set this man apart wasnt something that he had, but rather something he didnt. Born with the bottom half of his left arm missing just below the elbow, Nick Newell faced long odds in his search for success across the sports world. There were questions among those in attendance about how he could strike, block, grapple, hold or submit. Questions about the legitimacy of a win against him or if it was the right thing to do by letting him compete as a professional where hed be set up for failure. There was concern from some, and pity from those who didnt know his mettle. His opponent that night wasnt a world beater, but Billy Walsh was an able-bodied man whod spent years in the sport and faced some of the toughest fighters in the Northeast. The idea that someone missing a portion of their arm could prevail against a trained adversary was simply ludicrous; a notion to be rejected at a glance. After all, he was handicapped. Truly, there are impossible situations in life for those with handicaps, with avenues of movement forever closed off. A life as a mechanic, or a carpenter, or a chef would be lost to him. Tying a shoe, carrying something through a door, shovelling a driveway, and a hundred other chores would be arduous in their complexity, yet this wasnt any of those mundane tasks. This was combat. While the physical can never be denied, the mind is where fights are won. In his life of athletics, Newell had faced down more doubts and fought more internal battles than anyone hed find facing him in that cage. Hed learned not only to survive with his disability, but thrive in the shark tank of college wrestling and prove himself among the hanging bags of the muay thai gym. He was hellbent on taking what he had and making it work in the unforgiving world of professional fighting, because in a test of wills, it wasnt he who was at a disadvantage, but his opponent. The fight began and Newell answered any questions about his offensive abilities, kicks and arm strikes flying as technique mixed with a touch of mayhem. His right hand was a piston, while his left arm working like a short elbow, impacting with surprising force and keeping his opponents head in line for the next power shot. It was one of many unique facets to his game which no one could prepare for in the gym, turning his handicap around with opponents unable to adjust on the fly . Newell landed twenty-three strikes in eight seconds before Walsh buckled, but there was no safe haven to be found on the mat. The domination continued as Walsh was in a daze, being battered from every angle as Newell transitioned from side control and swiftly into mount. Walsh tried to wall walk, yet Newells top game was too developed for an easy escape as he continued the onslaught. Working into a high mount, Newell saw the final opening, hooking his opponents arm and applying a picture perfect armbar for the win. Newell would appear again at Cage Titans 5 with another victory, and from there hed find a berth in XFC, where his star rose rapidly with a string of exceptional wins. He would ultimately gain a title shot that he would win in spectacular fashion, becoming the first handicapped fighter to win a world championship in the sport. Moving onto WSOF and ranked among the worlds best, Nick Newell is another MMA star whose path to greatness wound through Cage Titans. * * * * * Come out and celebrate a milestone in Massachusetts MMA at Cage Titans 20. The event takes place August 23rd at the Plymouth Memorial Hall in Plymouth, Mass. Visit cagetitansfc for the full fight card and ticket information. Cage Titans FC Michael Polvere Brandie Light Nick Newell Matt Bessette
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 22:16:34 +0000
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