Well, It is Fight Day! Iowa Challenge #100 is finally here. Rematch from IC 1, Submission specialists, knockout artists, new bees, world record holder for career mma fights, undefeated fighters squaring off for a belt, so many things going on tonight in this show! As I woke up very early this morning (6AM) I started finishing some of the fight day paperwork and really had a chance to sit and reflect on the last 13 years of the Iowa Challenge history. The past, the present and the future. Now, as I have been promoting MMA events for over 16 years, my company, Iowa Challenge – has been around for 13 of it. There are so many emotions when I really take a second to think about it. Where I have been, where each and every show I have been apart of was like. All the different fighters, promotions, fans and sponsors that I have worked with over the years were like. I think it is human nature to think about the rough ones or difficult ones first. Like when I took the metal part of a bngee strap straight to the eye ball after Iowa Challenge 18 that nearly blinded me. It was forgotten that there were 4 either UFC vets or soon to be UFC fighters on that card that was in Des Moines in 2004. Or Iowa Challenge 2 that had less then 200 people attend but will go down as one the entertaining fight cards in our history. It’s easy to forget some of the sell out crowds, the instant battles that could be classics on any show and the amazing roar of the crowd when a hero finishes a fight that he was losing. My father passing away in the hospital from cancer while I was out of town at a show in Burlington at Iowa Challenge #7. When you do anything enough you are bound to see some pretty terrible things but also be blessed enough to see some pretty incredible things as well. I feel our promotion has witnessed both sides and the bad make you appreciate the good so much more. This is not just a job, it is a lifestyle! Tonight, at Iowa Challenge 100, I get to celebrate that with some of my colleagues. I am very excited about that for many reasons. I feel that this is a milestone not only for myself and the promotion but also for the sport of MMA in Iowa. Iowa Challenge events started in Iowa and have only been in Iowa. I was just a 20 year old kid 16 years ago when I had this dream of someday following my fathers foot steps in owning my own business one day. I never cared about being rich and famous, I just wanted to do something I enjoyed and be able to honor God, my family and support them in what I did for a living. And now, here we are. I am still the same kid that wakes up in the middle of the night looking for a napkin, envelope or whatever I can find to jot down some notes on potential match ups to be in one of my close to 30 shows a year. Some people think that this job is easy and after all these years, the snap of a finger and the cards done, tickets are ordered and distributed to fighters, insurance is ordered, radio buys are purchased, officials are lined up and the fans just pile in. Wrong, ask anyone close to me or any “fight promoter” for that aspect. In 2014, this job never gets easier, it is a 24 hour a day job and your mind is constantly racing, thinking about what needs to be done. I am so grateful for technology these days to help me stay organized. When Iowa Challenge started, I had no computer, no cell phone and worked 50 + hours a week at a day job. And now in closing, I am very excited to celebrate this promotions 100th event and I want to thank everyone for competing, supporting, being a part of and witnessing this piece of history for Iowa Challenge. I hope the next 100 events are as entertaining and exciting for our fans. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of my friends and family tonight to help celebrate the event.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 14:04:36 +0000