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FIGHT CHURCH stepped up and ran the backroom at the TUFF-N-UFF event on 11-11-11 at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino… it was a great night! 

We had 5 people working the event!  That’s the most help we have ever had.  FIGHT CHURCH was able to work both the red & blue corner locker rooms, stage fighters and work ringside.  A big “thank you” goes out to all our volunteers.  You guys did a great job!  Every event we work, every connection we make and every relationship built or deepend leads to an opportunity for lives to be changed. 

More pics and details on the way!

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Robert Drysdale

Ryan Couture wins!

Greg Jackson

I was able to attend the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event the other night at the Pearl at the Palms.  Had a great time supporting some of the fighters who train in the gyms where FIGHT CHURCH does sweet MMA chaplain work!  Congrats, Ryan Couture!

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Almost time to get started!

John Wood and THROWDOWN

Our friend Rudy Morales

Marvin Eastman preps his fighter

Kevin Randleman & his fighter post fight

THROWDOWN FIGHT TEAM

Our friend Adrian gettin Rudy wrapped up

Kevin Randleman coachin

So excited that I was able to work in the fighter prep area for the last MMA XPLOSION event at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.  It was a great card.  I was able to talk with a ton of guys that I already know and meet several new fighters. 

I was also introduced to the THROWDOWN FIGHT TEAM as their Chaplain.  Our good friend Rudy Morales fought in the main event and I was able to pray with him before he went out to compete.  Things went very well and I look forward to working more events with this promotion! 

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So excited to have partnered with SUNSET BOXING & MMA and MMA XPLOSION!

The GSP vs. Diaz was eventful… had great seats!

Getting an invite to be a part of XTREME COUTURE’s Open House was awesome!

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Great night at TUFF-N-UFF… special thanks to our friend, Eddie for helping out!

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Fighter Josh Burns sporting our t-shirt!

Reed Harris on ESPN Radio

Guardians MMA

Mica

SCC 2

TAPOUT

Terrible loss for the MMA community!

All kinds of stuff going on with FIGHT CHURCH!  We did our first run of t-shirts!  Bellator fighter Josh Burns was happy to sport one for us.  That was cool, thanks, Josh!  If you would like a shirt, let me know!  All monthly supporters get one as a thank you, but we are also selling them for $20!

Reed Harris of ZUFFA was just down the street from my house talking to the guys at ESPN Radio about the huge UFC/FOX announcement.  I had the chance to pop in and say, “Hello!”

There are 100+ facilities here in the Las Vegas valley that offer martial arts instruction.  Many of them are connected to MMA.  It is our goal to partner with as many of these facilities as possible and offer to them our Chaplain services.  We are currently working in the 4 largest facilities here in Vegas, but are always looking for more opportunities.  Just this past week I was able to stop by the GAURDIANS gyms that is right around the corner from my house and meet the staff.  I will be swinging by there on a regular basis and will probably try out a few classes. 

This past weekend was the Superior Cage Combat’s second event.  It was amazing!  I had hoped to work the event, but was happy to attend.  This was the first time that I was able to have both my boys with me at an event and we had fun!  We visited all the booths and handed out FIGHT CHURCH flyers.  We were even invited to officially be a part of the XTREME COUTURE Open House event on September 10th.  This will be a great opportunity to let people know who we are and what we are about!  SCC is doing an incredible job and has another event planned for November.  It would be great to be able to partner with them and work that event!

As you may know, we recently partnered with the TAPOUT Training Facility and have been doing weekly visitation there.  This has been going really well.  I have had the chance to talk with several athletes and am getting to know the staff.  What you may not know is that recently TAPOUT suffered a horrible loss.  Tragedy struck when one of their main coaches, Shawn Tompkins, passed away suddenly.  This huge loss has shocked the MMA community, but especially those on Tompkins’ team at TAPOUT.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they deal with this terrible situation.

In addition to working on a partnership with SCC, I am trying to get FIGHT CHURCH into SIN CITY FIGHTS and MMA XPLOSION!  This weekend, we will be working at the TUFF-N-UFF event at the Cox Pavillion and attending a UFC RIO viewing party hosted by a local church here in town.  Many things in the works… please continue to pray that we will be able to help out and ministry in as many ways possible!

Also, September 1st is our 1 year anniversary.  Our goal is to officially “launch” this thing to a whole other level!  We have come a long way, but there is so much more to be done.  We need your help!  Please consider a one-time donation or becoming a monthly supporter.  Just click the “donate” tab right here on the website.  It’s quick, safe and easy!  Thank you!

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Quick update…

Things are going great! Gym visits are going very well.

Here are a couple of pics I took this week while I was out and about.

I started off my day by swinging by the MMA Junkie Radio Show.  The special guest was the one and only STRIKEFORCE color commetator, Mauro Ranallo.  I was fully prepared to just hang out, but was invited to sit “in studio” during the broadcast.  It was pretty was incredible!  I had a great time and FIGHT CHURCH got a shout out!

I had some really great opportunities to meet some new fighters and had some amazing conversations with a few that I already know. I am receiving more and more prayer requests each week during visits, over the phone and online. It has been such a honor to pray with them and for their needs.

Things continue to move right along… busy, busy, busy!

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Yesterday was a great day of gym visits.  I spent a few hours over at XTREME COUTURE and this is what it looked like… 

I ran into our friend Rodrigo Artilherio who proudly showed off his new mouthguard that has a Scripture reference from Matthew printed on it.  He is quick to explain to all those around that it is the passage that tells of the wise man who builds his house upon the rock and when the storms come it stands!  He smiles and gives a thumbs up!

Just before that, I had a chance to sit down with exciting fighter from New Zealand, Brice Ritani and talk for a little bit.  Then I hung out for a while and watched them both train with Ray Sefo. 

Then, I checked in with some of the gym staff, caught up with a couple other guys, said hello to a few more, spoke to two or three guys over the phone, prayed over the phone with two guys, took some notes and set up a couple one-on one meetings along the way… then moved to next gym! 

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Recently I have had several people back home in Indiana ask me what an MMA Chaplain does.  Well, there are some tabs on this website that you can click on that will explain what we do, but over the next few weeks I hope to really “show” through photos, vodeo blogs, stories, etc.  Some of these will be posted, but I hope that they will also be share via e-mail, over the phone and on FACEBOOK per your request.  Please feel free to contact me and ask any question you would like about what we do, past events, our vision or whatever!

Let this post be a taste…

 I had a great day today out visiting the MMA gyms around the Vegas Valley building relationships with fighters, gym staff and other people in the MMA community.  I met new people and talked with folks that I have know for over a year now. 

I visited WAND, XTREME COUTURE and THROWDOWN.  I saw my friend Rodrigo who was about to teach his kid’s class at XC.  He is such a great guy!  I also stopped by a live brodcast of ESPN RADIO and chatted with the guys about MMA for a little while.  Then I discovered that just a few doors down was a business called FIGHT DENTISTS.  I popped in and had a great discussion with the owner and am excited about the future of that relationship!

I will be posting as much as possible so be sure to check back here often as you can.  I look forward to hearing from everyone.  My e-mail address is josh@fightchurch.com, my phone # is 702-494-8106, you can follow me on TWITTER @pjoshboyd and you can find me at www.facebook.com/pjoshboyd!

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Interview with Roy “Big Country” Nelson…

On May 28th, the UFC will be having a huge live event here in Las Vegas.  It will feature a match-up  between two heavyweights who are actually from Las Vegas.  This might not seem that crazy, but I have lived here for almost 4 years now and it seems that almost nobody is actually from here.  Anyway, I had the chance to speak with one of those fighters today about this exciting event.  His name is Roy “Big Country” Nelson and he will be taking on former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir.    This is what he had to say…

FC:      So, a big fight coming up for UFC 130 between you and Frank Mir, two hometown boys fighting in your hometown.  Is there any history there?

BC:      Well, I have known Frank for about 11+ years through MMA.

FC:      The last few fights Mir had, he bulked up to fight and came in heavier than normal. What about you? Are you coming into this fight any different than normal?

BC:      Probably a little smaller… right now I am 272lbs., which is about 4 or 5 pounds smaller than normal; but I will come in to the weigh-ins at 264 like always.

FC:      Your stats are the about the same Record/Age/etc… But your styles seem very different, Mir has a high percentage submission victories, and you have high percentage of Striking victories. Where do you think this fight will go?

BC:      Mir’s probably better on the ground… he’s the longest reigning heavy-weight champion in Zuffa history. He’s gotta be doin’ something right. I probably have the advantage standing up, but anything can happen, this is MMA.

FC:      So, have you done anything different to prepare for this fight?

BC:      Not really, pretty much the same as always, just training to be a better fighter and be prepared for anything.

FC:      Are you training with the same guys as always or have you made any changes there?

BC:      There’s been a few changes, had to get rid of a few guys, you have to get rid of anybody that holds you back, sometimes you have to trim the fat.

FC:      I know in the past you have mostly trained at your house. Is that still true?

BC:      Yeah, pretty much, but I do go to some gyms – all over town Gold’s Gym, Xtreme Couture, Throwdown, Striking Unlimited and Las Vegas Athletic Club.

FC:      In the past you expressed interest in fighting Brock Lesnar – is that still something you want to do?

BC:      Sure, if it’s for a Title shot – I want to fight whoever gets me further. Maybe Big Nog.   It seems whoever beats him gets a title shot.

FC:      There’s a another big UFC coming up (UFC 129) any predictions for the Couture/Machida or St. Pierre/Shields fights?

BC:      Couture is a really great wrestler. Shields is great on the ground, but if St. Pierre plays it like he did with KOS keeps it standing and sticks the jab he can out-work him, but anything can happen – it’s MMA!

FC:      Anything going on with Big Country bedsides fighting? You writing a book? Seems to be the thing fighters are doing now.  That and movies.

BC:      Actually, there is a Big Country book in the works!   I wanted it to come out against Brock’s to see who would do better, but it looks like it will be out more like August.  And after this fight, you’ll probably see me ‘pop-up’ in some movies.

Well, that’s pretty much it.  I have to say that now I am even more excited to see this fight.  Especially because when I asked Mr. Nelson about his “history” with Mr. Mir and their fighting “styles”, he left out something.  If you have been a MMA fan for very long, you have probably stumbled across a video of these two matched up at the 2003 Grapplers Quest event.  At the end, it is Big Country’s hand that is raised.  Of course, this doesn’t prove anything.  It was a long time ago and it wasn’t an MMA fight.  I just like that he didn’t mention it. 

This is going to be a great fight!