Posts

So happy to announce a big victory for FIGHT CHURCH board member. Here are the details according to www.cagewarriors.com

“MIKE ‘300’ HAYES is the new CWFC heavyweight champion after defeating Andreas ‘Big Daddy’ Kraniotakes in the main event at Fight Night 4 at the Dubai World Trade Centre tonight.

Hayes, from Washington in the USA, took his record to 17-4-1 by securing a submission (kimura) win over Kraniotakes (13-6-0) after 4:21 of Round 3. The victory also gave Hayes the submission of the night bonus.”

Great job, Mike! So happy for you and your family!

MORE ON MIKE “300” HAYES…

MORE ON MIKE “300” HAYES…

Not too long ago we featured Mike “300” Hayes in a short segment.  I had the chance to talk with him the other day about his upcoming fight, his faith, and how he got here…

Mike Hayes started his journey of faith and his road to becoming a professional MMA fighter in the same place.  A few years back his life got off track, he found himself on the wrong side of the law and he ended up doing some time in prison.  Turns out this may have been just what he needed!

Mike told me that while locked up, he watched a MMA event on TV and became interested in this sport.  He felt confident that he was capable of competing.  With no prior training or experience he began to work out and train. 

Although Mike had been taken to church as a child by his parents, it was never something he thought much about or considered to be his thing.  Now in prison, with time on his hands, his priorities changed, a serious reevaluation of things was in order and Mike said the need for something different became very clear.  He began to read the Scriptures, attend Bible study group and seek the Lord.  Over time he grew both physically and spiritually!

Upon his release Mike continued his journey of faith as well as his training to becoming a MMA fighter.  When given the opportunity to test himself as an amateur fighter, he welcomed the challenged and was successful.  After going pro, Mike won his first 7 fights and holds a total professional record of 15 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw.

These days, Mike still trains with some of the guys from the very beginning, but two of his main training partners are fellow pro fighters Eric Dahlberg and STRIKEFORCE fighter Trevor Smith.  On the spiritual side of things, Mike has put together a great team as well.   He attends the Eastlake Community Church and surrounds himself with people who challenge him and keep him in check. 

In just over a week, Mike will Headline an event in what has to be the biggest fight of his professional career that has huge implications on his future in the sport.  Obviously, there is a lot to this story and there is no way I could ever do it justice, but hopefully you at least know that this is a great guy.  I am so excited to see how things continue to unfold for Mike.  And I am glad that our lives have intersected!

Please join with FIGHT CHURCH and pray for our friend Mike Hayes.  Also, check him out on Facebook, send him an encouraging message and support him any way you can!

Fighter Snapshot: Mike Hayes

FIGHTER SNAPSHOT:  Mike “300” Hayes is a professional heavyweight MMA fighter with a record of 15 wins, 4 loses and 1 draw.  He is also a believer.  He will be fighting UFC veteran Sean McCorkle in the CFA 2 main event in Miami, FL on July 23rd.  I am going to try to interview him between now and then if his training and my schedule allows.  In the meantime, I asked Mike how important he thought a ministry like FIGHT CHURCH could be for guys like him who are trying to live a life of Faith and be a professional MMA fighter.  This is what he had to say…

“As a fighter, I struggle with the pull that the sport has away from my family, friends, and faith. It’s not easy to turn your head from the ring girls and female fans that surround you. Most normal church and ministry organizations don’t have a clear understanding of what a fighter goes through, so it’s hard to receive advice from them. This doesn’t even touch on Vegas. Obviously it’s the Mecca for the sport, and as athletes make it to the big fights there, they are also making more money. It’s called sin city for a reason….the temptations are enormous, and the added fame and money make it a very difficult, but necessary, place for a fighter to go.

 MMA athletes have a very unique audience to which our influence can be dramatic. I haven’t even made it to the UFC yet, but I did a charity event at a junior high school near Seattle about a month ago. The kids there all knew who I was and treated me like a superstar. I was shocked! It really made me realize that I need to pick and choose my words in the media very carefully because everyone is listening. It would be great to have an MMA chaplain to help fighters like myself to say and do the right thing, whether in Vegas or back in our hometowns. With the incredible platform to reach out to people that we’ve been given, I feel like I have a larger responsibility to focus on my words and actions so that I represent Christ the best I can. Looking forward to meeting you at some point, and doing my part in reaching out to people.”