“Alpha” Cat Zingano is one bad woman. And by bad, I mean ridiculously good.

Not only does she have a professional women’s MMA record of 7-0, but she finished six out of those seven fights: three by submission, two by TKO, and one by knockout.

Zingano will face Miesha “Cupcake” Tate [13-3] on April 13, 2013, at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she will take part in the second women’s MMA bout in the history of the UFC. On the line if she wins? A shot at the women’s bantamweight championship, and a chance to do battle with the “Queen of the UFC,” Ronda Rousey.

Additionally, at UFC 158, Dana White announced that the winner of the Tate-Zingano matchup will go on to coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter alongside Rousey, which will now consist of both men and women’s MMA hopefuls.

I was fortunate enough to capture a few minutes of time from this phenomenal athlete, who in 2011 was ranked as the number one 125-pound female MMA Fighter in the World. We talk about her background as a wrestler, sex appeal in MMA, training under her husband, Master Mauricio Zingano, and of course, her guiltiest pleasure. Enjoy!

***

Stephanie Joplin: Tell me about how you got into wrestling at such a young age. Obviously an unusual sport for a girl of 12! Any fun anecdotes about beating up tons of boys growing up are welcome.

Cat Zingano: I had a mentor in middle school that was always looking out for me.  I was getting into fights and getting in trouble.  He coached the wrestling team and asked me to come check out a practice.  It turned out the boy I had a crush on was one of the top wrestlers on the team and in the region.  I came to practice the next day and got teamed up with him.  I beat him pretty bad and I was hooked on the sport.  Needless to say after that practice I no longer had a crush on the boy!

SJ: You were a four-time All American and National Champ wrestler and competed on Team USA. What are your thoughts on the International Olympic Committee removing wrestling from The Games?

CZ: I think it’s horrible!  Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the world and founded the Olympics.  Wrestling has given me so much in my life and it’s sad to think other girls and boys aren’t going to get to live their dream because of advertising money.

SJ: Training in Colorado, how does one prepare differently to fight at sea level? Do you ever feel a bit off balance and if so, how do you train against that?

CZ: Training in Colorado is great.  I definitely feel great and my cardio is increased at sea level for a short amount of time.

SJ: You and your husband, Mauricio Zingano, make quite the pair! Is that how you got into BJJ in 2007? Or did you meet him along the way? Was he already a black belt at the time you met?

CZ: Yeah, he’s a great man!  Yes, I was looking for something to do and I walked in his academy signed up for a free week, and again I was hooked!  Master Zingano is truly an amazing coach and husband.

SJ: Was Mauricio your trainer or coach at any point in time? If so, how did that dynamic work for you as an athlete, and as a wife?

CZ: Yes he’s coached me from the beginning.  It’s tough sometimes being married to my coach.  But where there’s love, you find a way to work it out and find middle ground.  It’s so important not to bring your work home every day.

SJ: How did becoming a mother change your training and competing schedule? How did you manage to work around all the new responsibilities?

CZ: It adds an additional level of responsibilities for sure.  I take him to school each morning and train throughout the day (just like any one else that goes to work every day).  Mauricio is a HUGE help at home with our son, he takes on some extra tasks so I can rest and makes sure the home life stays as normal as possible.

SJ: How do you think being “attractive” or “pretty” factors in to success and fame as a woman with a career in MMA? Do you think “sex” is an important part of selling women’s MMA?

CZ: Well I guess it doesn’t hurt to be sexy!  But when it’s all said and done the fans want great fights.  If we just walked out all sexy and didn’t perform in the cage then it would just be modeling and our fans expect more…a lot more!

SJ: Do you feel “left out” of the rivalry between your opponent, Miesha Tate, and current UFC Bantamweight Champ, Ronda Rousey?

CZ: Nope, not at all.  Those girls don’t like each other that’s fine with me.  But I’m here to win the UFC Championship belt and plan on doing it in the cage, not on twitter, or jump into any girl drama.

SJ: Both you and Miesha are all over the board when it comes to skills in mixed martial arts. Your records speak to that – both strong strikers and grapplers. Do you plan on using that wrestling background to really gain the advantage in this fight?

CZ: You know Miesha and I type of fighters for the most part: our game plan is to dominate at ever aspect of the fight.  I’ve shown in the past I can finish anyone, anytime with any technique.

SJ: Do you have any pre-fight rituals or superstitions?

CZ: Not really.  I like to watch funny movies with my coaches and manager.  We just chill in the hotel room most of the time.

SJ: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

CZ: Sweets!  Love them; can’t talk about them now and for sure can’t have them during camp.

***

Photo Credits: Phenom Management

However, in this particular month, I was craving something more.

February 23, 2013, will go down in history as the day that women were first allowed to compete in the UFC. As most MMA fans know, Dana White, UFC President, was quoted as saying, “women will never fight in the UFC.” So what changed his mind? By now, we all know the answer: Ronda Rousey. You think I would miss this sh*t? Not likely.

So I buy my tickets. Best available was section 106, row 8. Eight rows from the octagon. Eight rows from watching a stacked card that included some of my favorite mixed martial artists: Chad Mendes (later removed after his opponent, Manny Gamburyan, was injured while training), Michael Chiesa, Urijah Faber, Dan Henderson and of course, “Rowdy” Ronda. The entire card was jam packed with great fights, including a masterful FOTN from Dennis Bermudez (W) and Matt Grice.

Leading up to that weekend, I had never watched so much media coverage for just one fight card. In fact, at the pre-fight press conference, White confirmed that they had never received so much coverage prior to 157: “This is without a doubt, the most media attention we’ve ever had leading up to a fight. And when I talk about media attention, I’m talking about big time media.”

Despite all of this evident support for women’s MMA, I had quite a bit of opposition from my peers as they questioned Dana’s decision, and my own decision to attend this fight. I would like to emphasize once again that although feminine, I am a long way’s off from what you might call “the typical girl.” I don’t watch The Bachelor, and if I do my best friend and I text about what idiots these girls are for boning a dude in hopes that he will pick them out of 20 other hopefuls. I don’t have “girls’ nights out” nor do I participate in “girls’ trips”, and I certainly don’t enjoy attending dildo-filled bachelorette parties or missing football for a Sunday bridal shower. What I am trying to say is, I do not look at WMMA as being “girly” in any form; it is simply not another annoying “girly” habit at which men should be rolling their eyes. Women have a lot more to prove these days in this particular sport, and they are all well-aware of the hard road that lies ahead for them.

Many comments I received included thoughts that this was the “wrong move” for the UFC, and that it would essentially “destroy” the organization and all that it stood for. (Which is absolute garbage.) Clearly, Dana White knows what he is doing. He is a businessman, and a smart one at that. Dana and his team have spent years and years building the UFC to what it is now: the biggest fighting promotion on the planet, times ten, and there is just no way he would jeopardize that purposefully. And let me tell you, when the women did their walk outs that night, it was vastly evident that nearly all the UFC fans in attendance were waiting for that moment. 15,125 tickets, completely sold out. One might argue that the main draw was Henderson-Machida, but I can tell you right now that their cheers were no match for the main event. The abysmal performance only added to the excitement of the fast-paced women’s bout.

Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports expert, wrote a great article the day after the fight in which he explained, “…[WMMA skeptics] simply showed themselves as clueless bigots because there was no doubt who everybody had come to see Saturday.” He went on, “The reception [of Liz & Ronda's walkouts] made those who had angrily said they wouldn’t buy a ticket or watch the show because the UFC was somehow disrespecting Machida and Henderson look awfully small.”

Post fight, Dana also addressed rumors that Liz had been brought on as a sacrificial lamb to Ronda’s sharp wolfy chompers, calling it “goofy backlash.” (There’s a joke in there somewhere about Rousey’s mouthguard and teeth marks on Liz’s arm…) I was, as I mentioned, eight rows away and was actually screaming “OH MY G-D OH MY G-D OH MY G-D” out loud when Carmouche backpacked and was pursuing the neck crank. As Rousey said, “There is nothing predictable about Liz Carmouche.” And she was right.

Up next for Rousey will most likely be the winner of Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano‘s bout on the season finale of The Ultimate Fighter 17. With all the sh*t talking that Tate has been doing after 157, I am surprised she has any energy left to train at all….but that’s a discussion and a blog post for another day.

But to the fans of MMA, I pose to you this question (in Gladiator fashion): “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? IS THIS NOT WHY YOU ARE HERE?” I just don’t know how you could not root for these human beings, these two women, who trained hard and fought so valiantly for our entertainment. So, despite the oh-so crushing blow to old schooler egos everywhere, and with Rousey/Carmouche at the helm, the women are undoubtedly here to stay. Tough sh*t, man.

***

Bonuses of $50K were distributed as follows for UFC157:

Submission of the Night: Brock Jardine vs. Kenny Robertson

Knockout of the Night: Robbie Lawler vs. Josh Koscheck

Fight of the Night: Dennis Bermudez vs. Matt Grice

Photo Credits: nypost.com instagram.com/stephaniejoplin bleacherreport.com

As we sat down on that late January afternoon, I knew there was something different about Ricky Shivers. As he thoughtfully sipped on his smoothie, I could tell that his mind was elsewhere. I make small talk; ask him how training went earlier that day, how he’s feeling. He answers as if he has the responses memorized, like it’s clockwork.

Ricky lives his life by that clock. He has a routine that mimics even the greatest of mixed martial artists and, for Ricky, it’s all about the end goal: fighting in the UFC.

Shivers spends a minimum of four to six hours a day at the gym. When he’s not training, he is teaching. BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, you name it. Ricky is truly a mixed martial artist. “I live in the gym,” explains Shivers. “Every time I train, I train to fight whoever is holding the UFC Heavyweight belt.” Master Carlos Gracie Jr., founder of Gracie Barra MMA Champions, the place Ricky calls home, once said, “If everything seems under control, you are not moving fast enough.” It is abundantly evident that Shivers lives by these words.

Most mixed martial artists have the opportunity to hone their skills as an amateur fighter prior to taking to the cage as a pro, but not Ricky. In August 2004, after only a few months of kickboxing training, he made his pro debut, defeating Luke Pierce by TKO in the second round. Quite an achievement for any man, let alone one of nineteen years of age. What’s more, Ricky had no formal BJJ training whatsoever before that first bout. “The guy almost arm-barred me…I didn’t know I was in an arm bar; I just pulled my arm out of a tight spot!”

Now with a 12-6-1 record under his belt, “Ice Cold” Ricky heads into fight number 20, his first fight as a Houstonian, against Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis who boasts an 8-2 record, and has a reputation for being less than forgiving in the cage. Ricky, an Alaska native, is still fairly unknown to many Houston MMA veterans. Lewis supporters believe that Shivers has no chance to take on the current Legacy Fighting Championships Heavyweight Champ: “[Derrick’s] on a seven fight win streak; he’s knocked everybody out. But if you look at the guys that he fought, I am ten times a better fighter [than any of them]. He doesn’t have the Jiu Jitsu skills that I do. And my cardio is excellent for a heavyweight.” I ask how he plans to beat Derrick, to which he simply replies, “He’s going to get tired of seeing my left hand in his face.

I ask Ricky how he would reply to those who say the same about him: that his past opponents were “nobodies.” “Look on Sherdog. That’s what I would tell them.” He continues, “Go call [two-time Division 1 National Champion Wrestler] Eric Smith. He was 6-0 before I fought him. Alistair Overeem brought him in [to be his wrestling coach] before he fought Brock Lesnar. I fought [Eric] in Detroit and he beat my ass for three rounds before I took him out in the fourth. He had never [had to go] past the first round before.” Ricky later tells me that after sparring a few rounds with Dan Henderson, (who at the time was training for his fight opposite Jon Jones) Henderson expressed to him that he didn’t know why Ricky wasn’t in the UFC already. Pretty badass compliment.

Ricky’s journey, as aforementioned, began in Alaska, but spans nine years of blood, sweat, and tears, along with a lot of moving and travelling. Sustaining the roll of doting husband and loving dad is extremely important to Ricky. Keri, his wife of nearly nine years, and mother to his two boys, James and Levi, has been with him through thick and thin. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her,” he tells me, a bit misty-eyed. “She pushes me more than anyone to succeed.” You can tell there is a lot of respect there. Keri uprooted their family to move to Reno, after all, and Texas thereafter, all for Ricky’s career. “She’s let me pursue my dream.” 

Since his arrival in Texas, Ricky has dominated NAGA Grappling Championship tournaments both in Houston and in Dallas, and has competed in both State and World Championships in No-Gi BJJ as a Black Belt. After winning four of four No-Gi NAGA tournaments, he is now ranked number one in the nation in his weight class and number three in the nation in the adult division. “I’m by far the best grappler in the state that competes actively,” he tells me. [Numbers one and two live in New Jersey].

Despite his successes in Texas, Ricky craves one thing more: camaraderie with his fellow Houston martial artists.  “I want to let Houston know that I am a talented guy…I am really excited for this new chapter in my life, and new adventure. [I would like to] make friends and make fans… to mix and mingle with…athletes and fighters and really train and make some relationships happen.”

“I’m excited for this fight,” Shivers says after some reflection. “I’m happy that Mick [Maynard] has recognized what I am worth and what my value is as a fighter…” I see Ricky’s mind start to wander again, and before I could even ask what he was thinking, I find out why his mind will always be in two places at once. “My father died back in October. I wanted him to see me get to the UFC…that is what drives me most. Winning it for him.”

Well, Ricky…when that time comes, I can assure you that your dad will have a front row seat.

***

Watch Ricky and Derrick battle for Legacy’s Heavyweight Belt on Friday, March 1, 2013, at Arena Theater. Tickets on sale at cagetix.com. 

Photo Credits: The Shivers family.

The biggest football game of the season is on Sunday, but it is also the last one – the Super Bowl. For either the Ravens or the 49ers, a dream will be realized sometime late Sunday evening in the Louisiana bayou. For the loser, they will feel somewhat like the rest of us casual/hardcore football fans…

Sad. Lonely. Lost. 

Saying to themselves, “Sh*t.. now I have to watch the NBA?!”

But do not fear, there is a way to survive this awful time of the year – better known as the NFL offseason. Here are some suggestions.

1. Watch some old games – bonus if they include Brett Favre.

I’d suggest this even during the season, I mean watching old Brett Favre games on TV .. lets just say without DVR these games may hit four hours and I’d have to see a doctor .. I mean I mean it’s BRETT FAVRE. But anyway, if you’re a fan of a team that had a good season – what better way to kill some of the long offseason by re-watching an old game on a Sunday? Unless you’re a Chiefs or Jaguars fan.. then you might need to watch a game from the late 90’s or just focus on maintaining your lawn.

2. Spend time with your wife/husband/significant other

2. Play Madden 2013 on the Playstation 3 or Xbox360 In stores now! (CHA-CHING!)

3. Take a vacation…. Via a giant bus!

Planes freakin’ suck. And you get to your destination way too quickly! Take a bus, you won’t regret it.

4. Experiment in a kitchen with some crazy genetic splicing.

How do you think I created a turkey with a chicken and duck stuffed inside of it all while having the aforementioned turkey have like 15 legs? I was bored in the offseason. Hello!

5. Drink a LOT of beer.

Though you should probably do this during football season too. You know what goes great with beer? Ace Hardware. No no.. Outback Steakhouse.. yeah that’s the one. Either way the more you drink, the more likely your days will morph into another and then next thing you know – hey hey, football!

So you see folks, if you follow these five steps – the offseason will fly by and before you know it… SEVEN LONG MONTHS will have passed and we will have football back.  After dealing with the agony of having nearly THIRTY weeks without football, it will just zip on by, zip on by….. and after watching a lot of basketball and baseball and ten minutes of hockey – football will return!

Damn it.  The offseason sucks. 

@FauxJohnMadden is a satire Twitter account created in 2009 by a 25-year old Seattle Seahawks fan, stranded in Albuquerque.  He now is 28-years old and still a Seahawks fan, which is a sad story that can be told some other day. 

On December 12, 2011, the Houston Texans took their franchise seventeenth loss to the Indianapolis Colts. On this, their twentieth matchup versus the 1970 and 2006 Super Bowl Champs, the “Bulls on Parade” simply had their float deflated by the Colts late in the fourth quarter.

Both the Colts and the Texans fought that day at a disadvantage. Although favored to win this game, the Texans’ star WR Andre Johnson was inactive, and, lest we forget the great QB debacle: Matt Schaub out for season, followed closely by Matt Leinart. Noticeably absent from the Colts offense was star QB Peyton Manning, and with the Texans’ 10-5 record versus the Colts’ 2-13, it looks like Indy’s fate was sealed.

Defensive captain, ILB Brian Cushing, sacked Colts QB Dan Orlovsky on the first play of the game, but that is where the momentum stalled: after a pretty boring game of field goals, the Colts pulled it out in the second half to defeat the Texans 19-16. So what happened?

Well, all the experts concluded that the Texans just played too conservatively, and foolishly at that. Houston picked up eleven total penalties, three in the last quarter alone. QB T.J. Yates finished 13 of 16 for 132 yards; solid, yet his offense scored only one touchdown in the first (by RB Arian Foster, who ran 23 times for a total of 154 yards), and two field goals in the Red Zone. Additionally, there were no third down conversions till late in the fourth (1/10). Colts WR Reggie Wayne caught a 34-yard pass with 51 seconds left, where Texans DE J.J. Watt picked up two of the three penalties in the fourth quarter that ultimately cost Houston the dub. Orlovsky then completed to Wayne at the buzzer for the TD.

Fast forward to December 2012: week 15 will bring these two teams together once again, this time at Reliant Stadium. And although a win is comprised of a full and solid team effort, I truly believe that this particular match up will be rooted in a battle of the quarterback. The Texans have Schaub back once again, and the Colts….well, the Colts have “Golden Child” number one draft pick, Andrew Luck.

Luck has won more games (eight) than any rookie QB drafted number one overall in the Super Bowl era. * In Week 13 against the Lions, Luck was probable to play; however, Fantasy experts still chose him 87%-13% over Schaub. Luck completed 24/54 for 391 yards, including four touchdown passes. Season to date stats put Luck at 3,596 yards with 17 touchdowns.

Matt Schaub, in Week 13 versus the Titans, was 21/35 for 207 yards, with two touchdown passes. Year to date, he has a total of 3,062 yards and a total of 21 touchdowns. It is plain to see there is a bit of a tug-of-war going on between these two and their stats going into their matchup in Week 15.

Clearly, judging by overall performance, Luck is poised to launch himself into QB stardom, among the likes of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Not only that, he is in the running (and my pick) for the NFL’s Rookie of the Year. Even the most die-hard Texans fans will tell you, Schaub just does not fit that particular mold. With that said, I will tell you what mold Schaub does fit, and to a tee: Houston’s.

Knee-jerk reaction would be to call Luck the “better” quarterback, but perhaps that is a relative term. After all, what makes a good QB is one who brings his team together, where all the stars align and you just have that dynamic that no one can touch. That is precisely the case for this 11-1 Houston team.

The Colts will need to be acutely aware of the Texans’ defense. In Week 13, Luck was picked off three times. He has had a total of sixteen interceptions this season to Schaub’s nine (zero in Week 13). [To put this in perspective, Rodgers has eight picks on the season, while Brady has only four]. Arguably, this is Luck’s rookie year, and fewer picks will come with experience, but this will be an imminent danger to Indy’s offense.

Texans challenges include two things: the first being the absurd amount of injuries they have seen in the past few months (hell, the past few years). Offensive coordinator, Rick Dennison, and defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, have done well shuffling their players around to fill the holes. However, in recent weeks, Cornerback Johnathan Joseph’s absence has been a large obstacle, probably the most notable one. Alan Ball and Brice McCain both suffered subsequent injuries trying to fill the CB’s shoes. Rumor has it Joseph will be back for Week 14 versus the New England Patriots, but with this weakness prevalent in all football-related media, this could prove to be the Texans’ Achilles heel (sorry, Cush).

The second challenge for the Texans will be to get the proverbial ball rolling in the first half, preferably the first quarter. It is imperative to score early against the predominantly offensively-driven Colts, especially with Luck at the helm. The Texans have the propensity to rely a bit too much on their “Bulls on Parade” to get them out of a jam; this was evident in their consecutive OT games against the Jaguars and the Bears.

Regardless of the outcome, this game is sure to be substantially more interesting than last year’s special teams dog and pony show.

#peaceloveandfootball

**BONUS: WEEK 14 AFC South, explained…

Texans v. Patriots (TBD)
Colts v. Titans (TBD)
Ravens v. Redskins (TBD)
Broncos v. Raiders (Broncos)

HOUSTON CLINCHES AFC SOUTH WITH:
1) Houston WIN and Indianapolis LOSS or TIE
2) Houston TIE and Indianapolis LOSS

HOUSTON CLINCHES FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF BYE WITH:
1) Houston WIN and Indianapolis LOSS or TIE PLUS Baltimore LOSS or TIE
2) Houston WIN and Indianapolis LOSS or TIE PLUS Denver LOSS or TIE

HOUSTON RECEIVES HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT AFC PLAYOFFS WITH:
1) Houston WIN and Indianapolis LOSS or TIE PLUS Baltimore LOSS PLUS Denver LOSS

*Stats via ESPN.com, Photos via: sportsvent.com  mysanantonio.com  colts.com  houstontexans.com  zimbio.com  Bob Levey/Getty Images

Mike Damante writes for the Houston Chronicle’s Hockey Stop blog. He has played the game in Houston for the past 14 years at the high school and recreational levels. You can follow Mike on twitter @MikeDamante.

#PeaceLoveAndHockey

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY A:

You are a match with Patrick Patterson, Houston Rockets Power Forward.

Age: 23

Height: 6’9″

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Twitter: @pdpatt

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY B:

You are a match with Eric Garcia, Houston MMA Fighter

Age: 31

Height: 5’10″

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Twitter: N/A

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY C:

You are a match with Jason Zucker, Minnesota Wild/Houston Aeros Forward

Age: 20

Height: 5’10″

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Twitter:  @jason_zucker16

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY D:

You are a match with Mike “The Truth” Jackson, Houston MMA Fighter

Age: 27

Height: 6’2″

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Twitter: @TheTruthJackson

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY E:

You are a match with Brian Ching, Houston Dynamo Forward

Age: 34

Height: 6’1″

Hometown: Haleiwa, Hawaii

Twitter: @brianching

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY F:

You are a match with Antonio Smith, Houston Texans Defensive End

Age: 31

Height: 6’4″

Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Twitter: @AntonioSmith94

IF YOU ANSWERED MOSTLY G:

You are a match with Whitney Mercilus, Houston Texans  Outside Linebacker

Age: 22

Height: 6’4″

Hometown: Akron, Ohio

Twitter: @merci380

***

photo credits: MikeTheTruth.com  atoast2wealth.com GettyImages.com  Rockets.com  Wild.NHL.com  debohouston.com  blog.seahawks.com 

So here’s where I come in….as usual.

Instructions: Grab a pen & paper. 

- Take this quiz to find out which Houston hot shot you match up with the best. I will be posting the answer key on the next blog post.

- You will want to select the response that suits you best from his male perspective.

- Leave a comment, tweet me, or post on Facebook with the results of your quiz!

…And most importantly, no cheating!

***

What is your idea of a perfect date?

A. “Pick her up, don’t have to wait long on her. Open her door. Dinner, drinks. Then grab something sweet and head back to her place towatch a movie and chill.”

B. “Dave And Busters or go-karts after dinner. I’d have to say the perfect date for me consist of dinner with a woman that isn’t afraid to eat!”

C. “Steak dinner and ice cream after.”

D. “Going to a comedy show then just chilling after.”

E. “Something active where we could still talk. Mini-golf, beach, go-carts. Then a nice dinner.”

F. “Dinner and a movie.”

G. “Candle-lit dinner on a boat, a calm nightly stroll on the lake while the moon and stars illuminate the sky.”

*

What is your favorite post-game meal?

A. Peanut Butter & Jelly with Chips

B. Mexican food. A huge mixed platter of enchiladas, tacos, rice and beans.

C. Farfalle pasta with chicken from Cheesecake Factory

D. Fettucine Alfredo 

E. Pizza

F. Steak or Sushi.

G. Homemade wings.

*

Where would you go if you could travel on a dream vacation?

A. “Fiji.”

B. “Jerusalem. I would love to visit The Holy Land.”

C. “Hawaii.”

D. “Somewhere in the Caribbean.”

E. “I would love to go to Australia again.”

F. “A beautiful island.”

G. “Venice, Italy.”

*

What is your favorite music genre? Who is your favorite music artist?

A. R&B/Tyga

B. Soft rock, rap, R&B, Christian music/Phil Collins, Jeremy Camp, Chris Brown and Ne-Yo.

C. Hip Hop/Eminem.

D. Hip Hop/R&B/Jay-Z

E. All types. Rock/Linkin Park.

F. R&B/Blues/Soul/Anthony Hamilton

G. Drake

*

Who is your favorite Super Hero?

A. The Hulk

B. My son. He has a collection of every super hero costume that you can think of.

C. Superman

D. Batman

E. Superman

F. Wolverine

G. Iron Man

*

What is your favorite sport to watch, besides the sport you play?

A. Soccer

B. Boxing

C. Football

D. Basketball

E. Surfing

F. Basketball and Rodeo

G. Soccer

*

What is a trait that you would want in your ideal future woman/mate?

A. “A woman who can cook.”

B. “A woman that will love me for me. Supportive and affectionate.”

C. “Outgoing and athletic.”

D. “Confidence.”

E. “Laid back and active.”

F. “A Christian, God-fearing woman.”

G. “Strong mentally and emotionally”

*

Who is your favorite athlete of all time?

A. Michael Jordan

B. Mike Tyson

C. Lance Armstrong

D. Muhammad Ali

E. Kelly Slater

F. John Randle

G. Myself

***

STAY TUNED FOR “GIRL CHAT IV: ANSWER KEY”! 

photo credits: funwithdating.com  love.allwomenstalk.com  fashionteria.com  welovedates.com

But what happens when we dig a little deeper?

Colin’s story simply cannot be communicated in one post, but I need you to know it. Up until now, his story, in its entirety, has not been made public, and it is with extreme reverence and utmost respect that I impart just some of his story to you.

With his father, Kevin, in the oil industry, Colin, together with his sister Lindsay, and his mother, Lisa, moved around quite a bit in his younger years. “I grew up in Sugar Land [Texas] mostly…rich suburbs…I was spoiled early on, but my parents believed that you have to work for everything.” Much to his parents’ dismay, in the first grade, Colin began showing signs of anger issues. “I got in a lot of fights really early on. My parents threw me in therapy…they always thought there was something wrong with me. I was just an angry little kid, I guess.” After a few years of counseling efforts, Colin’s parents were able to pacify him, but it took its toll: “…I would hold in all my anger and get really depressed.” The turmoil with his family ultimately resulted in Colin being sent away to military school at the age of thirteen. He was bullied and picked on, ridiculed and harassed. “My roommate was a junior…his job was to look after me, and make sure that I was always in line. His idea of keeping me in line was beating me up at night in our room. [My schoolmates] got really creative with their hazing. Everyone thought I was a problem child, and I didn’t have any friends. It was a miserable time for me.”

The first summer back from military school, Lisa went into the hospital. “After I was born [my mom] was diagnosed with Hypogammaglobulinanemia [a primary immune deficiency disease]; I always knew there was something wrong with my mom, but she was always the strongest person I’d ever met in my life. I always thought she was going to outlive me.” When it was time for Colin to go back to school, he, to no avail, begged his father not to send him back, at least until his mother was out of the woods. Within two weeks of being back at military school, and just shortly after turning fifteen, Colin received the worst news of his life. “I remember getting this really eerie feeling…it was the weirdest thing ever; I could feel it in the air, and as soon as I felt it, my drill instructor came on the intercom and he was like ‘Wright! Come down to my office.’ I knew something was wrong.” Colin’s mother had passed away, and he hadn’t had the chance to say goodbye.

After a short time back home grieving his mother’s loss and experiencing the outpouring of love from hundreds for his mother, Colin was sent back. “It was one of my mother’s dying wishes that I stay at military school”, he tells me with a heavy heart. “I was sent right back. The beatings got worse, I got more depressed”, and he began experimenting with hallucinogenics and tobacco. Kevin eventually pulled him out and flew him home, but Colin returned to Texas to find more had changed than he would have ever imagined.

On the day of his arrival, and just six months after his mother’s death, Kevin lowered a boom on his fifteen-year old son: he had been seriously dating another woman for the past month. Colin’s first meeting with the new woman in his father’s life did not go to plan: “I got the cold shoulder from her immediately, you could tell that she didn’t want to have anything to do with me.” After their initial meeting, Kevin asked Colin what his thoughts were on the match. He replied, of course, with reservation: that his mother had just passed six months prior, that this woman was ten years his junior, that this woman had four children of her own. Nonetheless, Kevin exclaimed, “Well, I think she’s awesome. I think I’m going to marry her!” A month later, the pair was engaged. “My dad would leave home for days at a time, and leave me at home by myself. He would be over at her house hanging out.” [Keep in mind Colin was just sixteen years old at this point in time.] Colin and Lindsay moved into the city with their father to join their new stepmom, Lori, and her family. The relationship between Colin, his father and stepmom was tumultuous, and he felt trapped. “It infuriated me on the inside.” He became apathetic with regards to his education after changing schools so many times and with all the problems at home. The only bright spot was a budding friendship with his now best friend, Andon. A huge fight ultimately resulted between Colin and his parents, and it got physical. Lori had brought up his mother, Lisa, during the argument, and Colin lost it. After a physical altercation with Kevin, he packed his bags and went to bunk with Andon.

Kevin hired a private investigator to locate his son’s whereabouts, and eventually convinced Colin to come home. More therapy and family counseling were not far behind. “The shrinks always wanted to send me away…I was like, ‘screw this, I don’t want to do this anymore.’” Yet, somehow, Kevin convinced Colin to go for one more session. It was a normal ride to the shrink’s office. “We pull up…no cars in the parking lot…he drives to the back [of the lot]…there’s a black SUV, and my dad puts the car in park.” Colin says his dad got emotional. “He said, ‘I’m so sorry…these men are here to take you’. I totally blocked him out…and got out of the car.” The men in the SUV threaten Colin to ensure his cooperation, and he complies; they take him to the airport, and put him on a plane bound for Utah.

For the next four months, Colin was trapped in the middle of the wilderness with a handful of other kids. Think “Hunger Games” without the creepy child slaying. Essentially, Kevin had arranged for “Wilderness Therapy”. Basic survival lessons, no showers, no electricity, no utensils, no nothing until you finish your tasks and “graduate.” Talk about a paleo-lifestyle. “They give you a tarp and wool clothes, blindfold you, put you in the back of this SUV, and drop you 60 miles into the middle of the wilderness.” Surprisingly enough, Colin calls this “the coolest experience” of his life. “I’ve made over 100 bow-drill fires…we would eat lizards, they taste like dry steak.” Check out the sweet knife that Colin forged by hand during his time in the wild. [see photo]

After Colin’s cameo on “Survivor: Utah” was complete, Kevin had another delight in mind for his son: “you’re going to boarding school.” “Literally, I graduate, we go to some burger joint, we get on a plane, and we go to Iowa”, he explained. An extremely strict and uniformed school, as you might guess, was not where Colin was to excel. After two years of near torture for the seventeen year old, Colin was kicked out of school after being picked on and goaded by one of his instructors.  He had only half a credit missing to earn his high school diploma. Despite his best efforts to complete his education, he discovered that the boarding school credits did not transfer, and he was forced to drop out out of school completely.

After a short stint living with his grandmother and saving up money doing odd jobs, Colin returned to Houston and moved in again with his friend, Andon. Slowly but surely, ten others moved in to the small apartment. “It’s been a struggle to get back on my feet ever since then. I’m really thankful that I got into mixed martial arts because it really focused my energies. I’d felt so disconnected from everything, all these shrinks told me I was screwed up; I didn’t have a high school diploma, all the jobs I got sucked…I got into training. I work at a bar; I work at the gym, but [fighting] is what I’m focused on.” Currently, Kevin is willing to help his son finish his education, but Colin is finding it difficult to hit the ground running: “I’m trying to go back to school…education means everything in my family. It’s frustrating…I’m struggling to find that balance between trying to train, study, and work. It’s too much.  It really is.”

We talk briefly about Colin’s sister, Lindsay, who was able to escape the problems with her schooling and parents that Colin could not. I ask what his father thinks about his MMA career choice. “He thought I was crazy! He was so pissed off. He was like ‘This is so stupid, you can’t do this and expect to make any money’.” But Colin says after his last couple of wins in the cage, Kevin is coming around slowly but surely. I ask if Kevin will be in attendance for Colin’s fight this coming Saturday. “I don’t know,” he hesitates. “Probably not.” The disappointment in his voice is evident, so I switch topics. What of his relationship with his stepmother, Lori? “[Our relationship is] a lot better. She and I are civil…I feel like there’s a big gap. My dad made me apologize to her after that big fight when she was calling my mom names and telling me I’m a horrible person. I feel like even though we’re okay now, until she sits down and says I’m sorry for treating you the way I did, until that day comes, I’ll always hold something against her. But we’re civil, I hug her when I see her.”

Despite the pitfalls, Colin sets a positive spin on things. He pulls down the collar of his Paradigm sweatshirt, and shows me his most prized tattoo. “My grandma was super eccentric. She lived in Cambodia…[and] had an Indonesian furniture shop in a flea market. She called it “A Road Less Traveled.” After she passed away, I got that tattooed across my chest.” He goes on, “It’s so indicative of my life, you know? It really is. Nobody can say they’ve gone through the crazy shit that I’ve gone through. It’s the road less traveled.”

***

For Part One of Colin’s #DreamShakeBarbie Double Feature, “The Wright Way”, Click HERE.

Follow Colin on Twitter! 

Buy tickets HERE to LEGACY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS: AMATEUR SERIES this Saturday, October 6th, to see Colin take on URIEL FIGUEROA.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE CALIMBAS PHOTOGRAPHY.

Consequently, one could say that an MMA athlete is expected to be stoic, hardened even. There is no room for mercy. So, with that said, how is it possible to find the balance between the cold stone and warm heart? I’m not sure how it’s done, but Colin Wright has discovered it. He is infectious and endearing in the best of ways. His strength shines from the inside out, and you can see the fire from behind his hazel eyes. Everyone Wright knows, opponent or friend, respects him. And after reading what I have to tell you, you will have no choice but to root for him, too.

Wright was originally slated for a main event, title fight on Legacy’s Amateur Series card a month and a half ago, a rematch versus his Cage Combat V opponent, Tony Orozco, Jr. The CCV fight had ended in a controversial TKO in Colin’s favor, and a brawl had broken out amongst the two fighters’ fans. Just 24 hours before the rematch was to happen, Colin received a phone call informing him that Orozco had failed to turn in his medical records on time. After a few go-arounds trying to find a match-up, the entire fight was scrapped.  “I told [Legacy] I wanted on the Muay Thai card anyways.” And Colin’s wish was granted.

October 6, 2012, will mark Wright’s foray into his first Muay Thai fight, Legacy Fighting Championship’s Amateur Series, against Uriel Figueroa. Going into this fight, Wright boasts a 6-0 record, rendering him undefeated as an amateur MMA fighter. Colin’s fighting technique is based strongly in grappling, with a background in wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). This Muay Thai fight is quite a departure from the norm for Wright, and a superior challenge; his opponent, Figueroa, bears a Muay Thai fighting background. The two will fight at 145 pounds.

For those of you who are MMA-impaired, the two opponents’ fighting styles could not be more different. BJJ is a self-defense system, and involves mainly ground-based fighting. Wright has been training day in and day out with Muay Thai coaches James Cooper and Geon Cho, who, along with head/standup coach Mike Altman and boxing coach Aaron Navarro, have refined Colin’s skills in this stand-up striking combative sport. Figueroa should probably start panicking, because mohawk-wielding Wright packs a huge punch. His first two fights were done in under a minute, and his 6-0 record boasts three submissions and three TKOs.

At this point in our interview, it’s 10PM, but I’m not quite ready to leave my newfound friend and confidant. Starbucks kicks us out, and we start swapping stories. Turns out, after winning his first fight in May of 2010, Colin got in line to meet the man who had originally inspired him to action, Ken Shamrock.  “When I shook his hand he asked me, ‘That was you fighting right? You did really good…that was a great way to debut.’” Colin’s face breaks out into a big, goofy smile. This is gold! So, of course, I take this as my opportunity to ask him about the ladies. “What does it take to catch your eye?” I ask. “I don’t really have a type…I really like genuine people. Personality is a huge thing for me. As pretty as you are, I’m totally turned off because you’re just, like, a blob…you’re not even a person, you’re a hollow shell. But physical attraction [is also important], you know? [Pauses] I’m picky…I’m really picky actually.” Colin also tells me he’s single [shock!!] and that he just could not see himself with a chick that wasn’t into MMA.

Despite his setbacks (which I will cover in depth in part II), success isn’t far off for Colin. I can’t say who, where, or when, but the call has come in, and Wright is going pro. What I can tell you: Saturday will mark his last amateur fight, and his first professional matchup will cause Colin’s journey to come full circle.

“Fear none. Respect all.” These words sit above the gym door at Paradigm Training Center, where Wright has called home for the past two and a half years. Colin reflects, “I’ve always approached life as ‘you get what you put into it.’ It’s all about your own personal self-discipline. I know that that sounds so cliché…you hear it so many times over and over again, you can’t help but internalize it after a while.” “The biggest thing I’ve learned, the underlying message was always that you could do so much more than what you’ve done, you just have to believe in yourself.”  One thing is certain, Colin is doing things his way: the Wright way.

***

Buy your tickets HERE for Legacy Fighting Championship: Amateur Series, October 6, 2012.

Follow Colin on Twitter!

Photo Credits: TheCageDoor.net