As readers can see from the above poster, a combat
sports dad is sharing the competition with three of his young sons this weekend
just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. It's called Submission Hunter Pro 22, and it's promoted by Eric Garcia.
My friend John Valentine, who wrapped up a pro MMA career last year, coming up short in a brutal battle with Rowdy Akers, is still competing. He's the current 2017 IBJJF Master Ju Jitsu World Champion and still is a matchmaker for female MMA fighters, and a fight manager.
Besides training, he works full time for a biotheraputic firm as an area manager. Saturday night is "Superfight," submission-only grappling, roughly 30 fights, including Valentine and his sons.
My friend John Valentine, who wrapped up a pro MMA career last year, coming up short in a brutal battle with Rowdy Akers, is still competing. He's the current 2017 IBJJF Master Ju Jitsu World Champion and still is a matchmaker for female MMA fighters, and a fight manager.
Besides training, he works full time for a biotheraputic firm as an area manager. Saturday night is "Superfight," submission-only grappling, roughly 30 fights, including Valentine and his sons.
John has shared observations with us about retiring
from pro MMA action, his current efforts in Ju Jitsu, and training with his
sons.
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How did you know it was time to go from MMA? That’s
a difficult question but the answer for me is that it is time if you truly
listen to what your body and mind are telling you then you will
know. Having been involved in competing and fighting since 2000 in
fight after fight my body (but definitely not my heart) began to tell me it was
time. While as far as stamina goes I knew I could still fight for years to
come, however the risks of injury far outweighed the benefits. I knew of the
potential dangers and knew it was only a matter of time before some potential
irreversible damage occurred. While my training was always on point,
risks were rising with every fight and was it becoming progressively harder to
heal each time. For years I feared the inevitable would come and
ironically in a twist of fate on the night I announced my retirement, it
did. On the fateful night of my last MMA fight with my friend and
opponent Rowdy Akers, I suffered a concussion early on about 45 seconds in and
remember very little on from that point. As I endured almost 30 elbows
to the face and though I went on to “zombie through” 3 grueling and back and
forth competitive rounds, the bloody aftermath left me with an unforeseen and
brutal outcome. I suffered 29 stitches to my face internally and
externally, a broken nose as well as a fractured orbital and lost my normal
speech for days following leaving the hospital. In addition, my
short-term memory is and may not likely ever be the same as it was before that
night. To make matters worse, the many friends and family (most notably
my four young sons) that had gathered to support me that night had to watch as
I tried to fight and stand up in the cage only to slip and fall in puddles of
my own blood. That night solidified in my mind the risk of
continuing on in the sport that I loved. Being here for my children in the
future is far more important; after that night I realized that my career truly
was at its end. Most importantly, MMA took so much time away from
raising my sons. Even as I shared my victories with them they suffered
from my absences. In Ju Jitsu it’s just the opposite: they are a part of
it as they compete alongside both myself and each other. While I
truly loved the sport, when I took a step back and reflected upon what was most
important to me I realized it was time to focus on my other passions and life
goals.
So do you regret MMA and that bloody fight? Absolutely
not. I believe that on the backside of fear and things that
challenge us are lessons that can’t be gained from safe spaces, winning or
acting in the realm of the average. Nelson Mandela said it best when he
said “I never lose. I either win or learn.” That last night in a cage I was
hurt as I had my first “loss” and yet it was my best fight/learning
experience. I made so many great friends such as the Patton brothers
of SteelFist Promotion who gave me many opportunities to challenge
myself. I was honored that night to receive a recognition award from
Steelfist and the MMA community. I was honored to have been involved
with the organization in so many ways as a fighter, matchmaker, and co-host of
the TV show and ringside commentator. Fighting has helped me show
others that despite fighting into my mid 40s age is just a number. This
sounds strange but the defeat that night helped propel me forward into my next
chapter. That night’s blood bath removed fears I’d had at competing
at a national/world level and helped make me mentally strong before I stepped
on the mat at the Ju Jitsu World Championships in December. I told myself
nothing would be harder than what I went through that night so why be
nervous? MMA has always been a young man’s sport and is amazing if
kept in the right context. It can also be a destructive ego force
that can damage so much if you let it so don’t; stay grounded. Utah
MMA is alive and well and I am honored to have put on many battles and to have
gained the fans and friends I had.
Any words to new MMA fighters? Yes…learn that
it’s not all about you. It’s about your team, your coaches, your
family, and the promotions and that it takes everyone to help
you. The spotlight of the cage can amplify the best and/or worst
qualities in us so it’s up to you to recognize which is which and then
represent yourself and team to the best of your ability.
Do you have a favorite Utah MMA fighter? Yep.
Carson Gregory who is truly an inspiration and represents the next generation
of fighters. I don’t see any ego, simply a focus on faith, fighting
and family.
So tell me about your transition from professional
MMA fighter to professional Ju Jitsu fighter for those making that switch? I
have nothing negative to say about MMA but I am very much enjoying this chapter
of my life. The rise of professional jiu-jitsu has flipped an old
idea on its head and here’s why: the popularity of MMA over recent
years has led to some of the most talented MMA fighters current and past making
the switch to professional and competition jiu-jitsu. Whatever you
are seeking awaits you. Thus if it’s important to have your name up
in lights, you can. If you want to produce far more money in the
bank than the average MMA fighter…you can as you can fight every week if you
want to but without the same level of physical risk. Need sponsors?
Many are willing to support your efforts financially. For myself I was not as
concerned about sponsorship as I was about leaving a legacy and continuing on
in a sport where I could excel at the highest levels until I was well into my
70’s. My long-term goal is to chase lifetime goals in the sport and
not chase wins or a record as I stopped keeping track of my grappling record
after over 100 competitive matches. The professional ju jitsu scene
appeals to both practitioners and fans of combat sports and can be just as
nasty when you enter in submission-only super fights that can take place in the
mat and in the cage. For those seeking the glitz and glamour of MMA
you can still get that but perhaps without the physical risks of MMA. When you
fight at a higher level, that fight is in your blood and I will be forever
grateful for my MMA career. I hope to stay involved to some capacity but the
feeling of victory in the cage can never surpass fighting alongside my children
in local or pro Ju jitsu matches.
So you can make money outside of MMA? You
can make money in whatever you decide to put your heart and soul into, but yes
normally in the pro tournaments it is winner take all. In some cases you are
paid for super fights and there are many sponsors willing to supplement your
efforts if you are a respectful ambassador to the sport. For me personally
I choose to donate all my winnings to charity, but there are many avenues to
create a revenue stream outside of MMA if you so desire.
Tell about what you have been able to accomplish
since leaving the sport of MMA? I feel both humbled and proud to
have accomplished so much starting with helping 3 of my children compete and
train more and watching them win national championships and become medal
holders. I was also honored that my professor, the great Robert
Drysdale, felt me worthy to receive my black belt in Ju jitsu. This
journey for me took about 17 years of training and it meant so
much. In December I competed and became a 2017 Ju Jitsu Masters
World Champion which was an honor. In Ju Jitsu the medal and the
title means the world but you get to reflect upon this victory only for about
30 seconds on the winner’s podium; It then becomes an afterthought
and the work continues to challenge yourself to get to the next
level. You will get no accolades from your coaches or teammates
past the day you win; you may get some level of respect but there is
expectation to get back to work and be better the next day.
Tell me about your upcoming Super fight with your
own sons? This fight is both symbolic and historic for me as
it represents an opportunity to step on the mat for one moment in time with my
sons for one pivotal night. It is a submission only, no points professional
match where the winner takes all and the loser takes nothing home but
lessons. I am proud to see 3 of my 4 sons step on the mat, the
youngest being 7 years old. I cannot imagine at 7 years old what it
would be like to step on a mat in front of thousands of people. Regardless of
whether we win, lose or learn it will be a magical night for all of
us. For many years my children have watched me with a certain kind
of awe reserved for idols because I am their father and they watched as they
sacrificed time with me, always understanding that I was trying to set an
example for them of sportsmanship, dedication, humility and honor. This
time, I am the one who is honored to step into the arena with my children to
support them in their own battles. In this journey my goal is to teach them a
little something along the way about strength and honor, and to show them that
I am in awe of the dedication and passion and commitment that they have shown
to this sport and to themselves along the way. This is their night.
Though I am forever grateful there
is a big world past MMA. Ju Jitsu gives me the thrill of the fight, continues the
love of the sport, brings a bit of extra practice to hone my skills even
further, shows my boys that jiu-jitsu truly erases limitations and gives us
years of time to succeed, fail and enjoy each other as a family.
John offered these thoughts about fight week and
competing with his sons: Well it’s fight week is upon us and my boys and
I are looking forward to a successful weigh-in. The week of the fight is one of
the most important for us as weeks of hard work and failure are now being funneled
into 5 days. Our coaches and team have paved euphoric path for us to follow and
it’s still not over as my boys and I look to balance and maintain not just
physical but mental health. Each of you have helped in this journey through
your kind words and support. We love you all. I have seen each one of my boys
begin to develop their own athlete personalities leading up to this and I am
proud to partner with them helping them create their own preflight routines and
ways to mentally prepare. While nervousness is normal I want my boys to
understand that while winning is what we are seeking it is not the main goal
therefor they don’t need to feel like they are walking a tight wire. Instead, I
want them to do their best, have fun, have us come together as men and grow as
a results of this amazing opportunity. While I want victory for my boys I want
so much more for them simply to enjoy their experience. I hope I am able to
Instill in my boys that fight week like any other goal “is NOT about counting
the days but making those days count.
Good luck to John and his sons on Saturday night.
ALSO ... Hector Lopez, of KOA gym in Layton, remained undefeated last weekend, scoring an amateur win at a Tuff N Uff catrd in Nevada. ... The aforementioned Mr. Akers has a pro MMA bout in Wyoming this weekend ... and undefeated pro boxers Gabriel Chairez and Bladimir Estrada are among boxers scheduled to fight on a card Saturday night at The Complex in SLC. Also scheduled to box is female boxer Lisa Carroll. A poster is below. Undefeated Ignacio Chairez and Christian Aguirre, as well as Jordan Marriott, are listed as boxing on the poster. ... A whole bunch of fights have been released for the SteelFist MMA February card in SLC. Go here to see them on social media.
