Before we
start our interview with jiu-jitsu professional John Valentine I(above), competing in
Farmington on May 5 in the Proving Grounds Invitational, here’s a little fight
news in Utah:
Last weekend
in Denver Colorado at Sparta Combat League 68, some fighters with local ties
competed. Kaecy Raddon, a highly ranked amateur at 155, lost a close decision
to another top amateur, Johnson Nasona. In a kickboxing match, Jarrett Kelton
lost a close nod to Brandon Taylor, and 185-pounder Hayden Brown was stopped by
Anthony Cordova. A stablemate of the trio, Alie Kane, lost to Mdegan Winick in
a 115-pound MMA bout. All are amateurs. Your reporter had Kelton, Raddon, and
Kane winning narrow decisions on his card. (All results are here.)
Saturday, in
Casper, Wyo, Rowdy Akers, MMA pro out of One Hit MMA, meets Houssam El Kasri in
a bout (card is here.) And the same night in Idaho Falls, Idaho, in pro MMA bouts, Kerry
Lattimer meets Gabe Pelayo, and Fabio Serrao fights Andrew Cruz (card is here). The three bouts
are all at 145 pounds.
Finally,
Imperial Boxing has made it official: a pro boxing card May 26 at the Davis
Conference. Main bout is 160 pounds pro state title Larry Gomez versus
Christian Aguirre, both undefeated.
Now, our
interview with John Valentine, who meets Chris Wells in an intriguing co-main
bout at PGI: John, now out of Las Vegas, has a long tenure locally with MMA, including coaching a women's MMA team at Hidden Valley Gym, matchmaking with SteelFist, and managing MMA women fighters.
Tell us
about the fight in May?
Valentine: The
fight in May is going to be an exciting one. It is with the invitation-only and
submission-only tournament Proving Grounds invitational (PGI), hosted by Dave
Casteo and Carl Sims. I am one of the featured super fights and the co-main
event for the tournament. I will be taking on one of the most decorated black
belts in Utah, Chris Wells, who is a third-degree black belt under Pedro Sauer.
In addition to my fight there will be three, eight-man brackets where people
are fighting for prize money. In my fight specifically it is a winner take all.
For me this will definitely be one of my toughest challenges that I have faced;
but also one of the most exciting for me as I get an opportunity to once again
give back to some special causes.
How is
training going?
Valentine: My
training, diet, spiritual, mental and physical preparation are all on point. I
built a team for this fight compiled of some of the most talented and decorated
world champions in the sport. Training under arguably one of the top five
practitioners in the world, Team Robert Drysdale, I was able to pull and
partner with a great group of coaches, including, world champions Antonio Lopez,
Bendy Casimir and my long-time friend and former MMA coach, Utah Black Belt
Brandon Guzzo.
Tell us
about the charitable effort to raise money?
Valentine: The
response to the charity and causes has been phenomenal. It’s been overwhelming,
we’re reaching out to people who don’t even live nearby. The causes all center
around suicide awareness. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary
problem and something that has plagued many folks in our own life, but it’s
taken the lives of many folks in the Utah area as well recently. My main focus
charity wise is “Kimonos for Kai,” which was created by James Wright, a close
friend of mine in the memory of his son who passed Kai Wright. The message of
the organization encourages parents and others to talk to your children about
their feelings. Too often children take their own lives because they feel they
have no one to talk to or turn to. The organization gives talks and provides
support and tools to encourage dialogue between parents, coaches and our youth.
James’s message really centers around the idea that you were not replaceable
and that you can always talk to someone if you cannot talk to a parent and find
a friend. If you can’t talk to a friend, find a coach. But the point is always
be sure to talk to someone; there’s always someone here to help you. The second
way I have shown support through my previous MMA fights and this event is to
get sponsorships. This allows people who want to support others to attend these
events who otherwise would not have the financial means to do so. I have
already purchased blocks of tickets that will be distributed through the tournament
organizers for Proving Grounds Invitational and they are working to distribute
those to those in need. It’s important for folks to get out and see these
events as they start to chart and plan their own future goals in jiu-jitsu or
whatever sport they choose. Anyone interested in supporting can contact me
directly. I’m excited at the opportunity to not only compete but compete with
purpose in a class
Also, what
are some long-term goals in your fight career?
Valentine: As
I made the transition in November from the cage as an MMA fighter I still stay
centered and focused on the concepts as a transition into jiu-jitsu. Meaning, I
still love to compete and still able to do so at an age when many people were
throwing in the towel. I want to believe that with training and focus I could
be doing this for years to come. Coming off the world championships last year,
a lot has changed. I was promoted to black belt after 17 years of training,
which was one of the most exciting, and humbling experiences of my life. I feel
like my journey now has just started. My main goal this year is to win a second
world title, but in the black belt division. The medals and the titles don’t
matter as much as my primary goal, which is just to be the best practitioner I
can be. The medals in tournaments are just one way to measure that. So is learning,
growing and developing as not just a practitioner, but becoming a better
teammate. And representing the sport and my gym is also key. I plan to stay active
this year and I have some exciting news that I’ll be announcing shortly about a
submission-only super fight in the cage in Las Vegas where I will be the
featured co-main event. All the proceeds will go back to our troops. Stay
tuned!
Is there
anyone else you'd like to thank John as you work up to your superfight?
Valentine: Yes,
in addition to all the fans and supporters and my gym, I'd like to thank my
sponsors, who have done such an amazing job of financing this journey and the
charitable causes: Buckedup pre-workout, Breakpoint fight company, RK Fleming Photography
and finally Carl Sims and David Casteo of Proving Grounds Invitational for
putting on such an amazing event, giving back to the community and for giving
me the honor to compete.
In a further
conversation with me, Valentine, 47, said the bout with Wells is scheduled for
nine minutes. There will be overtime competition, if needed, in which “they
start you over, and you both take turns in one position,” he said. The
competitor who does better in the OT will be the winner. The fight is at 155
pounds. “I started my weight cut a week ago,” John said. His only prediction?
“I’m going to grow. That’s all I care about – to become a better martial
artist.”
He also
talks with pride about his sons, all active in sports, three of whom are active
in jiu-jitsu. Citing their ability to motivate him, he said, “they are probably
my best training partners.”
