Watching Mixed Martial Arts Fights in Saint Ignace, Michigan

To tell the truth, I wouldn't have paid $20 for a ringside seat if Mean Mike Green (local hometown hero, recently discharged from the US Marine Corps) hadn't been fighting in September, downtown in Saint Ignace, Michigan, at the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) contest. Held at the local Little Bear East Arena, our cadre of scrappy locals took on area cage fighters. Men and women filled the arena and cheered on their favorites. Join me, as a first time spectator, and enjoy one of the most memorable evenings of my life in Mackinac County!

First off, let's talk about our local hero, Mike Green. He's the older brother of our son's longtime friend, Dan St Onge, who is finishing his first season on the waitstaff at Java Joe's Cafe here in town. I remember talking with him, shortly before he left for boot camp, and I followed his impressive tour in the Marines. Mike was an honors student and outstanding local wrestler at LaSalle High School in Saint Ignace. Many of the younger kids look up to him for what he is: patriotic American; an intelligent and dedicated athlete; a young man who's going places. His Marine Corps stint was filled with honors, early promotions, and challenging stints in Afghanistan. He came back after 4 years, like many young servicemen and women, to pursue his college degree and a future here at home. While I missed Mike's first Fight Night over in nearby Munising, I was determined to watch this battle on home turf, back in Saint Ignace, Michigan.

Walking into the Arena on September 11th, I was confronted with two choices. Did I want a $10 general admission ticket, or should I fork over $20 for a ringside seat? No choice there, I coughed up the $20, and was stamped just like the old days for a "cover charge." A cute little gal pointed out my seat, which I promptly traded so a bunch of young kids could all sit together and I was on the aisle. For our small town, I was amazed at the vibrancy of the place! I recognized many of the parents from football games, and plenty of young people packed into the crowd. My first disappointment was when I overheard someone say that Mike wouldn't be fighting at all. When I asked him, Mike reinforced the "rumor" that his opponent (although 20 lbs heavier,) wasn't going to show up. I was devastated. Imagine how it must have been for Mike, traveling all the way up from Central Michigan University, just to sit on the sidelines!

My next big adventure was meeting up with my son's former Tae Kwon Do Master, Jamie Stelmaszek. Master Jamie is yet another fellow veteran, another guy I deeply respect and admire. He teaches Tae Kwon Do as well as working with MMA. Master Jamie is also a world-class contender and won big at higher levels in both sports. From what I remember, going back several years, he was a 3rd degree Black Belt and an outstanding instructor for young kids throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan. During this event, he was the referee, working inside the ring and making the calls. Be sure to check out my photographs for his picture. Back in the old days, I remember how he raided his own medals and trophies, and always had impressive award ceremonies for our area youths.

Married to a wrestler who is also a boxing fan, and being the mother of a dedicated sports FAN-atic, I've enjoyed my share of televised and in-person events. If I can push one theme, it's this: PLEASE try out MMA in person!! I'm totally into it now, it's a great sport and even better for the spectator! I enjoyed the crowd, the arena, the athletes, and the entire experience. I saw guys with spiked hair and weird tattoos as well as ring-girls who paraded around with the numbers during each round, just like on TV. In fact they even posed for a picture with the young men who were sitting to my left. I know what people pay to watch similar events in Las Vegas. It has got to be the best $20 I ever spent in my life!

Back to the contest at hand, I watched a few series before getting the final word from Master Jamie himself. He finally found a contender for Mike Green. The fighter was 60 lbs heavier, but I was thrilled to be able to see Mike fight! I informed my young teen seat-mates and we all hunkered down for the big contest. Believe it or not, I was absolutely shivering with excitement. I felt guilty, as 60 lbs is a lot of weight. But I did have faith in my young Marine, as I know he is a super-dedicated and hardworking guy. With his fiance in the audience, I knew he'd give it his best! I didn't have many doubts as Mike Green, after all, is a Marine! Semper Fi!

Right from the start, Mike just hammered the big guy. To be honest, I was amazed that a guy so much heavier would be knocked down that quickly! And yet, it certainly wasn't over. The big guy finally seemed to catch his stride and nearly pinned Mike down, by sheer weight! I must have held my breath for an hour (but really, just a few minutes!) Finally, Mike pushed and turned, squirmed and reversed. It was over and even if a fighter sports 60 lbs on the opponent, style, experience, and skill made all the difference. Mike won the match!

Another young man, Bruce Spencer, ended up losing in his second fight, but won the impressive "Best in Show" award and loud cheers during his fights and the ultimate medal ceremony. During the first contest, they announced his status and measurements. He won handily with an impressive series of moves, but lost by TKO in the second contest. As it turns out, if one of the contenders is able to throw a certain number of punches without any return defensive moves, it's OVER! My ringside seat paid off in that we were able to cheer our spiked haired young man on during two battles. It was obvious that Spencer won the hearts of the entire crowd. Be sure to check out my photos for a look at this promising young athlete.

One important note was the nature of this night's fight. Held on September 11th, there was a long minute of silence dedicated to that same day, and those who lost their lives back in 2001. We stood for our National Anthem, and there was a patriotic flare to the entire evening. In closing, I'd like to recommend MMA to everyone! It's a lot of fun, great crowd, and an alcohol and smoke-free event (at least at this level!) I don't know much about the specific calls, holds and finesse moves. I do love the athleticism, (almost) no holds barred atmosphere, and the excitement at ringside is worth the price of admission. Wherever home stands, there's local sports beckoning. Be sure to look for an event near you. It's not like Pro Football, Major League Baseball, or Professional Basketball. Tickets are affordable, local athletes put their hearts and souls on the line. Mixed Martial Arts is the place to be!