" Mixed Martial Arts at 40"

I have been in competitive sports for 22 years. I graduated from high school in 1986 and began weightlifting. I quickly discovered I was naturally very strong in the squat. I worked out hard for a couple of years and did my first weightlifting competition at my local gym and won first place in the squat. I think I squatted about 450lbs after a year or so of training, not bad I thought. I then decided I wanted to Bodybuild and started asking questions and training for my first competition which I placed 2nd.  After 6 years of Bodybuilding I decided it's time for a new career and ventured back into Powerlifting. I competed for 3 years in the sport attaining personal best in the Squat-700 Bench-455 and Deadlift-600. I want to thank Brantely Waites and Donnie Thompson for everything I learned and guiding in the sport of powerlifting. That brings me to MMA where my true passion is, I have followed the sport since UFC 1 until now. I got my start in Martial Arts through my oldest son, I signed him up for Grappling Camp and then Kickboxing at Columbia Martial Arts and Fitness and the more I watched the more I wanted to try the sport. I began kickboxing and soon tried Submission grappling then I began the Mixed Martial Arts class. I have competted in two submission grappling tournaments and placed second in my division in one of them the other I was one and done losing because I gave up dominant position in overtime. That brings me to where I am today. I wake up everyday thinking of stepping in the cage and I got to sleep thinking about stepping in the cage. I feel I have unfinished business from a personal standpoint. I can make excuses as to why I don't do it but those are only excuses, I can say I have a family or I work 12 hour days but simply put thats only an excuse if I decide to do it simply put I can. I have enjoyed the ride to this point and hopefully in a later article will be able to tell my story of what happened but until then its unknown what I will do. I believe I have a certain gene that few have who desire and live to compete. I have a friend who is a fighter and he has a quote that I think of alot and it gos "If its worth having its worth fighting for" Tim Goodwin. I cant get that out of my head and I cant get fighting out of my head. Hopefully more to come until then I will continue to train and study the art of fighting. I want to thank Sifu Mark Mills, Sam King and all my training partners for all they have taught me in the sport of Martail Arts. More to come!