My Background For MMA—Backyard Wrestling

MMA fighters come from many different athletic backgrounds. Amateur wrestling, Boxing, Judo, Kickboxing, Grappling, etc. are just some of the many different skill sets brought into initial MMA training.

About eight years ago, I began training in boxing at my local boxing gym. After a few months of training, I had a rough sparring session that left my nose bloodied. I decided that was the end of my pro boxing aspirations.

For years, I remained on the sidelines, only watching and never participating. Then, about two years ago, I couldn't take it anymore, and started training in kickboxing at my local MMA gym.

No longer afraid of the sight of my own blood, I actually enjoy fighting. I believe it to be the purest form of sport.

However, after training in kickboxing, I wanted more.

I watched the guys during jiu jitsu class, and also during judo class. I started rolling around with the guys and found I enjoy it immensely, although I get tossed on my head and submitted regularly.

I recently informed my instructor that I want to compete in MMA. After a brief discussion he asked what my background was, suspecting I wrestled in high school. I informed him that my background consisted of kickboxing and muay thai training conducted at the school, my months of boxing training several years ago, and...backyard wrestling.

My mom was overseas being a soldier in the US army. I was staying with my grandmother in a small country town with little to do. As a matter of fact, I had the only trampoline and treehouse in the neighborhood. Everyone came to my house to jump off the top of my treehouse onto my trampoline (usually resulting in severe injury).

Well being a big wrestling fan at the time, I decided to start a neighborhood wrestling organization, complete with belts made with markers, buttons, and glitter. There was a world champ, a US champ, and tag team champs, and everyone scrambled to come up with their names.

I became known as Flyin Bryan, borrowing my monikor from Brian Pilman, a well-known wrestler at the time. My moves consisted of aerial maneuvers and kicks, seeing as how I was very small for my age. I gave myself a belt, the US championship, and also announced all the fights held in my yard.

During this year we held fights every weekend, and I suffered numerous concussions and injuries from being DDT'd and piledriven into the dirt, or from falling off my trampoline.

During the free time in between classes guys roll and work on submissions and takedowns and such. I have become a frequent roller, usually using brute strength and not technique to get guys down, since I have little in the way of technique.

During one session I managed to get a front facelock, and instead of going for a guillotine choke, I went for the only move I knew from that position—a DDT.

After the move landed me in full mount in a good position to finish off my choke, I instead went for a pin, causing an eruption of laughter throughout my gym from bystanders.

When and if I have my first MMA match, I want them to announce my background as backyard wrestling, as a tribute to my humble beginnings.