Morning Report: Nate Quarry comes out of retirement to help make one young man’s dream come true

It’s always nice to see former UFC middleweight Nate Quarry in the cage, especially for a good cause.

Quarry retired from fighting in 2010, but he accepted a challenge to help a young man with Down syndrome achieve the dream of competing in MMA.

Having spent four years on the mat, 19 year-old Jake ‘The Snake’ Beckmann had been pressing his coach Greg Walker to allow him to fight.

“As he would train with me he would ask me all the time, he would say, ‘Hey, when can I compete?’ or ‘When can I fight?’ said Walker. “And so over the years I would tell him ‘Keep training, we’ll get there.’ Over the years he has worked his butt off. He is probably one of the hardest working students I’ve ever had.”

Walker wasn’t sure where to turn, so he made a Facebook post asking if anyone in the Oregon MMA community would help. According to Walker, Quarry replied just two days later.

The pair were then booked in an exhibition match for Apr. 18 at the ‘Rumble at the Roseland’ in Portland, Oregon.

Clearly a fan Rousimar Palhares, Beckmann dropped down for a leg lock after hitting a takedown, tapping Quarry in the second round.

“Throughout my life, over and over again, I’ve been given an opportunity to live my dreams,” Quarry said after the match. “If I can make the slightest effort to help a young man, not only live his dream but also show his mother, what it could be like to see him follow in his dreams.”

Beckmann was crowned ‘world heavyweight champion,’ adorned with a replica UFC title belt purchased with the help of a Go Fund Me page.

“If I can affect the entire community and let everyone know that special needs people are just a little different. They’re just that: they’re a little different. They have dreams. They have goals, just like the rest of us. Why should we try to tell them how they should live their lives? If we can break them out of the box I think that’s the right thing to do.”

The match also raised $1,000 for Create the Connection, an organization working to create meaningful employment opportunities for people in need.

(via WHOATV)

KPTV – FOX 12

Star-divide

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Post show. Ariel Helwani and Chuck Mindenhall break down the top storylines coming out of UFC on FOX 15.

‘Tough night.’ Luke Rockhold says UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman ‘can’t stand with me, can’t grapple with me.’

UFC on FOX 15 Aftermath. Dave Doyle explains why Luke Rockhold deserves to fight the Chris Weidman-Vitor Belfort winner.

‘That’s not me.’ Chris Weidman says Luke Rockhold was great against Lyoto Machida, but that he’s ‘a totally different ball game.’ ‘He’s gonna have to deal with a whole different game plan.’

Jacare. Ronaldo Souza believes he should be ahead of Luke Rockhold and be the true No. 1 contender at middleweight. ‘I fought Luke a long time ago, everybody knows he didn’t beat me. The judges (scored) the fight for him. I come to fight, I’m ready for the title.’

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MEDIA STEW

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Luke Rockhold’s Octagon interview.

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Rockhold and Weidman talking about fighting each other.

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Dana White talks Rockhold, Jacare and Paige VanZant.

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Post-fight presser highlights. (Full presser here)

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Khabib Nurmagomedov mic’d up for Donald Cerrone vs. Eddie Alvarez at UFC 178.

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Gokhan Saki vs. Sebastian Ciobanu at GFC 3 this weekend.

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Long watches.

Countdown to UFC 186: Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horighuchi

Knuckle Up #369: HAHA… Lyoto, Luke, UFC on Fox 15

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TWEETS

See how the pros reacted to Rockhold submitting Machida at UFC on FOX 15.

Star-divide

Victory lap.

Unbelievable night. #UFConFOX15 in the books #DragonSlayed https://t.co/X7nyaAEHdS

— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) April 19, 2015

Well put it! Thanks https://t.co/PkufSy3TMt

— Ronaldo Jacaré (@JacareMMA) April 19, 2015

Huge shoutout to @CubSwanson it was an honor my man! Thank you!

— Jerome-Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) April 19, 2015

Oh boy. The faces I make when I fight haha signed t shirt to the #VanZant who can find the funniest fight face pic of me!

Paige VanZant (@PaigeVanzantUFC) April 20, 2015

I’m not an entertainer, I am a martial artist. This is what martial arts is all about! #AllGlorytoGodhttps://t.co/1VqoOPJZCz

Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush_) April 19, 2015

Post fight celebration pic! @headrushbrand @OfficialOPPF #downWithOsp pic.twitter.com/4Ordu0M6L8

— Ovince Saint Preux (@003_OSP) April 19, 2015

Lol thanks pretty lady, hope your well https://t.co/VzhjAbyH3W

Gian Villante (@GPVillante) April 19, 2015

Left the hospital today & 99% chance they think I have a hernia. Felt weird in the beg of 3rd. Idk what happened but Im blessed I got the W

Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) April 19, 2015

Thankyou for all the support everyone!

— tim means (@MeansTim) April 18, 2015

https://t.co/11xUGnq1xA da uma olhada nos bastidores do #UFCNewJersey #TEAMBRANDAO @ufc

Diego Brandao (@DiegoBrandaoMMA) April 19, 2015

Pumped to get my first win at 185lbs in the @ufc still have lots of improving. But first….I need more followers. RETWEET please!

Chris Dempsey (@BigDemps2) April 18, 2015

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Better luck next time.

Obrigado a todos pelo apoio. Thank you all for the support! #PressLyoto pic.twitter.com/uaYG7FCKB3

— Lyoto Machida (@lyotomachidafw) April 19, 2015

@ChrisCamozzi thank u Chris

— Dana White (@danawhite) April 19, 2015

You did you’re thing tonight. Congrats @BlessedMMA

Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) April 19, 2015

Sorry everyone. I felt good, had a gr8 camp but just dumped my adrenaline in the 2nd & couldn’t recover. Congrats 2 Paige on a gr8 win @ufc

Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) April 19, 2015

Other than feeling like i made myself an inch shorter from the last slam, I’m no worse for wear… https://t.co/NZMjdciuf6

Jim Miller (@JimMiller_155) April 19, 2015

Took a hard shot to my pride tonight. Sometimes shit happens. I’ve been down before but I always come back. Congrats @003_OSP

Patrick Cummins (@OfficialDurkin) April 19, 2015

Yeah buddy!!! $50k fight of the night buddy. Not that my defeat is OK but 50k will help with the time off. #thankful https://t.co/e82ovCyyiw

Corey Anderson UFC (@CoreyA_MMA) April 19, 2015

Total failure game! It is now up at the rout of. Thank you to everyone supporting me!

試合完敗でした!!いままでで一番の完敗感です。応援してくれたみなさんありがとうございました!!

Takeya Mizugaki (@takeya_miz) April 19, 2015

I’ll be back in the gym this week and working on what needs to be done

George Sullivan (@Sullivan_UFC) April 20, 2015

Def need a drink after this one smh thank you all for your support I truly believe everything happens for reason pic.twitter.com/VnfkYe4Y95

— Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) April 18, 2015

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Beef.

Congrats to my kids in the McGregor division last night. Daddy is pleased. pic.twitter.com/2Mio4GuinB

Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 19, 2015

@TheNotoriousMMA hahahaha tag me next time don’t need this subliminal message shit. We will meet again.

— Jerome-Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) April 19, 2015

@sonnench if not shut your mouth, I’m there in your city hit you in the face Cala sua boca ou vou ai na sua cidade te pegar seu folgado

Wanderlei Silva (@wandfc) April 19, 2015

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Get well soon.

Well a broken jaw and a broken right hand…just another day at the office lol. I love all my fans. Thanks for your support ❤️

— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) April 19, 2015

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Great shot.

Congrats brother you deserve your title shot man. You have come such a long way man. You deserve al… https://t.co/CqYPXkeybY

Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) April 19, 2015

High class cornermen, step your game up people. @dc_mma haha victory is sweet. https://t.co/JlXFrQE7cH

— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) April 20, 2015

High class cornermen, step your game up people. @dc_mma haha victory is sweet.

A photo posted by Luke Rockhold (@lukerockhold) on Apr 19, 2015 at 9:34pm PDT

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Cool.

Yesterday was the 1st in my career that I did 10×6 min rounds.. Here is a small peak from about a min… https://t.co/GUTdWKqWFu

Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) April 19, 2015

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This guy.

Let’s go EAGLES!!!! #Repost sportscenter THIS JUST IN: Tim Tebow reaches agreement on new deal… https://t.co/fdUdEXWxUd

Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) April 20, 2015

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Asking for a friend.

CAN YOU BRING DOGS TO CANNABIS CUP HERE IN DENVER???

Pat Barry (@HypeOrDie) April 19, 2015

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced this weekend (April 17-19 2015)

NA

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FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via D’arce Coke.

Sunday Morning Matchmaker: UFC on Fox 15 Edition

Well, folks. I think we can all agree that the latest installment of the UFC on Fox series was a great night of fights. Featuring some of the greatest matchmaking in recent history, it gave us a great mixture of prospects making much-needed statements, and veterans reestablishing their place in the greatest MMA promotion. Without further ado, let’s see who should fight who next.

Main Card

Paige VanZant def. Felice Herrig

“12 Gauge” Paige really put on a stellar performance on Saturday night, making the best out of her 15 minutes in the spotlight (and surely, there will be more than 15 minutes for her, given her fan friendly style and her looks). Her technical flaws are masked by a relentless style of attack and raw aggressiveness. She will most likely be fast tracked to a bout with champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk due to her popularity and marketability, but I believe she should first face one more test before a shot at the champ. A title eliminator against either Cláudia Gadelha or Maryna Moroz should give us a clear cut #1 contender. As for Felice Herrig, the Lil’ Bulldog gave it the ol’ college try, but ultimately succumbed to the frantic pace of PVZ. Joanne Calderwood could be next for her, a bout that would reestablish the winner as a top 10 straweight, and most likely send the loser to the bottom of the top 15 and in need for a big step down in competition.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Star-divide

Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.

It’s always nice to see former UFC middleweight Nate Quarry in the cage, especially for a good cause.

Quarry retired from fighting in 2010, but he accepted a challenge to help a young man with Down syndrome achieve the dream of competing in MMA.

Having spent four years on the mat, 19 year-old Jake ‘The Snake’ Beckmann had been pressing his coach Greg Walker to allow him to fight.

“As he would train with me he would ask me all the time, he would say, ‘Hey, when can I compete?’ or ‘When can I fight?’ said Walker. “And so over the years I would tell him ‘Keep training, we’ll get there.’ Over the years he has worked his butt off. He is probably one of the hardest working students I’ve ever had.”

Walker wasn’t sure where to turn, so he made a Facebook post asking if anyone in the Oregon MMA community would help. According to Walker, Quarry replied just two days later.

The pair were then booked in an exhibition match for Apr. 18 at the ‘Rumble at the Roseland’ in Portland, Oregon.

Clearly a fan Rousimar Palhares, Beckmann dropped down for a leg lock after hitting a takedown, tapping Quarry in the second round.

“Throughout my life, over and over again, I’ve been given an opportunity to live my dreams,” Quarry said after the match. “If I can make the slightest effort to help a young man, not only live his dream but also show his mother, what it could be like to see him follow in his dreams.”

Beckmann was crowned ‘world heavyweight champion,’ adorned with a replica UFC title belt purchased with the help of a Go Fund Me page.

“If I can affect the entire community and let everyone know that special needs people are just a little different. They’re just that: they’re a little different. They have dreams. They have goals, just like the rest of us. Why should we try to tell them how they should live their lives? If we can break them out of the box I think that’s the right thing to do.”

The match also raised $1,000 for Create the Connection, an organization working to create meaningful employment opportunities for people in need.

(via WHOATV)


KPTV – FOX 12

Star-divide

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Post show. Ariel Helwani and Chuck Mindenhall break down the top storylines coming out of UFC on FOX 15.

‘Tough night.’ Luke Rockhold says UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman ‘can’t stand with me, can’t grapple with me.’

UFC on FOX 15 Aftermath. Dave Doyle explains why Luke Rockhold deserves to fight the Chris Weidman-Vitor Belfort winner.

‘That’s not me.’ Chris Weidman says Luke Rockhold was great against Lyoto Machida, but that he’s ‘a totally different ball game.’ ‘He’s gonna have to deal with a whole different game plan.’

Jacare. Ronaldo Souza believes he should be ahead of Luke Rockhold and be the true No. 1 contender at middleweight. ‘I fought Luke a long time ago, everybody knows he didn’t beat me. The judges (scored) the fight for him. I come to fight, I’m ready for the title.’

Star-divide

MEDIA STEW

Star-divide

Luke Rockhold’s Octagon interview.

Star-divide

Rockhold and Weidman talking about fighting each other.

Star-divide

Dana White talks Rockhold, Jacare and Paige VanZant.

Star-divide

Post-fight presser highlights. (Full presser here)

Star-divide

Khabib Nurmagomedov mic’d up for Donald Cerrone vs. Eddie Alvarez at UFC 178.

Star-divide

Gokhan Saki vs. Sebastian Ciobanu at GFC 3 this weekend.

Star-divide

Long watches.

Countdown to UFC 186: Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horighuchi

Knuckle Up #369: HAHA… Lyoto, Luke, UFC on Fox 15

Star-divide

TWEETS

See how the pros reacted to Rockhold submitting Machida at UFC on FOX 15.

Star-divide

Victory lap.

Star-divide

Better luck next time.


Total failure game! It is now up at the rout of. Thank you to everyone supporting me!

Star-divide

Beef.

Star-divide

Get well soon.

Star-divide

Great shot.

High class cornermen, step your game up people. @dc_mma haha victory is sweet.

A photo posted by Luke Rockhold (@lukerockhold) on


Star-divide

Cool.

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This guy.

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Asking for a friend.

Star-divide

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced this weekend (April 17-19 2015)

NA

Star-divide

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via D’arce Coke.

Sunday Morning Matchmaker: UFC on Fox 15 Edition

Well, folks. I think we can all agree that the latest installment of the UFC on Fox series was a great night of fights. Featuring some of the greatest matchmaking in recent history, it gave us a great mixture of prospects making much-needed statements, and veterans reestablishing their place in the greatest MMA promotion. Without further ado, let’s see who should fight who next.

Main Card

Paige VanZant def. Felice Herrig

“12 Gauge” Paige really put on a stellar performance on Saturday night, making the best out of her 15 minutes in the spotlight (and surely, there will be more than 15 minutes for her, given her fan friendly style and her looks). Her technical flaws are masked by a relentless style of attack and raw aggressiveness. She will most likely be fast tracked to a bout with champion Joanna J?drzejczyk due to her popularity and marketability, but I believe she should first face one more test before a shot at the champ. A title eliminator against either Cláudia Gadelha or Maryna Moroz should give us a clear cut #1 contender. As for Felice Herrig, the Lil’ Bulldog gave it the ol’ college try, but ultimately succumbed to the frantic pace of PVZ. Joanne Calderwood could be next for her, a bout that would reestablish the winner as a top 10 straweight, and most likely send the loser to the bottom of the top 15 and in need for a big step down in competition.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Star-divide

Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.