Fighters by their very nature are built for adversity. Whether it comes in the form of battling through a body that wants to quit inside the gym, or resisting the onslaught of an opponent’s will as it’s being imposed upon them, fighters are constructed to endure, persevere and overcome. It’s something they possessed long before the realization of what they were set in, but once that moment arrived, the path ahead to travel will be one of conflict and with the hope of glory waiting at the end.
Brian Foster has always known he was tough.
Scrapping it out with other hard-scrabble country boys growing up in Oklahoma made him realize he lacked fear in chaotic situations, and that laid the foundation for what would one day be a career fighting professionally.
At first it was a pretty good deal. Throwing hands on the weekend for what he calls a “nice little chunk of money,” but before long he realized there was something more there—a future—and the pursuit transitioned from being about his love of the scrap into his quest to become an elite-level mixed martial artist.
By the time 2010 rolled around, the heavy-handed welterweight was well on his way. After years of settling the opposition on smaller stages around the sport, Foster was called up to the UFC and wasted no time making his mark.
Although he stumbled in two of his first three showings inside the Octagon, even in those losses Foster fought with an intensity that resonated with MMA’s passionate fanbase. That said, he would eventually settle into the new level of competition.
Impressive performances where he would brutalize Forrest Petz and choke out future contender Matt Brown via guillotine choke at UFC 123 proved Foster was not only finding his bearings in the welterweight ranks, but making his way up the talent-stacked divisional ladder. Back-to-back victories had his momentum rolling hot, and he set his sights on making Sean Pierson his third consecutive victim when they squared off at UFC 129 in Toronto.
The event headlined by the title fight between Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields would go on to set the live attendance record for a UFC event as 55,000 fans packed the Rogers Centre to watch a stacked card. It was an action-packed night of fights, but one that did not include Brian Foster. He spent that Saturday night alone in his room, sitting with tear-filled eyes trying to come to grips with storm of emotion he was battling.
He had no idea that particular fight would carry on for the next four years. He had no idea how much hardship was ahead as his professional, personal and financial worlds were shattered at regular intervals as the brain hemorrhage once suffered then healed continued to haunt him down every avenue he attempted to travel. A freak accident in a routine training session was taking everything away from him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Every time Foster rebuilt himself, or had his MRI or CT scan cleared by another doctor, the hope he held onto with every fiber of his being would swell. Yet, the proverbial walls would come crashing down time after time as the doors to one potential opportunity after the next would slam shut in his face before he ever had a chance to start.
Brian Foster always knew he was tough, but it took going to the frayed ends of his emotional limits to find out just what he was made of.
“I can’t really find the right words to even begin to describe what going through what I’ve gone through has been like,” Foster told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “I busted my ass to get to the highest level of the sport and before I knew what was happening, it was gone. It was devastating, and I went through it every time I tried to go back to doing what I love. What made it worse is that I did everything that I needed to do in order to prove I was healthy and good to go, but every time I had a leg to stand on it would get kicked out from under me.
“I’m a fighter, man. That’s how I make a living. That what burns inside of me, and not being able to do that was crippling in every sense of the word. Not only are we talking about the money lost by not being able to fight, but all of the tests and MRIs I had to get completely wiped out my savings. I went broke. I went to all the best doctors and had my medicals approved by The Cleveland Clinic, which is a highly respected institution for the work they’ve done in combat sports. To put this in perspective, Thiago Alves had brain surgery and he was right back in there fighting, yet this followed me around for years.
“No matter what, I wasn’t going to give up on my dream,” he added. “I wasn’t going to allow it to break me. Yeah, I went through some terrible s–t that would make other people close up shop and call it a day, but I was determined to fight my way through. And in doing so I found peace. I found a peace and balance with the things in my life that matter the most, and I’m more comfortable with myself now than I’ve ever been. That makes me a dangerous man, and it’s going to show inside that cage.”
While a national suspension would force Foster to take fighters internationally in order to keep his livelihood intact, it kept him from regaining his footing on the domestic scene. In March of 2013 that suspension would be lifted, and he would once again be cleared to fight at home in the United States. Yet while the lanes to fight were open for the first time in more than two years, his prior medical history made promotions hesitant to offer him a contract.
Although Foster found success in seven of the eight bouts he found since being released from the UFC, and in those fights showcased that his talent, power and ferocity were very much present and accounted for, the major promotions in the sport were too busy looking at his past to see the future he was attempting to reignite.
Nevertheless, things would finally take a positive turn when World Series of Fighting came to call and offered the Oklahoma native a contract in late 2013. The upstart organization was starting to put together some serious talent, and adding Foster’s fan-friendly fighting style and knack for finishing fights would only serve to bolster what was shaping up to be the promotion’s premier weight class.
That said, his initial bout for WSOF fell through when his opponent withdrew due to injury, and the same would happen with his second potential opponent. And with Foster needing to fight to keep his head above water financially, the organization allowed him to take a bout under the Titan FC banner. It was certainly an unusual move, but few things go as planned in Foster’s world.
He would face and defeat The Ultimate Fighter alum Gilbert Smith in a three-round shoot out at Titan FC 28 in front of a lively Oklahoma crowd and the scores of fans watching on CBS sports. Yet where he was happy to get a solid victory on a big platform, Foster was more disappointed by the fact that for the first time in his 28-fight career, a tilt he was involved in went to the judges’ scorecards.
“Once everything was cleared to go and all of my medicals were cleared I was signed by the World Series of Fighting,” Foster said. “They found a fight for me but things ended up falling through. I needed to fight so Titan stepped up and offered me a fight with Gilbert Smith. He was a UFC veteran and a tough fighter, and I went in there and picked up the unanimous decision victory. I went to the judges’ cards for the first time in my career and I was very disappointed in that.
“I wasn’t in the shape I needed to be in for that fight, and I still got the win. I’ve been kept on the bench so long and pushed down anytime I did come up off the bench that it’s hard to find the motivation to train sometimes. Without an objective or an opponent stamped in stone in front of me, it’s hard to get motivated and disciplined. I don’t care who you are, any fighter would struggle with that if they were frequently faced with what I was faced with. No matter because I still went in there and beat Gilbert Smith who is a hulk of a man and twice my size. It wasn’t my best fight, but I’ll take the win.
“Another positive to come out of that night was that I met his team and coaches at Factory X,” he added. “They were just great people, and they invited me to come out and train with them. I took them up on that offer about a month later and went out there and started training. The WSOF called because they got me a fight and I was supposed to face Josh Burkman, and he ended up hurting himself or whatever and ultimately signed with the UFC.
“So I spent my money on another training camp for a fight that didn’t happen. I can’t blame the guy for signing with the UFC and it was a smart choice on his behalf because had he fought me, he wouldn’t be signing with them. If he would have fought me he would have lost. The cat made the smart move by taking a different opportunity.”
While another setback and fight that failed to materialize forced Foster to take yet another financial blow, he had been dealing with adversity so long he discovered how to recognize silver linings when they appear. Instead of falling back into frustration and dwelling on opportunities lost, Foster decided to put the energy he had bottled up inside into building a new structure system for his life and in the process established a regimented daily routine.
With his fighting career having been lingering in uncertainty for years, Foster had long since taken up working a day job in order to make ends meet. In addition to that grind, he had also taken over primary custody of his three sons and balancing each of those aspects—while attempting to get in a full training camp—was burning the proverbial candle at both ends.
That said, after having his bout with Burkman fall apart, Foster found comfort—and ultimately peace—in the stability that had long been absent from his life. He had confidence that something big was coming his way. Over such a hectic stretch, he’d learned to find his footing no matter how shaky the ground, but now things were different.
Foster was starting to get his professional life back, but the personal life and the relationships he coveted so much were doing better than ever. And this allowed him to keep his mind focused on the positives.
“For the first time in all the years I’ve been doing this I’ve found structure,” Foster said. “I’ve found routine and I’ve established a greater sense of discipline than I’ve ever known. When I fight Jake you are going to see a lot of what I’ve done for myself. This isn’t about what anyone else has done for me…this about how I have rebuilt my life and did it all on my own. When I beat up Jake Shields on national television, everybody is going to wonder how I did it. The answer to that is going to be that for the first time in my life I’m comfortable. I’m happy and I’m ready to take what’s mine.”
Although Foster was approaching his life with a new perspective, he still needed his faith in WSOF to be validated in the form of a fight that would come to fruition. Things would take a turn in a big way on Monday when the promotion announced he would be facing former Strikeforce champion and perennially top-ranked welterweight Jake Shields at WSOF 17 on Jan. 17.
Furthermore, the main event tilt would also determine the next contender for the organization’s welterweight crown, which will be settled when Jon Fitch and Rousimar Palhares handle their business this Saturday night at WSOF 16 in Sacramento, California. It was the perfect scenario for a fighter whose ultimate goal was to get back to fighting the best in the world and the chance to find a level of redemption that had been eluding him for the past four years.
“I’ve been looking for a big fight for so long now and I finally got it with Jake Shields,” Foster said. “He has defeated three of the guys who are currently ranked in the top five at 170 pounds. I have defeated one of them, so combined we’ve beaten four out of five of the best guys in the world. This is a great fight and one that makes perfect sense to establish who will get the next shot at WSOF’s welterweight title. It will also prove which one of us still has something to offer the game, and I think he’s had his chance. It’s my time to prove what I’m all about and I can’t wait.
“Shields is one of the best in the world and has a win over the current UFC champion. Defeating him is going to make a huge statement, and it’s one I’ve been waiting a very long time to make. This sport I have loved for so long is changing, but this fight isn’t about politics, money or anything else outside of proving who is the better fighter. I’m out to be the best, and there is nothing that is going to stop me. I’ve already been through hell, and now it’s time to show these people the beast that’s about to get unleashed.”
With a big fight on the docket and a newfound peace in his life, Foster’s mind could finally lock in on a tangible opponent. Shields brings world-class credentials to the cage and has built one of the most impressive resumes to be found on the current landscape of mixed martial arts. Yet while his own business had him fired up to get back to work, Foster is a man of the sport he competes in and tuned in to watch his friend and former longtime teammate Robbie Lawler take his second shot at winning championship gold.
In doing so he witnessed the announcement that former WWE superstar CM Punk had signed with the UFC and would be not only making his Octagon debut some time in 2015, but his professional debut as well. For a fighter like Foster who spent so much time, effort, money and emotion trying to regain what was taken from him back in 2010, the news that Punk was simply going to get the opportunity to fight in the UFC because he “asked to” was baffling.
“That situation is a tough pill to swallow,” Foster said. “You have true, proven warriors like myself who have stepped in and been a gladiator every time my name has been on that dotted line, but yet I was let go. Let’s not forget I had won back-to-back fights, but because of this old situation that has been cleared up for a long time now, I can’t get back to the Octagon where I belong, but this dude who decides he wants to ‘try’ fighting in the UFC is given an opportunity young hungry fighters are busting their asses for? I’m extremely happy at WSOF so remove me from the situation, and it’s still a kick in the nuts to every guy who has been told they need more experience or have been trying to get to the big show.
“Don’t get me wrong, I get the fact that he’s going to draw attention and bring some eyes to his fights. I get that. I’m not stupid, but there’s no way this whole thing doesn’t take away from the genuine aspect of what it means to compete in mixed martial arts. So many fighters have sacrificed so much to compete inside that Octagon and this guy wants to try fighting so he’s given this kind of opportunity. I don’t understand it and I don’t care about it. I have my own thing to focus on, but it made me shake my head when I saw the announcement.”
While Foster may not be excited with everything that is happening in MMA, the magnitude of enthusiasm he has for his current situation and the promotion he’s fighting for is at an exceptional level. In his mind, WSOF gave him a chance when that’s all he ever wanted, and he has every intention of proving it right when he steps into the cage against Shields on Jan. 17.
It’s been a long and winding road to reach where he currently stands and one that has provided an education of the starkest reality. Where there were times he was admittedly knocked down so hard he didn’t know if he could get back up to his feet, at the end of the day he’s still standing, and standing tall for that matter.
Cliché as they may be, there are truths to be found in sayings regarding darkness before the dawn and the duration of tough times and tough people. Foster had four years of the hard knocks to find out just how true those saying are, and he’s happy to see that grim chapter of his life coming to a close. For a man who makes a living trading punches inside of a locked cage, it may be difficult to believe the hardest hits he’s ever taken came outside of the cage, but that has certainly been the case.
That said, the time has come for Foster to finally change the tune once and for all. He’s a fighter, born and bred, and now he’s going to get the opportunity he’s been dreaming about since his life was flipped upside down four years ago. He’s going to get a chance….and that’s all he’s ever wanted.
“I couldn’t be happier with WSOF,” Foster said. “They are taking care of me and I know they sincerely care about their fighters. That’s all I could ever ask for. They are giving me a great opportunity here to fight Shields for the No. 1 contender spot, and that is the type of fight I’ve been hungry for. That’s the type of fight that gets me fired up and is going to bring out the best Brian Foster the world has ever seen.
“For so long it was about coming back and proving that I belong with the best fighters in the world,” he added. “It’s not about that anymore because this is a new start. I’ve found comfort, discipline and peace in this fire I’m standing in, and that is going to spell trouble for a lot of other people who fight in my weight class. It’s my time to take what is mine.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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