A video surfaced earlier today of what many to believe to be UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor stepping in to chase off a bully, who was beating on a kid surrounded by a bunch of their peers in Ireland. The video starts off with one kid on top of another beating on him for the
A video surfaced earlier today of what many to believe to be UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor stepping in to chase off a bully, who was beating on a kid surrounded by a bunch of their peers in Ireland.
The video starts off with one kid on top of another beating on him for the better part of 30-seconds before a man in a suit who looks an awful lot like ‘The Notorious One’ come in and scare the kid off before yelling:
“Do you want me to give you a f*cking clapper? You little basterd!”
Regardless of whether or not this is in fact the UFC 145-pound champ, much respect to whoever it was that stepped in to intervene for the defenseless kid. You can check out the video here:
McGregor’s next Octagon appearance will be against Eddie Alvarez for the UFC lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 205 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Madison Square Garden arena in New York City on November 12, 2016.
If McGregor emerges victorious, he will be the first man in UFC history to hold two titles in different weight classes at the same time.
My name is Wil Horneff. I’m a black belt in BJJ and an instructor at Training Grounds Jiu-Jitsu & MMA in Westwood, NJ. My biggest claim to fame was being the bully ‘Phillips’ in the classic film The Sandlot. At the age of 35, I can safely say that I have been told through the years that I “play ball like a girl!!!” more times than any other man alive. Unfortunately, this accusation is undeniably true. In the 8th grade, I stood an impressive four foot eleven inches tall and was always the last kid picked for teams; it just went without saying.
So it was ironic that in the Sandlot I was supposed to be a badass baseball player (and the team captain, no less).
But what’s a child actor doing talking about baseball on an MMA website? I’ll get to that in a second.
As a kid doing his first film, everything about The Sandlot was incredible and it’s hard not to look back on it with a bit of nostalgia. The lot itself was nestled behind houses in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was there for about 2 weeks for shooting and even though I had a smaller role, I hung out with the sandlot kids as one of the gang. In real life, everyone seemed pretty true to the characters they played in the film which is one of the strategies for casting kids. However, leaving the set and going back to real life was always a let down because when I left the set the real life bullying would resume.
Bullying is a hot topic nowadays. On the one hand, even the smallest slight can summon accusations of bullying, as was the case with a student who attended my Jiu-Jitsu school. The child did not want to invite a particular student to his birthday party and the uninvited child’s parents accused them of bullying their child by not inviting them. These days, bullying not only includes sins of commission but omission as well, apparently. On the other hand, you have California mayor Cameron Hamilton saying that kids who are bullied need to simply “grow a pair.” There is a ditch on either side of the road and keeping oneself on level ground is not always an easy task.
By Wil Horneff
My name is Wil Horneff. I’m a black belt in BJJ and an instructor at Training Grounds Jiu-Jitsu & MMA in Westwood, NJ. My biggest claim to fame was being the bully ‘Phillips’ in the classic film The Sandlot. At the age of 35, I can safely say that I have been told through the years that I “play ball like a girl!!!” more times than any other man alive. Unfortunately, this accusation is undeniably true. In the 8th grade, I stood an impressive four foot eleven inches tall and was always the last kid picked for teams; it just went without saying.
So it was ironic that in the Sandlot I was supposed to be a badass baseball player (and the team captain, no less).
But what’s a child actor doing talking about baseball on an MMA website? I’ll get to that in a second.
As a kid doing his first film, everything about The Sandlot was incredible and it’s hard not to look back on it with a bit of nostalgia. The lot itself was nestled behind houses in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was there for about 2 weeks for shooting and even though I had a smaller role, I hung out with the sandlot kids as one of the gang. In real life, everyone seemed pretty true to the characters they played in the film which is one of the strategies for casting kids. However, leaving the set and going back to real life was always a let down because when I left the set the real life bullying would resume.
Bullying is a hot topic nowadays. On the one hand, even the smallest slight can summon accusations of bullying, as was the case with a student who attended my Jiu-Jitsu school. The child did not want to invite a particular student to his birthday party and the uninvited child’s parents accused them of bullying their child by not inviting them. These days, bullying not only includes sins of commission but omission as well, apparently. On the other hand, you have California mayor Cameron Hamilton saying that kids who are bullied need to simply “grow a pair.” There is a ditch on either side of the road and keeping oneself on level ground is not always an easy task.
Speaking from personal experience as someone who was on the receiving end of bullying behavior for a good majority of my adolescent life, there is wisdom in “just growing a pair.” But the solution is never that simple. I had several bullies growing up. The first was when I was in the 5th grade; his name was Benny. Benny was quite the character, whose favorite line was “you can’t hustle a hustler.” He walked around with a pretzel stick in his mouth and acted like it was a cigar, pretending to inhale and blow out smoke. He was heavyset, he thought that being out of shape meant being tough, and he would slam my head into my locker and try to intimidate me every chance he got.
This went on for months until I explained the situation to my father. After helping me practice my jab-cross, my father gave me some advice along the lines of mayor Cameron Hamilton. He told me that I needed to tell Benny during lunchtime to come outside with me to “show him something.” Once outside, I was to say “put up your hands” and proceed to kick his ass. So naturally, despite being scared out of my wits, I followed the game plan to the tee and eventually won the fight. I even bought him some ice cream after to soften the blow to his ego. It worked all too well, until Benny’s mother took him to the police station and had his bulbous body photographed with all those bruises and then sued my parents. I, not Benny the Bulbous Bully, got expelled from school. And believe it or not, they walked away 10k richer. You certainly can’t hustle a hustler.
The next bully I faced was in middle school, during the time I filmed “The Sandlot.” There was a kid named Doug, who at the age of 12, had a grown ass man’s body. I mean pecs, triceps and wide shoulders. He would manhandle me every chance he got. I’d be sitting with a couple girls and he’d walk up and say “there’s going to be a fight after school today.”
“Really, who?” I’d ask.
“Me and you,” he’d say as he grinned.
I’d walk the hall to see my locker broke open and “Penis Envy” written all over my books and binders. At 12 years old, I had no clue how a penis could envy so I was stumped as to what that meant. Little did I know that the body that Doug had in eighth grade was the body that he would have for the rest of his life. That was the extent of his growth, physically speaking. I hope that as a human being he did a lot more growing.
I actually saw Doug about a month ago in a pharmacy parking lot. Now, I’ve won adult no gi pan ams at brown belt level and received my black belt in BJJ from Ralph Gracie as an affiliate. I additionally train striking and wrestling, yet still, the sight of Doug put butterflies in my stomach. I called out his name as I approached him.
“Remember me?” I looked down at his confused and slightly alarmed face. I had just gotten back from practice, drenched in sweat and sporting a black eye, and obviously much larger than in eighth grade.
“It’s Wil, from middle school?”
“Oh….yeah” he stammered. I was very friendly and we caught up for a few minutes. I extended my hand and he shook it. A chapter closed.
Reflecting back on my personal experience, two things stand out. The first is that bullying has a lasting effect on the direction of someone’s life. For example, I graduated from Columbia University and could have easily gone into a more lucrative field such as finance like a lot of my peers. I am not aware of many graduates of the class of ’05 who decided to take out of a bunch of student loans to go to a prestigious university only to open up a martial arts school. Bullying during the formative years shapes a personality and certainly played large role in why I do what I do today. I’d like to think it shaped me in a positive way.
The second thing is that it could have just as easily had the opposite effect. I myself could have become a bully as soon as I got bigger and tried to pay the world back. In the words of Bono, “You become the monster so that the monster will not break you.” I could have allowed my fear of others to become a deep seated parasite embedded in my psyche. And once you go down that slippery slope it can get hard to get back up.
The solution to bullying isn’t an easy one. However, I believe it lies in both tough love and more awareness. I don’t completely agree with mayor Hamilton’s “grow a pair” comment as it’s too simplistic. However, in its context it’s easier to see what he was talking about. He said, “I’m against bullying, but I’m getting damn tired of it being used as a mantra for everything and the ills of the world.” The “bully” label is like the scarlet letter or like being accused of being a “witch” in the late 1600’s. Just the accusation, warranted or not, is enough to be damaging. Some parents do really need to be told to grow up when their child is not invited to a party. And on the other hand, real and psychologically damaging bullying does need to be addressed immediately before it can detrimentally affect a child.
When I’m a parent, I’m going to make sure that any detrimental bullying is stopped immediately; especially when it’s uneven or unfair as is the case when kids gang up on one another. But if my kid wants to have it out with some cocky 12 year old in pin stripes who “plays ball like a girl” I’m going to let him fight his or her own battles and allow the small victories or defeats to do their own formative work in their life.
Wil Horneff is an instructor at Training Grounds Jiu-Jitsu & MMA and teaches both adult and kids martial arts in Bergen County, NJ.
True story: The last time I traveled home to Upstate NY was a few months ago. While out at one of the only two bars that exist in my podunk town, I bumped into a high school buddy of mine who had moved to Washington D.C some years ago. I asked him how he was doing, and after a very, very, shockingly brief conversation, he informed me that he had testicular cancer that had spread to his stomach.
I stood there in shock for a moment, wondering if he simply remembered my dark sense of humor and was merely screwing with me, before offering my response. What I said I cannot recall, due in part to the combination of shock and grain alcohol running through my system (mostly shock). Long story short, he underwent surgery and chemotherapy shortly thereafter, and yesterday, informed us all that he was officially cancer-free. I was relieved to say the least.
That’s perhaps the craziest thing about cancer; despite nearly all of us knowing someone whose life has been claimed by it, we always assume that it won’t get us until the end, if at all. So a story like that of Jake Stoneking, a 19-year-old from West Linn, Oregon battling a rare form of brain cancer (medulloblastoma) is rarely one that falls on deaf ears for obvious reasons. ABC News ran one such story yesterday, and focused on a bucket list Stoneking had put together in light of his fatal diagnosis.
When he unveiled that his #2 wish was to attend a UFC event (second only to “visit a local West Linn topless bar.” Awesome), the UFC kindly obliged him.
True story: The last time I traveled home to Upstate NY was a few months ago. While out at one of the only two bars that exist in my podunk town, I bumped into a high school buddy of mine who had moved to Washington D.C some years ago. I asked him how he was doing, and after a very, very, shockingly brief conversation, he informed me that he had testicular cancer that had spread to his stomach.
I stood there in shock for a moment, wondering if he simply remembered my dark sense of humor and was merely screwing with me, before offering my response. What I said I cannot recall, due in part to the combination of shock and grain alcohol running through my system (mostly shock). Long story short, he underwent surgery and chemotherapy shortly thereafter, and yesterday, informed us all that he was officially cancer-free. I was relieved to say the least.
That’s perhaps the craziest thing about cancer; despite nearly all of us knowing someone whose life has been claimed by it, we always assume that it won’t get us until the end, if at all. So a story like that of Jake Stoneking, a 19-year-old from West Linn, Oregon battling a rare form of brain cancer (medulloblastoma) is rarely one that falls on deaf ears for obvious reasons. ABC News ran one such story yesterday, and focused on a bucket list Stoneking had put together in light of his fatal diagnosis.
When he unveiled that his #2 wish was to attend a UFC event (second only to “visit a local West Linn topless bar.” Awesome), the UFC kindly obliged him.
You can read all of Jake’s story over at MMAFighting (and read his entire bucket list here), but in the interest of brevity, let’s just say that Stoneking will be among the 20ish thousand fans packing into the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas for UFC 171: Hendricks vs. Lawler this Saturday. Depending on whether or not he feels up to it physically, that is.
The invitation was extended by Lorenzo Fertitta via Twitter earlier today, and personally, I really hope that this kid is able to make it. Not only for his sake, but because the off-chance of Stoneking finding the strength to defeat cancer after watching a UFC event would really lend credence to my theory that MMA is not slowly swirling down the shitter.
Of course, this other story about a teenage MMA enthusiast using his skills to help a bullied handicapped kid defend himself is pretty great too. The hero in question’s name is Roman Rodriguez, a 16 year-old Springfield, MA resident who after leaving class last week, spotted a group of teenagers picking on a mentally disabled 11 year-old. What he did next was pretty goddamn commendable (via MassLive):
“When I saw the situation, it immediately bothered me. I saw he was crying,” Rodriguez said, during an interview on Thursday. “Everyone should be appreciated for who they are as a person, not made fun of.”
As he walked towards the group, Rodriguez said he asked the main aggressor to leave the younger child alone, adding that he did not wish to fight. “I told them I didn’t want any trouble, I just wanted to walk him home,” he said. “This, I guess, provoked him.”
Rodriguez said the boy, later identified as only 14 years old, was much larger than himself, at approximately 6-feet, 220 pounds. So, when he attempted to hit Rodriguez, his training helped him remain calm.“He’s a lot bigger than me, so I only knocked him down and restrained him,” the 16-year-old, who has earned a purple belt, said. “I wanted to avoid things getting worse.”
Hold up, a 6-foot, 200+ pound fourteen year old? Truly, the Double Down sandwich continues to haunt us to this day. A plague upon your decision to forgo two slices bread for fried chicken breasts, KFC!!!
Rodriguez’s strategy worked. The teen, who Rodriguez could only identify as “Angel” ran home, with his group of friends following. What he wasn’t prepared for was the threat he yelled.
“The kid threatened to stab or shoot Roman,” Colón said.
Rodriguez ran back inside the building to tell his father, who was still packing up after class, what happened.
“My son is a pretty mellow kid and I could tell something was wrong as he was pretty hyped up,” Ricardo said.
As they walked outside together, Ricardo said, the teen had returned brandishing a large kitchen knife with his mother by his side.
“I witnessed this kid’s mother encourage her son to stab mine. She was instigating a fight,” Ricardo said. “My first reaction was to protect my son, but also to avoid any kind of tragedy.”
Within minutes, officers of the Holyoke Police Department were on the scene. The 14-year-old was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. His mother, Jomery Rivera, was charged with disorderly conduct.
Forgive me for my hyperbole, but I honestly, sincerely hope that Mrs. Jomery — which sounds like her parents named her “Jeremy” thinking she was a boy and simply refused to admit their mistake once she hit puberty — gets run over by a bus and a steamroller before being trampled to death by a marching band on her way to court, Naked Gun style.
But there you have it, two feel good stories that might make you reconsider whether or not MMA/the UFC has lost its heart. We now return to your regularly scheduled program.
What about slapping them in the nuts? What, you’ve never done that!? According to this week’s martial arts fail, that’s one of the key techniques in the fight against bullying.
Seriously, you need to watch this video. Here’s just a short highlight reel of what it includes:
-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
-The defense for the all-too-powerful “you’ve got something on your shirt” maneuver.
-“Stun techniques and dirty tricks.”
-Pulling someones hair and then doing absolutely nothing to follow it up.
-Groin-slapping.
-Throwing candy in someone’s face as a self-defense move (I wish I was making this part up).
Please watch the video, it’ll be worth it. We promise. This is the exact kind of horrific, “self-defense” advice that Ben Goldstein and I sought to destroy when we were storming dojos back in the 90s, testing our SAFTA. But as we got up there in years, we decided to purge martial chicanery with articles on a middling MMA website rather than with our fists.
Enjoy!
Thanks to CagePotato reader James Hays for sending us this video. If you see any video that’s good (or bad) enough to make the cut, let us know! Send it to [email protected]
(If you wear socks like the male instructor, you will ALWAYS be bullied)
What about slapping them in the nuts? What, you’ve never done that!? According to this week’s martial arts fail, that’s one of the key techniques in the fight against bullying.
Seriously, you need to watch this video. Here’s just a short highlight reel of what it includes:
-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
-The defense for the all-too-powerful “you’ve got something on your shirt” maneuver.
-”Stun techniques and dirty tricks.”
-Pulling someones hair and then doing absolutely nothing to follow it up.
-Groin-slapping.
-Throwing candy in someone’s face as a self-defense move (I wish I was making this part up).
Please watch the video, it’ll be worth it. We promise. This is the exact kind of horrific, “self-defense” advice that Ben Goldstein and I sought to destroy when we were storming dojos back in the 90s, testing our SAFTA. But as we got up there in years, we decided to purge martial chicanery with articles on a middling MMA website rather than with our fists.
Enjoy!
Thanks to CagePotato reader James Hays for sending us this video. If you see any video that’s good (or bad) enough to make the cut, let us know! Send it to [email protected]
While in attendance at the UFC press conference in which the promotion announced announced that it would be making it’s long-awaited debut in Ontario last year, I asked the company’s newly-appointed Canadian director of operations, Tom Wright, whether or not there were plans to implement any community-based programs such as in-school anti-bullying initiatives. Although it was early in his tenure, Wright told me that it was definitely something that they would be looking at and that programs such as these were some of the most rewarding he experienced as the head of the Canadian Football League Commissioner.
It’s been 19 months since Wright was hired and Zuffa announced this week that it’s planning on working with local schools in the Greater Toronto Area, where it’s Canadian branch is located, to implement a mentoring program for youth who have experienced bullying. Though it’s too early to tell, there are indications that a regular stream of fighters could speak to Toronto kids about their own experiences with bullying as youth, teachers and parents and if all goes well, it could become a implemented in schools across the country.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/ BlahBlahBlah2145)
While in attendance at the UFC press conference in which the promotion announced announced that it would be making it’s long-awaited debut in Ontario last year, I asked the company’s newly-appointed Canadian director of operations, Tom Wright, whether or not there were plans to implement any community-based programs such as in-school anti-bullying initiatives. Although it was early in his tenure, Wright told me that it was definitely something that they would be looking at and that programs such as these were some of the most rewarding he experienced as the head of the Canadian Football League Commissioner.
It’s been 19 months since Wright was hired and Zuffa announced this week that it’s planning on working with local schools in the Greater Toronto Area, where it’s Canadian branch is located, to implement a mentoring program for youth who have experienced bullying. Though it’s too early to tell, there are indications that a regular stream of fighters could speak to Toronto kids about their own experiences with bullying as youth, teachers and parents and if all goes well, it could become a implemented in schools across the country.
Ahead of this weekend’s UFC 140 event in the city, the UFC, in conjunction with the Toronto Police Services held a special event today at Saturday’s venue featuring some local fighters like Mark Hominick, Sean Pierson and Sam Stout and American fighters like bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz and ex-NFL player-turned UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione.
During the two-hour event, which wrapped up minutes ago, students listened to short speeches by the fighters about their own trials and tribulations with bullying growing up and were given an opportunity during a Q&A period to ask the fighters questions.
Critics of the sport have been vocal of their opposition to having fighters who punch, kick and choke their opponents for a living into the schools to tell kids to not do what they do outside of competition. Ironically, the same critics have been mostly silent about local boxing legend George Chuvalo and former Toronto Argonaut Mike “Pinball” Clemons visiting schools dozens of times every year.
Toronto City Councillor Doug Ford, whose brother Rob is the city’s mayor, told reporters over the weekend that he supported the initiative and that he hoped the city would embrace the program that will help at-risk youth, but his comments were met with a furor by his fellow municipal politicians who don’t agree with the partnership with schools in the city, even if bullying is a real epidemic there.
The question is, does fighting for a living actually make a person less credible when it comes to talking to kids about bullying?
In case you missed it, Georges St. Pierre recently put the full brunt of his martial arts weight behind a movement to eradicate bullying in North America. Beyond a simple instance of another famous athlete taking an obligatory turn at giving back the b…
In case you missed it, Georges St. Pierre recently put the full brunt of his martial arts weight behind a movement to eradicate bullying in North America. Beyond a simple instance of another famous athlete taking an obligatory turn at giving back the bare minimum to society, this campaign is much more than that for […]
