The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has uploaded a new free fight. This time, it’s the lightweight clash between Jason High and Caros Fodor. The two clashed back in June 2017. High won the bout via unanimous decision. It was his first victory since June 2016. The bout was featured on the main card of PFL’s […]
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has uploaded a new free fight. This time, it’s the lightweight clash between Jason High and Caros Fodor. The two clashed back in June 2017. High won the bout via unanimous decision. It was his first victory since June 2016. The bout was featured on the main card of PFL’s […]
Recently, Caros Fodor and “Phoenix Jones” squared off in a meeting of “brothers” at World Series of Fighting 32.
Prior to the bout taking place on NBC Sports Network, an emotional interview with Ben Fodor was shown to hype the fight. After seeing it, many questioned the booking of WSOF president Ray Sefo and staff to have two fighters compete that didn’t seem to want to.
That isn’t the case, according to Sefo.
“In the week since our card, I’ve seen some backlash about why we decided to promote this fight, and I honestly think much of it is unfair,” Sefo wrote online. “This fight was not our idea. In truth, these two brothers have been at odds for years, and both Phoenix and Caros have talked about the possibility of meeting in the cage on several occasions. After years of discussing the potential, both men finally decided it was time. With both athletes on the World Series of Fighting roster, it only made sense for us to book the fight, but I can assure you, this contest would have happened with or without our involvement.
“Phoenix was featured in a very emotional pre-fight interview on the day of WSOF32, and some observers took that as some type of sign that Phoenix was unhappy about the situation, but I can tell you that simply was not the case. Phoenix is a very emotional guy, there’s no question, and as a fighter myself, I can tell you that all of us get even more emotional on the day of a fight. For that fight to be against someone who you grew up with must certainly even amplify that emotion. However, Phoenix and Caros both very much wanted this fight. This was not something we forced either man to accept.
“In the end, Caros wound up winning a decision at WSOF32. Whether or not the feuding between the two will come to an end, I don’t know, but I have no regrets providing them with a platform to contest the prizefight they had been discussing for years.”
Recently, Caros Fodor and “Phoenix Jones” squared off in a meeting of “brothers” at World Series of Fighting 32.
Prior to the bout taking place on NBC Sports Network, an emotional interview with Ben Fodor was shown to hype the fight. After seeing it, many questioned the booking of WSOF president Ray Sefo and staff to have two fighters compete that didn’t seem to want to.
That isn’t the case, according to Sefo.
“In the week since our card, I’ve seen some backlash about why we decided to promote this fight, and I honestly think much of it is unfair,” Sefo wrote online. “This fight was not our idea. In truth, these two brothers have been at odds for years, and both Phoenix and Caros have talked about the possibility of meeting in the cage on several occasions. After years of discussing the potential, both men finally decided it was time. With both athletes on the World Series of Fighting roster, it only made sense for us to book the fight, but I can assure you, this contest would have happened with or without our involvement.
“Phoenix was featured in a very emotional pre-fight interview on the day of WSOF32, and some observers took that as some type of sign that Phoenix was unhappy about the situation, but I can tell you that simply was not the case. Phoenix is a very emotional guy, there’s no question, and as a fighter myself, I can tell you that all of us get even more emotional on the day of a fight. For that fight to be against someone who you grew up with must certainly even amplify that emotion. However, Phoenix and Caros both very much wanted this fight. This was not something we forced either man to accept.
“In the end, Caros wound up winning a decision at WSOF32. Whether or not the feuding between the two will come to an end, I don’t know, but I have no regrets providing them with a platform to contest the prizefight they had been discussing for years.”
The question of “who would win?” is one we’ve all inevitably asked ourselves when comparing some of MMA’s more famous brothers. The Nogueiras, the Freires, the Millers, the Brothers Diaz…we know that arbitrary things like weight classes and “love for one another” would keep most of these pairs from ever throwing down outside of the occasional family BBQ, but would a promotion even book such a fight if given the chance?
We’re kidding, of course. This is a sport that puts 68 year-old women and quadriplegics in ostensibly life-or-death scenarios without batting an eye, so the thought of booking a real-life Warriorscenario would be enough to make them shit their collective britches. As luck would have it, the World Series of Fighting appears to have shit those very britches.
The question of “who would win?” is one we’ve all inevitably asked ourselves when comparing some of MMA’s more famous brothers. The Nogueiras, the Freires, the Millers, the Brothers Diaz…we know that arbitrary things like weight classes and “love for one another” would keep most of these pairs from ever throwing down outside of the occasional family BBQ, but would a promotion even book such a fight if given the chance?
We’re kidding, of course. This is a sport that puts 68 year-old women and quadriplegics in ostensibly life-or-death scenarios without batting an eye, so the thought of booking a real-life Warriorscenario would be enough to make them shit their collective britches. As luck would have it, the World Series of Fighting appears to have shit those very britches.
According to Bloody Elbow, the promotion has recently announced that Caros Fodor will be taking on none other than his brother, Ben Fodor (better known around these parts as Phoenix Jones) on the main card of WSOF 32 in July. Being that Caros primarily competes as a lightweight while Ben fights at 155, the bout will be contested at a catchweight of 162 pounds.
How and why did this fight get booked, you ask? Good old fashioned hatred! Speaking with Yahoo following the announcement, the member of the Fodor family who doesn’t get his kicks dressing like a leather wombat and pepper-spraying drunks (can you tell that I think Phoenix Jones is a clown?), admitted that his brother’s alter-ego was largely at the root of their dislike for one another, ”It’s [strange]. I think it’s a gimmick for attention, if you want to know the truth. He started out meaning well, but, I don’t know.”
“He’s a liar and he just makes stuff up and throws it out there,” said Caros. “He’ll say almost anything. He likes to say he was raised in a foster home, but that’s not true.”
Jones, on the other hand, attempted to hype up the fight by saying that, “One hundred percent, it’s going to make our Mom cry. That’s a guarantee. But we’ve been circling each other for years. This was inevitable.”
Well if we weren’t stoked enough at the thought of potential fratricide, we sure as heck are now! (*begins “Make Mom Cry!” chant*)
As for how these brothers stack up against each other, well, it should come as little surprise that big brother Caros will enjoy a distinct experience advantage. Currently 10-5 as a pro, Caros has competed under the UFC, Strikeforce, and One FC banners, scoring wins over James Terry and Justin Wilcox and dropping contests to Sam Stout and Pat Healy. Ben, on the other hand, recently rebounded from a unanimous decision loss in his WSOF debut by submitting Alberto Young back in September, improving his record to 6-1-1 overall.
WSOF 32 is set to transpire on July 30th at the Xfinity Arena in Everett, Washington. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to watch the final fight from Warrior and cry like little girls.
It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, January 23rd, 2017) will come from from Memphis, Ten, in the form of WSOf 27. Headlining the card are Luiz Firmino and Caros Fodor, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the rest of the
It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, January 23rd, 2017) will come from from Memphis, Ten, in the form of WSOf 27. Headlining the card are Luiz Firmino and Caros Fodor, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the rest of the main card.
Luiz Firmino vs. Caros Fodor is next in a lightweight bout.
Teddy Holder vs. Shamil Gamzatov is next in a light heavyweight bout.
Jorge Medina vs. Bryce Mitchell is next in a featherweight bout.
Opening the main card on NBCSN is Chauncey Foxworth vs. Jaleel Willis in a welterweight bout.
So join us right here at LowKickMMA for WSOF 27, kicking off at 9 PM ET!
From the cage to the battlefield, some forms of bravery are easy to recognize. Then there are the daily acts of minor heroism, the kind that never get publicized. While everything Caros Fodor has accomplished in his career has made him worthy of respect, it’s hislifetime commitment to another fellow human being that makes him truly stand out as an unsung hero. Caros represents the heart and soul of MMA, and his story deserves to be heard.
*******
It had already been one of the more interesting work conversations I’d gotten to have with a fighter this year when I asked a last question as sort of an afterthought.
Seattle-based lightweight Caros Fodor was open in discussing his former life as a Marine with me. A Strikeforce/UFC vet who currently competes for OneFC, Fodor always wanted to be in the military, enlisted right out of high school and found himself in boot camp at just 17 years of age on September 11, 2001. From there, he was sent to Kuwait, and eventually Baghdad in the spring of 2003 as a part of the United States’ invasion of Iraq.
The realities of war — civilian casualties, cruelty to and destruction of the host nation, and bureaucratic banalities — changed Caros’ mind about wanting a career in the military. The carnage he’d taken part of also left him angry and suffering from PTSD when he returned home.
He had nightmares. He drank. The nightmares wouldn’t stop so he drank more. Caros and his friends went out most nights and started brawls.
From the cage to the battlefield, some forms of bravery are easy to recognize. Then there are the daily acts of minor heroism, the kind that never get publicized. While everything Caros Fodor has accomplished in his career has made him worthy of respect, it’s hislifetime commitment to another fellow human being that makes him truly stand out as an unsung hero. Caros represents the heart and soul of MMA, and his story deserves to be heard.
*******
It had already been one of the more interesting work conversations I’d gotten to have with a fighter this year when I asked a last question as sort of an afterthought.
Seattle-based lightweight Caros Fodor was open in discussing his former life as a Marine with me. A Strikeforce/UFC vet who currently competes for OneFC, Fodor always wanted to be in the military, enlisted right out of high school and found himself in boot camp at just 17 years of age on September 11, 2001. From there, he was sent to Kuwait, and eventually Baghdad in the spring of 2003 as a part of the United States’ invasion of Iraq.
The realities of war — civilian casualties, cruelty to and destruction of the host nation, and bureaucratic banalities — changed Caros’ mind about wanting a career in the military. The carnage he’d taken part of also left him angry and suffering from PTSD when he returned home.
He had nightmares. He drank. The nightmares wouldn’t stop so he drank more. Caros and his friends went out most nights and started brawls.
Ironically, perhaps, MMA helped save Fodor. He walked into Matt Hume’s AMC Pankration gym hoping to become a better street fighter, only to leave street fighting behind forever and pick up a new career in professional MMA.
It’s an inspiring story. A disillusioned warrior losing his way, then finding it again after learning to fight the right way and for the right reasons.
So, with all due respect to his opponent at OneFC 13: Moment of Truth, Vuyisile Colassa (who deserves respect just for having a name as cool as that), it was no fun watching Fodor lose a unanimous decision early this morning. You can’t help but want a guy to do well after he’s come so far.
Losses can be lethal to a young fighter’s career. You never know how many chances you’ll get to rise through the ranks.
Whenever Fodor retires from MMA, you wonder the same thing you wonder for all these guys and girls — what will they do and will they be alright doing it?
A little of that was in my mind when I asked Caros during our conversation a month ago about his future plans. He mentioned that his mother had only signed the waiver to allow him to enlist in the Marines after he promised her he’d stay a reservist and only go active duty after he completed his college degree.
The attacks on the U.S. of September 11, 2001 took that decision out of his hands for a few years. I asked Caros if he thought he’d go back to school and get a college degree after he stopped fighting professionally.
He likely would not, he said. Though, Fodor did mention, as an aside, that he did have a central part of the rest of his life already planned out.
“I probably won’t go back to school,” he said.
“I have the rest of my life kind of planned out already, though.”
He left it at that, but I couldn’t. I prodded Caros for further explanation.
“I run a companion home,” he explained.
That was the first time I’d ever heard of the term or concept.
“I live with an autistic friend of mine. A companion home is where you have a life-long agreement to be someone’s companion. I pretty much have him with me until I can’t do it anymore. I mean, I could always choose to change my mind but it’s pretty much for the rest of our lives. Autistic foster children age out of that system and then they still need a place to live.”
I was astounded to learn that people good enough to give this kind of commitment to another human being who was not even of blood or romantic relation existed. I guess I’d never thought about autistic foster children much at all, to say nothing of where they live after they age out of the foster system.
And, if such companions existed to care for these individuals, certainly they would be older, grandmotherly types. What kind of young man in his twenties makes that kind of commitment with the rest of his yet-to-be-realized life?
Whatever kind of man Caros Fodor is, I suppose.
Caros and his companion are no strangers and the fighter has been exposed to these issues for most of his life.
“My adopted mom ran a foster home for autistic kids,” he explained.
“So, ever since I was 16 I went there and did odd jobs. I met this guy 11 years ago when he was a little kid. Once he turned 21 in May, he moved in with me. It’s just me and him until he doesn’t need me or until one of us passes away.”
To the ears of someone who thinks one-year apartment leases are too onerous, the simple words Caros was saying left me dumfounded.
“He’s like a little brother to me. He’s cool with me,” Fodor said plainly, as if it were no big deal.
To him, perhaps, it isn’t. I asked Caros about logistical things — like what he would do if he ever wanted a serious partner, or if he wanted to get married? Wouldn’t that other dude that lives with him kinda cramp his style?
“I’m free to do whatever. Currently, I’m not married,” Caros said.
“It would be a subject that I’d discuss with them, for sure. I really wouldn’t be interested in someone who was not cool with Garth. He’s a great guy and super innocent.”
Caros Fodor once wanted to be a good soldier and protect the innocent from a rough world. Once war showed him that things don’t always work out that cleanly, it left him nearly broken.
Nearly. Caros rebuilt himself and found a profession for his fighting spirit after all.
More importantly, the warrior found a gentle path by which he could indeed protect the innocent. It may not be the grand scale of a war, but Fodor has learned it is still possible to be a hero, to one person, one life at a time.
I got the feeling from talking with Caros that he’d scoff at that type of description — his being a hero — or even take offense to it. That’s fine. I stand by it.
Fodor has come a long way from being an angry, street fighting rough neck. He’s already taken his MMA career further than most ever will.
So, while you feel bad for him after a loss like the one he suffered on Friday morning, you get the sense that Caros Fodor won something much more important a long time ago. And that, no matter where else his MMA career goes and however much longer it lasts, he’ll be just fine.
(Seriously, all he’s missing is a lisp and an army of lawyers to enable his incoherent conspiracy theories and he’d fit right in with the 209 crew.)
We’re not ashamed to admit that — despite his many shortcomings both inside the ring and out — Josh Neer will always be one of our favorite fighters. Embracing an “old school,” entertainment over strategy mentality that saw him score back-to-back Fight of the Night awards during his second run in the UFC, the Iowa native has been throwing caution to the wind since 2003 and holds nearly 50 fights to his credit (including notable victories over Mac Danzig, Melvin Guillard, Duane Ludwig, and Joe Stevenson) despite his relatively young age (30).
Josh Neer (33-13-1) has been released following 3 straight losses inside the Octagon. ‘The Dentist’ a veteran of the sport, was last in action at UFC 157 where he lost a decision to Court McGee. Prior to that Neer had been finished by both Justin Edwards and Mike Pyle.
Also among the fallen…
(Seriously, all he’s missing is a lisp and an army of lawyers to enable his incoherent conspiracy theories and he’d fit right in with the 209 crew.)
We’re not ashamed to admit that — despite his many shortcomings both inside the ring and out — Josh Neer will always be one of our favorite fighters. Embracing an “old school,” entertainment over strategy mentality that saw him score back-to-back Fight of the Night awards during his second run in the UFC, the Iowa native has been throwing caution to the wind since 2003 and holds nearly 50 fights to his credit (including notable victories over Mac Danzig, Melvin Guillard, Duane Ludwig, and Joe Stevenson) despite his relatively young age (30).
Josh Neer (33-13-1) has been released following 3 straight losses inside the Octagon. ‘The Dentist’ a veteran of the sport, was last in action at UFC 157 where he lost a decision to Court McGee. Prior to that Neer had been finished by both Justin Edwards and Mike Pyle.
Also among the fallen…
Brock Jardine: 0-2 in the UFC, was last submitted via a crazy kneebar from the back mount/hiplock at the hands of Kenny Robertson at UFC 157. Prior to that, Jardine dropped a unanimous decision to Rick Story at UFC on FX 4.
Caros Fodor: 0-1, brought over in the Strikeforce acquisition and dropped a split decision to Sam Stout at UFC 157. Damn, that seems kinda hasty.
Jon Manley: Also 0-1, Manley was apparently part of the cast of the already forgotten TUF 16 and faced fellow contestant Neil Magny at UFC 157, where he wound up on the wrong end of a UD loss.
Farewell gentlemen, you may be lost but you will never be forgotten…unless you were on TUF 16.
