Who can say what goes through Rousimar Palhares’ mind?
In moments such as the one Saturday night, when Palhares again held a submission too long, who can say what the man is thinking? Who can say if he is thinking anything at all?
I have long since giv…
Who can say what goes through Rousimar Palhares’ mind?
In moments such as the one Saturday night, when Palhares again held a submission too long, who can say what the man is thinking? Who can say if he is thinking anything at all?
I have long since given up trying to figure out what makes Palhares tick. It is devastatingly clear that if not for his recurring place in the center of controversy, Palhares would be one of the more incredible stories in mixed martial arts: A man who does one thing and does it well, even when facing men with similar skill sets and aptitudes.
Even accomplished opponents such as Jake Shields know exactly what Palhares will attempt once the cage door closes. And still, he does it. On Saturday, Shields—one of the very best and heaviest grapplers in mixed martial arts—fought a nearly perfect fight, and yet he found himself tapping out to the hulking Brazilian submission artist.
But it was this moment, as it has so many other times, that doomed Palhares. It was this moment that made us overlook how he got there, and it instead forced us to once again focus on what he did once he arrived.
It was here that Palhares lived up to his reputation as the single dirtiest fighter in mixed martial arts.
That’s how it usually goes, anyway. Palhares secures a submission, his opponent taps and Palhares continues to crank away. This time it wasn’t his dreaded kneebar; it was a kimura. Even when referee Steve Mazagatti grabbed Palhares to signal the end of the fight, Palhares continued cranking away, as though trying to rip Shields’ arm from its socket.
The total time between Mazagatti touching Palhares and the Brazilian releasing the hold was just under two seconds. But when Palhares is involved, those two seconds feel like an eternity.
And I’m sure they felt like an eternity to Shields, who began his frantic tapping long before Mazagatti—a space cadet of a referee confined to working lower-tier mixed martial arts events only because he is far and away the worst referee in a sport filled to overflowing with them—finally decided that Shields’ tapping was an indication that he should maybe stop the fight.
We can talk about Palhares holding submissions too long because, put simply, that’s what he does. He was suspended for doing it one time and then fired from his UFC deal when he did it again. We’ve heard him speak of contrition. Those around him have pushed the idea that he sought counseling to help figure out why he acts the way he does. And yet here we are, in 2015, and Palhares is still being the same terrifying and yet despicable fighter he has been for the past few years.
But the submission wasn’t the worst part of Saturday night in Vegas. No, that came earlier, when Palhares clearly and repeatedly attempted to gouge Shields’ in the eyes using his thumbs. There have been many rule changes over the years in mixed martial arts, but eye gouging? That has never once been a part of the sport.
And in employing such a tactic, Palhares showed that he’s beyond sadistic. He is beyond reprehensible. It is clear that he isn’t going to change his ways even with suspensions, fines and a possible firing hanging over his head.
Maybe he can’t change his ways. Perhaps it isn’t a conscious decision at all, but rather it’s a part of his core that can’t be mended, stripped away or fixed. Maybe this is who Palhares is. Maybe it’s who he’ll always be, no matter how many jobs he loses or how many dollars he’s forced to pay to athletic commissions.
At this point, however, it shouldn’t be up to him. Regardless of what you think of the submission being held too long—and compared to his previous controversies, perhaps this one wasn’t so bad—his repeated attempts to gouge Shields’ eyes is something that needs to be dealt with.
The vaunted Nevada State Athletic Commission is quickly morphing itself into an agency that comes down hard on cheaters. Soon, drug failures will be hit with suspensions ranging from two years to a lifetime banishment from the sport. Rightly so. PEDs have long given cheaters a potentially harmful advantage over their opponents, and it is long past time they were dealt with appropriately.
But if PED users are harshly punished for attempting to cheat their way to wins, then what of a man who willfully pushes his thumbs into his opponent’s eyes? Shields went to the hospital with blurry vision last night. One look at his face this morning tells the story. Palhares’ revolting act did the damage he intended it to cause.
In late 2014, my colleague, Jonathan Snowden, took a look at Palhares’ history of holding submissions too long after the Brazilian once again found himself at the center of controversy after submitting Jon Fitch:
But it didn’t quite cross over into straight-up assault. It was gray—a color that has come to define the Brazilian’s career.
It was a win that served two purposes. It established Palhares, arguably, as a legitimate contender for the title of “best welterweight in the world.” But it also likely reaffirmed the UFC’s decision to leave him on the outside looking in. Some fighters, even in a sport like MMA, are just too dangerous for something that’s ultimately just a game.
It is difficult to say someone should be forever banished from making a living wage. And if we were looking at a first-time offense here, I believe Palhares might deserve a little bit of leniency. But this is not a first offense. It is not even a second offense. Palhares shows a repeated pattern of going above and beyond in his attempts to hurt people, even far beyond what is acceptable in such a brutal sport.
And then you throw in the fact that he’s adding new wrinkles to his game with eye gouges? He is not getting better. He is getting worse. The time to make excuses for Palhares is over.
It is time to put him on the sidelines, permanently.
Jake Shields has never been one to make a fight personal, but he’s definitely carrying a grudge heading into his bout against Rousimar Palhares.
In a career that has spanned nearly 16 years and produced multiple world titles on various stages across MM…
Jake Shields has never been one to make a fight personal, but he’s definitely carrying a grudge heading into his bout against Rousimar Palhares.
In a career that has spanned nearly 16 years and produced multiple world titles on various stages across MMA, the slick submissions ace has earned his reputation as being one of the most laid-back competitors outside of the cage and one of the most dangerous once the ruckus gets rolling. Along the way he’s faced—and in most cases defeated—some of the best fighters to compete in the welterweight and middleweight ranks to build one of the most impressive resumes in the current era of the sport.
In doing so, the San Francisco-based fighter has racked up a lofty list of achievements and has done it without going beyond the limits of his character to fabricate fictional beef for the sake of fight promotion.
So when Shields starts lacing shots in the direction of his upcoming opponent and current WSOF welterweight champion Palhares, there is reason to believe things have drifted into the realm of personal for the former Strikeforce middleweight titleholder. He sees Palhares’ penchant for holding onto submission and knack for injuring his opponents as a bold sign of the Brazilian’s lack of professionalism and plans to teach Toquinho a lesson when they square off for the welterweight strap Saturday night at WSOF 22.
Shields said it bothers him that Palhares “is out there trying to hurt people.”
“It’s one thing to hurt someone if it happens in a fight, but it’s another to do it intentionally. We go out there to fight, and getting hurt is part of the sport, but looking to do it intentionally is just dirty. Especially in jiu-jitsu. It bothers me even more that he tries to act so nice and comes off so fake. I have a lot to get excited for in this fight.
“We put our careers on the line when we go out there, and trying to hurt someone is just dirty. It doesn’t matter if the guy he’s facing taps out, he’ll crank on it anyway and blow out the knee. That makes me not like this guy and it brings and added element to this fight. I know the kind of fighter he is and I am ready for it.”
Shields knows Palhares is capable of stepping over the line and putting his career at risk once their main event gets underway Saturday, and that has him prepared to tap into the darker side of his own psyche. Fighting is a brutal sport by it’s nature, but the sporting element typically creates an element of sportsmanship between the two competitors.
In Shields’ mind, that won’t exist when the cage door closes Saturday night in Las Vegas, and he’s ready and willing to mix it up anyway the 170-pound champion wants to get down.
“If the guy you’re fighting is playing dirty, then you have to go fight at his level,” Shields said. “You can’t be out there trying to not hurt someone who is definitely out there trying to hurt you. That’s when you have to be willing to get down to that level and do whatever it takes to get the win.”
In addition to his quest to make a statement to a fighter he believes deserve zero respect for the dangerous and illegal tactics he’s consistently displayed over the past several years, the 36-year-old Tareq Azim-trained fighter will also be aiming to add another championship belt to his mantle. Shields has spent the past decade competing at the elite levels of two different weight classes and has held a status as either champion or perennial title threat wherever he’s chosen to compete.
And while veteran resurgences have been increasing as of late, Shields sees his current run as anything but. He believes he’s doing some of the best work of his decorated career, and back-to-back first-round finishes against opponents with devastating power—like the caliber of what Ryan Ford and Brian Foster possess—go a long way to reflect that notion.
“It’s crazy to be honest,” Shields said. “I’m feeling the best I’ve ever felt, which is kind of weird with my age and being at this stage of my career to be feeling better than ever. I’m just in a good space mentally, and I’ve really started to enjoy fighting again. I really want to make a statement with these fights. I came into both of those fights with the plan to finish in the first round, and that’s what I did.”
With a victory over Palhares at WSOF 22, the American jiu-jitsu representative’s career would once again shift into a higher gear. While mixed results under the UFC banner spawned questions as to whether or not Shields’ best days in the cage were behind him, any doubts about his motivation to compete have been erased during his time with WSOF.
He’s fallen back in love with fighting, and as long as that love remains, Shields is confident he will continue to step in and give his best. When the day comes where he doesn’t feel that spark, Shields has zero doubt that he’ll walk away. And with everything he’s accomplished in his career, there won’t be anything to regret when that decision inevitably comes to call.
“I feel like I have one of the best resumes in the sport, and it’s something I definitely take pride in,” Shields said. “I’ve won multiple titles and have done it at different weights. That’s not something a lot of fighters have accomplished, and I’m proud to have done it. I certainly wouldn’t mind adding one more belt to my resume and a few more wins.
“I’m just doing it one fight at a time right now. I’ve fought for so long and have pretty much accomplished all of my goals and have done the things I wanted to do, so I’m taking things one fight at a time at this point in my career. I’m feeling so comfortable right now, and I’m enjoying it. After each fight I look at the situation and see if I want to fight again. Right now, I’m feeling great, but once you start slipping it’s time to walk away. This is a dangerous sport, and it becomes a lot more dangerous if you aren’t 100 percent committed to it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The only thing on Jake Shields’ mind at the current time is Rousimar Palhares.
While the former Strikeforce middleweight champion turned welterweight contender under the World Series of Fighting banner would love to add another title to his already imp…
The only thing on Jake Shields‘ mind at the current time is RousimarPalhares.
While the former Strikeforce middleweight champion turned welterweight contender under the World Series of Fighting banner would love to add another title to his already impressive resume, his upcoming bout against the Brazilian leglock master has all the feelings of something personal attached to it. The Team Cesar Gracie representative has forged a successful career out of being both a talented fighter and a sportsman alike, yet he doesn’t believe that honor lies in the current WSOF welterweight champion.
Between his failure to release submission locks and a past suspension for elevated levels of testosterone in a post-fight drug test, Palhares has earned his reputation of being a dirty fighter. The jiu-jitsu ace has amassed a highlight reel of controversial submission finishes where, despite referees jumping in to stop the fights, Palhares has injured his opposition by prolonging the hold.
It was that particular and curious behavior that led to the UFC releasing him back in 2013, yet it is also his arsenal of leg attacks that have made him one of the most feared welterweight fighters on the planet. And while both dominance and controversy have continued to hover over Palhares‘ performances en route to winning WSOF‘s 170-pound title, Shields is dead set on bringing the Brazilian’s run to an end.
Furthermore, the former UFC welterweight title contender is intent on teaching the current champion a lesson, and he can’t wait to mix it up with Palhares later this year.
“[Palhares] may not be a bad guy, but when he fights, he’s out there trying to hurt people,” Shields told Bleacher Report. “If he wants to play that game, then I’ll go out there and try to hurt him. I’m not going to hold anything back because this guy is not out there to be my friend. He’s out there to put me in the hospital. I’m going to go out there with the same mindset, and I’ll put him in the hospital.
“I’ve already shown how effective American jiu-jitsu can be against Demian Maia, and I’m going to do it again with RousimarPalhares. They are two of the very best when it comes to fighting on the ground, and he’s going to be the second one of them I beat.”
The San Francisco native earned the opportunity to compete for WSOF gold by defeating scrappy knockout artist Brian Foster this past weekend at WSOF 17 in Las Vegas. It was the classic striker vs. grappler pairing, and Shields made quick work of the Oklahoma native when he locked in the fight-ending rear-naked choke in the early goings of the opening frame.
The quick first round finish over the resurgent former UFC veteran was his second under his new promotional banner, and Shields is in position to compete for the organization’s welterweight crown in his next outing. The Skrap Pack representative has spent his entire career chasing championship gold, and his elite level of skill secured yet another opportunity to add another championship belt to one of the best resumes in the current era of mixed martial arts.
“To be honest, I think my resume gets overlooked quite a bit,” Shields said. “You go down the list of fighters I’ve faced in my career, and I’ve fought the who’s who in either division I’ve competed in. Every promotion I go into, I go in to become the champion. I’m not here to be No. 2. I’m here to be the best and to get my hands on the belt.
“My last two fights were against good guys, and I put them away quickly. If you look at my record, I’ve pretty much spent my entire career fighting top guys. I’ve had a few more decisions than I’d like, but when you are fighting the best of the best that is going to happen from time to time.
“I go out there to make a statement, and I believe I’ve done that in my past two fights,” he added. “I’ve had some ups and downs in my career, but even in my downs, I was beating talented guys like TyronWoodley. I feel like I’m in my prime right now and at the peak of my career. Hopefully, I can keep it up. I feel like I’m at my best right now, and I want to keep going out there and putting guys away.”
Throughout the course of his 16-year career, Shields has been a constant at the elite level of the sport. He’s mixed it up inside the cage with a wide range of champions, contenders and pound-for-pound greats, carving out his place as one of the sport’s best in the process. That said, fighting is a rigorous trade that is as unforgiving as they come in the professional realm, and Shields is no stranger to just how heavy uncertainty can hang when things inside the cage hit a downturn.
Nevertheless, the former Elite XC is still standing tall after and is feeling better than he ever has before. He’s handling business inside the cage at a rapid rate and doing so by sticking to an efficient and tactical game plans. While the savvy veteran doesn’t see the end of his career approaching any time soon, he’s also not willing to venture too far ahead to look for it either.
Shields is taking things as they come, and the love for the sport that allowed him to collect 15-straight victories and rack up a collection of titles has returned to him. That makes Shields a happy man, and that spells trouble for the rest of the welterweights in the world.
“I just love the sport,” Shields said. “There have been a few times I’ve been burnt out, but right now, I’m enjoying it again. I’m taking it one fight at a time. I really don’t know what the future holds. I’m 36 years old now, but I still feel super healthy. My body is feeling better than it has ever felt.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Even through an orchestra of slot machine jangles and a Taylor Swift mashup blasting from one of the casino bars, Brian Foster’s voice is impossible to miss.
“It’s been too long, man,” he shouted with his deep southern drawl that is immediately invitin…
Even through an orchestra of slot machine jangles and a Taylor Swift mashup blasting from one of the casino bars, Brian Foster’s voice is impossible to miss.
“It’s been too long, man,” he shouted with his deep southern drawl that is immediately inviting, but at a volume that made a few groups of bystanders turn their heads in curiosity. “Good thing you can write, because you definitely aren’t getting any better-looking.”
While the contact between us had remained frequent since I met him back in the spring of 2011, two solid years had passed since we last stood face-to-face. And where there had been plenty of ups and downs of various severity in his career over that stretch, on that Thursday afternoon the scrappy welterweight from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was absolutely beaming with positive energy.
The smile on his face was seemingly as big as his profile on the huge digital sign that hung above the entrance to the Axis Theater—the place where he would finally make his return to the spotlight. We stood there looking up at the promotional ad for World Series of Fighting 17: Jake Shields vs. Brian Foster, and it was impossible to ignore the look of satisfaction he wore standing in the red hues the sign cast.
After four years of trials and tribulations where his hopes of reigniting his fighting career were sparked, dashed, then lit again, the former UFC fighter-turned-resurgent-veteran had finally reached a place where his past had begun to fade out and his future was illuminated.
A few hours later, after getting in a hard workout with teammate Chris Camozzi, the 29-year-old powerhouse expanded on the emotions of finally landing a high-profile fight. In three days he would step in against former Strikeforce champion and former UFC title challenger Jake Shields in the main event of a promotion that had been making solid strides since its launch back in 2012.
“It feels like one chapter is closing and another one is fitting to begin,” Foster said as he relaxed for a second in his hotel room. “All the suffering is finally coming to an end, and all the sacrifices I’ve made and all of the times I’ve had to pick myself up off the ground and start again are all worthwhile. It’s been a long road back, brother, and even though I’m nowhere near achieving my goals, this is a pretty damn good start.”
While the struggles that have plagued Foster’s fighting career have been well-documented (by this writer especially), articles and interviews hardly do the reality of his situation justice.
Just north of four years ago, he suffered an injury during a sparring session in his preparation to face Sean Pierson at UFC 129, an incident that would begin a chain of events that put his livelihood in jeopardy. The UFC refused to give him clearance due to an issue that arose on his MRI in his pre-fight medicals, and his bout in Toronto was scrapped.
Shortly after receiving that news, things continued to travel on a downward turn as he was released from his contract with the UFC. Suddenly, the surging 170-pound striker went from finishing future contender Matt Brown and picking up his second consecutive victory inside the Octagon to being just another addition to a long list of fighters who used to compete under the Zuffa banner.
Nevertheless, while losing his place on the UFC roster was an unfortunate setback, it would hardly be the end of his troubles, as the next three years brought a storm of chaos into his life.
He would sign with Bellator and be hyped to compete in the promotion’s Season 6 welterweight tournament, but those plans would also fall by the wayside when his past injury came back to haunt him—only this time it would lead to his name being added to the list of fighters who are nationally suspended and therefore prohibited from competing in the United States.
Yet, while his resolve, patience and resilience would be tested over that period, the door was finally closing on one of the toughest stretches of his life.
And when considering how much Foster has had taken away from him (his father was murdered when he was 13, and his brother Brandon was killed in a hiking accident back in 2006), the magnitude of the situation as a whole would begin to take shape for anyone who had been paying attention.
“I’ve been through so much just to get here, and people will never understand,” Foster explained later that night as we strolled through the seemingly endless maze of the Planet Hollywood casino.
“I’ve spent my entire life trying to get my feet back under me after having my heart ripped out of my chest, and I’ve been through s**t that would make most people crumble. But I’m still standing, man, and I can feel the time coming where I get to show the world what I’m all about.”
The energy that was so obvious upon our meeting would only continue to amplify as that Thursday night grew longer on the Las Vegas Strip. As people from all over the world were watching their fortunes rise and fall on craps tables and roulette wheels in Sin City, Foster was sharing the amazement of just how much training at altitude in Denver had strengthened his cardio.
Alongside The Ultimate Fighter alum Camozzi, fellow teammate Chase Hackett was there to show support and help Foster chip away at the remaining few pounds that remained on his weight cut before hitting the scale on Friday afternoon.
As I made a quiet exit that night, the last thing I saw was Foster shadowboxing at the end of a long hallway on the eighth floor of the hotel, and the weight and realization of just how far this man had come to reach the place he now stood finally set in.
***
There once was a time where getting back to the UFC was all Brian Foster thought about. Phone call after phone call during the darkest days of his suspension was nothing but a constant string of questions as to why he was being held back from fulfilling his dream and bolstering the self-confidence to convince himself that fighting inside the Octagon and competing with the best fighters in the world was where he belonged.
That said, as he milled about backstage at the Axis Theater on Friday afternoon, waiting to step on the scale and make his bout with Shields official, the most successful promotion in the sport was the furthest thing from his mind.
Time and circumstance had created a wedge between Foster and the place he once held so highly, but the business at hand was drawing near, and there was a new organization which showed its belief in his skills.
“I’m a happy man fighting for WSOF,” Foster blasted as he walked down the hall to distance himself from a group of fighters who were suffering on their way to the scale. “These guys signed me and gave me a main event fight against one of the best welterweights in the world. How could I not be happy with that? Plus, the money is good, and I’m working with good people here. It’s a great situation, and I’m fired up to be fighting for them.”
As the official weigh-ins got underway and the rest of the fighters on the card began to drag themselves up to the stage, Foster was pulsing with energy behind the divider. Where he had been only five pounds off the 171-pound limit the night prior, he awoke that morning even lighter and with less weight to cut.
Those circumstances would raise the spirits of anyone who is familiar with the weight-cutting process, and as Foster waited for his name to be called, he continued to shake out his arms and legs in an effort to keep his composure in check.
On the other side of the crowd, his opponent, Jake Shields, was the model of relaxed cool. The San Francisco native’s history of rough weight cuts are well-known throughout the MMA community, but in the lead-up to his official weigh-in for the bout with Foster, the Team Cesar Gracie representative appeared to be in firm control of the process.
While Shield’s appearance surprised several fighters and coaches waiting for their turns on the scale, it only seemed to increase Foster’s anticipation for the fight.
“He looks good, and I’m glad,” Foster said as he continued to shoot eyes over in Shields’ direction. “Looks like he’s in great shape, and that’s the Jake I want to fight. I want to step in there with him at his best, and anything less than that would be unacceptable in my mind.”
While his bravado and confidence continued to ratchet up in the few minutes that remained before taking the stage, there was also something else—something yet unseen—that seemed to be motivating him in those moments before walking out to weigh in. Foster is very much a salt-of-the-earth, heart-on-his-sleeve type of guy, but there was a little something extra providing a boost backstage.
Several moments later, after both fighters made weight and the main event for WSOF 17 became official, Foster returned backstage, where he finally elaborated on the added bit of fuel that had boosted an already raging fire.
“The first fight is officially over, and I won,” he said with a huge smile on his face.
Where fighters often refer to their battle with the scale being the fight before the fight, having to cut only a handful of pounds on weigh-in day didn’t carry enough pop to explain his level of excitement.
“That’s one huge hurdle behind us,” Hackett added as he slapped Foster on the back. “The fight is officially set, and you’re going to compete tomorrow night in Las Vegas. This is one of the best commissions in the world, and you are never going to have to deal with those issues again. The door is closed on the past, and now it’s time to start your future.”
As Hackett, Foster and Camozzi moved with their conversation and began to discuss dinner plans, the full scope of the moment began to become clear: Where Foster had spent the past four years fighting governing bodies in MMA to prove he was healthy enough to compete, his bout’s becoming official represented a shift into a new era for the hard-charging welterweight.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission is the standard-bearer for other commissions around the country, and with Foster receiving his license, being medically cleared and making weight for his bout in Las Vegas, old ghosts would finally be put to rest.
For the first time in as long as he could remember, the only thing Foster had to focus on was defeating the man standing across from him inside the cage. And despite how enormous a task besting a fighter with one of the best resumes on the current landscape of MMA was going to be, it was one he was elated to get after.
Foster’s ear-to-ear grin was shining brightly as he’d put away one major challenge, and he was only 24 hours from coming face-to-face with his next tough obstacle. Nevertheless, in that moment Foster was happy—truly happy in the realization of how far he’d come—and the time to shift gears and summon the internal fire that had made him a feared finisher in the welterweight ranks had finally arrived.
***
“Turn that up,” Foster growled as he resumed stalking the mat in the backstage locker room.
Upon hearing his request, fellow teammate and current Bellator fighter Dustin Jacoby cranked up the volume on the speaker, and country music filled the small space.
In an hour he would sit while his head coach at Factory X, Marc Montoya, would sit to wrap his hands, and then commission would come in, sign off and put the blue tape on his gloves. Once this was completed, Hackett would hit the mat to roll through several grappling exchanges as they attempted to get Foster primed for Shields’ strongest weapon.
Where the mood had been loose and jovial the day before, the vibe in Foster’s locker room on fight day was a stark contrast.
Several minutes after stepping foot in the two-roomed outpost WSOF had given him to prepare, Foster took a framed picture of his late brother Brandon from his gym bag and hammered in a nail so that he could hang it on the wall. Upon withdrawing the picture from his bag, Foster dropped to his knees and clutched it tightly as he whispered words to the photo with his eyes closed, deep in his own personal mental space.
After placing the frame on the wall of the training room, Foster once again took several moments to share some internal thoughts with the person who made him want to be a fighter. In addition to his three sons back home in Oklahoma, his brother was and will forever be the driving force behind Foster’s career fighting inside the cage.
When his eyes opened again and he turned around, there was something different about him.
Several moments prior, he was a man getting ready to step into hand-to-hand combat, but when he turned around and returned to moving on the mat, something had changed within him. The smile was gone. The loose and instantly likable southern charm was suddenly absent, and in its place stood a fighter.
While the overall transformation had been in process all day, the sharp turn into a man who was fierce and ready for battle was abrupt.
“We’re up next,” Camozzi said as he tapped Foster on the shoulder. The Oklahoma native was rocking from side to side—continuously shifting his weight from one foot to the other as the clock ticked closer to showtime.
Several minutes later, the fight on the television screen in the locker room came to an end, which was immediately followed by a knock on the door telling Foster it was time to go.
He kept his head down and his breathing steady as he navigated the narrow hallway, down two flights of stairs and out into the wide-open space of the main stage of the Axis Theater. Behind the curtain, fight-hungry fans waited for their main event, and the platform Foster had been scrapping tooth and nail to reclaim was just seconds away from being his.
While there were only a handful of seconds before he had to make the walk down to the cage, Foster made sure to go to each one of his teammates and coaches who had stayed by his side, supported and prepared him for the biggest fight of his career, and thank them for their belief in him and the effort they invested to make sure he was ready for what was to come.
Each embrace was sincere. Each exchange was filled with encouragement and care, and when Shinedown’s version of “Simple Man” hit the speakers in the theater, Foster walked around the curtain and dove headlong into the fray, as the next chapter of his life was about to unfold under the bright lights.
***
When an athlete signs on for a career in combat sports, he is willingly boarding a roller coaster of uncertainty. Fighting, by its very nature, is a brutal, unforgiving endeavor, one that comes with the possibility of tremendous highs when victory is obtained and desolate lows when defeat comes to call.
In the locker room following Foster’s submission by Shields in the first round, the mood was somber and silent.
He had started out on a positive note—keeping his distance and landing several shots at range and breaking free when Shields looked for the clinch—but the savvy veteran capitalized on a moment of over-aggression and took control as he put Foster on the canvas.
With Shields possessing one of the most dominant ground games in the sport, having his back to the mat is the last place Foster wanted to be, and it didn’t take long for Shields to apply his offensive attack.
The former Strikeforce titleholder moved through his progressions from top position, and Foster did his best to defend himself until the “Skrap Pack” representative found the opportunity he’d been working for and locked in a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Shortly after Foster tapped out from the pressure Shields applied, he sat on his knees in the center of the cage as disappointment hung heavily on his face. The battle he’d envisioned in his mind never materialized, and a brief mistake once the cage door closed had brought his long-awaited comeback to a sour end.
Ever the sportsman, Foster walked over to give Shields a congratulatory hug for a job well done, then made his way out of the cage and back toward the locker room where he’d stood only several minutes before. As the team filed in behind him, Foster was silent as he attempted to replay what had gone wrong in the fight.
He hadn’t overlooked or underestimated Shields’ ground-game talents in the slightest; he just simply couldn’t stop what many other exceptional fighters were also overwhelmed by once they squared off with the submissions ace.
Foster’s misfortune inside the cage kept things silent inside the locker room as he and Montoya stepped over to the corner to discuss the fight. While Foster remained speechless, his coach reiterated over and over how much he believed in Foster’s heart, drive and skill set. Montoya refused to allow Foster to beat himself up over what unfolded in the fight with Shields and ensured his fighter that this was just one small step in what was going to be a great return.
Foster nodded his head in agreement as Montoya embraced him once more, then the coach slipped away to give him his fighter time and space to absorb the outcome.
As Hackett set about gathering up their belongings and clearing out the locker room, Foster quickly came to the center of the mat to address his teammates. His apology was immediately met with correction from his brothers in arms as they took turns building up a man they truly believed in.
And while Foster couldn’t shake the obvious disappointment from his face, he did assure his teammates that his presence in Denver was going to be full-time going forward.
“I’m going right back to the gym,” he said with heavy eyes. “I can’t live with what just happened in that fight, and the only way to fix it is to be in the gym busting my ass. I’m going to make the cut to 155, and I’m not leaving Las Vegas until they get me another fight. It’s what I have to do, and I’m going to be there in Denver on Monday.”
In addition to informing his teammates and coaches that he was going to make the move to Denver, Foster also confirmed to them that his next fight would come as a lightweight.
That shift had been set in motion prior to the bout with Shields and was the reason he’d come into the fight at a much lighter weight than ever before. Yet those were all things to come in the future, and he still had to deal with the reality of what had transpired against Shields in the cage.
That said, Foster was going to keep things positive while he made his peace with the loss, and his teammates echoed his sentiment as they passed around encouragements for their close friend.
After a quick shower, Foster burst out of the locker room en route to finding WSOF matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz with the full intention of getting another bout lined up that instant. The promotion has two cards on the docket in the coming months, and Foster was hellbent on getting confirmation that he’d be fighting on one of them.
After a quick talk with Abdel-Aziz with a promise to discuss things in greater detail later in the night, Foster and his crew took the side exit and made the walk back to their hotel rooms. As his teammates fell into conversations with fellow fighters and familiar faces from the fight business, Foster kept to himself—with his head down aside from the occasional shake in disbelief—until they had arrived back at the rooms.
Once inside, Foster drifted off to find solitude and took his phone from his pocket. It had been ringing non-stop since the fight ended, and the list of missed calls on the screen wasn’t something he was interested in looking at. Yet there was one very important phone call that needed to be made, and with a heavy heart, he dialed the number to speak with his sons, who had been watching back home in Oklahoma.
In that moment, he wasn’t just a fighter who had been bested on live television or a man whose comeback had been stunted in abrupt fashion by a former world champion—he was a father.
He was a dad who needed to call the three people who love him the most in this world to tell them that he was not hurt, but most importantly, to show that even when you are knocked down, it’s getting back up that matters the most.
Yet while he didn’t find everything he was looking for when he came to Las Vegas to fight in the main event at WSOF 17, Foster did discover that even when the chips are down and disappointment is hanging heavy overhead, the bigger picture of his life remains fully intact.
Victory may have eluded him on this run, and the setback he suffered against Shields may ultimately force his road back to take a few extra turns, but it still wasn’t enough to shake the resolve he’d forged on his journey to get to where he stood.
Fighting is a brutal, unforgiving sport by its very nature, and Brian Foster is a fighter through and through. He’s wired to overcome adversity and press onward. That’s the only way he knows, and that is how he will continue.
While he may be back in the gym on Monday and find himself fighting at 155 pounds on an upcoming WSOF card, he’ll still be fighting for the people who matter the most to him in his life. On Saturday night, three of those people were waiting anxiously on the other end of the phone, and the other was locked in his heart as a life cut short and the reason his journey began in the first place.
Foster may not have found victory on Saturday night, but he’ll now go forward free of the weight that once threatened to drown his career.
That’s redemption on a grander scale, and a lesson he can one day pass on to those people who make every bit of sacrifice worthwhile.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The meeting was not without it’s fair share of actual, noteworthy highlights, however, so let’s get to them…
– If you recall, Jake Shields fought Ed Herman in a middleweight contest at UFC 150 back in 2012, emerging victorious via unanimous decision. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Shields had tested positive for a banned substance, resulting in a $5,675 fine and his win being overturned. What Shields tested positive for exactly remained a mystery until yesterday’s meeting, when in the process of applying for a fight license for his upcoming WSOF 17 main event fight with Brian Foster, Shields admitted to using diuretics, not Mary Jane as we had suspected, prior to UFC 150. (via MMAFighting):
Shields said he was given the diuretics in 2012 by someone he knew from fighting, but not a fellow fighter. He said it was someone he didn’t know very well and called it a “mistake.”
“I learn from my mistakes,” Shields said. “I’d like to think that, at least. I’m not one to go through what I went through before.”
“I didn’t know it was banned, but it was my fault,” he said. “It was my responsibility.”
(Oddly enough, Shields was much more compliant during yesterday’s hearing. via Combat Lifestyle)
The meeting was not without it’s fair share of actual, noteworthy highlights, however, so let’s get to them…
– If you recall, Jake Shields fought Ed Herman in a middleweight contest at UFC 150 back in 2012, emerging victorious via unanimous decision. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Shields had tested positive for a banned substance, resulting in a $5,675 fine and his win being overturned. What Shields tested positive for exactly remained a mystery until yesterday’s meeting, when in the process of applying for a fight license for his upcoming WSOF 17 main event fight with Brian Foster, Shields admitted to using diuretics, not Mary Jane as we had suspected, prior to UFC 150. (via MMAFighting):
Shields said he was given the diuretics in 2012 by someone he knew from fighting, but not a fellow fighter. He said it was someone he didn’t know very well and called it a “mistake.”
“I learn from my mistakes,” Shields said. “I’d like to think that, at least. I’m not one to go through what I went through before.”
“I didn’t know it was banned, but it was my fault,” he said. “It was my responsibility.”
-Speaking of diuretics, Ashlee Evans-Smith’s recent positive test for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (or as her manager called it, “flowers and sh*t”) was also addressed by the committee yesterday. Evans-Smith was handed “a temporary suspension pending a full disciplinary hearing” and opted against contesting the ruling. Her manager, on the other hand, had less than kind things to say.
It’s not performance-enhancing or anything. I don’t understand why they’re talking about her doing diuretics, but Jon Jones did cocaine and nothing is happening to him. Cocaine is okay because it’s out of competition? He was in training camp.
– Finally, the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed out 9 month suspensions to Bellator heavyweight James Wilson and WSOF lightweight Bryson Gutches. The former pissed hot for nandrolone metabolite and was fined 33 percent of his $2,500 purse (LOL!). The latter tested positive for the diuretic furosemide, and the resulting fine is equal parts hilarious and depressing. (via MMAJunkie):
Gutches was paid $1,000 in “show” money for the contest, as well as $1,000 for his win bonus. The NSAC elected to fine him the entirety of the win bonus, as well as 20 percent (or $200) of his win bonus, amounting to a total fine of $1,200.
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…
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, ThiagoAlves 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 RousimarPalhares 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.
Who can say what goes through Rousimar Palhares’ mind?