It’s not quite as rare as Halley’s Comet, but seeing Len Cook, Josh Booher, Daniel Crockett and Tyler Minton on the same card for Cage Brawl VIII is pretty unique. Why? Because chances are good that, before 2012 is out, at least one of these fighters will find himself at a higher level in the sport.
Minton tried out for the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter back in December and is now on the UFC’s radar. Cook is set to compete in two weeks at an XFC event in Knoxville, Tenn., that will be televised nationally on HDNet. And all four fighters carry undefeated records as professionals into this Cage Brawl, the first pro-am event put on by the promotion.
“My ultimate goal is to make it to the point where a Tri-Cities promotion can’t afford to get me,” said Minton, who fights for Team Oxendine in Johnson City, Tenn. “That’s the goal.”
Cook and Booher have just started down that path. They made their pro debuts on the same card at Viking Hall in October 2011, and have spent the subsequent months adjusting to the more rigorous training and other responsibilities that come with being professional fighters.
“I kind of approached the last fight more like I did amateur fights. That was a mistake on my part,” said Cook, an Absolute Jiu-Jitsu product who’s scheduled to fight fellow bantamweight Brandon McMahann out of Knoxville at Cage Brawl VIII on Jan. 27 at the MeadowView Convention Center in Kingsport, Tenn. “I’m training smarter and I’m training with more diverse people to broaden my game. Everything’s going to look different now. If you’ve seen me fight before, this is probably going to be different than anything you’ve ever seen.”
Middleweight Daniel Crockett, Cook’s teammate at Absolute, puts his 3-0 record on the line against Johnathon McCullum out of Alabama. Crockett also fought at the October event put on by the X Series, a now defunct promotion, after a broken hand kept him out of action for nine months.
“I’ve just been busting my butt, getting back in here, because in 2012 everybody around here is going to know who Daniel Crockett is,” said Crockett, who’s also slated to fight on the undercard at the XFC show in Knoxville.
These fighters aren’t just working to stop their next opponents. They also have to spend time marketing themselves. Climbing the ranks as a pro is as much about selling tickets as it is winning fights.
“It’s just like any other job; you start at the bottom and you work your way up,” said Booher, Mountain Empire MMA’s standout who’s fighting Jay Meneghello in a 145-pound bout at Cage Brawl. “If you keep doing great, you get more money.”
“Like I tell people, every time I fight locally, and every time I win especially, it’s a step closer to not being able to get to fight locally that much,” said Minton, who’s fighting “The Infamous A.O.” Amaechi Oselukuwue in the main event. “It’s really important to come see me now.”
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.cagebrawlfights.com
John Moorehouse is the owner/editor of www.MMA-Insider.com, a website covering mixed martial arts in the region.
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