They are a group of the most calm, humble and gracious professionals, yet they also have a hobby that fulfills their burning passion for battle inside a fenced ring. They are the participants in the Explosive Championship Fighting – a mixed martial arts competition that’s part of the sports and entertainment mix in the metro area.
The June 7 fight at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Denver drew almost 500 fans that alternately cheered and booed as the fighters and their opponents approached the ring. However, the crowd’s rowdy reactions did not faze contenders who were focused on their dreams and all that they were preparing for.
Taj Ashaheed, whose stage name is Candy-man, is a 38-year-old market researcher. He revealed his goal was to win a fight before he turns 40.
Minda Arguello, Thunder-cat, is a 37-year-old graphic artist and winner of the amateur women’s fight. A Montbello native and mother of a 22- year-old daughter, Thunder Cat anxiously waited seven years to participate in a fight.
Speaking of the grueling training regime, she said, “I used to weigh 210 pounds and now am at 168. It helps you lose weight and is good for stress.”
Lumumba Nantamba Mohammed Sayers, whose name means “gifted man of destiny,” is a 27-year-old professional fighter and has been fighting since he was a child.
“Doing something I like is like accomplishing my dream,” said Sayers, who is also a furniture mover. “It’s like a gift. You know, some people are great singers, others rappers; I am a great fighter. Ever since I was young I was the toughest kid in the neighborhood, but always the guy who beat the bullies up.”
Josef Mason, the director of the Colorado State Boxing Commission, said Explosive Championship Fighting (ECF) is new in Colorado. It is similar to Ultimate Fighting Championship and involves not only boxing and wrestling training but also a mix of martial arts including Jiu Jitsu, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, kickboxing and more.
Adrean “Bumby” Johnson, a 33-year-old ECF promotion assistant, explained that fighters don’t use all the sports at once but use what’s necessary against their opponents.
“What you have is people that reach the top by being able to take what they need from each style and make it their own and see who’s the best fighter that day,” he said.
Johnson, also a former escrow specialist of Chase Manhattan, said he makes phone calls to trainers before work to find out which fighters out there have the heart for mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions.
“We can take a person who may be well off in their environment or take a gentleman off the streets, but I am looking for the heart,” he said.
The June 7 fight was 31-year-old Kinshasa Sayers’ first time as an ECF promoter. He explained that he managed to fill up the venue by recruiting children to pass fliers around neighborhoods.
Sayers, a police officer and aspiring lawyer, raised more than $55,000 for the fight. He described himself as the only promoter who hands out not only medals and trophies during amateur fights but also donates gifts to all contenders.
“Amateurs do not normally get anything after the fight, but for this one, amateur winners got medals,” Sayers said. “Every fighter walked away with T-shirts, goody bags and dog tags.”
An active duty member of the Air Force at Buckley, Richard Smith is a 28-year-old, 205-pound amateur winner. He insisted his passion for the sport is not monetary, so whether he is paid or not, he does not actually care.
Smith confessed, “I love to go there and test my skills. When I lose, I am challenged to work harder. My dad was involved in MMA so I grew up around it.’
Shaniqua Sneeds, 27, is a nurse and mother of three children, ages 12, 10 and 6. One of three female amateur fighters, she did not win but promised to keep on competing because it helps her relax.
Sayers placed a doctor, paramedics and police officers at the fighting ring and around the venue. Besides treating injured fighters, the doctor is there to give the players a pre- and post-fight physical.
“I pay for their medical expenses through my insurance,” Sayers said. “So to put on the show by itself, I have to think about $12,000 out of my pocket.”
Balancing Family, Training and Emotions
Smith, Sneeds, Arguello and Mohammad Sayers are all single parents whose children are under 25. The ECF enthusiasts all credit their families for their support.
Sneeds said, “You make time for everything you have to do. Sometimes I take the kids to the gym with me, but on others, my mom helps me as soon as she sees that I want to do something meaningful for myself.”
Most of Smith’s family lives in Oklahoma but flew in to watch him fight. He said some family members in Colorado help him out with the children, when he needs to train on regular basis.
Despite constant rumors of how scary a sport it is, the ECF fighters said fear is not an option. Mohammad Sayers and Smith admitted to only being afraid of God.
“A lot of times, just do what you have to do and put a lot of time into it. It will be okay. Being in fear doesn’t help you at all; it doesn’t help the situation,” Smith said.
He said his fear of fights was reduced by taking people down in his military law enforcement experience.
Ashaheed, who is also a former Denver Post Voice columnist, confirmed there is an aspect of violence with the fight, but advised that people should look at it objectively and see it for the sport it is. Then, they will not have a problem with it.
“When you fight, it is always about proving yourself physically and mentally,” he said. “So people have to look at its foundation before thinking about it as a form of violence where crazy people beat each other up.”
“Mentally, you have to think a lot before you think of a style to go along with your fight. A lot of technique and strategy is needed,” he added.
Arguello said the hugging after fights makes her really happy, because it is a sign there is no animosity and “people are still friends.”
Dr. Alex Constantinides, who was the doctor at the June 7 fight, said. “Hugging after the show shows sportsmanship. People think that once you get your head pounded, you are mad. They do not get mad because this is a sport; like basketball or football. Whoever wins, it is good and then they hug afterwards.”
“They want people to come and watch that, too. They are enemies before they get in the cage,” he said. “Then, they do whatever they need to do, and when it’s over, they can then hug.”
Like similar sports, fighters can only compete against opponents of the same weight category. Some fighters gain or lose weight to be able to face other opponents.
Arguello said, “When I originally signed up for a fight, I was originally supposed to fight a girl at 150 pounds. She cancelled and I was to fight another girl at 160, but she could not make 160, so she asked me to get her at 170. I couldn’t gain 170 pounds to fight, so I found the third girl and am fighting tomorrow.”
While most of the fighters wouldn’t mind seeing their children following in their ECF footsteps, Mohammed Sayers would rather see his kids do something else because he describes MMA competitions as hard work.
“They can be lawyers, doctors and make 10 times as much money as I would in a year. I can not do that because it is not my passion,” said the father of three.
Although he has broken a jaw before, he keeps bouncing back. He said winning and competing in championships is a sign of fulfilling his dream and a way of believing in God.
“We are not crazy; we just are not afraid to display our skills to see who is the best at what we do. Fighting is not for everybody; some love it, some do not. It is not like we take what we do out of the cage into the streets,” he said.
He speaks to children in elementary schools to let them know what drives him to succeed and give them a role model to look up to.
“I tell them stay focused, listen to your teachers, stay strong, follow instructions. It is the easiest way to go through everything,” he said. “I learned to follow instructions from my mom and dad, and I can focus on whatever I put my mind to.”
These ECF competitors are excited to participate in the next fight on Sept. 13. Arguello wants to fight for another two or three years, and then become a referee for the fight because she likes the sport of fighting so much.
“When you’re in the ring, you only think about the fight and leave every other thought out of your mind,” she said.
Editor’s note: For more information about Explosive Championship Fighting and other mixed martial arts events, go online to www.coloradofightevents.com.
