From The Corner: My Night With Team AMS/Fatlip Fightwear
Brookfield, Ohio is a small community with a population of roughly 10,000; and is located approximately 71 miles south of Cleveland, 76 miles north of Pittsburgh and 18 miles north of Youngstown.
On Saturday, April 24th however, this tiny Ohio community became a place that will forever go down in my historical books, as on that evening, I got my first (and hopefully not last) taste of what it was like to be in the corner of a Mixed Martial Artist.
This article will chronicle the evening that was, giving a look of my evening with my friend Hank Hanasik and Team Academy of Martial Sciences of Pittsburgh, who graciously took me in as part of their family and allowed me the opportunity to see up close exactly what goes on leading up to the fights.
The evening began at 4:30 pm, when the Team AMS crew arrived at the Yankee Lake Ballroom in Brookfield, where the fights would take place later that evening, under the Yankee Lake Brawlroom promotional banner.
As we entered the Yankee Lake Ballroom, all of us were required to check in. As a cornerman, Hanasik proceeded to lead me through the procedure of getting my hand stamped and wristbanded, which was required to be cageside, and behind the scenes.
We then headed to the backstage area, behind the curtains, where I officially applied for my Ohio State Cornerman’s license. As part of Mixed Martial Arts regulations, if you are a cornerman, you must be licensed in the state you’re cornering in. To do so, you fill out an application, pay a fee and get a license sent to you in the mail, while using the receipt in the interim.
Following this, Hanisik and I waited in line with the Team AMS fighters who were participating later that evening– Ray Schley (who I would corner later) and OJ Vickers. Both fighters had to come in to the weigh-ins either at or slightly below the target weight, however if they were too far below the weight, they would be unable to fight. Fortunately, both made weight with ease.
After the weigh-ins, both Schley and Vickers had their hands wrapped. The wrap had to be done to meet protection needs of the fighter; while meeting the regulations of the judges and the Ohio State Athletic Commission. I was informed that too much packing of tape and gauze would not be allowed due to the possibility of an unfair advantage.
The most important part of the pre-fight festivities was keeping the fighters warm and loose. Schley and Vickers each went about staying prepared differently, with Schley staying loose with jumping rope and hitting pads; while Vickers chose to stay lucid and relaxed by listening to music through headphones, while doing minor warm-ups.
This was followed by the ref read over the rules, which vary from state to state. Ohio rules include no knees or kicks to the head and no elbows. The referee also notified us about what violations would lead to suspensions (TKOs and KOs would lead to suspensions, as would vulgar post-fight displays, foul language or music with vulgar lyrics), the fights began.
With Schley fighting third, Hanasik and the other Team AMS members put the final touches on preparing him mentally. They also grabbed several vital items, including towels, ice, vasoline and End Swell; which is used to reduce swelling over the eyes and on the face, used between rounds.
Finally, the fight between Schley and his opponent, John Millerleile, was on. We headed out to the cage, with Schley looking much more intense than he had a half hour earlier. I took my spot next to Hanasik in the corner, after he walked Schley into the cage and spoke last second instructions.
For those who ever wondered what it was like to be in the corner of a fighter during the fight itself, picture being on the sidelines of a football game. It was an incredible rush, and quick. For a majority of the fight, I studied Hanisik as he barked instructions on pace with the fight. Not only was I amazed at how quickly Hanisik was able to come up with moves and counters by the second to yell to his fighter, I was equally impressed with how Schley followed every single instruction, letter to the law.
As the first round passed and the second came to pass, I mentioned to Hanisik and Schley how Millerleile was gassed and Schley used the advice and immediately approached the second round going for the finish, knowing he had the stamina in his favor. Schley was able to capitalize and won the fight by TKO, after getting the fight to the ground and throwing multiple punches to Millerleile’s head, which opened up a gash over his eye, during which Hanisik implored me to yell directions along with him. After yelling “PUNCH” until I felt hoarse, I immediately felt a sense of pride even though I myself wasn’t in the cage. Celebrating cageside, then behind the curtains with the AMS team made me harken back to my own athletic days.
The evening closed for Team AMS in victory, as Vickers was also successful, defeating the gritty and tough Jesse Bogner by submission via rear naked choke in just over one minute. For Vickers, the win was the fourth of his amateur MMA career, and his second in just over four months.
To summarize the evening of cornering, it gave me a further appreciation for what goes on leading up to a fight, what happens during the fight, and the adrenaline that goes behind the fight itself. I further received my initiation to the world of ringside MMA action by getting a smattering of blood on the front of my brand new Fatlip Fight Wear tee-shirt, received during the Schley fight. At times, I’m sure I felt as nervous, if not more so, than the fighters themselves. It also gave me motivation to train again, and to get back in to shape so I myself can hopefully climb in to the cage one day.
In closing, I’d like to thank Hank Hanasik, Ray Schley, OJ Vickers and the other members of Team AMS in Pittsburgh for allowing me the opportunity to be part of their family, and to take part in what truly was a memorable evening, one I won’t forget anytime soon.
For more information on Team Academy of Martial Sciences, please visit their website at http://www.teamams.com. For more information about Yankee Lake Brawlroom, visit http://www.mmabrawlroom.com.
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