Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2008 0:59:29 GMT -5
Chad Evans
What is Chad Evans? Evans is a disciple, a protege, some will even say that he's a successor, a rightful heir to the throne that has been vacated by Bobby Cairo. In short Evans is a student of Cairo, a young man who learned the tools of the trade from one of professional wrestling's greatest and most notorious stars. However there are noted differences between Cairo and Evans. Whereas Cairo was at times viewed as a slacker, even an underachiever, Evans has earned a reputation as a hard-nosed, fiery, driven, young fighter with a resolute, iron will. Evans' desire for competition has taken him from his home base in Hartford, Connecticut to various places around the world such as the Dakotas, Brazil, China, Japan, Holland and Nigeria. Now Evans is prepared to take his game to the next level, Evans is ready to compete in WCF.
Chad Evans: "Who is Chad Evans? Today they're asking that question in Brooklyn, tomorrow they could be asking in Beirut. There was a time when people asked, "who is Bobby Cairo?" Those people soon learned that Bobby Cairo was bringing a whole different level of punishment and social deviance to the table. Who is Chad Evans? Chad Evans is cut from that same cloth. I'm a man of peace and tolerance but I'm also a man of considerable violence and rage, measured and tactful but altogether devastating. My volatility, when provoked, has left many a broken man in my wake. Make no mistake about it, it is my desire for competition and respect that drives me, not the fame or fortune. Material ideals are fleeting and misguided. I don't fight for the money and I don't even fight to prove that I'm tougher than my opponents, I fight to prove that I'm a survivor in this world of death and decay."
Where does Evans' story begin? Let us say that it is a worldwide phenomenon; it is a once in a lifetime experience... it is the chance to live one's dream. To this end Bobby Cairo discovered Chad Evans two years ago on a hot summer day alongside the Hartford Turnpike. Cairo was driving down the road in his vintage 1974 Cadillac Eldorado when he spotted Evans jogging on the sidewalk. Evans was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants. Cairo was astonished to see any human being wearing such a heavy sweatsuit on such a hot, humid day. Cairo trailed Evans in his car for a few hundred yards and was further impressed by the brisk pace that Evans was keeping, without gassing or even breathing heavy. Cairo honked his horn to get Evans' attention and then waved Evans over to the car.
Chad Evans: "Cairo introduced himself to me, but I know who he was. He told me that he was impressed by my conditioning, my physique and my agility. He could tell that I was a high-level athlete just by watching me move, but he didn't know if I was a fighter. At that time Cairo was on his first hiatus from WCF, having dropped the WCF World Title to JJ Biggs a few weeks earlier. Cairo was on a mission to find himself, but he was also on a mission to find other great fighters that he could train. Cairo wanted everybody to understand the rigors of the fight game and he also wanted to help other young fighters avoid the pitfalls and traps that he had fallen into. Cairo is a very selfless guy in that respect. Around the time that Cairo recruited me, he had hooked up with an old martial arts master from China named Bruce Wong. Together they opened Ultra Nova Dojo in Brooklyn, New York. I was one of the first students that they brought in to train.
As everybody knows Cairo is known throughout the world over as a great wrestler, but the man has an interest in all forms of combat sport. Cairo put together a team at Ultra Nova that trained students in everything; I'm talking about wrestling, boxing, Jiu Jitsu, Muy Thai, Karate, Judo and the list goes on. Cairo even brought in Chao Lin Sang, the legendary Tai Chi master from China. Tai Chi is not a form of combat martial arts, but it teaches exercises and relaxation techniques that place a great deal of emphasis on discipline, fitness, endurance, vitality and longevity. I would call it the Kama Sutra of martial arts.
Just to give you an idea of the team at Ultra Nova, I trained boxing with Bolts Quackenbush, Zab Judah and Antonio Margarito. I trained wrestling with Cairo, "The Sarge" Dwayne Bruce and Damien Demento. I trained kickboxing with K-1 greats such as Jerome Le Banner, Mirko Cro Cop and Sam Greco. I even spent some time working with Master Wong; he's a master in the Chinese martial art of Wushu. It was both my honor and privilege to train with so many of the world's elite fighters."
All of this specialized training combined with Evans' natural intuition and athleticism helped mold Evans into a very dangerous man. Following his first several months of training at Ultra Nova, Evans decided to put his new skill set to the test. Evans flew down from Brooklyn to Brazil to compete in the infamous Vale Tudo no holds barred fighting organization, a spawning ground for some of the world's most dangerous fighters including Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva. Evans' first bout in Vale Tudo came against a notorious knockout artist hailing from the streets of Curitiba named Eduardo Rodrigo Sosa A.K.A. "Furacão" (Portuguese for "Hurricane"). Evans wasn't even supposed to be competing that night, he was an alternate for the card, but Sosa's original opponent backed out of the fight at the last minute, citing a staph infection.
Chad Evans: "My first fight in Vale Tudo was against this guy named Sosa, but everybody called him Furacão. Furacão had a reputation as a dangerous striker with deadly hands. I was an alternate for the show that night so I wasn't even expecting to fight, but I was pretty damn pumped up when the promoter told me that they needed me to step in. I was ready to go to war, come hell or high water. So I changed into my fight gear and five minutes later I'm standing across the ring from Furacão. The bell sounds to start the first round and I decided that I would go against the advice of my corner and stand with this guy. I was young, cocky and stupid. I come out swinging and Furacão counters with what felt like a snow shovel upside my head. This dude was lighting me up with straight right hands, big combinations, hell he opened up a cut above my right eye, and it was a real bad cut. I was bleeding all over the ring; I was lucky to survive the round.
Bolts Quackenbush
I go back to my corner at the end of the round and they're screaming at me, all those guys are getting in my face. My trainer Bolts Quackenbush is screaming at me, "shoot for the takedown, you idiot! Shoot for the fucking takedown! What the hell is wrong with you?" So I'm pissed off from getting my ass kicked in the first round, plus I've got my corner screaming at me and plus I'm bleeding like hell, and my corner is doing everything they can to patch me up so the ref doesn't stop the fight. They finally get the cut closed up just as I'm supposed to go out for the second round and my trainer Bolts is still in my face. Bolts says, "If you don't shoot for the fucking takedown you might as well stay in Brazil because you're not getting on the plane with me back to America."
The bell rings to start the second round and I'm pretty fired up. My own trainer just threatened to leave me stranded in Brazil, how could I not be fired up? I come out cautious at the start of the round because I don't want this guy Sosa to re-open the cut with anymore of those big punches. I immediately shoot for the takedown and Furacão is a smart fighter, he sees it coming from a mile away. He uses his sprawl to defend the takedown. Then he gets me in the clinch, lands a couple of big knees to my chin. I'm feeling pretty disoriented at this point, I know the end is near. Out of total desperation I attempt a karate leg sweep, Machida-style, and I take Sosa down to the mat. I mount him and I just start raining elbows and hammer fists. I must have landed 20 unanswered shots before the ref stopped the fight. The Brazilian crowd was stunned, they hate gringos anyway and I just took out one of their hometown heroes in total comeback fashion.
My corner immediately rushed the ring and Bolts, scrawny little Bolts lifted me up off the ground. It was a total adrenaline rush. The ref raised my hand, I had blood running down my face, and all over my chest, but I didn't care. My opponent was a bloody, beaten carcass on the mat and the crowd was grudgingly showing me respect with a hearty round of applause. I felt like a million bucks, in fact I felt better than any amount of money could ever make me feel. I was proud of myself because I didn't buckle under the pressure and I didn't quit when things looked bleak. I outsmarted and outmaneuvered a much more experienced opponent. I was tested to the point of nearly breaking, and I did bend but I didn't break. I proved to myself, my trainers, the fans and the other fighters that I had the heart, the guts and the talent to be a fighter and to be a successful fighter, maybe even a champion someday."
After his shocking upset victory over Furacão, Evans was invited to train at the Vale Tudo Academy in Brazil. Evans accepted the invitation and under the tutelage of Brazil's finest martial arts masters he soon became a regular, fighting on the underground circuit in Brazil a couple of times per month. Evans found immediate success in his first few fights, showcasing an ever-improving striking game with sharper and crisper striking in each bout. The most significant difference however was in his grappling. Evans asserted himself as an aspiring proponent of the mixed martial arts fighting style known as "ground and pound", a style innovated by former UFC heavyweight champion Mark "The Hammer" Coleman. Evans also gradually became well versed in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a martial art pioneered by the famous Gracie family of fighters. Evans used this Jiu Jitsu training and knowledge to develop a potent arsenal of submissions. Evans' toughness, work ethic and versatile fighting style made him a difficult matchup for many of Brazil's most feared fighters.
Within 8 months Evans had compiled a professional fighting record of 14-0, making him both an undefeated prospect and a burgeoning star among Brazilian fight fans that were hungry for new blood. Evans' impressive winning streak made him a top contender to then Vale Tudo champion Chico Lorenzo. Promoters jumped at the opportunity to book the fast rising star against the revered champion, a surefire moneymaking main event for Vale Tudo's most heavily promoted card of the year. Despite much hype and fanfare for the bout, Lorenzo KO'd Evans via head kick in a mere 40 seconds.
Chad Evans: "My first loss to Chico Lorenzo was obviously very disappointing. I trained hard for that fight and I expected to win. The problem is that no one had ever kicked me that hard in the head before. It was really quite a shock. I had sparred with guys like Mirko Cro Cop and Jerome Le Banner during my time at Ultra Nova, but I was always wearing protective headgear during those sparring sessions. In the Lorenzo fight I learned a very important lesson: Everybody has a plan until they get kicked in the head. I also learned a valuable lesson about determination: I had been defeated but I was not going to allow myself to become discouraged. After the Lorenzo fight I went back to Vale Tudo Academy and I trained harder and more diligently than ever before. All of my hard work paid off when I returned to fighting. My striking was more precise and vicious than ever before, my head movement and takedown defense were vastly improved and my grappling was at another level. I went on a 5 fight-winning streak where I stopped all of my opponents by KO or submission inside of two minutes. I was determined to get another title shot against Lorenzo, but then something remarkable happened: I received a phone call from TIGER STRIKE Fighting Championships in Japan. They wanted me to compete against an Olympic Judo gold medallist from Korea on their 2007 New Year's Eve show.
Of course I was very flattered by TIGER STRIKE's offer, but I was also left with a dilemma. I could choose to continue fighting on underground cards in Brazil; pursuing a rematch with Chico Lorenzo and risking life and limb for peanuts on the dollar every time I stepped into the ring. Or I could move onto a much larger and grander stage, a high profile bout on national television on the biggest card in Japan, fighting for a larger purse than I could have ever imagined. I don't want to reveal the exact dollar figure, but let's just say that TIGER STRIKE's representatives were offering me the kind of money that I only thought I'd see if I won the lotto jackpot. Admittedly my pride was still hurting from the clobbering that I had received courtesy of Lorenzo, but I managed to convince myself that I had accomplished everything that I needed to accomplish in Brazil. I had completed my mission by proving myself to be a credible professional fighter with a record of 19-1. With that thought in mind I accepted TIGER STRIKE's offer and I flew to Japan to begin my training for the fight.
With Bobby Cairo's blessing I began a 6-week training camp with a team of Ultra Nova's finest trainers. As the camp progressed I truly believed that I was becoming a more versatile and well-rounded fighter with each passing day, and I was in the best shape of my life. I was also becoming acquainted with Japanese culture. I learned to appreciate such things as hentai and teriyaki chicken. Everything was going great, I felt like I was on top of the world... and that's when my world fell apart. One week before the show I received word that TIGER STRIKE's parent company had been bought out by Zuffa and the New Year's Eve show had been cancelled. My life suddenly lost all meaning; I no longer had a purpose for existing. I contemplated committing suicide or hara-kiri as the Japanese call it, but then I had a conversation with Bobby Cairo. It was during that conversation that Cairo told me one of the most profound statements that I've ever heard from a white man. Cairo told me that life is a fight, it's an eternal struggle and we fight because we will not die. Those words changed my entire outlook on life. I knew that I couldn't throw my life away, I knew that I was a natural born fighter. Surely I had some difficult obstacles to overcome, but Cairo's revelation had reinvigorated me. I also decided that I would never again allow material pursuits to dictate my path in life."
Shortly afterwards Evans would continue his global travels. Beginning in January of 2008, Evans spent the next few months fighting as frequently as possible in a variety of martial arts tournaments stretching around the world. Evans competed in Dutch kickboxing, Filipino slap fighting, Dambe boxing in Nigeria, Karate in China and Japan and Evans even competed in a bear wrestling tournament in the Badlands of South Dakota. Evans experienced mostly victory and occasional defeat in his world travels and various bouts, but the lessons that Evans absorbed regarding different cultures and fighting styles were more important than any tournament crown. Much like Bruce Lee and his Jeet Kune Do fighting style, Evans developed a philosophy that no one style of fighting is flawless, but rather that all styles of fighting have something beneficial to offer the practitioner.
Chad Evans: "Martial arts are truly remarkable because their origins date back thousands of years. As you're learning these different martial arts and grappling techniques you begin to realize that you're part of an exclusive club. You're learning secrets that have been passed down from a select few for so long as civilization has existed. It feels weird knowing that I can kill a man with my bare hands, but it also makes me feel powerful. With this great power comes great responsibility. I can't just walk into a pub and strangle the life out of some loudmouthed oaf, even though I could if I wanted to. That's another part of martial arts; you don't just learn fighting techniques, you also learn restraint and self-control. The art of balance, a state of harmony, peaceable constitution, all of these things are crucial attributes for any true martial artist. This does present a dichotomy, why do we fight if we're peaceful men at heart? We fight because we as human beings don't have a choice. Life is all about survival of the fittest and if you're not fighting then you're not surviving, my friend.
If the nefarious end to mankind does one day arrive, it shall bring me immense pleasure and pride to be the last man standing. I know that I have all of the tools to rise above the ashes and repopulate earth with a forceful thrust of my mighty pelvis. As I said before martial arts and Kama Sutra are all the same thing. Tactics that can be used to subdue an opponent in the ring or in the cage can also be used to pleasure a lover in the bedroom. It is crazy that we walk such a thin line between intense pain and intense pleasure, but again this is the dichotomy of life. With a sneer and a twitch I can make any woman so wet as the Aegean Sea. Speaking of which, I once competed in an underwater, no holds barred, freeform combat tournament. I was defeated in the finals by some big boobed lady wearing a g-string bikini, but I have to admit that I didn't put up much of a fight. Have you ever made love to a big boobed lady underwater? That is some weird, wild stuff, my friend. I believe that took place off the coast of Cyprus, but I could be mistaken. Like I said I've been all over the place, made love to lots of pretty ladies... with big boobs."
Evans' path around the world has finally led him to the ranks of the WCF. Despite being signed to a lucrative contract by WCF owner Seth Lerch, and being granted a spot in the WCF World Title Tournament, Evans has never actually competed in a professional wrestling match. For most people this would present a very ominous challenge. Most aspiring grapplers would start in a more humble surrounding and build their way up to the big leagues. Evans on the other hand has always looked for his next challenge, never hesitating to jump with both feet into a challenging new environment, putting his skills and his heart to the test.
Chad Evans: "I didn't want to work my way up through the minor leagues of professional wrestling. I have the utmost confidence in my abilities and I know that I can compete at the highest ranks of any combat sport. That's why I was eager to sign with WCF. A few months back Mr. Lerch contacted my agent Dave Kartel. Lerch indicated that he was looking for talent to launch the reopening of WCF. Lerch heard about my exploits on the international combat sports circuit and he was intrigued. To be honest I was pondering a jump to the pro wrestling world even before Lerch contacted me. Like I said I'm always looking for my next challenge. As the world knows, Bobby Cairo has been missing for several months now. Before Cairo disappeared he gave me his blessing to follow in his footsteps. I don't think either of us expected that just a few months later I would be competing in a tournament for the most prestigious title in all of wrestling. Wherever Cairo is, if he's in Heaven looking down or if he's alive and he has access to TV, internet, radio or phone, I'm sure that he's proud of me. I'm going to win the WCF World Title and I'm going to dedicate my victory to Cairo."
Winning the WCF World Title Tournament is the goal for all of the current WCF wrestlers. In Evans' case he will be tested long before he has the chance to compete for the title. Evans knows that he will be a big underdog in his first round fight. Evans' opposition will be provided by a grizzled veteran and former WCF champion in his own right.
Chad Evans: "It would be easy for me to look at Lawnmower Jones and dismiss him. It would be easy to say there is nothing special about this man, that he is truly a wretch. The irrefutable fact remains that I am facing my mentor's greatest rival. Jones has been in and out of rehab more times than Gary Busey, but I will not make the mistake of underestimating his talent. How could I? I'm not blind, crippled or indigent. I am fully aware of that which Lawnmower Jones is capable, after all Jones is one of the few men in this world to claim a clean pinfall victory over Bobby Cairo. When I look at Jones I know that he's a real fighter, I know that he has heart and passion. Jones, if you're listening or watching right now, I want you to know something: You and I travel to the beat of a different drum, but deep inside I believe that we're both made of concrete and nails and junk like that."
What is Chad Evans? Only time will tell, but the wrestling world will receive its first glimpse on Sunday night at the WCF Arena in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
