Classic symbolism.
Around 6:30 p.m., on August 2, 2016, I sat in a local Starbucks, pondering about what to write about for Odyssey. Constantly submitting stories about the homeless, even though their stories are truly great, makes me feel inadequate. Like, I only interview the homeless to get noticed, which to some degree is true, but I genuinely like talking to people. I sent a text between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. asking an acquaintance if he wouldn’t mind being the next person I interview. He said yes.
I met this man about a month ago, a couple of days before the 4th of July. He stands at 6’4” and is around 250 pounds. I was contracted for a photo shoot when I saw him walk into the room. Immediately I was intimidated by the man’s stature. We took some pictures. Serious faced. Fake jabs. Snapped some photos. I left Starbucks to meet Frederick W. Gunner, also known as The Mutt Fighter, at Sen Shin Kan Dojo. It’s a training facility for MMA fighting.
Sen Shin Kan's front entrance.
The Sen Shin Kan Dojo is located in central Oklahoma City near NW 23rd and Portland. It’s nestled between a liquor store and a photo development business. I walked into the dojo. Young kids draped in black robes strike each other with wooden Katanas in the back.
One punch at a time.
Gunner was sparring with a young man in the front. I looked around, sparring equipment decorated one wall.
Train.
Another wall had wooden Katanas. Another wall had a shrine dedicated to the founder of the martial art Aikido, which is taught at the gym.
The originator.
I took a seat on the side watching Gunner train the young man.
“I’m just gonna take notes,” I said.
Gunner nodded his head. The young man held his fists up, blocking his face from Gunner’s behemoth padded fists.
Some of Gunner's training gear.
“One. Two.” Gunner said. The kid punched with different jab combinations. They constantly circled the mat. I sat down and wrote notes in my journal. I described the young man as scrappy, agile, good, and intense. He dodged Gunner’s jabs.
High kick.
They continued sparring.
The young man backed up, dodged a hit.
“Don’t back up. Come in at angles. Angles,” Gunner said. He showed the young man how to dodge a hit then strike an opponent’s core.
“You’re too big!” the young man said. Gunner stopped. Showed him how to get in close with an opponent that has a longer arm length.
Throwing elbows.
They continued sparring. The young man “angles.” Gunner stepped back. The young man chased after him, swinging and missing.
“Don’t chase. That’s how Ronda Rousey lost. She chased her fight. She didn’t fight her fight. She fought another woman’s fight,” Gunner said.
“Pick up the telephone,” Gunner said.
He was referring to a fighter blocking his face opposite of a striking jab. If you punch right, then your left-hand makes the motion of picking up the telephone to block the undefended face's side.
I thought about "Rocky." I thought about "The Karate Kid." Gunner is Mr. Miyagi. The young man is Daniel, the actual kid in "The Karate Kid." I smiled. I found out later he trains the kid for fun, out of his spare time, giving back to the community around him. Gunner and the young man decided to take a break.
Breathe.
“How often do you train here?” I asked.
“Monday through Thursday, I train about two hours a night. And then I train some on Saturday. Friday and Sunday are strictly family time,” Gunner replied.
He balances the MMA training with family time. After he completes a work day, he spends time with the family. Fighting and training is not his day-job though. During work day hours, Gunner is a driver and deliverer of construction vehicles. Fighting is his passion and should be defined more than as passionate side hustle. He’s not the typical young fighter climbing his way through the ranks to the UFC arena. He’s 44 years old. He started fighting when he was 42 years old. In a weird way, MMA discovered this seasoned veteran by mistake.
Knee up.
“What made you become an MMA fighter?” I asked.
“I was a driver for a company called In Style Party Bus. And there were a bunch of MMA fighters at the back. Two were really drunk. Gettin’ rowdy and outta control – or so I thought. They start pushin’ and hittin’ each other. I hit the breaks-“ Gunner said.
“Like literally hit the breaks?” I interrupted.
“Yes, literally hit the breaks. I laid down the law. I grabbed and removed them. And after that, the people stopped and ask, ‘Do you know what you just did?’ I said, ‘No.’ They tell me I messed with the two best MMA fighters on the bus like it was nothin’. They weren’t bein’ rowdy. They kept partyin’,” Gunner said.
One week later, after the incident, he is driving another In Style Party Bus. People are whispering and looking at Gunner. He looked in the driver’s mirror. He asked if they have a problem. They asked if he’s ever been an MMA fighter. He said no. These people, on the party bus, placed Gunner in contact with a man that runs Rage In The Cage, which is a local organization that managed the fights. Gunner spoke to the people in charge. They explained he needed some basic blood tests done before he entered the ring. Before the test results came back the man was in his first fight.
You better duck.
“What’s your background in fighting?” I asked.
“All I knew was basic Army Judo training and street fightin’,” Gunner said. The young man and Gunner continued sparring after the question was answered.
The young man made several more mistakes. He was standing still.
“You’re going to get hit,” Gunner said, “I shouldn’t have to tell ya to move.”
The young man swings. Missed. Gunner jabs. Lands a hit.
“Keep your guard up,” Gunner said. Despite the young man’s ignorance, he smiled. Gunner showed a brilliant smile. Gunner and he appeared to enjoy themselves. They continued sparring for some more time. They take another break. This time, it was the final break. The teens or kids draped in black pack up their gear, trainers put on normal clothing, and Gunner and the young man gather their belongings. I started to ask more questions.
“What was your first fight like?” I asked.
“It lasted only 37 seconds. JC Cottrell was my trainer. He wasn’t able to make it to the match. Cottrell said, ‘Go in there and do what you do.’.” Gunner said. Cottrell was referring to Gunner’s street brawling nature. One man referred to Gunner as the Kimbo Slice of Oklahoma because of his fighting style.
Uncaptionable.
“What’s your record?” I asked.
“3 and 7,” Gunner said.
“I went Pro too early,” Gunner said.
“What do you mean you went Pro too early?” I asked.
“Every fight I lost was because of ignorance. Because I didn’t understand certain techniques or know what to do,” Gunner said. Everyone in the dojo is exiting the building. I met a professional martial arts trainer, another Rage In The Cage fighter, and the young man. They eventually leave.
“Do you regret going Pro too early?” I asked.
“No. I wish I would’ve waited. Learned more. But you live and you learn,” Gunner said.
The wins and losses don’t reflect his passion. Gunner knows he’s a seasoned man, but that doesn’t prevent him from pursuing his passion. It doesn’t discourage the man from helping others either. His age is merely a number. I guess the saying “Age is only a number” is true.
After a hard workout.
“What’s your mindset when you enter the ring?” I asked.
“To be water,” Gunner said.
“What do you mean to be water?” I asked.
“Water flows. When an opponent throws a punch I flow with it. Water is one of the most powerful substances on earth and it just flows,” Gunner said. He finished gathering his gear. We exited the building.
The last to leave.
Before the interview, Gunner and I agreed upon a certain payment, more of a gift in my eyes. I said I would take him anywhere he wants to eat.
“Where do you want to eat,” I asked.
“Do you like Waffle House?" Gunner asked.
“Do I like Waffle House?” I asked.
That's sausage, eggs, and grits mixed together. Why Gunner?
We get in our vehicles. We entered the Waffle House. A waitress greets him by name. He shows a great big smile. He greets her. He says hello to the cook. I have three waffles with peanut butter, the only true way to waffles. Gunner has an assorted meal. The entire time Gunner smiled at the workers, joking, and speaking to them with respect. He’s frequented the same Waffle house for the past five years. I finished my meal. Paid the check. Gunner and I exchanged our thanks. I left. I've made a new friend who is a friend of the people.
A man alone with his thoughts.
