Airmen tested, entertained during Ring Wars

Published June 21, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Nathan Gallahan
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Bloody mats, smiling faces and a roaring crowd were all that remained after Airmen at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., witnessed 13 mixed martial arts fights at the Ellsworth Fitness Center June 17.

The 28th Force Support Squadron invited Ring Wars, a local mixed-martial arts organization, on base to entertain Airmen and their families and allow others to test their mettle in the ring.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Turner, a soft-spoken finance auditor assigned to the Air Force Financial Services Center, was one of the competitors. Sergeant Turner has wrestled most of his life and throughout the past few years, trained to fight in the styles of muay thai, jiu-jitsu and basic freestyle -- yet he lacked fist-to-face experience.

"I have never gotten into a fistfight in my entire life," he said two hours prior to stepping into the ring.

Odds weren't in his favor as he stepped into the ring against an experienced fighter.

Yet, the odds quickly turned once the fight began. It started with some low kicks before Sergeant Turner caught his opponent's leg and took the fight to the mat. After some grappling and a few punches, Sergeant Turner's opponent made a mistake -- he widened his legs. It was just enough to allow Sergeant Turner to break free from his opponent's guard and sweep around and take his back. In just a few brief moments, he had his opponent's neck locked in his arms, draining the fighter's spirit.

Approximately 35 seconds after it started, Sergeant Turner won his first fight by tap out.

Another highlight of the evening was when Senior Airman Jerel Guyton, 28th Medical Support Squadron,health services management technician, stepped into the ring. Airman Guyton trained for about two years and said he prides himself on being a well-rounded, muay thai and ju-jitsu fighter with a concentration on striking and his ground game.

Airman Guyton's Ring Wars battle marked his first official fight.

"This is something I've had a passion to do since I was young, but my mom didn't want me to get into it," he said. "I feel like I have to make a statement. I'm a lot stronger than people think and have a lot of heart when it comes to fighting; I have that will to win regardless of who I'm fighting."

Airman Guyton wasn't there alone. Along with his trainers at his back, he had several friends in the crowd cheering him on.

"I'm excited," said Senior Airman Richard Morgan, 28th MDSS patient administrator. "I want to see Airman Guyton win. He's talked about fighting for a while."

From the moment Airman Guyton stepped into the ring, he wasted no time advancing on his opponent. He charged at his challenger and landed a quick left jab followed by two hard right hooks, rattling the fighter. Airman Guyton kept striking.

His right arm resembled a jackhammer as he repeatedly struck his opponent's face. The referee stopped the battle in less than 15 seconds, and Airman Guyton won his first fight by knockout.

"This is awesome," Airman Morgan said. "I would go to every fight if they offered them here."

While there was mixed emotions on the experience of Ring Wars, the event was a success. More than 700 fans packed the fitness center to partake in the sport.

"We were looking for an event for Airmen, and we went outside the gate to find something popular," said Rick Ives, Ellsworth Fitness Center director. "We're testing this for Airmen. If it's a success, we'll do more."