Arctic Warrior, mixed martial arts fighter conquers first match

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  "Bap, bap."

Punching mitts snapped back as Airman 1st Class Nojin "Ian" Park, 3rd Maintenance Operations Squadron, warmed up with his coach, prior to his first Mixed Martial Arts fight at the Anchorage Sullivan Arena, Feb. 17.

Park prepared his body for the Alaska Fighting Championship event, enduring months of extensive cardio and muscular training.

"I (trained) in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, and MMA styles of fighting four times a week for two and a half months.Dieting was also very important," Park said. "You have to stay committed to both, the hardest part of my training was not giving up."
Park continued to warm up, performing boxing combinations, wrestling takedowns, and prepared himself physically and mentally for the fight.

"Feel your opponent out, test him with one of your kicks," Luke Rambur, Gracie Barra Gym, advised. "If he can't handle it rain down on him."

Like every sport, in MMA a fighter must have a game plan in mind to beat the opposition.
During training, fighters must strengthen their weaknesses while finding ways to exploit their opponent's weak points.

"I really focused on my Muay Thai kicks, as well as my striking and 'ground and pound' abilities," Park said of his training regimen.

As Park sparred with his coach, two and a half months of intense training showed.
Each punch was crisp; each kick was consistent, with proper form.

Even at half strength, onlookers could see the power behind each of Park's strikes.

"Yeah, he's strong - dude is beastly," said Joe Murphy, one of Park's gym mates.
Before the match, the call for Park to head to arena came down and Park and his gym brethren left the locker room.

Anxiousness filled Park's eyes as he waited near the ring for another fight to end. His coaching staff gave last-minute advice, as his name was finally announced and he entered the cage.

"Hearing the crowd roar, and looking at the walkway, it felt like a dream," Park said of the emotions he felt as he entered the cage for the first time. "It was a big adrenaline rush."
Park took the energy from the crowd and put it to work in the cage.

True to the game plan, "bap, bap," two swift jabs tested the distance of his opponent, David Russnac, followed by a Muay Thai-style kick to the leg. The kick buckled Russnac's leg, and then Park swooped in for a takedown.

A few "ground and pound" punches and the match was over.

Forty-four seconds is all it took for Park to take his first victory in the AFC ring.
"It felt great," Park said. "I trained very hard for the fight and reaped the benefits of it."

During the post fight interview, Park thanked his gym, Gracie Barra, for the training that they provided him.

For MMA fighters, their home gym is just that - a home where they can grow in the sport.

"I feel very blessed to be a part of the Gracie Barra family, Park said. "We really train hard as a team and our coaches pushed us beyond what we think we may be capable of, in and outside the gym."

"My gym has helped direct me to a positive direction," he said. "My coaches, Patrick Applegate and Ricky Shiver really pushed me to train and go to school. I just finished two Associates Degrees."

When asked if he will do another MMA fight, Park's answer was as quick as his jab, "definitely."

Not everyone is built to be an MMA fighter; it takes a certain mentality and physicality to perform on the level of these disciplined fighters, Park said.

"Mixed Martial Arts is not for the weak-hearted," Park said.

"You have to have a different mindset when you train for MMA, because it's real, you can really get hurt in this sport."

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is full of Arctic Warriors.

Some fly aircraft, others may pull triggers, and this Arctic Warrior pulls no punches; he throws them crisply, "bap, bap" and with precision.

Winning his debut AFC fight in forty-four seconds is proof of that.