Cage Fighter

I recently spent an afternoon at a training session of World Extreme Cagefighting fighter Brian Bowles at the the Hardcore Gym in Athens. The Hardcore Gym is also where former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin got his start. Soon Griffin might not be the only local fighter to make it to the top of mixed martial arts. Bowles is taking on defending champion Miguel Angel Torres for the WEC Bantamweight Championship Aug. 9, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nev. That's tonight on VERSUS!

I've been watching MMA here and there for a few years, mostly following a few seasons of Spike TV's reality show "The Ultimate Fighter." I remember a time when I thought of cage fighting with distaste. Now, I respect it as a sport that gets to the essence of physical competition more than any other. That shit is intense!

I went all out with this one. I got photos, video, sportraits, you name it!
Read ABH writer Jeff Cochran's story here.

UPDATE: Bowles beat Torres in the first round by knockout and is now the Bantamweight Champion of the world! Watch the fight here.




























Brian Bowles listens to coach Adam Singer during training for the WEC Bantamweight World Championship fight Wednesday July 29, 2009, at The Hardcore Gym in Athens, Ga. Bowles will take on defending champion Miquel Angel Torres Aug. 9, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nev.


There is a gallery with more pictures here.