This is the first of a two-part series highlighting Louisiana MMA fighter Thomas Webb and his amazing team of fighters known as TWebb MMA. The first part of the series will highlight Webb while the second part will cover the four other fighters from his camp that will be competing on the October 26, 2018, Capitol City Fight Night card in St. Gabriel, Louisiana.
Thomas Webb: The Man Behind the TWebb MMA Takeover
Louisiana has a very rich history, both past and present, in the world of MMA. It is embedded in the culture. From hosting some of the very first UFC events to currently having several fighters ranked at the top of the world, Louisiana and MMA has always been synonymous. Bayou Fighting Championship, the undisputed leader in the Louisiana MMA game, is set to host their next event on Friday, October 26, 2018, at the Premiere Soccer Center in St. Gabriel, LA. The event is Capitol City Fight Night. A group to keep your eye on at the event is TWebb MMA, which will have five competitors battling on the card, including the main event and an AMMY title bout.
Beginning of the Fighting Days
Thomas Webb is no stranger to Louisiana/Gulf Coast MMA fans. Webb is nearing the 10-year mark in his MMA professional career with a record of 13-6 according to Tapology. He has picked the brains and trained with the best Louisiana has ever offered including former UFC middleweight Tim Credeur and UFC highly ranked lightweight Dustin Poirier. Webb soared through his first handful of years collecting a 7-0 record showing versatility in his game winning with TKOs, a submission, and decisions.
After a rough 1-3 patch afterwards, Webb showed his mental ability to stay in the fight going on to run the table in 2016 with a 3-0 record. Two of those wins were in WFC while the other was in Legacy FC (now known as LFA.) Webb has lost his last three in a row though they have been hard fought battles with young on the rise stars. His last two opponents traditionally fight at welterweight while Webb typically fights at lightweight. After years of competition and learning from the best minds available, Webb developed his own fighting team, TWebb MMA.
Main Eventing BFC: Capitol City Fight Night
Webb will be main evening the Bayou Fighting Championship Capitol City Fight Night card. His opponent for the night will be 46 plus fight Texas veteran, Rey “The Warrior” Trujillo. Trujillo is riding a tough wave since the beginning of 2017 with a record of 2-5 for the year. He has yet to compete in 2018. Trujillo will no doubt be a tough opponent as he has shared the cage the likes of fighters such as Matt Bessette, Jamall Emmers, and Chas Skelly.
Balancing Coaching Duties with Fighting Duties
Not only will Webb fight in the main event, he will four of his fighters competing on the same card, sure to split his focus. How do you train yourself while training others to also be at their peak? “Well everyone has their own way to get ‘in the zone’ so it’s just hard finding what it is to get them mentally prepared for the match,” Webb told MMASucka. A good way to tell if a coach is a true leader and connected to his fighter is when they make a statement like this, “I’m feeling good man. For me it’s just another day in the office. I just get nervous for my guys because I can’t control what happens. So as far as my fight I’m pumped and ready but as far as coaching, I’m just nervous!” Webb stated to MMASucka.
Thoughts of the Students
Up and Coming BJJ Award Winner on Webb’s Influence
Webb has been very influential on many of his young fighters in his young coaching career. Larry Bradford, who is a TWebb MMA fight also competing at Capitol Fight Night, had great things to say about his coach. “As far as TWebb MMA, those guys are killers. They have an edge that you need to fight, and I love being around that,” Bradford told MMASucka. “I was a fan of Webb and the team way before I started fighting. I would go to their shows and buy tickets, sit ringside, and want to be just like them. Bradford also listed Webb as one of the biggest influences in his MMA growth so far.
The Wrestling Phenom on Coach Webb
St. Amant High School (LA) wrestling superstar and young MMA fighter, Nakie Brown, will also appear on the Capitol Fight Night card as a TWebb MMA representative. Brown stated to MMASucka, “My biggest influence would have to be Coach Webb. He’s physically challenging us every day pushing up pass boundaries when we want to take a break he makes us keep going showing us how it’s going to be in the ring.”
Recent Title Contender on TWebb MMA
In the years to come, TWebb MMA will host many of the state’s top amateur and professional champions. One of those arguably on the doorstep to gold is Jake Foster. Do not let the Tapology fool you showing a first round submission loss in his last outing against Carlos Andres in their Battle of New Orleans #29 in August 2018. The title bout was much closer than the record reflects. Andres was able to catch Foster with an armbar near the round’s end. Foster has trained with many fighters spanning all of the major organizations this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
“The team at TWebb’s is great. I moved down from Shreveport about six months ago [March 2018] and went to multiple gyms in the area, but couldn’t quite find what I was looking for,” Foster told MMASucka. “TWebb MMA was referred to me from a friend down here. I showed up the first night and the practice was so intense, I got sick which is unusual for me. Thomas [Webb] clicks well with his fighters and pushes us. He brings us all over to cross train and pushes us to our limits and then some. Everyone on our team is on the same page mentally.”
TWebb MMA’s WMMA Newcomer
Deja Verdin will make her MMA debut in November 2018 at WFC 97 representing TWebb MMA. Verdin has been training across a multitude of combat sports since the age of eight. MMA in itself is a new venture. “Training with TWebb and the rest of the guys has been really great,” Verdin stated to MMASucka. “They are really helpful, bringing forward whatever helpful knowledge they can. They’re all different and unique with their own styles. I think that helps everyone have a better overall fighting game. TWebb is an awesome instructor and keeps me motivated to keep training.”
Leading from the Front
Rather it be the fighting world or the corporate world, your most successful leaders/coaches lead from the front. They charge first into battle and their students/employees would follow their leader to the end of the Earth. Thomas Webb possesses this unique skill-set. Not only does Webb need to prepare for his own battle, but for that of four of his other competitors. From speaking to many of his fighters, who can tell he has them all on the same page both mentally and physically. The world of MMA is better for people like Thomas Webb who leave it all in the cage and pass on their knowledge and teaching abilities to others with similar dreams.
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