Road to the Pro’s: Micah Brakefield #14 – The time has come

After a weekend like the one I just had, sitting at a desk simply won’t do. I’m bored and I want to be training.

There’s nothing quite like fight day. You wake up; try to pretend it’s just another day, but it’s not.  There’s the elephant in the room until someone finally breaks the silence and says “Are you ready?” From then on my heart is off to the races. Of course I reply with a casual “of course” or if feeling talkative “I was born ready”.  That’s it for the rest of the day, my mind and heart meet in my throat and it feels like I’ve just jumped out of a plane. Before you know it I’m at the venue and falling faster and faster. Then it’s warm up time and I know it’s about to happen. Then comes a call from the door of the change room “Micah Brakefield! You’re up!” and suddenly the parachute opens and all is calm. I always seem to get a smirk on my face, laughing at the fact that for the weeks leading up to it, and especially the hours leading up to that moment, I am scared. Suddenly that moment, becomes my moment and I’m doing what I love.

The team at West Coast BJJ and MMA is strong, we truly are a family. We walk out together, huddle up, and someone talks, sometimes Don Whitefield, sometimes Shawn Albrecht, or the most intense man in the world Josh Beohn; it doesn’t matter who. We all put our arms around each other and our power becomes great. I am filled with the support of guys who know exactly what I’m going through. Guys like Dave and Jeremy Kennedy who drove up to support us just like we will with them in two weeks from now at BFL14. We do our 3-2-1-West Coast BJJ cheer and “Garden Grove” hits the speakers, I turn to Jacen Brooks tell him “I love this song” and we walk out. I’ve already won the fight. I’ve won the fight 100 times a day, while I’m at work, while I’m in the shower, while I’m at practice. I’ve pictured this moment over and over again and now I get to make it happen. I enter the cage walk over to my spot and I relax. Time to go to work.

As most of you reading this probably follow Battlefield Fight League and saw, or heard about the fight you know that I won with an arm bar that came from a flying triangle in the second minute of the first round. I came out throwing some heaters but Ryan Allen was quick to take away my range and take me down. I was a little too nonchalant about getting taken down and getting mounted, but I didn’t feel in any danger. I was sure an opportunity would present itself soon. It did and I got to my feet, which was when I threw up the sub and it was over.  Ryan Allen was quick to congratulate me on the win and what made me the most happy was him telling me that I had very good jiu jitsu. At that moment The Don himself Mr. Whitefield put a blue belt around my neck.  I was more proud at that moment than when a few seconds later Mr. Jay Golshani threw my middleweight belt back around my waist. Right then I knew that the amateur belt was my past, and from that moment on I was going to be getting ready for a professional fight. I feel that I can handle the pressure, I’m talented enough, and most importantly I feel I have earned the right to fight as a professional mixed martial artist.

So that’s it, my amateur career is done. My record as an amateur is 6-2 overall, 5-0 at my weight class. I had one fight that went the distance with the powerful Jer Kornelsen, and 4 first round victories. One of them coming by knockout and the other 3 coming by submission including finishing the only guy in my weight that went the distance with me Jer “the Jerk” Kornelsen. I went down to 175 and lost to now 2-0 pro fighter Matt Dwyer. I also went up to heavyweight and lost to a monster by the name of Adam Santos. I also had the fight that started it all off, stepping up on short notice to take my first of 4 main event amateur fights against Nathan “Roadhouse” Swayze, which I won by arm bar after surviving some real damage. And that’s it! Ammy is finished, but my “Road to the Pro’s” will not be complete until I enter the cage for my next fight.

Thank you so much for reading. I would like to thank all my family, friends and teammates who fill me with such positivity. I truly am blessed. I would also like to thank all my sponsors: Tippet Richardson, Dominant Ground, FVSTR clothing, Klench Kustom Guards,  Reflex on Kingsway, Passion Sports, Drako,  Kombat Nation, Fine Arts Bartending in Victoria and MMASucka for all the support.

Also, don’t forget to follow Canusa Fight Team member @swain145 who will be traveling down to Florida to train with the famous Blackzillian fight team.  Also follow our manager @echelonfm for constant updates on our careers.