Soldiers, professional fighters face off at UFC Tour clinic

109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Capt. Angel Vega, Company B, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, left, grapples with Spc. Alexander Quebedeaux, a petroleum supply specialist with 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), during a special fight clinic hosted by Ultimate Fighting Championship stars Mike Swick and Kyle Kingsbury, Feb 24, at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. The UFC fighters held a question and answer session, signed autographs and taught Soldiers new moves during the clinic. Photo by Sgt. Shawn Miller

02.26.2011 Story by Sgt. Shawn Miller “So who wants to roll?” asked Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Mike Swick, surrounded by soldiers deployed to northern Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

Eager to test their mettle on the mat against two of the UFC’s top fighters, several soldiers jumped at the opportunity to grapple with Swick and mixed martial arts fighter Kyle Kingsbury during the UFC Tour at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Feb. 24.

Swick and Kingsbury, accompanied by Octagon Girls Amber Miller and Natasha Wicks, met with service members and civilian contractors during a workshop hosted by Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

The UFC fighters held an open discussion with the audience about nutrition, fitness and fighting techniques before signing autographs and posing for photos.

“Fighters have to be in tip-top shape, and obviously whatever they’re doing is working for them,” said Sgt. John Dean from 34th Engineer Company (Sapper), attached to 326th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade.

“The more I can apply that to my own physical fitness it’s going to help me with my physical training and my job,” said Dean, a resident of Nacogdoches, Texas.

Now on their second tour to Iraq, Kingsbury and Swick said they enjoy spending time with the troops and helping in any way they can.

“I feel very fortunate to be able to come out here and represent the UFC,” said Kingsbury. “We really enjoy getting to come out, especially downrange.”

Following the forum, Swick and Kingsbury demonstrated various techniques and submission moves used as part of their MMA regimen, similar to that of the U.S. Army’s Modern Army Combatives Program.

After the instructional phase, the UFC stars offered a challenge to grapple with anyone willing to step in “the ring.”

Soldiers are warriors regardless of duty position or rank, said Capt. Angel Vega of Company B, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, who jumped at the opportunity to test his skills and learn new techniques.

“I’m a big fan of UFC, and I’ve been doing martial arts for over 18 years,” said Vega, who hails from Puerto Rico. “They are donating their time to support soldiers; that’s amazing to me.”

“Being able to have the courage and the Warrior Ethos to meet against professional fighters on a mat proves to me that I’m able to meet any challenge that I want to meet in the future,” he said. “If I can meet a professional fighter, I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be able to meet an enemy on the battlefield.”

Sharing knowledge and experience with soldiers is better than simply signing autographs and taking photos with the troops during the MWR-sponsored tour in Iraq, said Kingsbury.

“Something that separates us from the rest is we’ll actually get on the mat and roll with the guys,” he said. “I think everybody just wants to get out there and test their mettle and have a roll with us, and have a good time.”