Willie "Big Will" Walden finished off his opponent at the Rumble at the Roseland on Nov. to win the Full Contact Fighting Federation (FCFF) heavyweight championship. / Photo by Mike Bitton

I am behind the scenes at the Rumble at the Roseland amateur mixed martial arts fights in Portland, Ore. It’s two hours to show time, and matchmaker Kevin Keeney, co-owner of the Full Contact Fighting Federation (FCFF) calls the fighters and their corners together in a dark bar under the theater for a pre-fight briefing.

With 13 fights on tonight’s card, I deduce that at some time in the next few hours, 26 of the relatively normal looking guys crowded into this bar intend to beat the stuffing out of each other. They’re going to punch and kick; they’re going to shoot for takedowns and choke the other guy until he either taps or passes out. They’re going to fight their guts out just to see if they can win...

Keeney covers some quick business then turns the floor over to referee, Kelly Whitlock, of the Oregon State Athletic Commission, who read aloud the rules competitors must follow while fighting in the FCFF. A sampling:

Do not head-butt, eye-gouge, or bite your opponent. There will be no groin strikes, pulling of hair, or head stomping. Direct knee strikes and throat strikes are illegal, as is holding on to the cage. There are a few more no-nos on the official list, but that gives you a taste of what’s not allowed.

What techniques remain for the law-abiding mixed martial artists set to compete this evening? Whitlock reads those off as well. Again, just a sampling:

All hand strikes are legal, as long as they’re not to the throat, groin, front of the knee joint, or back of the spine. Sounds like the dirty boxers in the room are in for some fun. Kicks are allowed as long as both fighters are standing, with the same sensitive areas (throat, groin, front of knee joint and spine) off-limits. So kick boxers ought to love this. And all takedowns, holds and chokes are legal; three reasons grapplers will feel right at home tonight.

Now back to Kevin Keeney, the showman who never needs a microphone. He’s dressed like he’s headed to the Country Music Awards: black ostrich-skin boots, black blazer with a cowboy yolk, black cowboy hat. I’m not asking, but I bet his blue jeans are starched. Under the blazer is a white dress shirt with a button-down collar. There’s a shiny silver buckle on his black leather belt.

Keeney advises fighters to give their entrance music to the DJ upstairs: “If you don’t have any, ask for some,” Keeney gently orders. “He’s got about 3,000 songs on his iPod. It really helps with the show,” the cowboy says with a sparkle of P.T. Barnam.
I make my way upstairs to the legendary Roseland Theater, site of much of Portland’s musical history. Tonight, sponsor banners hang from the famous balconies, declaring the nutritional value of Rock Bottom Supplements; the tastiness of Buffalo Wild Wings; and the trustworthiness of Realtor Chael Sonnen. Sonnen also happens to be a professional MMA fighter, as well as co-owner of the FCFF with life-long friend Keeney.

Though it’s a blast to photograph all 13 fights on the card, I’m really only assigned to cover three of the fights that feature athletes from Southwest Washington.

On tonight’s card is Evergreen High School graduate Willie “Big Will” Walden, who at six-feet, seven-inches and weighing nearly 170 pounds can only compete in the heavyweight division. Even though this is just his second amateur fight, it’s for the FCFF heavyweight championship. Other Southwest Washington fighters on the card included Brush Prairie High graduate Sean Miller of Vancouver at 135 lbs., and Washougal High grad Greg Shelby of Washougal at 190 lbs.

Shelby wrestled as a heavyweight in high school, where his grappling skills improved dramatically year after year. He told me he lost more matches than he won as a freshman, but by the time he was a senior, Shelby was invited to compete at the state wrestling championships.

His involvement in mixed martial arts began after high school. Hoping to replicate the workouts he’d grown accustomed to as a member of a wrestling team, he found his local Washougal gym — the Universal Institute of Martial Arts — offered classes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He signed up and found a workout that surpassed what he’d done in his high school days. In fact, since starting to train in martial arts four years ago, Shelby has lost nearly 100 lbs.

Walden got my attention a few months back when he stole the show in a SportFight event at the Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde, Ore. That was his first amateur MMA fight, and it ended by knockout less than 30 seconds into the first round. Tonight, I’m hoping he gives me a little more lens time. I always get more photos from a three-round fight than a battle cut short by a first-round knockout.

At the end of the night, Shelby and Walden have wins by decision and knockout, respectively. Miller is dealt a loss. Walden gives me a little more lens time, though he still wins by first-round knockout. Now he’s a heavyweight champ, and it looks like he’s going to defend his belt Dec. 12 at the next Rumble at the Roseland event.

A few days after the fight, I meet Walden at Team Quest headquarters in Gresham, Ore., for an interview and a photo session. It’s Monday at 3 p.m., which means the pro team is here and already hard at work. Anyone who fought recently, like Walden, is watching or taking it easy.

I use this time to squeeze a little background out of Walden. He graduated from Evergreen High School in 2000, where he was a standout on the football team. He went on to play football at the University of Oregon and at the University of Montana. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Today, Walden runs Bodies by Will, a personal training business in Vancouver (Myspace address: www.myspace.com/BBW) and is committed to becoming an expert mixed martial artist. He does intend to go pro, but in MMA, that’s as simple as applying for a license. Walden doesn’t want to make the mistake of going out too fast and end up with a losing record. He won’t go before he’s sure he’s ready.

I ask Walden why he’s been so successful in his two MMA fights. He has good answers. The first, he says, is his build and agility. I can’t argue with that. Guys his size aren’t usually fast or agile, but he is both. His second reason has nothing to do with himself and everything to do with Team Quest.

“This isn’t just one of the best MMA gyms in the Northwest, It’s one of the best in the world,” Walden says. You can’t find coaches like these just anywhere. Walden has Robert Follis, Eric Casanova and Josh Bennett to guide his progress. And his training partners, Daniel Stuart, Fabiano Scherner and again, Josh Bennett, are bigger, stronger and more experienced than any fighter Walden will face as an amateur. They may even be bigger, stronger and more experienced than any fighter Walden may yet face as a professional when the time comes.

Those very coaches and training partners are working the mats not 10 feet from where we sit. Some are on the ground, practicing escapes from dangerous positions. Others stand and grapple for control in the clinch. Everyone fights for position gently. There is constant motion. And now Walden is back on the mat. He’s jogging in place, sometimes doing footwork to match his occasional shadowboxing. He may not be allowed to grapple so soon after his recent fight, but he knows there’s still work to do. In a matter of minutes, he’s got his sweat on.