FORT BENNING, Ga. - The Georgia Army National Guard Warrior Training Center hosted the 5th annual National Guard Combatives tournament with over 145 Guard members traveling from 20 different states and territories.
The top contender again this year was team Minnesota who had six fighters in the championship finals and two in the consolation finals to finish first overall with 465 points. Team Missouri was second with 281 points. Third place, who should have also won a prize for most miles traveled, was Team Guam with 244 points.
"Every year these tournaments get harder," said Army 1st Lt. Chad Malmberg, Minnesota National Guard combatives coach. "You take guys that are not necessarily professional fighters or guys that don't have a whole lot of experience, but these are Soldiers who take that mentality that they bring to the battlefield, and they are bringing the warrior ethos into the cage."
The combatives tournament consisted of standard grappling rounds, intermediate rounds with some striking, and the championship rounds with full kick and fist striking.
Even with limited resources and funding, numerous teams found a way to make training through their own gyms and somehow travel to the competition.
"The toughest battle was just getting here," said Army Master Sgt. Allen Blend, Guam National Guard combatives coach. "But the guys persevered, and overall we have placed first, second, and third place, so they have done real good."
When Army Pfc. Aaron Johnson, Indiana Army National Guard, heard of the combatives tournament through a training buddy, he knew he had to attend. Johnson ended up winning the lightweight class against Army Spc. Thomas Pfeiffer, Washington Army National Guard. Johnson has competed in nearly every type of fighting tournament to include wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and mixed martial arts leagues. When he heard of the combatives tournament, he knew he had to attend.
"It's pretty crazy putting grappling, pancrase, and then the final fight the last day," said Johnson. "It is definitely wear and tear on your body."
Even though teams were competing against each other, Johnson did not have a ring-side coach and had to enlist a couple of team coaches for help. Army Maj. Andrew Heymann, Georgia Army National Guard, coached for Johnson in the intermediate round and for the finals Johnson received the help of Guam National Guard coaches Army Master Sgt. Allen Blend and Army Spc. Kenji Okiyama.
Another fighter, Army Staff Sgt. Kailey Carlson, Minnesota National Guard, had to battle it out in a 3-person round robin for featherweight starting in the intermediate round.
"I started doing jiu-jitsu about two years ago and then moved to train at the Academy with Greg Nelson," Carlson said. "I almost primarily train with guys, but almost never usually someone my own size, so it was a nice experience to fight against guys who were closer to my weight."
Army Spc. Miles McDonald, Missouri Army National Guard, wrapped up featherweight with a rear chokehold submission against Army Sgt. Terry Hams, Alaska Army National Guard, in the final championship rounds.
The most congested weight class was cruiserweight, 185 pounds, with 24 Guard members competing for the title. Even with his head bandaged, Army Cpt. Matthew Jukkala, Minnesota Army National Guard, took cruiserweight by submission against Army Cadet John Moser, Guam Army National Guard.
Hammer fist technical knockouts closed out light heavyweight for champion Army Staff Sgt. Brian Friedrichs and heavyweight champion Army Sgt. 1st Class Braden Simonet, both from team Minnesota.
"Overall it's a great tournament, and the numbers are growing," Blend said. "So it's just a matter of time before it kicks off to the next level. Thanks to the Warrior Training Center putting this together."