Jared Hamman: American Footballer becomes Ultimate Fighter!

The following piece is from Redlands Daily Facts.com

"Educator, Christian, coach, ex-football player and University of Redlands graduate student Jared Hamman added another line to his resume - ultimate fighter. The defensive back turned cage fighter stepped into the ring this year demonstrating that this athlete can do more than just tackle. His career as a mixed martial artist got a big boost this month with his first high profile victory.

At the Strikeforce show, California's biggest ultimate fighting exhibition, Hamman beat the undefeated Scott Graham June 9 in San Jose. The fight was held at the HP Pavilion, home of the San Jose Sharks.

"For a guy like me who's just starting out, to be on that show is unheard of. I was really blessed to get that opportunity," Hamman said.

Hamman's ultimate fighting mentor was originally scheduled to fight Graham. However, Graham outweighed Brian Warren, owner of Unbreakable Gym in San Bernardino. Unwilling to give up the advantage, Warren took a bout against a tougher fighter in his weight class, passing the opportunity on to his student. "I was pretty nervous watching my student fight for me," Warren said. "He went against an established opponent and he ended up overpowering the guy and really taking it to him. The ref had to stop the fight because he was so bloody."

Before 13,000 booing fans out-of-towner Hamman raced towards Graham, tackling him and slamming him to the mat in the opening seconds of the second round. He gained a commanding position on top of Graham's chest, pounding his head until the referee pulled him off for a win by a "ground and pound."

"Jared's adept at his own style," Warren said. "The way he fights discourages an opponent. He doesn't lay and prey' or stay there and stall. He's all over you, wraps you up like an anaconda. He's not lazy. He'll work on top of you and that plays with an opponent's mind. It takes the juice out of somebody."

Hamman's abrupt and brutal attack was inspired by his mentor's words before his own fight. "My instructor said he was going to let it all go and come out with a fury, and that stuck with me because that's how I play football, at 100 miles per hour. That's the only way I know how to do things," Hamman said. "In my previous fights I always felt like I was holding back. I decided I was going to let loose, too."

Hamman's flying tackle, reminiscent of his football days, produced the result he was looking for. However, the fledgling fighter admitted it was perhaps not the smartest strategy. "After my fight everyone asked me if I played football. They keep on calling me Brian Urlacher," Hamman said referring to the linebacker for the Chicago Bears who was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. "But that flying tackle was probably the stupidest thing I could have done because he could have moved out of the way or I could have gotten a knee to the head."

Regardless of the intelligence of the move, Hamman's boldness revealed what he can do if he does not hold back. It was a lesson he hopes to take into his next fight 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15 at the Upland Sports Arena against Don Rocko (6-0). "It was a fight where I showed some of my talents that I'd been holding back," Hamman said.

Before the well-publicized June 9 fight, there was another battle in which Hamman proved to himself he could not only compete, but also be a contender in ultimate fighting. In March, with only four months training, Hamman defeated a 260-pound wrestler his teammates referred to as "The Green Mile" for his size and strength. "I actually fight better against guys that are really good. I bear down and I focus, whereas against a weaker fighter I don't do as well," Hamman said.

Hamman's endurance training earned him a victory in the amateur bout. "I beat him with my training because he gassed out. He was a wrestler, but he couldn't get me down. He was gigantic and had he been in shape, he probably would have mauled me," Hamman said. "I ended up winning by decision. That was the fight I knew I could do well at this sport."

Training for the ring Hamman is 5-0 as an amateur fighter and 2-0 as a professional with only seven months training. He also won Grapplers Quest March 25 in Las Vegas, winning every match by submission, rather than by the judges' decision. "It's quite an accomplishment for the amount of time he's been training," Warren said. Submission grappling is one aspect of martial arts focusing on ground fighting. The aim of which is to trap one's opponent in a hold, forcing them to submit or concede defeat.

Hamman accepted little glory for his victories. His winnings are for the gym and God, thus his first place trophy is displayed at the Unbreakable Gym as are the shorts he wore in his last victory. Stained with his opponent's blood, they are framed along with the promotional fliers and posters from the fight.

Since November, Hamman has spent more than four days a week at Unbreakable Gym in addition to his cardiovascular and weight training. He also teaches at one of San Bernardino's toughest high schools, Pacific High School, where he is a resident substitute. "For the most part the kids just need some direction and some modeling. They need someone to help them change how they think. I like to do that as a teacher whether that's in the classroom or at the gym," Hamman said. "It's my goal in life to model for these kids how to live."

Hamman is on schedule to complete his teaching credential at UR by next spring and he plans to continue teaching at PHS. "It's the worst school in the district, from what people say, but I like that," Hamman said. "I got expelled when I was younger because I was a little mischevious, so I can form relationships with the outcasts'. Hamman's instructor admired his student's dedication to his training, education and coaching.

"Jared's a workhorse. He's the type of person you have to tell to stop training or he'll over-train before a fight," Warren said. "He constantly wants to get better and that sets a great example for these youngsters and for me, too. I've been doing this for eight years and you can get burned out. It's good to have someone in here with a lot of energy. It brings up the entire team."

Prior to November Hamman had little to no experience in the ring. "My only training is getting my butt kicked by my brother for 20-some-odd years," Hamman said, laughing. "A lot of my defense on the ground stems from my brother's beatings. It's actually helped me, surprisingly. I feel like I'm really good at defending from my guard on my back."

Hamman also spent one year on the high school wrestling team and nine years playing football. "With his football background, he's a great athlete. We're very blessed to have him here," Warren said. Hamman credits his experiences in football for his successes in the ring. Football coaches such as Maynard instilled in him the strong work ethic necessary to succeed in ultimate fighting.

"The hardest part of fighting is not necessarily the fight, it's the training," Hamman said. "My attitude when it comes to training is most affected by my experiences playing football. All the stuff I've ever learned about hard work, perseverance, dedication and training I've learned from all my coaches, specifically Mike Maynard. I want it more than anybody else and I'm willing to give more than anybody else to get it."

The walls of the Bulldog locker room and the Field House are peppered with the words "mental toughness and extreme desire." They have become the foundation of Hamman's training. "When I'm asked, What is your past training?' I say, mental toughness and extreme desire,'" Hamman said."

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