When Don Frye, Oleg Taktarov, Gary Goodridge or Maurice Smith book an MMA match at the ripe age of forty-something, it’s an event. When 53-year-old Dan Severn fights, it’s just something to do on a Saturday night after the early-bird special. Since his MMA debut at UFC 4 in December 1994, “The Beast” (the original one, not the God-awful one) has never fought less than five times in a given year, and has racked up a record of 83-15-7 along the way. Last year he went 7-1; in 2004, he fought a full 12 times.
And he’s not making his living in big-money freak-show matches against other throwbacks, either, but in small regional promotions, far away from any kind of mainstream recognition. Severn fights because he loves it, not to prove a point. According to this press release, his next bout will be against Irish brawler Colin Robinson at a MAX Xtreme Fighting event in Belfast on March 9th. Even though Robinson hasn’t looked very slick in his UFC appearances — Eddie Sanchez TKO’d him at UFC 72, and he suffered a bizarre 17-second loss to Antoni Hardonk at UFC 80 — there’s no way he’ll take it easy on the old man, especially in front of an Irish crowd.
Anyway, we just wanted to give it up for one of MMA’s true pioneers. Now enjoy this video of Severn making his UFC debut at the expense of Anthony Macias’s spine. (Holy Christ, those suplexes.) This was back in the good ol’ days, before there were weight divisions, and when baby-blue high-top Asics were an acceptable part of a fighter’s attire.
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(Props: FightOpinion)
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Comments
Sun, 02/24/08 - 08:40
Jeez - Dan Severn was pushing 40 when he made his debut! What a trailblazer. Hope the crowd in Belfast get something to cheers about. The next Max Xtreme event after Belfast is in Glasgow, where the whole MMA thing still feels very new. If you want that 1994 "pioneering spirit", nostalgia feel just check out this local TV news report ahead of the event. 'Cept this is now! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz0j-_Gs-_w This is the kind of unenlightened attitude still facing MMA - where the question is still asked whether the participants are genuine athletes - or thugs. As if any of the pasty-faced local street hoods (known in the local parlane as Neds) could last even a few seconds in the cage.
Mon, 02/25/08 - 12:23
Dan Severn is simply a freak of nature, and with the way he is going he may actually re-capture a coveted championship at the age of 60. His exploits are already making George Foreman's look pedestrian. Also, I look forward to the day when the AARP rents space on Severn's trunks, along with Poli-Grip and Liberty Medical. Imagine Wilford "Diabeetus" Brimley hosting your post-fight party.
Mon, 02/25/08 - 01:43
Damn if only he had known the rear naked choke that fight would have been a lot shorter.
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