| With three local fighters winning their bouts in the first | | | | working as a machinist and truly missed the |
| round, their trainers at USMMA based in Bellingham | | | | competition of sports. He tried Mixed Martial Arts and |
| truly had something to be proud of. Mike Campbell, | | | | truly enjoyed it. |
| Devin Wessinger and Kevin Corrigan each won their | | | | “I really missed playing sports after high school and |
| weight class recently at the World Championship | | | | working out at USMMA gave me a great outlet,” |
| Fighting (WCF) Fight Night competition at the | | | | said Wessinger. “The trainers there, Tom Hafers |
| Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. | | | | and Matt Phinney, are the best in New England. They |
| Corrigan, fighting at 155 pounds and standing | | | | always have a game plan for me. They know what |
| 5’11”, started off the night for USMMA in his first | | | | will happen and what the other guys is planning to do. |
| professional fight against Ruben Gonzalez. The bell | | | | It makes me a calmer and more focused fighter |
| sounded and both fighters came out strong. After | | | | because they are there for me,” he said. “In |
| circling briefly, Corrigan closed the distance with | | | | and out of the ring, I am a happier person because of |
| punches drawing a lead leg kick from Gonzalez. | | | | my training. I don’t feel frustrated or aggravated |
| Corrigan caught the kick and closed on his | | | | because I leave all of that in the ring,” he added. |
| opponent’s hip, lifting and slamming Gonzalez. The | | | | Wessinger trains about 12 hours a week at USMMA. |
| crowd reacted with a roar, Gonzalez tried for a | | | | He incorporates Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu Mai Tai and |
| guillotine but Corrigan mounted. From there, it only took | | | | sparring. His next fight is scheduled for September 13, |
| :48 seconds for Corrigan to win with a KO in the first | | | | 2008 at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. |
| round. | | | | The most anticipated fight of the night proved it’s |
| Corrigan, a 35-year-old native of Bellingham, now lives | | | | worth with headliner and professional fighter Campbell |
| in Franklin, MA. He graduated from Bellingham High | | | | vs. Rich Moskowitz and the crowd was ready for it. |
| School in 1991 and he played baseball and hockey | | | | The bell sounded and the fighters began to circle. |
| there. He attended the University of Massachusetts | | | | Moskowitz looked to close the distance on Campbell |
| in Dartmouth and Framingham State College. When | | | | with kicks and punches but Campbell proved that he is |
| asked about his first win, his first thought was, | | | | too elusive. Using superior footwork and timing, |
| “Unbelievable!!” he said. “It was the best | | | | Campbell set up his openings. Just one minute into |
| thing that has ever happened to me. It was a feeling | | | | the first round, Campbell countered with a cross that |
| that was completely different for me because I am so | | | | sent Moskowitz to the mat. He rushed in to finish the |
| used to team sports. This was something I did | | | | fight and the referee stopped the fight at 1:28. |
| completely by myself,” he said. | | | | Campbell’s victory leaves him with a 5-0 record. |
| “I have never worked so hard for anything in my | | | | Campbell, a 25-year-old from Franklin, MA, fights in the |
| life and the pay-off was worth it for me in the end,” | | | | welterweight division at 5’9”, 170 lbs. He |
| said Corrigan. “Matt Phinney at USMMA put | | | | graduated from Coventry High School in Rhode |
| together a game plan for me and it worked perfectly | | | | Island. While in high school, his dream was to play |
| … absolutely perfectly! It was almost easy to win | | | | college football. It was dream he shared with his |
| because I was so prepared. I practiced so hard and | | | | father. After his father passed away from a heroin |
| was just ready for every move,” he added. | | | | overdose in 2001, Campbell put aside his football plans, |
| Corrigan said that he trained hard for 10 to 12 weeks | | | | as it was a passion they had always shared together. |
| to prepare for the fight. He would grapple with the | | | | “My dad and I both loved football and we shared |
| other fighters at USMMA one after another, so facing | | | | the passion for the game and for me playing. When |
| just one opponent in his first fight was not as | | | | he passed away, I didn’t want to play anymore.” |
| nerve-wracking as he thought it would be. “I was | | | | Being no stranger to competition, and missing playing |
| very calm. I felt very prepared and at ease and I | | | | sports, Campbell was inspired to try power lifting. He |
| knew I had my support system there,” he said. | | | | represented the US as a power lifter at the Power |
| “USMMA is the best gym around. Tom Hafers, | | | | Lifting World |
| Matt Phinney and Jorge Rivera, prepare fighters better | | | | Championships when he was 22-years-old. From |
| than anyone. All of the fighters know we are trained | | | | there, Campbell found Mixed Martial Arts training at |
| better than anyone every time we step into the ring. | | | | USMMA. As a professional MMA fighter, he has built |
| They really take care of me and they have all | | | | a solid career path for himself with a 5-0 record that |
| become like a second family to me,” said | | | | includes 3 KO’s. He holds a local title belt for the |
| Corrigan. “We have such a team spirit at | | | | 170 lb. welterweight division. |
| USMMA. If I win, they win and vice versa. You | | | | He is just getting started. Campbell was chosen as |
| don’t want to let them down,” he said. His next | | | | the feature fighter on the reality show “Tap |
| fight is September 13, 2008 in Wilmington, MA. | | | | Out” on the Versus Network. The “Tap |
| Wessinger, fighting at 155 pounds, and returning to | | | | Out” crew has been following Campbell and |
| fighting after a year off, was next up on the card for | | | | watching his training and fights that will be featured on |
| USMMA in a fight against Jose Lopez. The bell | | | | an upcoming episode that documents their quest for |
| sounded and both circled. Lopez threw a leg kick and | | | | the best up and coming Mixed Martial Arts fighters in |
| Wessinger pressured in with punches, backing Lopez | | | | the United States. “It has been kind of weird |
| into the ropes. Lopez clinched with Wessinger and | | | | having them follow me around, but I know that this will |
| drove forward getting the takedown into | | | | help take me to the next level in my career as a |
| Wessinger’s guard. Wessinger started working for | | | | fighter,” said Campbell. The episode will air in |
| a triangle then transitioned into and Omaplata, a | | | | September. |
| submission move. It was shortly after that Lopez | | | | Campbell also trains with Hafers and Phinney at the |
| tapped earning Wessinger the victory at 1:19 seconds | | | | USMMA facility in Bellingham, MA. “They always |
| into the first round. His record is now 4-1. | | | | come up with a great game plan and it always |
| Wessinger, a native of Whitinsville, MA, graduated from | | | | works!” he said. “Tom and Matt are there for |
| Blackstone Valley Regional Technical High School in | | | | me 100 percent. They have helped me to develop, |
| 2003. While there, the well-rounded athlete played | | | | not only as a fighter, but as and individual, as well,” |
| football, lacrosse, basketball and some baseball and | | | | he added. |
| hockey. After graduating, Wessinger began | | | | |