King of the Swamp: ZZ returns home; happy for experience
September 9, 2015Local powers to be challenged in 2015 season
September 9, 2015
A Chauvin man will be a participant on one of the most popular reality TV shows in the world.
Local mixed martial artist Brennan Sevin confirmed to The Times this week that he will be part of The Ultimate Fighter 22 – the famous show that seeks to transform unknown professional fighters into UFC stars.
The first episode of the show’s latest season will air before a national audience tonight at 9 p.m. on Fox Sports 1. The theme of the new season will be USA versus Europe, and the season’s coaches will be American-born Urijah Faber and European sensation Conor McGregor – two of the biggest stars in the world of fighting.
“I am just so overwhelmed and humbled that I’ve been picked to be on the show,” Sevin said. “To be one of those lucky 32 to be part of the show’s cast, it’s an amazing feeling – almost a surreal feeling, actually. It sort-of feels like I’m going to wake up sometime soon, and I’ll find out that it’s all been a dream.”
For Sevin, the path to The Ultimate Fighter is the high-point in a seven-year MMA career that the local fighter never dreamed would cross paths with the UFC.
Sevin, 30, said he started learning the sport in 2008 as a way to stay in shape with his friends.
“I started training with a buddy of mine from high school, and I honestly didn’t know where it’d take me or what would come of it,” Sevin said. “But as I got more and more involved in it, things got serious, and I just started to love it more and more. Now, I train all over the place with all sorts of people. I never expected that it’d be like that when I got started. Not even close.”
Sevin said his first fight was a few months after his training began – an amateur bout he fought as part of an MMA card that was put on during the Grand Isle International Tarpon Rodeo. That night, he submitted Randy Cheramie in the second round.
After fighting six more amateur bouts (all wins), Sevin turned pro in 2011 as an undefeated, touted amateur. He lost his first pro bout on April 9, 2011 – a controversial three-round split decision defeat against Randy Billiot.
Since that loss, Sevin has regained his mojo and has been on fire. He’s won his last seven pro fights, including six wins by either knockout or submission.
Sevin’s last bout came on November 14, 2014 in New Orleans. Headlining the main event of RMMA 32, Sevin submitted veteran fighter David Bosnick (6-2) in the first round of what was scheduled to be a five-round fight.
“I’ve had things go pretty well lately,” Sevin said. “I’ve been on a roll, and I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of people who have helped me out along the way to help me get to 7-1. There’s no way that I could be where I am today without all of the people who have trained with me and who have supported me along the way.”
Sevin said the opportunity to be a part of The Ultimate Fighter came through social media. While perusing through Facebook one day, Sevin said he saw an online post about the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.
“It had the tryout dates and everything,” Sevin said. “So I talked to a few of my buddies and we decided, ‘What do we have to lose?’ Let’s do it.”
Sevin said he and friends and fellow local MMA fighters Justin Verdin and Jay Paul Molinere flew to Las Vegas and tried out for the show together. Verdin is a veteran MMA fighter, pro boxer, fight promoter and gym owner. Molinere is well-known locally for his role on famous reality show Swamp People. But before he was a world-famous alligator hunter, Molinere was a local boxer and mixed martial artist who once trained for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing team.
Sevin said the trio flew to Vegas not expecting to ever be part of the show’s cast. Sevin said the trip marked the first time he was ever on an airplane.
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘Is this flying thing for me?’” Sevin said with a laugh. “It was a nervous time for me to be that far from home and to be on a plane, but we got there and got to work.”
The trip was worth it. After a long, multi-day training session before all of the UFC’s big-wigs, Sevin impressed the judges enough to be named to the show’s cast.
The culmination of all his hard work will take place tonight when he will compete to try and earn a spot in The Ultimate Fighter house.
Sevin said he’s not nervous entering his fight, and is relishing the opportunity. He said he’s got nothing to lose, and the entire experience will be one that he soaks in and enjoys to the fullest.
“It’s a feeling unlike any other thing that I’ve ever experienced before,” Sevin said. “To be picked is a honor, and it’s something that I’m going to be proud of for the rest of my life.”
