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Dan Bonnell

Dan Bonnell's Blog (33)

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New Gym in Haverhill

Fighters and New comers, There is a new Gym in town. The gym is located in Haverhill,Ma right near the center by the Bradford train station. Carried out Fight Gear, a New sponsor of the Global Fight league has given me full access to hold practices and train fighters in the gym. The gym has 2 full size Olympic wrestling mats, Thai bags, punching bags, exercise equipment,etc. Carried out fight gear will also have there offices there as well as all the gear and apparel you need to fight and train.… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on October 1, 2009 at 12:22pm — No Comments

GFL 4 "UNIFIED" Final fight card

GFL 4 "UNIFIED" Final fight card is posted in the forum. Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on September 3, 2009 at 9:05am — No Comments

GFL 4 Medicals

Fighters, Please check the GFL forum for the new fighter medicals that we require in NH. If you have a valid NH license you are in the clear until it expires. but, if you do not, you must have all your medicals updated within 6 months of Sept 19th! Also, I'd like to start receiving ENTRANCE MUSIC from all the fighters. IF, i do not receive it by Aug. 20th then we will pick your music for you. How does "I touch my self" by the Devinal's sound? All i am asking for is the Artist's name and the son… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on July 24, 2009 at 5:54pm — 1 Comment

GFL 4 Sept. 19th "New Rules" and some other cool shit.

On Sept 19th, GFL will bring yet another New and exciting aspect to the MMA world in NH. After several talks with the NH Boxing Commission, the GFL has been granted Unified rules for Main Events and "Featured Fights" This is a first in the History of the sport for NH to allow Unified rules in a sanctioned bout in our state. Not the UFC, Not Elite XC, K1, etc. But the GFL has brought you, again, more Awesomeness! Now, the crappy news.....All fighters are now required to have their medicals done w… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on June 29, 2009 at 9:33pm — 2 Comments

Need Some Help

Brady Bonnell Born May 26th 2009 @ 10:28pm, 7 weeks premature. Anyone who knows me personally knows I am an independent, do it yourself man. I’m your typical don’t ask for directions, Learn the hard way guy. Where I lack ability and skill I make up for with such a big heart… My Boy is fighting for his life right now at Brigham and Women’s, in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. He was born 33 weeks into his Gestational period of growth at just a mere 4 lbs 3 oz. He was given steroids to speed his… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on June 1, 2009 at 2:37pm — 8 Comments

More GFL 4 info in the Forum

GFL 4 information posted in the forum. Taking names for the next show Now! Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on May 23, 2009 at 12:52pm — No Comments

GFL 4 September

With the great demand of fighters looking to fight on this GFL 3 show we have reached our max # of fights for the June 12th show and thus i will begin matchmaking for GFL 4 in September now. If you are interested in Fighting on the next show, please contact me now either via email (danbonnell@yahoo.com) phone 978 815 4399, or message me here at www.GFLMMA.com Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on May 20, 2009 at 2:55pm — No Comments

Tomorrow Sunday 4/26 GFL meet and greet to support "Chucky's Fight"

I'd Like to see everyone make a conscious effort to make it down to Murphy's riverside (Formally Mad River Tavern) in Amesbury from 6pm-8pm. The GFL is holding a Benefit night for "Chucky's Fight" an organization dedicated to educating children on the dangers of drug addiction. We will be playing the Video from GFL 1 "The Harvest" I encourage all the fighters to make this event. Show your support for the charity, and get yourself out there, take the time to meet some of the fans that love to wa… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on April 25, 2009 at 12:38pm — No Comments

GFL 3 Fightcard Released!

GFL Fightcard is up in the Forum Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on April 21, 2009 at 3:52pm — No Comments

GFL 3 June 12th Capitol Theater, Concord NH

Fighters, Coaches , and Managers, I have begun to Match this card already. if you want to get on this card and have not already told me yet please get your name in now. I have over 100 Fighters names over 8 different weight classes right now. If you have been matched already, please keep that to your self as we will be sending out a press release and making hype video's for this fight. Our last show was a huge success if you havent heard already and people are swarming to get on this next card.… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on March 18, 2009 at 3:05pm — 4 Comments

Weigh-Ins

Fighters, Coaches, Managers, Weigh-ins are tomorrow, Friday February 20th At Jillian's Bar in Manchester NH from 6-8pm. Fighters are to report at 5:30 with ALL MEDICALS or a NH issued fighters license. In the event you forget your medicals or, you are missing a portion of them you will not be aloud to fight and will not recieve ticket money or your purse. We ask that you please arrive early, check your weight, and get your medicals situated well ahead of time. Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on February 19, 2009 at 12:07pm — No Comments

GFL 2 Preview

Fighters and fight fans, the GFL preview of the show is up on www.massmma.net Visit the site and check it out. dont forget to comment on your favorite fight or give a good luck to your favorite fighter! Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on February 13, 2009 at 4:33pm — 1 Comment

Littlefield Steps In As Lerchen Steps Out of GFL 2

Littlefield Steps In As Lerchen Steps Out of GFL 2 By tim on February 8th, 2009 By Tim O’Connor, NE-MMA.com (timoconnor@ne-mma.com) GFL- (Concord, New Hampshire) - Upstart Mixed Martial Arts promotion, Global Fight League, needed to make a last second change to its February 21st card in Concord, New Hampshire when it was learned that Independent Welterweight Travis Lerchen would not be approved to fight in the state by the New Hampshire Boxing Commission due to medical issues. GFL Matchmaker… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on February 8, 2009 at 8:53pm — 3 Comments

Entrance Music

Fighters, Bring your entrance Music to the weigh-ins on a CD labeled with your name and which track # your song is on. Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on February 5, 2009 at 7:53pm — No Comments

All fighters please call me asap!

All Fighters, I would like a phone call from each of you (978) 815 4399 or your management in regards to the upcoming fights February 21st for GFL. I just would like to iron out all the details with all of you. I am still missing Medicals from a few fighters, Music from almost all of you, and some i just havent heard from since the day i matched your fight. Fighters, it is common to keep in contact with the matchmaker from time to time so that we can make this a very good experience for you. We… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on February 3, 2009 at 8:38am — 1 Comment

Message to the fighters

Fighters, Tickets are in, We need to know how many you'd like and where to send them. Please contact me and give me a count. There is an incentive to selling the tickets as you know. You do earn a percentage of the tickets you sell and after selling so many you receive a pair of free tickets to do with what you like. take advantage of this and you will make a significant increase in your pay for your fight! Contact me at: danbonnell@yahoo.com 978 815 4399 or the GFL webpage Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on January 10, 2009 at 3:15pm — No Comments

Im excited

I hope everyone is getting as excited as i am, I took my first walk threw the "new" Venue and let me tell you i was very impressed! As fighters you will have that feel of fighting in a professional atmosphere i promise you! this place is huge and we will definitely sell out. from the size of the locker rooms to the feel of the seats this place is just sick. The Theater can be found upstairs and holds roughly 1400 people! Honestly every seat in the house is great. Front row is so close to the act… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on January 8, 2009 at 4:25pm — No Comments

The Forum has been updated with Info for GFL2

Please check all the updated threads on the forum. Rules, Medicals,emails, etc. Thank you Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on January 3, 2009 at 3:25pm — No Comments

GFL 2 Card is up on the forum

check it out Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on December 31, 2008 at 2:06pm — No Comments

NE MMA Article

GFL 2: “Capitol Punishment” Announced Feb. 21st in Concord, NH By tim on December 17th, 2008 (Concord, New Hampshire) - Global Fight League Matchmaker Dan Bonnell announced today that the GFL’s second installment would originate from the Capitol Theatre in Concord, New Hampshire on February 21st, 2009. The GFL is sticking with it’s theme of presenting mixed martial arts events in smaller, more intimate venues harkening back to the old-school days of boxing and providing fans a closer look at t… Continue

Added by Dan Bonnell on December 17, 2008 at 8:08pm — 1 Comment

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The best bartender/mattress salesman/rock star/cage fighter in Portsmouth

Meet Cyrus Clark, an undefeated mixed martial arts champion ... after one fight

Cyrus Clark is not a fighter.

Sure, he's had a few scraps in his life (10 by his count). But he claims he's never started one. And with his laid-back, skater-dude demeanor, he's the last guy you'd expect to see throwing down.But there he was earlier this year, moments before his mixed martial arts debut, hopping up and down like a madman, ready to rip his opponent's head off.

"It was pretty sudden for all of us," said Ted Roberts, Clark's friend from Portsmouth High School. "He wasn't a wimp, but he wasn't the kind of guy going around picking fights."

"Starting his career at 32, I think, was pretty funny," said Jay Krecklow, another longtime friend.

Clark, a lifelong Portsmouth resident and drummer for the band The Han Solos, used to watch mixed martial arts on TV at the Daniel Street Tavern, where he has bartended for the past 2½ years. But it wasn't until he and Krecklow attended a fight at the Ioka Theater in Exeter last year that he came up with his crazy idea.

"Immediately after that, that's all I kept talking about — how I wanted to do it," Clark said. "I had watched UFC, but then once I saw it in real life, it was way better, and I wanted to do it."

So Clark got a hold of Scott Millette of Hampton, who runs the 8-month-old Global Fight League, and told him he wanted to fight at the group's February show at the Capitol Center in Concord .

"He was like, 'No, no, the card's lined up,' and there was really no room for me." Then, suddenly, there was an opening. One of the fighters scheduled for the show had to pull out after losing by technical knockout in another fight.

Millette called Clark. "Here's your chance," he said.

As they approach their mid-30s, it's not unusual for men to try out extreme activities like sky diving or bungee jumping in an attempt to cling to their fading youth. But that's not Clark. He did it for the fun of it, and because, as his friend Roberts noted, it would give him a great story to tell to every girl he meets.

But in order to have a story to tell, Clark had to win the fight. And it wasn't going to be easy, as he only had two weeks to get ready, and no experience as an MMA fighter. He scarcely had time to get the required medical paperwork together, let alone train.

Cyrus had worked briefly as a bouncer, but dealing with drunks isn't much of a challenge.

("It's like handling a 6 year old," he said.) Other than that, his only physical training was running regularly, and carting around mattresses for his day job at National Discount Mattress on Islington Street.

What he did have, though, is a lot of what his friend Krecklow calls "pent-up aggression." And some experience getting beaten up as a kid by his older brother.

To get Clark ready for the fight, Millette took him to a gym in Haverhill, Mass.

"They beat the crap out of Cyrus for three weeks," Millette said.

"He gave me a crash course in stand-up boxing," Clark said. This entailed how to stand, where to hold his hands, and how to protect himself. "There's definitely an art to that."

When Clark broke a rib sparring just four days before his fight, he kept his mouth shut, afraid he might lose his chance to fight.

"I didn't realize at first I had broken a rib," he said. "Then it started to hurt. I definitely knew I was still gonna fight, though. I wanted to bad enough. I was afraid I wouldn't get another chance." For his corner team, Clark hooked up with Team Burgess at the weigh-in on Friday, the night before the fight. Then he worked his regular shift at the mattress store.

Saturday morning, a few hours before the bout, Team Burgess gave him his game plan for the fight. That helped him stay calm. It also helped that he had experience playing in a band.

"I know what it's like stepping out onto the stage," he said. "It was just a different event." The night of the fight, a group of friends showed up to support Clark.

"He was pretty pumped up," said Jason Stiles, his boss at the Daniel Street Tavern. "He was in the zone. He walked right past us." Physically, Clark seemed to match up pretty well against his opponent — at 6 feet tall, he had a 3-inch height advantage, and they both weighed in the neighborhood of 175 pounds.

Still, "Me and pretty much the rest of my friends all thought he was going to get his a** kicked," Roberts said.

When the fight started, it flashed through Clark's mind that he was going to have to try to kill the other guy, or be killed himself.

His plan had been to box, but the punches he was throwing kept missing. His opponent, on the other hand, had little difficulty landing a number of strong punches. Eventually, Clark grabbed the guy around the waist and pulled him to the ground.

Once on the mat, Clark managed to get his opponent in a full nelson. His cornermen started screaming, "Choke him out, baby" — a legal MMA move in which one fighter wraps his arm around the other's throat and chokes him into submission.

A minute and 20 seconds into the fight, Clark's opponent tapped-out, signaling that he was giving up.

Clark leapt into the air. As the referee raised his hands in victory, he pointed to his supporters in the crowd.

Despite his easy win, Clark said he has no plans to fight again.

"I'm already working 55 hours a week," he pointed out. "To really do MMA, you need to give 20 to 40 hours a week. There's no way. I'm officially retired, undefeated." Millette said he'd love to see Clark fight again. In fact, the GFL is building a new campaign, "So you want to be a Global Fighter?" around Clark's sudden success.

Still, Millette figures it's unlikely that he'll lure Clark back into the ring.

"He just wanted to do it once," he said. "He pretty much likened it to the top three experiences in his life, next to losing his virginity — he couldn't think of the third one."

By Marc Fortier

May 03, 2009 6:00 AM


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