Eruption / Family / MMA Fighters / Matt ''The Dog of War'' Garretson

Matt ''The Dog of War'' Garretson

Record: MMA: 4-2 Kickboxing: 6-2 Boxing: 4-1 Sport Jujitsu: 3-0

Growing up in a small town in West Virginia were only a few ways out. You could either join the military or play football. At 8 years old Matt was staying over a friends house and his friend's father rented a mixed martial arts video when the events were more of a regulated brawl rather than the sport it is today. After seeing the first bout and seeing that a person can be cheered and loved for doing what everyone in his life has always told him not to do, it was in that moment he knew what he wanted to do with his life.

Over the years funding and institutes never really allowed Matt to begin his training, but he never lost sight of his goal. Finding himself spending his life on a couch playing video games he then decided that his training must begin proper camp or no.

Through a bizarre twist of fate and a random contact on Myspace Matt came in contact with his now trainer Scott Dixon, an undefeated world sports jujitsu world champion. Day after day, no matter what he was put though Matt kept walking through the door. There were days he had to be helped to walk out due to exhaustion and muscle fatigue, but he knew how bad he wanted to achieve his dream and wouldn't let anyone, not even himself, stop him. He began working his techniques in: boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, jujitsu and judo. Feeding off the knowledge and craving for it as if it were a drug.

Out of the blue while working his drills the call finally came, a promoter called his trainer for his upcoming kickboxing card and needed an inexperienced fighter to match the opponent he had ready. Without thinking Matt accepted. He trained hard without stopping for three months day after day. The day finally came for his debut bout. Matt found himself standing in the ring against an undefeated opponent in three bouts, but it was all the same to him. He came at his opponent like he was fighting for a title dodging, bobbing and weaving like it was meant to be. He took every blow his opponent could throw at him and by the final round his opponent was so demoralized he didn't know what to do with himself or Matt. It went to the judges cards as he had been trained proved to be true, "If you go to decision you have lost." Matt was not the victor this night but he now knew what it felt like to be defeated and he was in the gym the very next day to assure himself that it would not happen again.

For the next several months Matt trained having his bouts here and there, never having a large show worth mentioning - until May. It was the Hard Knocks Cage Fights 5! Matt was given the invitation by the same promoter that gave him his first fight so not only did he need to win to redeem himself to this promoter and the crowd but to himself to show that he deserves to be there. He watched the other bouts and happened to notice that everyone from one specific camp kept dominating their opponents. With the camps name having a familiar sound to it Matt went to the card, his opponent was from the same camp. Their camp may have been dominating but he would not be another victim. When the referee began the match Matt opened up with a fierce leg kick, staggering his opponent, and the flurry followed. After taking his opponent to the ground the barrage of knees and punches overwhelmed his opponent until the bell sounded. The second round started with Matt's opponent taking him to the ground and getting the mount position. Even with a larger and heavier opponent on top of him Matt fired back with punches while blocking and weathering the blows until the opportunity emerged. Matt bucked his opponent off of him and from side body laid down a flurry until he found himself being pushed off by the referee. He now had made his name.

After his victory Matt went back to training having his bouts here and there and he got a special invite. It was the Marine Corps Challenge, a full contact competition. Knowing his share of marines and how some like to carry themselves, Matt felt that he had something to prove yet once again. He trained his techniques even to the point of breaking a baseball bat with a single kick. Then there was the opening bout. They felt to test Matt, knowing his background and fighting styles they paired him up with their top wrestler. Never flinching Matt delivered several kicks to the thigh of his opponent to the point of him no longer being able to stand. The referee stopped the match. The next fighter refused to answer the bell so it let Matt to the championship bout with his opponent being from another martial arts school. His opponent came out fast and strong dealing many blows before he could react. When Matt reacted with a strike of his own his opponent took him to the ground and pinned him. Now it was time to bide his time. Matt waited patiently for his opponent to loses his grip from fatigue, and inevitably he did to the point where Matt locked in a choke and tapped his opponent to become the Marine Corps Challenge heavyweight champion.

Since the tournament Matt has went undefeated in 8 bouts until the time he had so greatly been waiting for emerged. He received the call to fight for a heavyweight boxing championship. Being a cruiserweight fighter Matt accepted the challenge to fight up a weight class. He got into the ring with his opponent and his opponent stood at six foot two inches and two-hundred and seventy-six pounds. Speed and endurance was on Matt's side. He overwhelmed his opponent for the first two rounds and out of the blue he caught his opponent with a "screw punch" a technique he had developed over time, and knocked his opponent out to become champion.

He is not one to showboat or flaunt his achievements Matt does take pride in what he has accomplished. He went from being two-hundred and sixty pound and not having a skill to rely on to fighting at one-hundred and eighty pounds and obtaining his black belt in jujitsu and holding and impressive overall fighting record of 17-5 with three titles.