Aria Inthavong
Last year BuzzFeed’s Aria Ithavong decided to try out MMA and he didn’t do it by half-measures, instead dedicating himself to four months of rigorous training and dieting, followed by taking on an officially sanctioned amateur mixed martial arts fight.
Many of his colleagues doubted Ithavong’s chances of doing well due to the fact that he was a “sweet, nice guy” who had never been in a fight in his life.
However, Inthavong was eager to prove his doubters wrong and learn what it really takes to be a fighter, mentally as well as physically.
After completing his preparations, Inthavong was selected to fight Kasen Matsch, an army veteran who had been training MMA for a year and had previously lost his amateur debut by decision.
Despite his inexperience, Inthavong started the fight brightly as he pressed the action with series of punches, but then Matsch opted to clinch up and pressed him to the cage, before sinking in a standing guillotine choke that would render him unconscious.
