Air Force fighter cruises to MMA championship

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Steve Horton
  • Ramstein Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  A Sembach Annex security forces staff sergeant takes the Air Force's "fit-to-fight" mantra to another level when he climbs into a cage to compete in the fast-paced, grueling sport of mixed martial arts. 

Anthony Durnell, assigned to the 786th Security Forces Squadron as an instructor at the Regional Training Center, ran his unbeaten record to 7-0 as a professional fighter after pummeling Cedric "Crazy Eyes" Jouvet of France to win the God's of War lightweight championship belt July 11. 

Durnell entered the cage to chants of U-S-A from the roughly 500 in attendance at the event hall in Baumholder, and proceeded to dismantle the Frenchman with his wrestling and punching power. The fight was stopped by the referee at 2 minutes and 49 seconds of the first round due to a technical knockout. 

The beaten Jouvet didn't seem to have an answer for Durnell's non-stop pressure, but did attempt a leg-lock submission from his back after being taken down to start the fight.
"I studied him a lot before the fight, and knew he was a very accomplished grappler," said Durnell. "He had my leg locked good and I heard my ankle pop, but I wasn't going to stop for anything." 

Jouvet also thought he had the submission locked in good, but gave his opponent a lot of respect for getting out of it and finishing the fight. "I thought it was tight, but he (Durnell) stayed in good position and didn't panic," Jouvet said. "Then he hit me with a good elbow to my head and dazed me. It was all over after that." 

The end came quicker than most people it would, including Durnell. "I thought it would go longer. Maybe two or three rounds," said the 24-year-old Warren, PA native. "We always train for five 5-minute rounds with a big emphasis on cardio. You don't ever want to be the guy on the bottom with nothing left in the gas tank during a fight. 

"I train with some of the best guys in the KMC," he added. "There's nothing we'll see in the cage that we haven't seen in practice, so that allows us to go into the fight fully prepared, both physically and mentally." 

That preparation is something that Durnell has been building on since he was 7 years old and studying Shotokan karate. He later added wrestling and a little judo to his arsenal while growing up. After entering the Air Force, he also learned to box, and carries the confidence he's gained from training and competing to his job as a security forces instructor. 

"The training and competing really helps build confidence in your abilities," he said. "Not just your abilities in the ring, but in performing as a noncommissioned officer. I feel that if I can get in a cage and fight, I can be a confident NCO and leader."
Durnell uses that confidence to help teach and train others too. 

"It's contagious," he said. "We have a lot of people come out and train with us just for fun and as another way to help their PT scores. 

"People like," he added. "Even if they don't want to compete, it's fun and helps build great team unity and cohesion." 

Durnell's Team Catacomb also had two other fighters compete on the card that night, both also assigned to the 786th Security Forces Squadron and making their professional debut. 

Brandon Kilfoyle entered the cage to fight Benjamin Cigliutto, also from France, and after getting the better of a brief exchange on their feet, took the Frenchman down. Kilfoyle looked for a couple of submissions and used his ground-and-pound to force Cigliutto to give up his back. 

After taking more than a dozen unanswered punches, the referee stepped in to stop the fight at 3 minutes and 19 seconds of round one. Cigliutto, who appeared unhurt, was not happy at the stoppage and yelled at the crowd as they cheered Kilfoyle's victory.
"It's an amazing feeling," said Kilfoyle about his win. 

On his opponent complaining about the stoppage, Kilfoyle said, "The referee gave him several chances to fight back or defend my punches and he didn't. The ref kept telling him he was going to stop it if he didn't defend, so he shouldn't have been upset when it was stopped." 

The other first-time fighter was Bryan Onderdonk, who, unlike Durnell and Kilfoyle, had no idea he'd be fighting when he arrived with the other members of Team Catacomb. Another fighter didn't show up, so the promoter asked Onderdonk if he wanted the fight. 

"I was nervous at first, but when you're offered an opportunity like that, you have to take it," he said. "Fortunately I was prepared and have been training with a great team." 

Onderdonk's opponent, Igor Montes of Germany, came out throwing some strong strikes, but Onderdonk quickly scooped him up, slammed him to canvas and unleashed brutal ground-and-pound that left the German bloodied but still determined. 

Montes made it back to his feet only to be slammed once again and after a few more punches, the referee was forced to stop the fight via technical knockout. 

"All the hard work that goes into preparing for a fight pays off," said Onderdonk. "The fight is won or lost in training before you even enter the ring." 

The hard work definitely paid off for Team Catacomb July 11. Three wins, zero defeats and a championship belt were all earned with sweat and hard work weeks before the event even happened.