MATTHEWS, N.C. — Mixed martial arts, better known as MMA, is quickly growing as a sport. There's several levels to it, just like any other competition, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, is at the top.
Here in the Charlotte area, one fighter is making the uppercut.
26-year-old Bryan Battle has spent the last six years dedicating time to toughening up at the Hayastan MMA gym in Matthews. That time spent had plenty of reason: a shot at the big leagues.
"When you have to go to work, train, make sacrifices, not do certain things – in your head, it's all for a reason," he said.
On Sunday, his reason included dollar signs: MMA Junkie reports he fought against Gilbert Urbina and won, and it means Battle got to sign a six-figure contract with the UFC. Now, he'll duke it out with the cream of the crop.
Leading up to the Sunday night showdown, the stars were still in his eyes, and he was ready for the tussle.
"It's really cool because once I get there, it's like a whole new world opens up," Battle said.
The world of possibilities would not only open up for Battle, but his home gym too; Kevin Forant, who owns Hayastan MMA, said before the fight that Charlotte could start getting a good reputation for the sport.
"I think locally with Bryan winning the ultimate fighter, it's going to be great for Charlotte because we'll be on the map as a fighting town," said Forant. "People don't really think of Charlotte as a place to go to train for MMA."
Forant was at Battle's side in Las Vegas on Sunday, along with coach Tom Ziegler. For the coach, his student has shown readiness for the next level and is ready to hit the ring swinging.
"We've had many who've had next-level ability, but none put in the work like Bryan," said Ziegler. "None believed and saw it in their own head like Bryan. And that's truly been the difference – that work ethic and just believing that he could do it."
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.