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giving him the victory. I just need to put an exclamation point on this so there is no question that I kicked his ass. Just as your professional career was taking off - you walked away from the fight game to join the Army. What lead to that decision?
I was a dickhead. I was self-absorbed. Everyone was telling me I was going to be a champion and I thought that made me way cooler than I actually was. Watching the Twin Towers fall on 9/11 opened my eyes that I needed to serve. I needed to be concerned with people other than myself. Being a professional fighter was no longer what was important to me.
Tim, what about Special Forces?
Very funny Lex, screw those guys; they're all fat with long hair. Just joking. Being a Special Forces Soldier was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. After 9/11 I knew I wanted to be in the Spec Ops community because they were the guys already taking the fight to those responsible for 9/11. I looked into becoming a Navy Seal and a Recon Marine, but the Army had a program called Special Forces Baby which fast tracked me to go directly to Special Forces school. Becoming a Green Beret was the fastest way for me to get to Afghanistan and kick some ass. (click on the Special Forces link to watch a funny damn video that explains my question)
What skills or traits that you learned as a Special Forces Soldier and sniper translate to fighting in the cage?
Perspective. What I did in Afghanistan and Iraq was deadly serious. Being a professional fighter is tons of fun, but it is not life or death and other people are not depending on me to stay alive. When I walk into the cage I'm there to have fun and that's it. Consequently, I am very relaxed, which allows me to be focused on the task at hand - skull stomping!
It has been widely reported that you were awarded a Bronze Star for Valor, what lead to that award?
The nature of Special Forces work is secretive so I'm not at liberty to talk about it. But let's just say I don't like officers, it should have been a Silver Star.
You have a diverse group of sponsors ranging from an irreverent manufacturer of super cool military apparel to the world's leading buyer of gold. How do you choose your sponsors?
The MMA business is evolving as it becomes more mainstream, but there still are some shady people in the business. So I look for sponsors that have excellent reputations that deliver important products or services to their customers and where I have an existing relationship. Ranger Up and Cash4Gold.com both are great companies that are great to work with. I know the people in both companies; I can trust what they say.
You frequently mention an organization called Soldier's Angels; tell me about them.
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