How I Got Into This Mess, pt 3: Crossover Boxing

The part where I land an office job at a high powered firm

Art by Chris Rini

In July I wrote a pair of pieces called “How I Got Into This Mess” that promised to explain how I became an “MMA Blogging God.”

In part one, I said I would tell the story in two parts, “one part is the story of my years-long obsession with the UFC and what we originally called “No Holds Barred” fighting and then later Mixed Martial Arts.

“…The other part of this story is my professional career, as such, and the series of misadventures that have led me to this infamous and ridiculous end – ‘critically acclaimed MMA blogger’ – JFC I’d much rather suffer the fate Keats had carved on his gravestone ‘Here lies one whose name was writ in water.’”

I did write two parts, but the second part only told the prequel to the tale (my 10-year college career, punk rock band, etc) and ended before my professional career kicked off.

I closed the piece with this (empty) promise: “Next time, I’ll tell the tale of how I became an internet communications professional specializing in public affairs and political campaigns and how that led me to found BloodyElbow.com”

Well, the reality is my public affairs career is not something easily discussed in public. Not because I’m ashamed of the work I did — I’m unashamed to say that — but because I’m seriously afraid of the ramifications and fall-out if I were to “tell my truth” in any detail.

Mostly because the people I worked with and for are not to be fucked with lightly, especially not by the likes of an “MMA Blogging God.”