LUKE Mixed Martial Arts’ Fastest Rising Star he old saying goes “cream one of the finest young fighters in hook up with a boxing coach and on always rises to the top” and the world. In the mixed martial arts a whim began studying pugilism. Be- Tnowhere is that adage truer world, athletes emerge from differing ing big, lean, fast, strong, agile and than in the wide world of competitive backgrounds; they might start out as possessing tremendous endurance, sports. It is quite common for top ath- boxers, wrestlers, karate fighters, or he picked up the ancient art of fisti- letes in one sport to rise quickly to the from one of the more esoteric martial cuffs with an ease that astounded his top when they take up another sport arts, such as Brazilian jujitsu. While boxing coach. At the boxing gym he that utilizes a similar skill set. The it is natural for the crème of the mar- ran into some serious wrestlers, guys attributes that make an athlete good tial arts to naturally gravitate to the that had won wrestling scholarships at any sport are superior size, speed, “final frontier” of fighting, full con- to Division I schools, one wrestled strength, agility and toughness. When tact cage fighting, it is unheard of for for Duke University, the other wres- an athlete possessing these attributes a man with no martial background to tled for perennial powerhouse Ohio takes up another sport, it is a predica- end up in the UFC. In existence since State. Luke began wrestling with the ble phenomenon that they quickly ex- 1992, the UFC has seen its popular- duo and within a few months was cel in their newest and latest athletic ity skyrocket over the past five years. holding his own with these advanced endeavor. Luke Zachrich is a gifted In 2007 the five top ranked pay-for- grapplers. Another chance meeting athlete that rose to the top in football view events among all cable shows with jujitsu instructor Dave Morris before spinning off in a completely were various UFC fights. introduced Luke to submission fight- different athletic direction: mixed ing and helped round out yet another martial arts. In less than three years, Luke Zachrich has been an elite ath- aspect of Luke’s burgeoning martial with zero wrestling, boxing or mar- lete all his life. Raised in the immor- art repertoire. In January of 2006, tial arts experience of any kind, this tal tradition of Ohio football, Luke chance and circumstance again athletic protégé rose to the top of the became a two-time all state high came Luke’s way; a last minute inju- MMA game. In 2008 Luke was se- school football star as a linebacker. ry to another fighter resulted in Luke lected to appear on one of the highest After high school he was offered being offered a chance to fight in a rated reality TV shows, The Ultimate a slew of scholarships to Division I full contact mixed martial arts bout. Fighter. Luke beat out 5,000 appli- schools. He ended up at Kent State Luke leapt at this unexpected op- cants to secure one of sixteen spots. before transferring to Bowling Green portunity and unexpectedly knocked The show revolves around the trials University. A series of injuries pre- his opponent out in thirty seconds. and tribulations of young fighters liv- maturely ended his college football A new phase of his athletic odyssey ing together in the Ultimate Fighter career. He then took up lacrosse and had begun. Initially Luke relied on House. Against all odds, relying on became a star player, starting in every his athletic gifts to carry the day. “I his tremendous athletic abilities, game. Despite never having picked up took my first professional fight in Luke, like cream in a bottle of whole a lacrosse stick in his life, his athletic January of 2006. My skills were very milk, rose to the top and rose quickly. ability allowed him to excel instantly. limited; I had a little bit of wrestling, In two and a half years he went from In 2005 at the age of 23, through luck a little bit of boxing, a little bit of ju- zero experience to being certified as and circumstance, Luke happened to jitsu and no full contact experience. July 2008 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / July 2008 Photo by Kevin Lynch legend. Ironically, the man that even- Luke was making up for lost time. Alberta, Canada, he submitted his op- mixed martial artists in the world.” tually took Dan’s UFC championship “I fought a lot of fights in a very ponent using a rear naked choke. Five title was a Parrillo-powered UFC short period. I fought my first fight fights, five wins and all in six months Almost immediately after moving to Hall of Fame fighter, Mark Coleman. in January of 2006 and my next fight time. Luke felt it was time to move Cincinnati Luke was presented with Dan introduced Luke to many fight- took place on March 11th of 2006. out of Dan Severn’s barracks in order an opportunity to fight a top MMA ing fine points and Luke effortlessly I knocked out my second opponent to further broaden his fighting skills. fighter named Carl Molenko. Carl absorbed the amalgamation of styles in the second round. A month later He ended up at Jorge Gurgel’s gym was a genuine bad ass: he had fought Dan presented to him. “I would trav- on April 15th I fought my first paid in Cincinnati, Ohio. World champion four times in Japan in the Pride Fight- el to Dan’s gym to train three days professional fight and TKO’d (tech- Rich Franklin trained at Jorge’s gym, ing Tournament and had gone the a week. I did this for six months. I nical knock out) my opponent in the along with an impressive crew of ris- distance with MMA immortal Wan- learned ‘catch wrestling’ under Dan; first round.” Luke got his first taste ing MMA stars. “When I visited the derlei Silva. Carl was the champion he is such a great instructor that I was of the big time when a month later, facility I immediately felt at home. I and the fight with Luke would be able to instantly apply his techniques. on May 6th of 2006, he was invited was in awe of Jorge and the fighters for the middleweight championship Dan helped me bring my MMA to Youngstown, Ohio to participate that trained in his gym. This was an of a smaller organization. One week game together.” Luke was now total- in jujitsu legend Royce Gracie’s Fight environment in which I knew I could prior to the fight Carl suffered a se- ly committed to the MMA process. Fest. “The Gracie Fight Fest was the take my skills to the next level. Four rious training injury, one that would When one of Dan Severn’s coaches most nerve wracking thing I had ever days after meeting Jorge for the first require shoulder surgery. A last min- mentioned to Luke that he was go- done in my life. 8,000 people were in time, I relocated to Cincinnati and ute replacement was selected: second ing to travel to Las Vegas to learn the attendance and I was completely un- began training with some of the best ranked contender Danny Ruiz. The subtleties of Muay Thai boxing under der-confident. Sitting backstage be- the world famous Master Toddy, Luke fore the fight, getting ready, I began asked if he could “tag along.” Asked having serious reservations; I was how it turned out, Luke was effusive. racked with doubt about myself and “It was an amazing experience. Paul my abilities. I was psyching myself Bowers and I actually lived in Mas- out. After all, I had been training to ter Toddy’s gym and completely im- be a fighter for less than a year. All of mersed ourselves in the Muay Thai a sudden I had fought four fights in approach to hand strikes and kicks. I less than six months. It was all hap- would say that particular period was pening so fast and now I was about one of the most incredible experienc- to go out in front of 8,000 people. I es of my life. I loved it; it was tough, was afraid I would be exposed as a physically demanding and complete- rookie way out of his depth. I was ly hardcore. Every morning for two used to fighting in small shows and hours we would have a private ses- now I was fighting in the big time. At sion with Master Toddy and every af- Fight Fest they had a rock band play- Photo by Kevin Lynch ternoon we would train at least twice ing to get the crowd fired up, they had more. It was intense and rough and pyrotechnics; they had smoke bombs, “I loved it; it was tough, physically demanding and completely hardcore.” rounded out yet another aspect of my they had a laser light show and a fight fight game. I learned how to use hand announcer. I’m thinking, ‘what in the I had a little bit of everything but not and he also knew talent when he strikes, I learned how to kick and hell am I doing here? I am not ready a whole lot of any one thing. Look- saw it. He and young Luke hit it off how to apply the Muay Thai clinch, for this.’ A few months before I had ing back on my first fight, I was lucky immediately.