With no UFC, Bellator, or WSOF events scheduled last Saturday, those looking to get their MMA fix were best served by attending a local show. For those in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, World Fighting Championships held an event at the Belle Casino. While I'm sure there were plenty of enjoyable fighters and fights on the card, of particular interest to me would have been Quentin "The Hero" Henry's match.
Some readers may remember Henry from the MTV reality show "Caged" which he appeared on. Since then, the Evolution Fighting Systems fighter from West Monrie, Louisiana, has entered the professional ranks where he's built up a 10-3 record. I had a chance to speak to Henry shortly before his fight Saturday (which he won by decision) and ask him about fighting on the "regional scene," trying to be a positive role model in the sport, and his nickname.
"It was after I did the show," recalled Henry. "No one had come up with a nickname I Iiked yet, and I didn't want to be one of those guys that give themselves a nickname."
"Back then there was this guy that wanted to be my agent. Besides fighting, I am a full time firefighter, so I was at the station when I was talking to this guy when we got a call about someone who was drowning in the river and I told him we'd have to talk later. He was drunk and I guess wanted to end it so he jumped into the river. So when we got there we fished him out and saved him. When I got back to the station I called him back and told him what happened and he said ‘Man, you're a hero." I told him it's just what fireman do but he said 'We should call you The Hero Henry.' I thought that aint bad, I like that one and so it became my nickname."
While Henry might have a great nickname, that hasn't made the business of fighting any easier. One of the problems he, like many others in the sport, has run into is getting fights.
"It's hard getting fights. No one wants to fight me. People are always telling me "everyone's scared to fight you!" and I know it's not because they're really scared to fight. They're scared of the risk. We both know how the sport works, a loss can set your career back five steps and I'm a tough fight. I'm 9-3 and if you fight me there's a risk you can lose. I understand it but it's frustrating. It's called fighting not winning."
While Henry looks for more fights to advance his career, he harbors no illusions on what his future in MMA looks like.
"If you would have asked me four years ago what I expected, I would have given you a completely different answer. Now I realize I'm never going to get rich by fighting.You know how it is in the business, fighters don't make anything. I understand that. That's just the reality of this sport, very few people are making any money fighting. Look, even some of the top stars are broke, so if you get into MMA expecting to get rich, you're going to be be disappointed.
"I work two jobs besides fighting. I am a full-time firefighter and have a contracting company, So I don't fight because I need the money,I fight because I like it. it keeps my in shape. And because of the platform it gives me to help others."
Some might say Henry himself might be one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to his career. His paying WFC fight on Saturday was threatened because he refused to drop out of a charity boxing match at The Battle of the Badges (which he was not getting paid for) that he had already promised to participate in. Behavior like that is what got Henry his nickname in the first place and he doesn't plan on changing.
"I pride myself on being a role model. I work with troubled kids all the time at the gym. We have kids that come in that are in foster home or don't listen and get in trouble or all sorts of things. I feel its important to mentor them, to guide them and give them an opportunity.
"I want to represent mixed martial arts in a positive light. I think mixed martial arts sometimes has what I call 'pitbull syndrome.' Everyone is scared of pitbulls but they - if you know dogs - they are really the friendlies dogs. I think it's the same with mixed marial artists. Whenever someone hears you are a cagefighter they get scared and think you're dangerous. In my opinion it's because a few bad guys give us a bad name. 98% of the fighters I meet are nice guys. But all everyone thinks about is that small percentage.
"I think it's important to be a good role model. Success for me is making my fiancée, my daughter, and my hometown proud. I do that I'm happy."
You can follow Quentin Henry on Twitter or Instagram @theherohenry or on his Facebook page.