pictured:(top) Jeremy “The Boss “ Reipold (135lbs) (bottom) Jake “The Mule” Smith
Today marks a milestone in the MMA careers of two Team Ravenous fighters.
The team's co-founder, manager, and coach, Jeremy Reipold, achieved his goal of weighing-in at 135lbs. This secures Coach Reipolds spot on tomorrow's fight card and his first opportunity to compete in a cage. A seasoned grappler, Reipold is currently ranked nationally. Although his original opponent Chris Standish had to step out of the match due to medical reasons another up and coming MMA amateur has accepted the challenge. Fred “Lord Drac” Mandracchia, 2-4, has yet to officially weigh-in and isn't expected to do so until fight day. The grace period is most likely a result of the last minute call to action.
When asked about the unexpected news Coach Reipold simply stated “I appreciate his, [Fred's] willingness to make the effort.” He also added that he hoped his former opponent would recover soon.
Reipold steps into the cage early on as the third match-up of the night. This was planned so that he will be available later in the evening to corner for his st udent and training partner Jake “The Mule” Smith.
Smith, 1-0, a promising and now veteran fighter enjoyed a successful weigh-in at 135 ½ lbs. This is the result of more than four months of intense focus and complete dedication to his training. He will be facing untried mixed martial artist Anthony Abate, 0-0, who weighed-in at 132lbs officially. They currently are the seventeenth fight of the evening.
Jake, who normally walks around at 155lbs has maintained 135lbs since he began to train for Premier FC 1 at the Hippodrome in July earlier this year. It took several months of conditioning and sheer will power to healthily drop to the bantam weight division, but “The Mule” is determined to make every effort to be ready to fight whenever he is called. After making short work of his first opponent, Chris “Red” Strout, 0-1, by way of TKO in the opening seconds of the first round, “The Mule” is ready to put on another great show for the fans of Premier FC.
article written by Joe Leonard