Carl gets his chance on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’

CEDAR RAPIDS – For the past year, mixed martial arts fighter Steve Carl has been wondering when another fight opportunity would come his way.

The Belle Plaine native and winner of the first World Series of Fighting welterweight championship in 2013 hasn't fought professionally since losing the title in March 2014.

'When I started asking for a fight, I started getting the runaround,” Carl said. 'I can't sit around and wait. We only have so much time in this sport and I wanted to continue growing as a fighter and continue growing my career.”

Carl's career growth takes a significant step this week. Now under contract with MMA promotion giant Ultimate Fighting Championship, the 30-year-old will appear in the latest edition of the long-running reality series, 'The Ultimate Fighter,” which for the first time pits two MMA gyms against each other. Eight welterweights from American Top Team and Blackzilians - rival Florida gyms separated by 15 miles - will participate and live under one roof during the competition.

The two-hour premiere is Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Fox Sports 1 (Mediacom channel 42, ImOn 52), which includes a live post-show in which Carl is scheduled to appear.

While in professional limbo, Carl stayed sharp with training sessions in Cedar Rapids with fellow area fighters Derrick Mehmen and Otmane Benjilany. After he aggressively and successfully requested his release from WSOF last November, Carl reached out to American Top Team, a successful MMA gym for 14 years based in Coconut Creek, Fla., which had recruited him in previous years.

'In my opinion it's the best team in the country,” Carl said. 'And I've traveled this country training everywhere. When I came down to American Top Team, it was nothing but family. Nothing but love. All the coaches treat me like a son, and all the fighters treat me like a brother. It was great. Everyone was happy to have me and, I couldn't have felt more welcome.”

Coincidentally, the ATT wrestling coach was conducting a simultaneous inquiry about whether Carl would be interested in helping the gym with 'The Ultimate Fighter.” Even members of the competing Blackzilians gym - formed in 2011 by a faction of former ATT members - were recruiting Carl, who went from a frustrating holding pattern to being in great demand.

'Every day for a week, somebody different from that team (Blackzilians) called me and tried to get me to come to that team,” Carl said.

The transition hasn't been completely smooth, however. Just before taping of the series began, his Cedar Rapids residence was burglarized.

'My mom was checking on my house,” Carl said. 'She came in, and she was the one who found out it was robbed. I had a very significant loss.”

Highly respected within the MMA community since 2005, Carl is known for his high-pace style. His strategy is to stay a step ahead of his opponent until he can gain control and initiate a fight stoppage. The 6-foot, 170-pounder has a record of 21-4 with 18 finishes, 14 of them in the first round.

'I don't fight to win rounds,” Carl said. 'I fight to finish. When I get in that cage and they ring that bell, I try to get in there and really overwhelm my opponent.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com