Local MMA fighter defies odds, competes in national tournament

CEDAR RAPIDS-  From small town to big time.  An Eastern Iowa mixed martial arts fighter takes his talents to Atlantic City to compete under the national spotlight.  This warrior in the ring started life as a scrawny boy from Belle Plaine with much to prove.  A serious car accident threatened to end Steve Carl's athletic career.  Doctors said he would never play sports again.  But he fought back against all odds.  And now competes in a grueling sport on a professional level. 

"This isn't just a job.  I can't just clock in and clock out.  This is my life,” said MMA fighter Steve Carl. 

He's 26 years old, six feet even and 170 pounds. 

"An animal. Steve's been training for a long time.  I think he's in the best shape of his life,” Team Hard Dive Head Coach Keoni Koch. 

Mixed martial arts fighter Steve Carl prepares for the biggest fight of his life on a national stage at a tournament Saturday, September 10th in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

"It's chaos all around you.  There's tv cameras and people screaming.  And you just have to stay calm and focus on one individual in front of you,” said Carl.   

But before Carl became a gladiator in the ring... 

"I was a real little kid, growing up in a real small town.  You always dream of getting out, doing something else,” said Carl. 

After graduating from Belle Plaine High School, Carl joined the military.  Craving competition he began his MMA career at Fort Hood, Texas, while in the Army.  A road block got in Carl's way, a head on car collision in 2006. 

"I shattered my right leg, broke my hip, broke my nose,” said Carl. 

Several surgeries, titanium rods, and plenty of time off mixed with rehab. 

"They told me I would never be able to fight again or play sports or anything,” said Carl. 

It was a low point Carl turned into motivation.

"I ran into him outside of town after this car accident.  155 pound on crutches and he said, "I'm going to get back into the gym" and I said "No, you ain't,” said Koch. 

But Carl did more than just get back in the gym.  In his comeback fight- nearly two years out of the ring- he submitted his opponent in 59 seconds. 

"It's just defying people who don't believe in you.  If people tell you, you can't do something, you're like 'oh yeah I'm going to do it,” said Carl.

Now, Carl has an inner circle of believers, fellow fighters in Team Hard Drive, an MMA training gym in Cedar Rapids.  Men, Carl calls brothers. 

"When he gets into the cage, he truly has an entire team of people at his back,” said Koch. 

Lead by Head Coach Keoni Koch, Carl trains daily, extensively.  Not just the grappling, striking, or a diet full of rice and chicken, but preparing mentally. 

"You cut out everything that's not essential in your life and you focus on what's going to keep you alive in the cage,” said Koch.

It's the one part of his game both Carl and Koch say he has to master before a tournament style round of matches.  His first match is against Douglas Lima. 

"Lima is the sport's top prospect.  This guy is supposed to be the next big thing,” said Carl.

But Koch says Carl is what people expect Lima to be.

"I wouldn't say 'Steve sign a contract to fight if I didn't think he could win the whole thing,” said Koch. 

Four fights stand in the way of the tournament championship. 

"A quick, nasty, decisive victory for Steve,” said Koch.

"It's going to be one of those fights that defines my career.  So I'm going to go out there and put everything on the line,” said Carl. 

The eight man welterweight tournament starts Saturday September 10

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in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Douglas Lima versus Steve Carl kicks off the action with the first fight.