Results tagged “Josh Helm” from MMA Explosion

Some of you may know that Hanover-based MMA clothing company Tap or Sleep has a midwest-based arm, called - ya'll ready for this? - Tap or Sleep Midwest. Josh Helm runs the show at TOS Midwest and he recently sent me an email about some of the goings-on there:

Tap or sleep picks up another midwest phenom and a familier fan favorite re-enters the cage this weekend.

Tap or Sleep midwest has picked up Jose Vega AKA "dat vega kid." Jose trains out of First Blood MMA, in Sedalia, Missouri where he is also the trainer for some of the top up-and-comers in the midwest. Jose has had an outstanding career and is considered one of the best 135-lb. fighters in the midwest.

Jose had a 15-2 amateur record, holding 6 titles, and has a 6-1 pro record and placed 3 times and the Missouri state championships. (He is ranked on fight matrix.com.) At the IFC sturgis Pro Mma tournament he won beating Danny Timms from Missouri, a kid named Eric Buck from Greg Jackson's camp and another kid from New Mexico. Jose is also good friends with the current WEC champ Jamie Varner.

I was on Team Tap or Sleep's facebook page today and saw this photo:

Playboy model Amanda English, whose TOS photos I posted a while back. Now who wouldn't want to see her as a ring girl at the Central Pennsylvania Warrior Challenge? C'mon, Mark, make it happen!

MATZKE VS THOMPSON / TAP OR SLEEP VS TAP OR SLEEP from tap or sleep midwest on Vimeo.

Two tough heavyweights, Doug "The Viking" Thompson and Tony "The Spartan" Matzke have sparked debate and amazement with their fights in the midwest. The great thing - beyond the entertaining fights - is that both fighters are sponsored by Tap or Sleep, a clothing company that orginated in Hanover with Jerod Phillips and expanded to the midwest. Here's a great write-up by Josh Helm, boss at Tap or Sleep midwest:

The war of '09

Viking VS Spartan
tap or sleep VS tap or sleep
The Center VS TEAM k2l
BATTLE ii

THE WAR BEGAN FEBRUARY 09 IN GRAIN VALLEY MISSOURI WHEN THE VIKING (DOUG THOMPSON) AND THE SPARTAN (TONY MATZKE) WENT TO BATTLE. The heavyweight warriors banged it out the whole three rounds, reminiscent of "Don Fry vs. Yoshihiro Takayama".

The Battle went to the judges with the decision being a draw.
March 09 the Viking wins a different battle and receives a title (True Fight Fan heavyweight championship). With both of their records 2-0-1 they shall meet again for the title. May 09 the second battle commences.

Uh ... this guy Nate does. He's got the hat and the shirt, so that's cool by me. And he talks about swine flu, so it's relevant. Although he doesn't talk MMA, it's a funny video - he should definitely do some stand-up comedy. Check out his YouTube channel for more. Disclaimer: this guy swears a lot, so if your kids are around, you might want to get 'em out of the room.

Dominic Brown, Mitch Harris and Zack Eck.

Josh runs Tap or Sleep Midwest, the midwest arm of Hanover-based Tap or Sleep Fightwear. Josh sent me this email after he got his thoughts together.

"So, we went to Columbia, Missouri last weekend for the big main event of Mitch Harris vs Ben Askren. It was a real crazy weekend, crazy enough for me to write about. It's kind of long but I think it's worth it.

The Beginning

To start the whole trip, Friday morning my back-up phone quit sending texts, which I am using because my other phone quit all together. So I borrow my mom's back-up phone which she said quit working either because the battery is bad or it just needed a newer sim card. Anyway I decide I'm just going to go buy a sim card and a battery because her back-up phone was pretty new and I thought I would just keep it. So I do that but first I move all my phone numbers to her phone so I can use my new sim card. I get in the truck and leave thinking I am running late any way and the phone shuts off every time I shut the flip part. That pisses me off so in the midst of running late, I thought, and the phone messing up?!?"

Here's an email I received from Josh Helm of Tap or Sleep Midwest, the midwest arm of York County-based Tap or Sleep fightwear company:
"Well although we had a rough night Saturday, Gary Tapusoa saved us big time. Gary was coming off his first career loss. His opponent saturday was considered by everyone to be his tuffest most experienced fighter yet. Matt Gragg from Lone Wolf MMA has been training for at least 3 years. In August 07 Matt won the ISCF 205lb Missouri State Title and he won the ISCF 185lb World Amateur Championship in May of 08. Matt also trained with tap or sleep fighter Josh Bernal when they both started and trained with Roy and Jenn Babcock up until their move to Greg Jackson's. Tapusoa vs Gragg was Saturday night's main event at Zero Tolerance in St. Joe Missouri for the Zero Tolerance 185lb Belt. Gary already owns the Zero Tolerance Heavyweight belt and after his 55sec. KO Saturday he now owns the 185lb belt. WAR TAPUSOA!

I spoke with Jerod Phillips, owner of Hanover-based MMA clothing company Tap or Sleep fightwear last night. Things didn't go so well for TOS-sponsored fighters, he said.

Baltimore's James "Binky" Jones was knocked out in the second round in his fight against Frank "The Crank" Camacho at Ultimate Warrior Challenge.

Josh "Taz" Ferguson, representing Team Cruz in Kentucky, and sponsored by local MMA clothing companies Tattoo Fightwear and Tap or Sleep, succumbed to a Mike Easton guillotine in the first round at the UWC bantamweight championship fight.

And it looks like TOS-sponsored fighter Mitchell Harris lost to Ben Askren in Missouri Saturday night:

Get this - Playboy model Amanda English does.

Thank you, Josh Helm from Tap or Sleep Mid-West, you, sir, are a god.
More photos after the jump.