For a guy who’d come close to getting choked into unconsciousness, Daniel “Danny Boy” Downes looked pretty darn good.
He’d just won the main event in Friday night’s mixed martial arts showcase at Potawatomi Bingo Casino. The North American Fighting Championship promoted the event as “Mayhem,” but Downes didn’t reflect the moniker. His smile was accessorized with no facial bruises. And when presented with a microphone, he sounded far more like Jerry Seinfeld than Jerry Lawler.
“I promised my mom I wouldn’t get beat up too bad,” Downes quipped to the crowd of more than 1,000. After all, Mother’s Day was less than two days away.
“Danny Boy” – the nickname’s a nod to his Irish heritage – certainly kept his promise. He weathered a couple of early chokeholds from Bogguess, an opponent Downes later called a “bully fighter,” describing him as someone who’s great when things are going his way, but shrinks when challenged.
And when Downes slapped his own first-round chokehold on Bogguess, there was indeed shrinkage. Bogguess quit before falling unconscious – tapped out is the MMA term – and Downes had his hand raised with a face that Mom could still kiss.
Mother’s Day bruises weren’t the only things Downes was risking. He was also taking a huge professional chance. See, Downes is under contract with Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the UFC is the major leagues of mixed martial arts. But with a long layoff between fights, Downes agreed to headline the Mayhem card arranged by his trainer, local MMA guru Duke Roufus.
The UFC would not look kindly upon defeat. And a loss, Downes said, might even disappoint his parents more than his career choice did.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention. The 25-year-old Chicago native has two degrees from Marquette University: International Relations and German. When his fighting career appeared to be on the ropes, he was looking at grad-school pamphlets.
But as with fellow Roufus trainee Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, the road still rises to meet Danny Boy. He’s part of a growing group of Milwaukee-based fighters making their mark on the sport, guys like Joe Cason and young amateurs Israel Abiles and Israel Lozano, who also won at Mayhem.
Meanwhile, the sport is making bigger inroads with mainstream sports fans. And now comes word that the UFC will stage an event at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center in August, headlined by Stephan Bonnar and Karlos Vemola.
Might Downes be part of that card? He’d be a logical choice, not to mention a fan favorite in his adopted hometown. Just check out how Downes handled the postfight sour grapes from Bogguess. Or witness his postfight encounter with a member of his expanding fan base.
As Danny Boy was heading back to the dressing room, a young lady hesitantly approached and asked if he’d take a photo with her, then apologized for bothering him.
“No bother,” Downes said while granting the request. “Getting kicked in the head is a bother.”
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