Every fighter, amateur or pro, winner or loser, carries at least one match that rises above the rest.
It might be the caliber of the opponent, the unrelenting physical and mental grind of the bout itself, or some struggle happening outside the octagon—each competitor has faced the unique challenge of a truly difficult fight.
In the third installment of Rigorous Rounds, Ali Wasuk, Jared Kilkenny, Shawn Wallace, Samson Bieri, and Chris Lee Byrne share the toughest bout they've endured up to this point in their careers.
Jared Kilkenny – Toughest Fight: Dwayne Lewis
"I squared off against 'D-Bomb' twice—once at heavyweight on a Rumble in the Cage card and again at light heavyweight on an MFC card. We split the pair, with me taking the heavyweight bout and Dwayne dismantling me at 205. What makes him the toughest fighter I've faced comes down to two things: the only time my career ever reached a decision, regardless of the outcome, was when I edged out Dwayne in a hard-fought, tightly-contested war. That relentless competitor stood right in front of me for every single minute. When I dropped to 205, however, Dwayne completely overwhelmed me and secured a first-round TKO."
Shawn Wallace – Toughest Fight: Mandel Nallo
"I accepted that matchup with just four weeks to prepare and barely knew anything about him. Looking back, I wasn't ready for him either physically or mentally. His listing showed him at 5'11"—the exact same height as me—but when I looked across at the weigh-in, he towered over me. I couldn't map out a path to victory in my head and decided I'd just fight instinctively once inside the cage. That turned out to be a critical error. Aside from a solid body kick of mine, he controlled the entire fight and caught me in a submission late in the opening round. That defeat cost me my undefeated streak, but it taught me countless lessons about myself and the combat sports world. I've developed enormously since that moment and I'm eager to return to competition."
Samson Bieri – Toughest Fight: Skylar Sloan
"I'd just returned from Switzerland and trained for roughly two weeks, so I wasn't exactly in peak condition. Fresh off consecutive knockouts, I assumed this would be another straightforward victory. Then I quickly realized how tough this opponent was—we delivered an absolute slugfest. I spent considerable time on my back trying to recover and avoided standing back up, which served as a valuable learning experience. He's a capable boxer, pressed a high pace, and forced me to handle relentless pressure after he hurt me with a body shot. I pushed through everything to secure the win, but it was also the most enjoyable fight I've ever had in the cage."
Ali Wasuk – Toughest Fight: Each Opponent at 2017 IMMAF World Championships
"Competing three times across three consecutive days, making weight every single morning—if you missed the scale, even by half a pound, you were disqualified outright. I was facing the elite fighters from every corner of the globe, all carrying the same ambition as me. Given the chance, I'd step back into that tournament a hundred times over. It remains one of the finest experiences of my life."
Chris Lee Byrne – Toughest Fight: Andrew Walsh
"That marked my MMA debut, yet I was only a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu looking to brawl. Walsh has since retired, but he came in with an undefeated record and I never felt outmatched or genuinely threatened. He arrived fully prepared with Jeff Joslin coaching him, and he was far superior at adapting between disciplines and the sport as a whole. When I thought we were exchanging strikes, he'd shoot for takedowns. When I assumed we were on the ground, he'd stand back up. I put him in peril on several occasions, but ultimately he executed his game plan. The real challenge wasn't absorbing heavy strikes or being finished—it was being constantly denied rhythm, unable to set the pace or control where and how the fight unfolded. That bout taught me so much, and I have immense respect for anyone who trains out of Jeff Joslin's gym."
