Update, 1 p.m.: The fight scheduled for Friday has been canceled, Massey reported on his Facebook page.
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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Local mixed martial arts fighter Edward “The Ninja” Massey is set to face off against Roger “Rare Breed” Severson on Friday, Oct. 23, in a featherweight bout at the James E. Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
“He’s a Tae Kwon Do guy,” Massey said of his opponent. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I also understand that if he does get hurt, which he probably will, he’s going to end up shooting for the takedown. We’re all really ready for that.”
Massey is ready for a lot, having had about six months of down time to train for “multiple opponents” due to COVID-19 scheduling delays. “So I’m kind of ready for whatever style. Rather it was him or someone else, it doesn’t really matter at this point.”
Massey trains at Wildside Combat Sports Center, where he shares the gym alongside many other talented fighters, including UFC fighter Nate “The Train” Landwehr.
“I first started training there when I was 19 and it was still SSF,” Massey said. “The culture has always been really family-oriented. I think if you’re one of those people who are meant to do it, you will see it in a different aspect. The guys become like brothers and aren’t just training partners. We all really take care of each other.”
A childhood dream
From a young age, Massey was sold on the idea that fighting would someday become his profession.
“I knew I wanted to fight since I was 12,” Massey said. “I kind of just kept that image in my head growing up. I started training secretly behind my parents’ back around 17. By the time I was 18, I left the house to fight. Then I ended up taking my first fight and won in 43 seconds. The rest was pretty much history from there.
“For the most part, I always knew from watching my first-ever UFC fight, which I believe was between Chris Leben and Anderson Silva, it was the path I wanted to take.”
Massey’s fighting style is rooted in the sport of boxing from where the avid striker first fell in love with the art form.
“I started off boxing mainly,” Massey said. “It was the first martial art that I had a legit teacher in. From there, it kind of progressed into learning things like becoming more advanced in kickboxing.
“When I first started fighting, I didn’t really have that much training besides going on base, grappling with the soldiers and trying to learn stuff from them. Striking wise, I’d try and mimic stuff I seen on YouTube. I took my first three fights off of that kind of knowledge and just tried to train myself. It wasn’t until I got into a gym where I met Darryl Tomlin out of Pleasant View. I was just in there sparring with some guys when he pulled me into the back and told me I should start working with him a bit. From there on, I was just fascinated with learning really.”
A fast, turbulent start
The now 26-year-old earned his pro card in 2016 before rattling off four straight wins to begin his fighting career.
“I was hungry,” Massey said. “My knee finally healed back up. During my amateur career, I suffered a pretty bad injury. I didn’t really have insurance, so it was going to have to heal on its own, which surprisingly it did. I was able to get my movement and everything else back.
“After winning my first two pro fights in dominating fashion, it was really just the momentum that carried me. That’s what I’m trying to get back here after this fight. Just get the win, get the momentum and keep on riding with it until we get to the UFC.”
Since making his M-1 Global debut in July 2018, it has been a bit of a turbulent ride for Massey, who has dropped three fights in a row after knocking out Mate Sanikidze in the first round with a devastating head kick at M-1 Challenge 95 in Russia.
“After my M-1 debut, I’d say things got a little off,” Massey said. “The first fight I had taken in China that I lost over there, I didn’t have a corner man or a coach. Could’ve probably won with a better game plan. In the second one, I basically got outwrestled. China kind of set me up by telling me I was fighting a boxer and ended up fighting a multi-division national wrestler. Then in the third fight, I was supposed to fight a different guy that had the exact same name, but one was a kickboxer and one was a grappler. They put the wrong guy on the poster and I didn’t find out until the week of.
“I’ve learned many things about myself since I’ve taken these losses early. I’ve been able to see it was time for me to progress in my game more and really take the next step, that way I don’t have to deal with going to a fight show and it’s the wrong guy. It doesn’t really matter. The goal at the end of the day is to be the best.”
Looking ahead
Massey is looking forward to getting back on track, beginning this Friday when he steps into the cage for the 11th time in his pro career.
“I’ve had to kind of rewrite my goals just as a person,” Massey said. “In order to be successful at something in general you have to have something that’s going to be a service to other people. That’s honestly one of the biggest keys to life is to give back to others.
“One of my main missions at the end of this fight career is I’d like to show people that they can do whatever they put their mind to. If you have belief and keep faith, then these things will happen for you. I think a lot of people get away from little things like that. Little do people know, your thoughts create your reality. It really is that simple. I just want to show people that if I can do it, they can do it too.”
MMA fans that wish to attend the Angel Fight Promotions event can purchase their tickets and learn more online at eventbrite.com. The card will also be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass, where Massey (5-5) can be seen fighting the Californian-born Severson (3-5-1).