We all know the amazing ways jiu-jitsu can change a person’s life, but most of us never thought it could save lives.
Well, it can!
On August 13, is teaming up with Fight To Win Pro to put on an incredible event featuring some of jiu-jitsu and MMA’s biggest stars, including Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida and Eliot Marshall as the main event and Lyoto Machida and Jake Shields as the co-main event.
When you take into account that the Bruce Buffer is going to be announcing the matches, it becomes clear that the effort and talent going into this goes far beyond what you’re likely to see in most of even the biggest BJJ productions around the world. But if you think that these top-tier athletes are going to strike it rich by fighting here, you’re mistaken – all of the proceeds are going to support children with cancer!
Saturday’s Submit Cancer event was dreamed up by MusclePharm CEO (and one of Submit Cancer’s competitors) Ryan Drexler, who wanted to use his access to some seriously incredible athletes to raise money for a good cause. He put the key in the ignition, but the Fight To Win Pro team got the wheels moving. F2W founder Seth Daniels got to work with his team to stack the rest of the card full of talented local athletes who wanted to use their jiu-jitsu to raise money for Children’s Hospital Colorado.
The F2W team will essentially be doing hundreds of hours of work for free in order to make Submit Cancer just as spectacular as their regular events. But for Daniels, the cause isn’t just worthwhile; it’s personal. His own mother passed away from cancer, and he’s seen how the disease affects everyone in some way or another. As someone who has dedicated his life to showcasing jiu-jitsu the way it was meant to be seen, he also appreciates what MusclePharm has done to sponsor athletes in his home state of Colorado. Regardless of the time and work involved in putting on such an extravagant event, doing his part to help out was a no-brainer for him.
“I think anything that anyone can do to raise awareness for any type of charity can make a difference in the world,” he said. “Look at the Ice Bucket Challenge. People were literally just dumping buckets of water on their heads, and they ended up raising millions of dollars for ALS. Whether it’s a huge martial arts event or just some kid’s lemonade stand, the important thing is that people are going out of the way and donating their time to help a cause that’s important to them.”
Still, Daniels is cautious about immediately saying “yes” to any event.
“I’m always looking for a good cause to donate to, but I’ve done some events while under the impression that the money was going to the people who actually needed it, and in reality, all of it was going to the people who were in charge of the charity. They were making like six figures off this event, and I’d been lead to believe it was all going to be donated. But everything is straight in this one.”
Even the competitors for this event won’t be getting a purse, regardless of whether or not they win. MusclePharm sponsors a few of the athletes, but the hefty paychecks that are normally written out to fighters who compete in F2W events will be nowhere to be found. These fighters are essentially competing for free, using their celebrity status to help make the world a better place.
Although this production has relied heavily on the hard work and expertise of those at MusclePharm, you can still expect to see the same awesome characteristics you’d expect at a Fight To Win Pro event. The rules will be the same as the other F2W productions, and the lights, sound, and overall “wow” factor you’ve come to expect from Daniels and his crew will be in full effect.
If you can make it out to Denver to see these athletes submit cancer, keep in mind that seating is limited. General admission tickets are just $50, with reserved seating priced at $75 and VIP seating set at $100. Your ticket doesn’t just get you in to see an awesome show, though – it also includes free food and drinks, plus access to a silent auction and autograph signings with some celebrities in the martial arts industry.
Even if you’re on the other side of the world, though, you can livestream the event starting at 7pm EST if you have a .
Jiu-jitsu is an incredible sport, and the Submit Cancer event is proof of the amazing things that can happen when some of the most talented and hard-working people in the industry come together for a great cause. Jiu-jitsu has helped improve countless lives, and thanks to a group of amazing individuals, it has the potential to save many more.
