Martial law is a way of life for him

Local fighter Campbell is aiming for the big time

BROOKLINE - He spends hours in gyms training six days a week, commuting from his Franklin home to work with his mixed martial arts coaches in Massachusetts - Bellingham and Somerville - and those in Rhode Island in North Providence, South Kingstown, and Scituate.

Twenty-five-year-old Mike Campbell's last two fights have ended in first-round victories, improving his record to 6-0. On June 20 in Wilmington, he took out Rich Moskowitz, and on July 19, he ferociously dispatched Tim Pinney in Plymouth.

Campbell is now biding his time, looking for an opportunity to move up in the sport of mixed martial arts.

His trainer, Mark DellaGrotte, whose Sityodtong Muay Thai Academy in Somerville is regarded as one of the top MMA gyms in the country, is respectful of Campbell's abilities but unimpressed by his record. DellaGrotte believes Campbell needs to leave the comfort of the local scene for the next level.

"You're only as good as the opponents that you fight," said DellaGrotte. "Just because you have wins on your record doesn't make you a great fighter. Some of those wins, or most of them, or all of them, could be against bums, basically, for lack of a better term. So in terms of Mike Campbell and his career and where he's going, I'm pushing more for tougher opponents, bigger and better names, to try to get him better."

Campbell was chronicled by the reality show "TapouT" on Versus that airs Wednesday nights at 10, with the second season starting tonight. Campbell's episode will air later in the season. Campbell and DellaGrotte believe exposure could lead to a contract with World Extreme Cagefighting. DellaGrotte said the WEC and the Ultimate Fighting Championship are looking for more than unblemished records.

"The WEC is the next-level show; it's the equivalent of the UFC - they're owned by the same company," said DellaGrotte. "It's the big show. That's the one I'm looking to get him in. You losing to a big name is better than beating two bums. I want to see Mike Campbell be pushed and I don't think these local guys are on a level to push him.

A kick-start

Campbell didn't start with dreams of competing in MMA. His first love was football and he was a standout back for Coventry (R.I.) High School. He was recruited, and it was just a matter of choosing what fit was best. It turned out none was. Campbell's father, Michael, who shared his dream, died from a heroin overdose in 2001.

"When he passed away, football was our thing, so I really didn't want to pursue that anymore because that was something that we had shared together," said Campbell. "So I started getting involved in powerlifting. Three years later, I took third in the world in my weight class. That was 2004. I was 215 [pounds]."

Campbell's body was beat up from the rigors of powerlifting, so he decided to go another way. He had no background in martial arts but picked up the disciplines right away. He compared notes with former Patriot Eugene Wilson, who married Campbell's twin sister, Jamie. He also received tips from Wilson's father, a boxing coach in Indiana, when the elder Wilson visited the couple.

Campbell transformed his body to a lean 170 MMA welterweight. He said making weight poses a challenge.

"My first fight was at 185, and my [five] fights after that were at 170," he said. "It's a tough cut. I have to live on three spoonfuls of peanut butter for three days just to make the weight. Other than that, I'm all right."

DellaGrotte doesn't believe Campbell's lack of experience is an impediment.

"Back in the day, I would always think that martial arts experience prior to coming into the fight game was essential, and it's not," said DellaGrotte. "Just because someone has a black belt doesn't mean they've essentially accomplished anything. I have guys who are black belts in karate, black belts in Taekwondo, and they get handled by guys who have only been with me for a month. A lot of classical martial arts are all theory. But with MMA, it's 100 percent practice. Anybody can be a practitioner of martial arts, but not everyone belongs in the ring."

A peacekeeper

Campbell said the ring is the only place he truly feels at peace. He said the closer fight time draws, the more relaxed he is.

"It's weird," he said. "It's like a little switch. With all the guys I train with, I think, 'What's this guy going to do to me that hasn't already been done?' I feel really confident in my skill sets. My conditioning is through the roof right now. I don't worry about [running out of gas], and that's a huge part of fighting. I know I'm going to keep the pace."

Campbell doesn't spend a great deal of time reflecting on how he arrived at where he is, how his life would be different if he'd chosen football, how he'd be different if his father were still around to guide him.

"I don't regret any decisions or anything that's happened in my life because it's made me the person I am today," he said. "Anybody would want their father back, but I wouldn't change it because that's what motivated me to get involved in powerlifting and then that's what motivated me to get involved in this.

"Him and my mom went through a divorce and he kind of went downhill after that. It was kind of sudden and unexpected. One week you're hanging out with him; the next week, he's gone. He was only 42."

In Campbell, DellaGrotte saw an intense, focused young man with a solid work ethic and confidence. He said that drive can help Campbell achieve the same levels UFC fighter Kenny Florian, a Boston College graduate, has achieved. Campbell also is a measured, calculating fighter, which serves him well, because DellaGrotte said an emotional fighter is reckless.

"He wants to be [at the top level] and he's surrounded by people who want him to get there," said DellaGrotte. "As long as he has the dedication and drive, he definitely has the ability to get to the level that Kenny Florian is at."

Campbell acknowledges he has yet to reach his potential. "I still feel behind," he said. "I'll never feel satisfied. Even if I win a world title, I'll still feel there's so much more [to do]. I just want to get better as a fighter and mature every single fight."

So far, Campbell has met every challenge. When asked whom he wants to fight next, he laid down the gantlet to another local talent.

"I'd like to fight Dan Lauzon," said Campbell, referring to the 20-year-old UFC fighter from East Bridgewater. "I don't like him."