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AaronBrownCroppedOptimized

Former UH linebacker Aaron Brown makes his pro MMA debut tonight in  a fight in Mesa, Ariz.

Brown, who was the St. Louis Rams’ seventh-round pick in 2012, said he has retired from football and is “all in” in MMA. He has been training since January in Gilbert, Ariz., and won his lone amateur fight in under 40 seconds. He will fight Casey Greene at 205 pounds tonight, with the goal of competing at 185 pounds eventually.

There are other former Warriors who have changed career paths, such as:

> As an undrafted free agent, safety Leonard Peters had several tryouts in the NFL. He eventually left that sport to compete in rugby. He now works as a stevedore.


> After a brief stay with the Miami Dolphins, left tackle Tala Esera moved on to a career in rugby.

> Defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu missed out on a free-agent invitation in 2012 while recovering from shoulder surgery. After that, he had a successful run as an amateur MMA fighter on Maui cards. Tuipulotu has returned to football, signing  with the Asahi Soft Drink Challengers of Japan’s X League.


> The “Honey Bear” — Jake Heun, a former UH fullback/rush end — is now a full-time MMA fighter who competes on the World Series of Fighting circuit.

jake

COMMENTS

  1. duffer June 14, 2014 9:26 am

    GO RAINBOW WARRIORS!

    GO VULCANS!


  2. nutmegger June 14, 2014 9:30 am

    What is the best football movie?


  3. Ipu Man June 14, 2014 9:31 am

    As long as they make money…


  4. tommui June 14, 2014 9:31 am

    GOOD MORNING HAWAII!

    A blogger yesterday commented that “I have asked UHAD for clear instruction about sending personal checks to UH Foundation (and got no answer).

    Another was asking about the “UH: Highest College Athletics Travel Costs in the Nation, Help!’”

    1. If you want to send a check, just make it out to the UH Foundation. Its address is:
    University of Hawaii Foundation
    P.O. Box 11270
    Honolulu, 96828

    Write in the memo on your check where you want it to go like Athletic Department, Na Koa, Wahine softball etc.

    2. If you want to send moneys for any particular athletic group, or for the “Highest College Athletic Travel Costs” fundraiser, google University of Hawaii Foundation.

    At the UHFoundation website, check the “Make a gift on-line” and when you get into that section, under “Programs Accounts, Amount” the first selection is UHF.
    The second selection is marked “select program”. I am assuming, and so select UH Manoa Athletics and the “accounts” has a whole list of whatever program you want to donate to like Na Koa, Wahine Volleyball etc

    The bottom selection is “Other programs” and you can write-in “Highest College Athletics Travel Fund-Raiser.


  5. Boolakanaka June 14, 2014 9:33 am

    Aloha all! Always thought Aaron had what it took to play on Sundays. While a bit undersized, from the games I took in, in-person, he showed good speed and really good footwork-really solid dexterity for a linebacker. That said, good luck in the octagon.


  6. C-Pop June 14, 2014 9:34 am

    Great to see these young athletes pursuing their potential careers while able & driven.


  7. Stephen Tsai June 14, 2014 9:38 am

    I always thought the “Honey Bear’ would have been a good pro wrestler.


  8. al June 14, 2014 9:45 am

    i always thought that samson satele could be the next hawaii yokozuna.


  9. nutmegger June 14, 2014 10:07 am

    How about an MMA event with former Warriors at half-time?

    Anyone remember the name of a football movie with John Wayne as coach for a small Catholic college?


  10. nutmegger June 14, 2014 10:08 am

    “Trouble Along the Way” just Googled it…


  11. nutmegger June 14, 2014 10:10 am

    I’m just another old guy that forgets everything can be Googled. No need to remember anything anymore.


  12. Shoko June 14, 2014 10:10 am

    I was curious how much stevedores make in Honolulu and found out that they do make pretty good money when you include salary, bonus, overtime and benefits.

    Good luck to Brown. Still recall the time when Brown and Bright got arrested for a fight at Zanzabars. Think it involved some military guys and they didn’t fair to well in the fight.


  13. SteveM June 14, 2014 11:04 am

    Good morning everyone!

    If “The Replacements” movie is ever remade, maybe they should add a MMA fighter.

    RE: #2
    Best football movie? In the comedy genre in the last 25 years, I like…

    [Pro] The Replacements
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Replacements_(film)

    [College –SMU’d] Necessary Roughness
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necessary_Roughness_(film)


  14. Steve P June 14, 2014 11:59 am

    Was wondering, how is Beau Reillly and Eric Prater, our two new QB’s doing in their workouts…..both I understand have enormous talent.


  15. Stephen Tsai June 14, 2014 1:26 pm

    QBs have been looking good. I’ve got videos/pics I’ll post. Hey, it’s five more weeks until media day. I’ve got to stretch out stories.


  16. Shoko June 14, 2014 1:51 pm

    Vegas, Baby!!


  17. jalansky June 14, 2014 2:43 pm

    I was surprised at how much enjoyment I got out of re-watching the videos of Coach Chow discussing the 2014 recruiting class. This “looking back” at recruitment day was a great way of “looking forward” again to the season.


  18. hatakeman June 14, 2014 4:16 pm

    ST, thanks for the QB update. I like the positive feedback. And I agree that the QB position should be good. Coach Chow may have come stumbling out of the blocks as HC, but he has proven himself as a good QB coach over the years. Looking forward to the start of the season.


  19. nutmegger June 14, 2014 5:22 pm

    I concur with #19 Steve P.


  20. Da Punchbowl Kid June 14, 2014 5:59 pm

    Good day errybody!

    Happy for the successes of all Warriors past. Good luck to all, they deserve every success they attain.

    To add to the stories above, am happy to report having seen Michael Lafaele and his mom since that magic undefeated season. Mike has a very successful career in medical diagnostic imaging industry. Having met Mike’s mom you can see why he’s so successful.


  21. BigWave96744 June 14, 2014 11:01 pm

    In 2008 we had 3 Linebackers who were scrappahs…
    Jake Huen, Aaron Brown and Blaze Soares.


  22. BigWave96744 June 14, 2014 11:22 pm

    Former Oline Clint Daniel is following Bro, Cory, in pursuing the MMA Scene.


  23. BigWave96744 June 14, 2014 11:22 pm

    Don’t forget Chad Owens is 1-0 in the Octagon


  24. BigWave96744 June 14, 2014 11:23 pm

    Lots of other Warriors was or is currently in the Rugby Scene… Kelly McGill, Joshua Rice and Jason Rego


  25. BigWave96744 June 14, 2014 11:51 pm

    Dan Kelly played 2 season’s of Soccer at an NAIA School


  26. SteveM June 14, 2014 11:57 pm

    Quiet night on the blog. I just watched “The Replacements” DVD for some humor and football fix. Here is a 2.5 minute trailer if you never saw the movie…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LN0jIZloJQ

    Is is possible that a Warrior Beat blogger has never seen The Replacements?
    😕


  27. iGains June 15, 2014 3:12 am

    what will be effect on stocks markets in the period of football match?


  28. Shoko June 15, 2014 7:04 am

    Well, its official…

    “Kansas announced late Friday that quarterback and BYU transfer Jake Heaps would be graduating and leaving the program. Heaps, once a highly-touted transfer, lost the battle for the starting quarterback position to Montell Cozart. Since he’s graduating, he can play for another school immediately under the NCAA graduate transfer rules.”

    http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/tray-matthews-says-he-s-transferring-to-auburn–jake-heaps-leaves-kansas-program-162605006.html


  29. Shoko June 15, 2014 7:28 am

    Anyway, hope everyone has a Happy Fathers Day!!


Comments are closed.