Fighter touches gloves with fans

“He’s a baseball guy, but he really wanted to meet Jerald,” explained Josh. Baseball may be Bryce’s first love when it comes to sports, but the youngster was obviously impressed by his first brush with an MMA fighter, especially one who hails from Perry County.

The next visitors needed no introductions except to meet Spohn’s lovely fiancé, Megan. Zeb Wood was Jerald’s wrestling coach in Junior High so the day became a reunion of friends.

“I remember when you were this high!” Jerald was speaking to Makina Wood, Zeb’s sophomore daughter, with his right hand held at his waist. Zeb explained that they had followed Jerald’s career at Kent State University by attending his college matches. Jerald majored in marketing while wrestling all four years for Kent State’s varsity wrestling team.

The conversation that Jerald and Makina shared covered a wide range of topics from Makina’s own varsity wrestling career to the best hairdo to employ for wrestling matches. Makina qualified for the state girls wrestling tournament last year, in a sport that has seen tremendous growth in a very short time, according to her father.

“Two years ago we had a girls’ state wrestling tournament with 300 girls,” stated Zeb. “This past year we had 600.”

In between MMA matches, Jerald works full-time at the Strong Style Fitness Center in Parma, Ohio, where he introduces young people to the fighting arts involved in wrestling as well as MMA competition. He is hoping his next MMA match will take place in October, but scheduling these fights rarely occurs more than two months in advance, according to Jerald.

“A lot of times a guy you’re scheduled to fight is injured in training,” he explained.

Very similar to the rise of high school wrestling for girls, MMA women fighters comprise the fastest growing segment of the sport. When Megan was asked if she also participated in MMA competition, she replied “no,” but her answer had a kicker.

“I prefer straight boxing to MMA and I’ve had three or four matches,” replied the young lady with a pretty smile that belied her ability to pound a left jab into an opponent’s soon-to-be-broken nose.

Jerald Spohn’s first experience on a wrestling mat has led him into a career built on a foundation of experience in his hometown. Time will tell what career kids like Bryce and Makina will follow after their public education culminates in a graduation ceremony. However, on a hot, August afternoon at the Ohio Valley Barber Shop, they shared time with a young man who has walked the same school halls on his way to the octagon.