Marine training prepared Ledford for MMA career

By Adam Krohn
adamkrohn@daltoncitizen.com

July 01, 2008 10:39 pm

— Mixed martial arts has become a television phenomenon that is sweeping the nation, with organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship raking in millions of dollars from pay-per-view fights.
While the average sports fans may not find taking a teeth-shattering, round-house kick to the face an enjoyable way to spend their free time, there’s a different breed of people out there like Lyle Ledford, a 22-year-old competitive fighter from Cohutta.
Ledford, a Marine Corps reserve, sees the world a bit differently after serving in Iraq for nine months. So, his perspective of the violent, full-contact combat sport of MMA is unique.
“I consider (competitive) fighting a luxury,” Ledford said. “After doing the things I had to do (in Iraq), coming home and grappling is nothing. It’s not painful or hard, it’s just fun.”
The Middle East was anything but fun for Ledford, who worked with the military police on the Iraq-Syria border. He had the unenviable job of checking cars and trucks for what the military calls Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Devices, or car bombs.
One day while Ledford was on duty, a suicide bomber attacked by striking the side of a military compound where Ledford was on post.
Within a split-second, Ledford’s life was on the line.
“I felt the force of the explosion,” he said. “One of my buddies was stationed where the vehicle hit, and I was a couple of posts down. I radioed to him to see if he was all right, and I didn’t hear from him. I didn’t know if he was alive or what was going on. I was worried. I just kept radioing him. I had to stay at the post and make sure nothing else happened.”
As it turned out, Ledford’s buddy was not injured in the attack. The American troops, of course, were not always so lucky. In November 2006, one of Ledford’s best friends, Cody Warren of Calhoun, who left for Iraq with Ledford, was killed by friendly fire.
“That really bothers me, even to this day,” Ledford said. “He was one of my really good friends.”
In addition to the dangerous circumstances, the quality of life for a soldier in a Iraq also took its toll on Ledford. He put in 18-hour work days with six hours designated for sleep, although Ledford said he rarely slept more than five hours. Meals were few and far between and he got to shower maybe once every two weeks, he said.
Ledford returned home in May 2007 and now has a different outlook on how Americans view the war.
“I don’t think enough people appreciate what we do,” Ledford said. “I’m not saying all people, but a lot of people don’t stop to think what’s going on over there. Until they actually go there and do the things that we had to do, they’ll never know. I’m not saying we should or shouldn’t be there, but Americans don’t realize the sacrifice we make. We live off of the bare necessities and go without food and sleep. Then I come back home and see people at the McDonald’s drive-thru complaining and griping about things that don’t even matter. They don’t know what a luxury is.”
While in basic training with the Marines, Ledford learned the fundamentals of mixed martial arts. Upon his return to Cohutta, he decided to take up competitive fighting and began training at Champion Ground Fitness in Dalton under the guidance of trainer Shon Massey.
In his short career, Ledford has had some success, including a victory in a recent North American Grappling Association tournament. Ledford’s victory impressed his instructor.
“He’s got the attitude of a good fighter,” Massey said. “The NAGA event I took him to was the first he’d ever been to. I know he had been in some street fights in Iraq, but this time he was fighting against trained professionals who fight all the time. I don’t think he had a fight that lasted over a minute. At that time, I knew I had something special. Certain guys have it.”
Ledford plans to continue fighting, although as a reservist there’s always a chance he could be called back to active duty at any time. In fact, he’s said his unit could be deployed to Afghanistan next year, but he’s trying not to concern himself with that right now.
“I don’t want to go, but if I have to I will,” Ledford said. “For now, I just want to fight. If I go overseas, I’m not worried.”

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