Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and others are lauded for being athletes who were able to cross the field to play in multiple professional sports. Sanders is still recognized for being the only individual to play in both a World Series and Superbowl. When it comes to combat sports, however, few athletes have captivated fans in the same fashion, and in the modern era of mixed martial arts, the sport has yet to truly see the same type of athlete. That’s going to change, if we believe the words of one Tyrone Clinton Spong.
This past Saturday at World Series of Fighting 4, Spong used a healthy dose of leg kicks to subdue Angel DeAnda in the card’s main event. With this win he improved his record to a meager 2-0, but that hasn’t stopped him from being pushed as one of the main faces of the fledgling promotion. Despite such a low fight count, the promotion has placed so much emphasis on his rise to fame because Spong has been very open about his determination to become a champion in multiple combat sports disciplines. The true question is whether or not it can be done.
Spong has already made his mark in the sport of kickboxing. At this time he’s accumulated 72 wins, 46 of which were knockouts. Since joining the world of professional kickboxing in 2003 he has put on an impressive display for spectators and practitioners of that sport. He even holds a victory over his current employer, WSOF President Ray Sefo. He’s a multiple-time champion within the sport, and while he’s defended only one of those titles, he is still an active competitor. He is expected to face Nathan Corbett in October of this year, in a rematch of their 2009 bout, which was ruled a no-contest.
Being a part of the World Series of Fighting promotion will likely aid Spong’s quest to become a champion in multiple sports. At this time, the organization does not have the deepest light heavyweight division, so its matchmakers cannot afford to place the best competitors on the roster in front of him as he develops his skill set. Do not be surprised if he continues to get fights where he’s the overwhelming favorite, until he’s developed into championship material. This situation would never occur within the Ultimate Fighting Championship, because that promotion contains nearly all of the relevant and world-class stars within the division, and they live to test prospects with their matchmaking. In WSOF, however, Spong truly has the ability and opportunity to reign over its 205-pound weight class.
Spong has also made comments about moving into traditional boxing, comments similar to those that come out of the mouth of many MMA fighters. However, Spong’s striking is already world class, so it would not be an impossible stretch for him to transition those abilities into boxing. With the right connections with minor boxing promotions, he could be built up into a viable boxing competitor, especially with the way that sport is organized at the highest levels.
Spong is fighting under the perfect banner if he is to really become known as the “Bo Jackson of Combat Sports.” In setting such a high standard for himself, Tyrone Spong has created a narrative for his career that could be very lucrative in the long run. All has to do is continue winning, and do so in a way that grabs attention. Though that is much easier said than done, watching him attempt it will be well worth watching.
