Dakota Vance set to make his MMA debut Aug. 11

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — It should be clarified that Dakota Vance isn’t following his father’s footsteps into the caged octagon. Rather, it was the other way around.

“In my walk-ups to the cage, he would lead the way,” said Charles City native Chad Vance of how his son led the entrance to the elder Vance’s mixed-martial-arts fights.

When Chad Vance won an American Fighting Association title, Dakota would hold the belt high on the way to the cage for title defenses.

Now Dakota wants to hold his own belt, or perhaps let his father hold it high and lead the way for his future title defenses.

“I grew up with the sport … I experienced it up close,” Dakota said. “I loved the excitement surrounding it. I always knew from back then that I would someday be a MMA fighter.”

After more than a year of training and preparation, Dakota is set to make his MMA debut as a welterweight (170 pounds) at the Iowa Challenge, to be held Aug. 11 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo.

“He’s ready,” Chad says of his son. “I made my MMA debut when I was 28. He’s doing his at 19. But I can tell you, him at 19 can beat me at 28. He’s that good.”

A former Charles City Comet wrestler who continued his career at Iowa Central Community College where he was a National Junior College Wrestling Coaches Association All-American before transferring to the University of Iowa, Chad got into MMA during its formative when it was just emerging from the gritty underground.

“I fought during cards when they were picking fighters out of crowd … see who was willing to fill a spot,” Chad said. “So much has changed.”

At first, grapplers and jiu jitsu masters like Royce Gracie dominated the sport.

“But now you’ve got to be much more well-rounded,” Chad says.

Like his father, Dakota has a strong wrestling background. While wrestling his high school senior season at Rockford, Dakota recorded 39 wins — 27 by fall — and was a podium placer in the Class 1A 170-pound bracket at the Iowa State Wrestling Championships despite having much of his stamina and strength sapped by the flu which forced him to forfeit his final bout.

While training with Russ O’Connell, the same trainer his dad trained with, Dakota has worked to become a stand-up striker if the fight dictates the need.

Though Dakota’s opponent has yet to be officially finalized, it will likely be someone with at least one MMA fight under his belt.

Dakota said he will likely be a little nervous while entering the cage for his upcoming debut. But in a way he’s been there before while bearing close witness to his father dealing with the rigors of a combat sport.

“I never really liked to see my father getting punched in the face, but I knew my father was tough and this is what he loved to do,” Dakota said. “I knew that he could take care of himself in there.”

Chad has the same confidence for his son.

“In about 15 minutes I’m going to get my butt kicked,” Chad said of a pending sparring session with his son. “That’s why I know that he’s ready.”

In addition to his father, Dakota has already sparred with several other MMA veterans, including those who have reached the highest level — the UFC (apologies to Bellator fans who may beg to differ).

This is in part due to Chad’s connection to some of the sport’s top stars. For instance several years ago, Chad was able to get Nate Diaz to be a part of a classic Charles City Wrestling poster.

Like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Diaz is one of the few fighters in the world who has stoppage victories over Conor McGregor.

Incidentally, McGregor is Dakota’s favorite fighter. And like the notorious MMA bad boy, Dakota doesn’t care if the fans in attendance are cheering him or jeering him … as long as they’re making noise.

“Even if you don’t like me and want to see me lose, come down anyway,” Dakota says. “It will be entertaining.”