MMA Universe

It’s not the typical start to a budding MMA career most of us are familiar with.  Rising fighter Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (13 – 0) transformed from a former crystal meth addict and convict into a fighter who dreams of fighting for the Strikeforce lightweight title.

After incarceration at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington, things looked extremely bleak for Beerbohm.  He betrayed his parents and lost his daughter, and everything else he had.  There also wasn’t much future for the struggling man in his mid-20’s, as it was expected he would be released only to find his way back to drugs.

Lyle "Fancy Pants" Beerbohm

“It was rock bottom, definitely,” Beerbohm said during a recent interview.

The same day after being released from an 18-month felony drug sentence at Washington State Penitentiary, Beerbohm had his parents stop at a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym in the area.  His father knew about Beerbohm’s dreams, but may not have actually believed the ideas after first being told.

“I traded one addiction for another,” Beerbohm said while looking back at his darker days.  “I was watching TUF when I was in (prison), and thought I could really do it.  My parents still though I was crazy, but they supported me from the beginning.”

After just eight days of training, the now-clean fighter had his first amateur fight.  He had 12 amateur fights in the first nine months of his career, and then decided to turn pro.

Since making the leap in April 2007 from amateurs, he’s on a 13-fight win streak, and has finished 12 of 13 fights (7 TKOs, 5 submissions, and 1 decision).  He’s a well-rounded fighter whose “jiu jitsu is increasing at a fast rate,” and “doesn’t mind to stand and bang.”

Several of his opponents have shaky records in lower organizations, but many sports bloggers say he has the ability to make a run in the Strikeforce division.

“Fancy Pants” is a nickname earned after wearing a pair of custom fight shorts made by his mother.  He was unsure what fans would think of his bright colored shorts with interesting patterns, but most people liked the shorts.

The former drug addict has fought — and beaten — three UFC veterans (Ludwig, Rafaello Oliveira and Gerald Strebendt) in his short MMA career, and anticipates the most difficult fights Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker can put together.

Beerbohm temporarily trained at Team Quest — learned the skills he needed — and opened up the “Fancy Pants Fight Team” in Spokane, Washington.

“I don’t travel any more to train for fights.  My family, friends and team are all here in Spokane, I live close by, and it’s great.”

Two of Beerbohm’s teammates were close to fighting on a recent UFC in early January, but a last minute-hitch forced both to be eliminated from the potential high-profile fight.  Specifically, Mike Hanks and Cody McKenzie were both in the running to fight Jim Miller at UFC 108.

Neither fighter could get the medical paperwork soon enough to be eligible for the fight, so their chance at stardom will have to wait yet again.

Beerbohm isn’t sure when or where he’ll return, but it’s possible his next fight will be a return to the Strikeforce cage this spring.