‘The Animal’ ready to stalk a victory at Wells Fargo Arena

CNA sports editor Enoch Wilson calls his life a “rags to riches” story. The 27-year-old Oregon resident turned a tendency to get into trouble as a young man on the streets of Creston, into a prominent spot in the up-and-coming sport of mixed martial arts. Known as “The Animal,” Wilson’s aggressive fighting style has made him a favorite in the West Coast fighting circuit. He’s on the cover of the Sportfight 15 DVD as a featherweight champion. Clips of his fights have been shown on television networks Spike and Fox Sports Network, and promotion of a fight between Wilson and Californian Urijah Faber appeared on the first episode of MSNBC’s “Warrior Nation” series earlier this year. Wilson has an 8-4-1 professional record in this rapidly growing sport, which combines the “striking” of boxing and kickboxing with the “ground game” of judo, jujitsu and wrestling. Contestants wear open-fingered four-ounce gloves and often go from boxing toe-to-toe to grappling on the ground trying to secure “submission” holds during three five-minute rounds. Wilson got his start in amateur fights six years ago, compiling an 4-4 record with no formal training in places like Toad Holler Club in Des Moines. In the years since, he’s taken the sport to the highest level, now employed as an instructor at an Oregon martial arts club. “I’m rags to riches,” Wilson said in a telephone interview promoting his upcoming fight at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. “I’m not rich by any means, but I was a troublemaker back in the day. I was drinkin’ and fightin’ and I just got sick of getting in trouble for what I like to do. I thought I’d be constructive with it, instead of destructive, you know what I mean?” Moving west He moved to Oregon, the Portland suburb of Tigard, to live with his brother, Ivan Wilson, and started working at Vision Plastics there. Meanwhile, he started training for serious professional mixed martial arts events in West Coast clubs. “Enoch has improved so much,” said Scott Casper, one of the promoters of “Bad Moon Rising ... The Return of Enoch Wilson,” June 30 at Wells Fargo Arena (see related story for ticket information). “In his last seven or eight fights, he has become such a good fighter,” Casper said. “We’ll have an appearance of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at our event, the newly-crowned light heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) over reigning champ Chuck Liddell. Just being around Rampage will help Enoch’s career.” Iowa opponent Now, Wilson’s on the doorstep of being the best in the world in the weight classes of 145 and 155. He will compete at 155 pounds at the Wells Fargo event against Chad Odom, a William Penn University wrestler from Davenport. Whether it’s on the mat or standing toe-to-toe, Wilson is comfortable in the octagon, the traditional fighting “cage” of the sport. “My first 12 fights, I had no formal training,” Wilson said. “Now I’ve been a two-time state judo champion in Oregon. I was the Northwest submission wrestling champion. There’s no man alive I will not fight. I am at the top of the food chain in my weight class.” Wilson calls it a hard-core sport, a “cultured gladiator event.” He’s known for his heart in the ring, with a never-quit attitude. That was never more evident than in his last bout, a rematch with Travis Bush May 5 in a Sportfight event called Cinco De Mayhem in Portland, Ore. The two had fought to a draw earlier. This time, Bush won a unanimous decision. Injury But there was a valid reason. “I tore the muscle along my fibula in the first round,” Wilson said. “Bush won 29-28. It definitely hurt my mobility, but you can’t let it stop you. Show no weakness.” There’s an inspiration behind Wilson’s determined fighting style. “My 23-month-old daughter, Bella-Grace Wilson, means everything to me,” he said. “She’s the dedication and drive behind my success right now.” A longtime friend from Creston, almost like a brother to Wilson, is 22-year-old Will Shutt. He fights at 145 pounds and will appear on the June 30 card in Des Moines. “He just won a pro belt,” Wilson said, proudly. “We fight mostly the same weight classes. He’s the future. But I’m going to compete as often and as much as I can. I haven’t hit my prime yet.”