Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

TRAVIS LAZARCZYK: Bellows pictures success

By Travis Lazarczyk tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

Look at the photo. There is no mistaking Josh Bellows' feelings. His arms are raised, his mouth lifted high, to ensure his wail echoes and is heard by all.

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REASON TO SHOUT: Former Winslow High School football player and wrestler Josh Bellows of Hardcore MMA celebrates after being announced the winner of an amateur bout with Ryan Jean of Team Irish during a mixed martial arts event in Portland on Saturday, April 30.

Maine Sunday Telegram photo by Derek Davis

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This is what joy looks like.

"That was very special to me," Bellows said after having a week to reflect. "You saw the picture. I really needed that."

The photo was taken a week ago Saturday, right after Bellows was declared the winner in the first mixed martial arts fight of his career. In the first MMA fighting card ever held in Maine, last week in Portland's Stevens Avenue Armory, Bellows defeated Ryan Jean of Gardiner.

When Bellows, 25, looks at that picture, he sees 14 months of work. He sees driving by Littlefield's Gym on Route 23 in Fairfield, over and over, and looking at the Hardcore MMA sign as he drove by.

"I drive that route every weekend to visit my grandparents," Bellows, 25, said. "I'd always been interested in mixed martial arts."

A wrestler and football player at Winslow High School (Bellows graduated in 2004), Bellows missed competing. In the photo, Bellows sees himself finally stopping at Littlefield's Gym, in March of last year, to sign up for mixed martial arts classes.

"With his wrestling background, Josh had a good base," Wes Littlefield, himself a former MMA competitor, said. "He had the mental part of the game. He needed the physical part."

In his victory yell, Bellows sees all those mornings, up at 4 a.m. and in the gym by 4:30 for lifting and cardio workouts. Bellows sees balancing his training regimen with his job at Central Maine Motors Collision Center in Waterville.

He sees the sparring sessions, hitting the speed bags, practicing ju jitsu. He sees hours, days if you add all the time up, spent at the gym with Littlefield, working hard and learning this new sport.

"Wes Littlefield used to fight. He pushes you to the best of your ability," Bellows said. "He knows how to get the best out of you. The more you do yourself, the more he'll put into you."

Bellows and Littlefield are kindred spirits of sorts. They share a common working class background, and they played football for the Black Raiders two decades apart.

"We hit it off," Littlefield said. "Josh is really dedicated."

In the photo, Bellows looks bigger than his 5-foot-8 frame, and he sees what's not there -- the 35 pounds he lost while training with Littlefield. When he began 14 months ago, Bellows weighed 205 pounds. At his weigh-in for last week's fight, Bellows was 170 pounds, the weight at which he placed fifth in the state in wrestling his senior year at Winslow.

He's a muscular 170 pounds. A big 170, Littlefield said. Bellows embraced the hard work. Nobody else has made a cold call to his mixed martial arts instruction and stuck it out, Littlefield said.

"Everyone wants to come in and fight," Littlefield said, "but then they get in the ring ..."

They get hit in the face. They decide they've had enough.

In the photo, Bellows sees the moments right before it was taken. The first round, where he and Jean boxed a bit. Talking to Littlefield between rounds. Close the distance on the kid, Littlefield said. Get him on his back.

"(Bellows) was very coachable in the corner," Littlefield said. "Getting him through that first round was key."

In the photo, Bellows sees himself concentrating on his training and staying focused. He sees himself bringing Jean to the mat a minute and a half into the second round and initiating the choke hold that caused Jean to tap out.

"I just said to myself, 'Go out and have fun,' " Bellows said.

Bellows would like to get another amateur fight toward the end of this year, and Littlefield agrees. If that goes well, maybe a professional fight in 2012.

Look at the photo. You see a fighter, exhilarated with his first victory. Bellows looks at it, and he sees his future.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com