Warner Robins resident represents city in martial arts world championship

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Martial arts is something different to everyone.

For some it’s an outlet, for others it’s a way to relax and for some it may even just be a social activity. That’s the beauty of martial arts; it belongs to no one.

There are origins as far back as 2600 B.C. in China where Emperor Huang Di practiced martial arts and required his troops learn it.

It’s believed modern day martial arts originated in 527 A.D. in India. An Indian monk Ta Mo taught the 18 Buddhist Fists, which evolved into the Five Animal Styles of Shaolin. Now, almost 1500 years later, martial arts are found worldwide in countless forms.

For one individual in particular, 24 years ago is when martial arts became a part of his life. Monye Tucker, a 28-year-old Warner Robins resident, got his start very early.

“I started when I was four years old. My grandfather, he got me into it, because I lived with him at the time,” Tucker said. “I used it as an outlet in the beginning. Come to find out later on, I was actually good at it. My grandfather was a fourth degree black belt in Wing Chun, so it was one of those things that just became second nature for me.”

Tucker is a 1st degree black belt in three different forms: Taekwondo, Goju Ryu and Akujitsu.

Though a lot of people become involved with martial arts at a young age, most don’t stick with it; Tucker has done a lot more than “sticking with it.” In fact, he’s just been to his third world championship tournament in early August.

While it may sound like an advantage to have already been to two others before his most recent in Houston, Texas, each world championship is different according to Tucker.

“This is my third world championship, each one is different. This one I had to be recommended from another black belt to actually be submitted into their organization, which was the UMA (University of Martial Arts),” Tucker said. “So I went through the selection process. I had to get voted on by multiple grand masters to be a part of the tournament, the training seminars, the whole thing. After you’re accepted then they give you a breakdown of how everything is gonna go and then they line up everything. So everyone that was there was pretty much there for a reason.”

Tucker’s specialty and preferred competition is sparring, which is what he competed in during his time in Houston. While competing in an event full of invite-only opponents is challenging enough, Tucker faced a couple more roadblocks during his time.

“I only competed in the Black Belt Sparring Division. That’s my main thing I do because it’s more realistic,” Tucker said. “However, when I got there, we were supposed to be in different divisions but they ended up combining all divisions of black belts. So I was the only lightweight in the division against middleweights and heavyweights. So it was pretty interesting.”

Mixing divisions can put those in a smaller class in a big disadvantage. There’s a reason they don’t pit fighters who are 5’8” and 165 pounds against ones that are 6’2” and 225 pounds in the UFC.

Despite this disadvantage, Tucker went through his bouts with his best efforts.

“I had three bouts, and everyone’s from different states. But this division, in sparring, it was point sparring. So whoever can land the cleanest shot and have control over the technique they’re throwing,” Tucker said. “Once you land a shot the referee will come and break you up and they’ll reset you. It was the first one to seven points, or it was by time limit. After my first belt I had to face a heavyweight who was actually like six-two and he was actually beating me in the beginning.”

“I started to tie in the techniques that he was doing and I actually won,” Tucker continued. “Team Trinidad, they were there, I actually earned their respect after beating him because he was kind of like the division bully in a way…his school was from Alabama. So I moved on to the finals and I actually lost to a guy from Texas. The competition was very intense, everyone pretty much was either already inducted into the Hall of Fame organization or has already competed on a world championship level.”

Despite the loss, runner-up is still an impressive feat. Tucker thoroughly enjoyed his experience in Houston and had a couple reasons that may put this visit above the rest.

“It was a great experience. Each experience that I had at a world championship was different. The first one I had was in California, the second one I had was in Florida, and this one was in Texas,” Tucker said. “For this one, it was different because I was able to take my whole family with me, my wife and my three daughters. So this is the first time my youngest one got to watch me compete. That was already a cool thing, we’d never went to Texas already.”

Bringing his family and visiting somewhere they’d never been was certainly a highlight, but being around so many respected martial artists was icing on the cake for Tucker.

“It was like a humbling feeling because you’re around a bunch of other great martial artists. You’re around a bunch of other people that are legends that are critiquing you,” Tucker said. “Opportunities get presented to you as far as joining different martial art clans, some legendary clans or a bunch of different groups starting up. So it was a great experience just because everyone that was there was an important figure … The organization itself was very professional, and they took me in with open arms once I actually made it there. So when I got there they pretty much already had a good idea of who I was and they knew I was gonna make noise when I got to the tournament, and that’s exactly what I did.”

HHJ News