BY RYAN BEVINS, ON TWITTER @BEVOIS
Southerners have been regarded as friendly for centuries. Its residents are renowned for showing kindness, warmth, and hospitality to those traveling throughout their home region. This is prevalent in sports with an added layer of support shown to southern athletes and teams. The SEC is the most visible example with it being one of the top two most lucrative college athletic conferences in the country. This is largely due to it having the best traveling fan base and an SEC vs. Everybody mentality across all competitions.
The same holds true in other sports outside of the SEC scope. Understandably, John “Hollywood” Sweeney is proud of his devoted southern culture and is excited to share it with the world on Friday, June 16th. His home state of South Carolina and the location of his LFA world title fight in Kentucky are a swift 7 hours apart, which makes another fun road trip for the South’s loyal and affable fan base.
“Owensboro is seven hours from the crib. I got people coming out, so it’s awesome,” Sweeney told LFA.com. “I love it. It’s very symbolic. I feel like this is lining up for me to win this belt and just keep on marching. I got friends and family driving out, so I’m going to have a nice crowd there in Kentucky.”
Sweeney began his professional MMA career in the South at the LFA’s first event in his home state, which was LFA 8 in Greenville, South Carolina. That bout took place just over 6 years ago and set the wheels in motion for one of his state’s and region’s most exciting fighters. He won that bout against Jon Sparks via Rear Naked Choke in the first round. Sparks was a veteran of 7 fights and the bout was featured on the main card. While the bright lights of fighting on television in your pro debut against a seasoned vet might seem like a tall task to some, Sweeney rose to the occasion and never looked back.
Three months later, he won his second bout on the LFA’s first event in North Carolina and now he’s looking to do the same at the promotion’s first stop in Kentucky. Sweeney sees the significance of winning the LFA bantamweight world title in the region he has helped put on the map. He also feels winning the title for the promotion, where it all started, will be sweeter than a glass of Southern Sweet Tea on a hot summer’s day in the South.
“It’s a symbolic feeling for me because I started fighting here,” Sweeney explained. “My first fights are up here in LFA. I’m really dialed in, very professional, man. I work my ass off, everything’s lining up, six fight win streak. It just feels good. I feel like I’m in a good spot. I know a lot of people say that, but just consistent work, man… and just staying ready. This is where I’m supposed to be. God ain’t gonna put you nowhere where you’re not supposed to be. Now it’s just up to me to finish it all off and take what belongs to me.”
John Sweeney is a black belt in Karate under Ray Thompson.
Sweeney was born in the state of South Carolina in Greenville County, but now calls Fountain Inn home. Fountain Inn is part of the “Golden Strip” of South Carolina, which includes the neighboring city of Simpsonville. While the area is often characterized by its fast-paced economic growth, the fight world knows it for another reason. It is the home of Upstate Karate and the Thompson family.
Ray Thompson is Sweeney’s head coach and Ray’s oldest son Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson is Sweeney’s mentor and close friend. “Wonderboy” is also the #7 ranked UFC welterweight in the world and one of the most decorated kickboxers and karatekas to ever compete in the sport of MMA. That statement is cemented in the fact that the world-class striker and UFC star is a 5-time world champion with a 57-0 record in kickboxing. Naturally, training at Upstate Karate with the Thompsons at his side, every step of the way, has turned Sweeney into one of the most exciting bantamweight prospects in the world and he could not be more appreciative.
“Oh man, coach (Ray Thompson) is amazing. Just being involved in the game and diving in and being willing to learn from so many people for so long,” stated Sweeney. “He’s just been around the game for longer than I’ve been alive, longer than you’ve been alive, you know what I’m saying? He just has so much knowledge and so much time in the game. You just got no choice but to be a great coach.”
“As for ‘Wonderboy’, man he’s just a great dude, super nice. He does all the right things. He’s always in the gym, he works hard, he’s at the top of the game, and he’s a friend,” Sweeney explained. “He’s also like my brother, so man, he’s just a great guy. Undefeated kickboxer, you know what I’m saying? The dude is awesome. So he’s just all around a great person on top of being a great fighter.”
Get your tickets for LFA 160: Sweeney vs. Begosso
Brothers-in-Arms: Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and John “Hollywood” Sweeney.
Sweeney and Thompson are like brothers, but when it comes to training they share a unique bond and feed off each other’s energy in the gym. In fact, this has directly benefited their last two fight camps as they have both been in camp together for their last two bouts. In December, Thompson stopped Kevin Holland via TKO in a “Fight of the Year” level performance in the main event of UFC on ESPN 42. Then just 6 weeks later, Sweeney defeated seven-time jiu-jitsu world champion Ary Farias in the main event of LFA 150. Now the two karatekas have fights lined up 6 weeks apart once again, but this time Sweeney will be batting lead off.
“We’re feeding off each other’s energy. Everybody’s dialed in, locked in at a peak level, so you know what I’m saying,” Sweeney exclaimed. “You get good, solid rounds, everybody’s feeling good, energy is up, you’re excited, you know what I mean? So it definitely helps with camp.”
Sweeney also has the perfect personality to mimic Thompson’s last opponent and upcoming opponent. UFC President Dana White has dubbed UFC star and LFA great Holland, “Big Mouth”, due to his nonstop playful chatter and trash talk before, during and after his fights. Coincidentally, Sweeney shares that same trait and received Thompson’s blessing to employ it heavily in the lead up to the Holland fight. He has been doing the same for Thompson’s next fight as well as “Wonderboy” is set to face the mercurial Michel “Demolidor” Pereira at UFC 291.
“Yeah, man. If you see my fights, I’m not shy and I’m not afraid to talk a little shit when I’m in there, so that’s already who I am,” Sweeney said with a laugh. “So it’s perfect, man… and I took it a little overboard, when I was trying to be like Kevin Holland. Of course, I’m a great guy for that. I’m just a perfect guy for it.”
That swagger and ability to sell fights paired with his flashy and aesthetically pleasing fighting style also goes a long way to explain how a fighter from South Carolina ended up with the nickname “Hollywood”.
“People just love to see me fight. When I fight and when I’m in there, I just feel like it’s my own action movie. I get to make or do whatever I want to do. So it’s just like Hollywood. It just fits me perfect,” stated Sweeney. “I feel like I went through a couple of different names, but this guy Mike King, he fought on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 19) back in the day. He was down training with us and stuff and we did a lot of sparring stuff, and he liked my style, man. He said you know, you’re next in Hollywood… and then ever since then we’ve been rocking with Hollywood.”
Watch LFA 160: Sweeney vs. Begosso
John Sweeney earned his LFA title shot with a dominant win over Ary Farias at LFA 150.
Sweeney is now in the final home stretch of preparations for the biggest fight of his career. He is currently 12-3 with a perfect 4-0 record in the LFA with his last two fights coming against top Brazilian talent in Ricardo Dias and the aforementioned Farias. Sweeney had a feeling that the was on the cusp of a title shot and knew a win over one of MMA’s most decorated jiu-jitsu practitioners would make it clear he is deserving of the next shot.
“Oh, yeah. 100%. I knew it was either going to be me or Ary next for the title, whoever won that fight,” stated Sweeney. “So that just gave me a little extra edge. If neither one of us got a call up to the UFC with a win, I knew it was going to be either him or me for the LFA title.”
Sweeney passed his test against the highly-touted Farias with flying colors. He defeated the jiu-jitsu phenom via Unanimous Decision with scores that read: 29-28, 29, 28, 29-27. The 15-minute battle was thorough and Sweeney got to show all of his game. The two-time IKF world champion is well-known for his flashy striking pedigree and karate base, but he took the most pride in his ability to utilize his wrestling and grappling to control Farias on the ground as well. Now he is ready for his title shot and he has the perfect dance partner in former LFA title challenger and fellow striking stalwart Allan Begosso. Sweeney is confident about his next challenge and sees Begosso’s nationality as the only thing he has in common with his past two opponents.
“I feel like his striking is very basic and simple. He does a lot of big hooks, very aggressive fighter, a lot of explosions, flying stuff. I don’t really think he’s that accurate and I don’t think he has an arsenal as deep as mine, you know what I mean,” Sweeney explained. “He has some good kicks, but I don’t think he has any lead leg stuff or not much spinning back stuff or steep front kicks. I don’t really see him doing a lot of technical stuff like that. I like to think of myself like I fight like Stephen, but I kind of honestly fight more like Izzy when I’m really in my zone. So we’ll see what it is and I just don’t think his bag is deep enough. His best bet, honestly, I don’t even know what he’s going to do because his grappling isn’t as good as Ary’s and I can obviously out grapple and handle my own on top of Ary. I just don’t understand where he’s going to take this fight, but I’m interested to see. His only chance, honestly, is something crazy. Something big and he explodes. Something crazy like that. I feel like Ary was the hardest opponent out of all three of these guys.”
John Sweeney received his brown belt in jiu-jitsu from Bradley Strain (Carlos Machado black belt) after defeating Ary Farias.
Sweeney is fully aware of what is at stake by capturing the LFA bantamweight world title. The belt has the longest history of any title in the promotion as it was first title awarded in the main event of LFA 1. More importantly, the nine men that have won the belt were then signed to the UFC and Bellator. Those nine men are Leandro Higo, Ricky Simón, Miles Johns, Casey Kenney, Zviad Lazishvili, Richie Palencia, Dan Argueta, Muin Gafurov, and Jerrell Hodge. Sweeney intends to round that off by being #10 and to continue the division’s amazing championship history.
“Ah, man. I feel like this is just a long time coming and just appropriate for where I am at in my career. I’ve been working really hard and I’m ready to show the world that, man, I’m a world champion bantamweight, I’m trouble, and I could beat anybody in the world at 135 on any given night,” stated Sweeney. “It’s going to feel very amazing. It’s going to feel like everything I’ve been doing and all the work I’ve been doing, I’m going in the right direction. They say hard work pays off, but for real… hard work pays off. I’m just going to grab my belt. I’m not going to let the power of overwhelming feelings of emotion get too crazy. I’m not going to dive into it too much. I’m going to embrace the feeling, enjoy it, and then back to work.”
You can watch John “Hollywood” Sweeney face Allan “Mini” Begosso for the LFA bantamweight title in the main event of LFA 160. The event takes place Friday, June 16th and it will be available worldwide on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 270 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In 2018, the promotion joined the Imperial Family Companies group (formerly London Trust Media). In 2019, the promotion announced a broadcast partnership with UFC FIGHT PASS®. In 2021, the LFA expanded internationally by hosting multiple events in Brazil.
Please visit LFA.com for bout updates and information. Visit the official LFA Youtube page at @LFA_Fighting. LFA is on Facebook at Facebook.com/LFAfighting. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
About LFA:
LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. Based in Las Vegas, NV, LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About UFC FIGHT PASS®:
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit UFCFightPass.com.
About IMPERIAL FAMILY COMPANIES:
The Imperial Family Companies maintains a diversified portfolio with one common theme: bringing power to the people. The IFC is proud to partner with the LFA management team to showcase the greatest talents of tomorrow. Learn more about the IFC at ImperialFamily.com.
About OWENSBORO SPORTSCENTER:
The Owensboro Sportscenter, located at 1215 Hickman Avenue, is a multi-purpose 5,000 seat arena which went through a multi-million dollar renovation in 1997. The Sportscenter hosts concerts, sporting events, trade shows, conventions, meetings, and receptions. The Sportscenter is the home of the 8-time Division II national champion Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers basketball team. Additional information is available at OwensboroSportscenter.com.
