Snowman Fight

Jeff Monson is a bad man. At five-foot-nine and 230 pounds of gnarled muscle, this tattooed tank is the kind of guy you would dart across the street to avoid. What’s scary is because Monson is a veteran MMA fighter who trains in Coconut Creek, the chances of that happening are pretty real. It’s been a few years since the beast shared a piece of the national MMA spotlight. In 2006, the self-proclaimed “anarchist” was a ranked UFC heavyweight best known for his fierce submissions and an epic, five-round fight against then-champion Tim Sylvia. Monson, AKA “the Snowman,” has been something of a journeyman since then. He has fought in Pride and has defeated the likes of Roy Nelson and Mark Kerr. Now, in what should be the twilight of his career, this 40-year-old fighter is more active than ever. He grappled and clawed through nine grueling battles in 2010, many of them held in South Florida. He’s looking to continue that pace in 2011, starting with what should be a furious battle against onetime King of the Cage champ Tony Lopez. This Friday at Fight Time 4, root for our hometown boy, but don’t look him in the eye — it’s a sign of aggression. The ten-fight card starts at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Auditorium and culminates with the Monson vs. Lopez ISKA championship match.
Fri., April 1, 7 p.m., 2011