Robert Wolford – Punching Veteran Suicide In the Face
Robert Wolford will meet Schuyler Sootho in the center of the cage for his first professional mixed martial arts fight on October 6, but there is another fight that has occupied the 29-year old’s mind.
Wolford is fighting to raise money for Mission 22, a program that brings awareness and attention to Veteran suicide and treatment for post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.
“I felt like we don’t do enough to give back to our community in general, so I started bouncing charity ideas around with a buddy of mine, Nick Ingle, who was a gunner on a black hawk when he served, and is now a supervisor of the helicopter mechanics down at Fort Belvoir. He mentioned Mission 22 since we (the MMA community) already do a lot fundraising for them, and I really loved the idea. Nick and I have been working hard to make all this happen coming up with new ideas to raise money for the charity and obtaining sponsors to back us,” Wolford said.
Ingle has also set up a seminar next month for the 12th Aviation Battalion Soldiers at Fort Belvoir who currently train in combatives. We will be working with them, teaching techniques as an additional means to raise donations for Mission 22.
Wolford trains at Capital MMA Alexandria, but also works with striking coaches in Capital MMA Loudoun. He gets training sessions in with Mike Pagano who currently coaches out of Royal MMA in Waldorf, but is originally from Miller Brothers MMA. Pagano is training for a September 15 fight in Atlantic City (Pro MMA League).
After compiling a 3-1 amateur record, the 29-year old Wolford will make the leap to pro MMA.
If you would like to contribute to Wolford’s GoFundMe page to help support Mission 22 you can do so here.
Watch Wolford compete on October 6 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Check out ShogunFights.com for more info.
