This week on, “World of Jenks,” documentary filmmaker, Andrew Jenks follows around , Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, Show Time, a.k.a Anthony.
The show catches up with Anthony in the week prior to the biggest fight in his career. He lost his last fight, which makes it more important than others. In MMA fights, losing two or more fights in a row could mean being completely cut from fighting altogether.
The first night Jenks is with Anthony, they go to a party thrown in Anthony’s honor. Despite this, they only stay for an hour, and you can see Anthony is uncomfortable the whole time. Back at Anthony’s apartment, they study tapes on Danny Castillo, Anthony’s opponent.
Watching a show about someone who is an MMA fighter is refreshing. Anthony isn’t like the guys in the movies or TV shows who get wasted all the time. He cares about his career and his family.
Anthony realizes that he has more important priorities that he must attend to. He shares his insight about partying with Jenks and says it isn’t “real” or what he wants. Finally, someone has goals and actually works for them.
The next day at practice, Jenks is thrown into the ring and Anthony teaches him the logistics of fighting. There is nothing funnier than watching a guy who has never fought before try to.
Later, Jenks tries to understand Anthony’s life. He discovers that Anthony’s dad had been stabbed to death and his mother was forced to raise his brother and him by herself. In response to his childhood loss, Anthony tries to give back to the community by teaching Taekwondo once a week and paying his mom’s bills.
I love Anthony’s story. He was an underdog and now he is living his ideal life. The best part is that he never forgot where he came from.
On the way to his match in Columbus, Anthony grows quiet and serious. What kind of MMA fighter is quiet and somber? I expected that he would be arrogant and cocky, but he isn’t.
What really surprises me is that Anthony prays before the match and thanks God for everything. It was inspirational to me to see that an MMA fighter thanked God for everything he had been given.
In the fight, Anthony proves to be the stronger component when he knocks Castillo out in 30 seconds. Anthony saves his career and lives to fight another day.
You can see from the last scene how truly important fighting is to Anthony. He reached his dream and teaches us that you don’t have to live a life of complete misery, and even though you are in a tunnel of darkness, you will find the light.
Next week on “World of Jenks,” Jenks follows around a volunteer for an animal rescue organization.
Gabbrielle Joseph can be reached for comment at [email protected].