Two Macon MMA athletes are fighting for Jorge Masvidal in August. Here’s how to watch
Two MMA fighters from Macon will compete on a card run by Jorge Masvidal in Savannah on Aug. 5, representing a local gym and coach.
Both fighters, Quinten Culpepper and Lindsey Jones, are on the cusp of making the UFC, according to coach Bubby Mitchell.
“They’re the fighting pride of the facility, and they’re both high up there,” said Mitchell, who owns Rush MMA in addition to coaching the fighters. “They’re both really close to the highest levels of MMA. They’ve fought for it every step of the way, and they’ve earned it.”
Rush hosts a variety of classes for the public while also serving as a gym for the pro fighters Mitchell coaches. The gym has helped put Macon and its combatants on the map in the world of MMA, producing fighters that have appeared in big matchups and even a competitor that reached the UFC in just three years.
The fight in August is a big step for both Culpepper and Jones, as it is available on UFC FightPass and puts the Macon fighters in front of a large audience.
Culpepper said it means a lot to represent Macon, a place that has “always been home,” even though he only arrived in Macon after a childhood of moving around the country.
“I’m humbled, and this is something that I worked on for a long time, just to get to a bigger stage,” Culpepper said. “It’s a testament to what Bubby has created out here in Macon and Middle Georgia. We’re getting our just due, not just me. All the guys.”
Both Culpepper and Jones have trained with Mitchell for over a decade, living in Macon and building up reputations in MMA. They’re not only professional fighters, though, as they also coach at Rush MMA with Mitchell, teaching kids and adults alike in the area.
“Now these guys are in coaching roles, and now they are coaching the new generation of athletes from here,” Mitchell said. “It’s a passion thing, and it’s really special. Everyone at the gym gets to watch them compete in a big way, too.”
The fighting doesn’t pay Rush MMA in any way, so the coaching helps support the gym and brings everything “full circle,” according to Mitchell. He founded the gym with his own fighting money and prowess, and now sustains it by teaching others.
As for Culpepper’s personal goals, the fight could be the last step towards a UFC appearance.
“If I have to go through my opponent to get to UFC, to get there, then so be it,” he said.
This story was originally published July 26, 2022 at 5:00 AM.