With life's battles already won, UFC's Matt Brown earning "immortal" tag

With life's battles already won, UFC's Matt Brown earning "immortal" tag
by Alton Dunham on May 09, 2009 at 10:05 am ET

Finding success in today's UFC requires clean living, a dedication to a healthy diet and proper training. But not every rising star in the organization started their career by walking down the right path.

UFC welterweight Matt Brown (9-7 MMA, 3-1 UFC) recently revealed to MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that before the bright lights of the octagon he had already won a different fight – a battle with illegal drug use that nearly cost him his life.

"I came really close to dying," Brown said. "I [overdosed] on heroin. … They said I was clinically dead for over a minute."

Brown believes his recreational drug use came from feelings of being trapped in a small town outside of Dayton, Ohio. "I was in that mindset that there was nothing else to do," Brown said. "I could get drunk everyday and I'll still be (stuck) here, or I could go to college and I'll still be (stuck) here. "[Overdosing] was one of the best things to happen to me. When that happened it woke me up and I was like, 'Man, I got to do something.'"

Brown's near-death experiences from drugs and street fights led to his friends dubbing him with his eventual fighter nickname: "The Immortal." "My friends were like, 'Man, you are [expletive] immortal, huh?" Brown said. "And I thought, 'If I could beat all of that stuff, I could beat anything.'"

For Brown, a chance viewing of Wanderlei Silva, who is now helping the Ohio-native prepare for his upcoming fight, proved to be the catalyst that led to a new life. "After [the overdose] happened, I was at home watching Wanderlei fight on TV and decided, 'I want to try this stuff – I've been in enough street fights," Brown said. "I was one of those dorks that thought, 'I could do that,' until I got into the gym and realized it was harder than it looked."

With a new passion, Brown juggled performing odd jobs and his mixed martial arts training, hoping that his commitment would eventually pay off. "Before I was in the UFC, I was working 60-70 hours a week," Brown said. "Then I would quit (each new) job to train a month out and rely on winning the fight to pay my rent."

That was Matt Brown's world nearly five years ago. Today, the "The Ultimate Fighter 7" cast member has relocated to Las Vegas and has only one job in life – to win his next fight. To do so he has dedicated himself to remaining focused, and to being completely sober. "When I decided I was going to fight seriously, I decided I wasn't going to do (any drugs) anymore," Brown said.

"Now, I am 100 percent clean. I barely even drink Red Bull any more. I try to keep everything ultra-organic and ultra-clean. "These days, I just keep my eyes on the prize. I worked too hard to get here to do something stupid and mess it up."

The UFC welterweight has a new vice: a drive for championship gold. "Having a belt around my waist will feel better than any drug you can put in me," Brown said. The road to a title shot for the Brown will next lead to fellow up-and-comer Anthony "Rumble" Johnson (7-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), who – like Brown – is currently on a hot streak. The two are set to meet at "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K." live finale in June. "Both of us are coming in with two-fight win streaks, and our last fights were both big knockouts," Brown said.

"So this works out really well." The inspirational Brown knows that a win over Johnson might propel him near the top of a stacked welterweight division. He also feels that after overcoming so much adversity, he is finally peaking at just the right time. "I feel like coming into the UFC I have finally come into my own," Brown said.

"I really have my mind right, and I am fighting to my potential."

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon EST (9 a.m. PST) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, professional fighter Frank Trigg and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.