One is trying to establish himself in the sport of mixed martial arts.
The other is trying to remain relevant.
Saturday night’s ProElite event at the Blaisdell Arena takes on a different meaning for Maui’s Kendall Grove and former University of Hawaii linebacker Jake Heun.
The desired result, however, is the same.
"I’m going to try and rip his head off," said Grove, who fights Japan’s Ikuhisa Minowa in the main event. "That’s my job title."
Grove, the one-time middleweight contender and Ultimate Fighter reality show winner in the UFC, is looking to build off his 59-second submission win over Joe Riggs in ProElite’s first show in Hawaii last August.
PROELITE MMA
» When: 5 p.m. Saturday (doors open at 2 p.m.)
» Where: Blaisdell Arena
» TV: HDNet (DirecTV Ch. 306; Hawaiian Telcom Ch. 1702; not available on Time Warner)
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Minowa, who celebrated his 36th birthday last week, is a veteran of nearly 100 professional MMA fights, but will compete in the United States for the first time.
Most of his popularity stems from competing in circus-like fights involving men outweighing him by more than 100 pounds.
In 2009, he won a tournament put on by the DREAM organization in Japan called a Super-Hulk Grand Prix, beating 350-pound Bob Sapp and 7-foot-2 Hong Man Choi to reach the final.
"He’s a legend of the sport," Grove said. "All jokes aside, he comes with it and will do crazy stuff in the ring or cage. I know he’s for real."
Five months ago, Heun competed in ProElite’s first event in Hawaii, promising to put on a show against former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Mark Ellis in his second pro fight. He was impressive enough in a second-round submission loss to earn an invite into ProElite’s eight-man heavyweight tournament and rebounded with a TKO victory over Ed Carpenter in November.
Now he returns to Hawaii focused on becoming a legitimate heavyweight prospect.
"I’m not really overthinking too much about being back in Hawaii or putting on a show," Heun said. "I’m going out there trying to drop somebody and getting on to the next round of this tournament to make some money."
Heun will fight undefeated Richard Odoms, who at 6-foot-5 and 250-plus pounds will have the decided size advantage over "the Honey Bear," who is 6-2 and closer to 230 pounds.
"I’ve yet to meet anybody in this game that is stronger than me," Heun said. "I really don’t think it will be much of an advantage.
"I’m looking forward to picking him up and throwing him on his face."
