Before Tony Ferguson, There Was Luke Cummo

mkw

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The original Zen Master. Cummo came within a hair of winning TUF 2 with his crisp Muay Thai and tricky bottom game. Whereas most fighters rehydrate after weigh-ins, Cummo would fast - entering the Octagon at a lean 160. According to Ray Longo, Cummo wore ankle weights under his sweatpants just to make welterweight. Master Luke was even drinking his own urine before Machida made it the cool thing to do.

As one YouTube commentator said: "Diego Sanchez and Luke Cummo walked so Tony Ferguson could run."

One of TUF's classic characters.

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Yeah, entertaining fighter and personality. TUF 2 was my gateway drug so I'll never forget about that season's cast. I think his wrestling mostly wasn't strong enough to have more succes in the ufc. Last thing I've heard was him having some pretty severe mental issues and his family being very worried about him. Hope he's doing better now.
 
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Yeah, entertaining fighter and personality. TUF 2 was my gateway drug so I'll never forget about that season's cast. I think his wrestling mostly wasn't strong enough to have more succes in the ufc. Last thing I've heard was him having some pretty severe mental issues and his family being very worried about him. Hope he's doing better now.
TUF 2 was actually my introduction to hardcore fandom as well. Watching Luke on the show even got me into training when I was a teenager. I just recently watched the season again.

Luke was a really skilled guy who I think could have continued developing with the right mindset. He retired in his 20's, just two and a half years after the show wrapped. Even watching his fight against Stevenson back, I think he would have finished him in a 5 round scenario. However, Luke did have some issues and unfortunately continues to struggle with them to this day. In terms of martial arts, he is currently trying to develop a system that takes out head shots because he is worried about CTE. That seems like a noble cause. In all seriousness, I wish him well.

I do worry about guys like Tony. His quirks are fun, but we also overlook the reality behind those quirks very often.
 
TUF 2 was actually my introduction to hardcore fandom as well. Watching Luke on the show even got me into training when I was a teenager. I just recently watched the season again.

Luke was a really skilled guy who I think could have continued developing with the right mindset. He retired in his 20's, just two and a half years after the show wrapped.
Yeah, he was nerdy and quirky, and actually being pretty good and he was knocking people out, it was a great hook for the show and launchpad, too bad it didn't quite come together. For some reason it makes me think about Paul Taylor's MMA career, super entertaining stand up, some wicked fast high kicks, no ego, but generally stifled by grapplers.
 
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Yeah, he was pretty nerdy and quirky, and actually being pretty good and knocking people out, it was a great hook for the show and launchpad, too bad it didn't quite come together. For some reason it makes me think about Paul Taylor's MMA career, super entertaining stand up, some wicked fast high kicks, no ego, but generally stifled by grapplers.
Good call. You know, I think guys like Cummo could have benefited more from a 10th Planet type ground game. Serra BJJ, especially back then, focused so much on traditional top control and positions a lanky striker would not really find themselves in.
 
I remember his fight with Joe Daddy Stevenson like it was yesterday.
 
Sam morgan was out for a while iirc and woke up crying.
 
i remeber his fight with Stevenson at the TUF 2 Finale very well. i loved how after the ref's instructions Joe "Daddy" Stevenson said to Luke Cummo, "Luke, I am your father". Felt like that was an underrated pun, and he did end up being luke's daddy since he beat him (worth noting that he wasn't trash talking too, just light-hearted fun quip).
 
i remember him drawing a manga elf mage warrior priestess in his sketchbook on tuf.
seemed him and modaffieri were made for each other.
 
I just remember him going insane....have not heard anything of him since the weird videos he used to make.
 
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