Issue 040
August 2008
David ‘Tank’ Abbott’s most powerful weapon wasn’t his big right hand or even his junior college wrestling experience, but his distinction as a true fire-in-his-heart fighter.
When ‘Tank’ first fought in UFC 6, he was expected to lose. He was to be proof that martial arts practitioners would beat street fighters any day. But that was not the case. In interviews prior to his fight against Kimbo, Tank told the panel it wasn’t so much about the money, “though that first cheque was nice”, but he felt the traditional martial artists in the UFC were “a bunch of fuckin’ posers” and that “it’s about the shit that works”.
What works is aggression, heart, a good chin and a love of fighting. True, Tank had a wrestling and boxing background but, mainly, he’s a wrestler unafraid of being hit. “Fighting is just what I love to do”.
Tank is a real brawler still, 13 years since his first MMA fight. It is hard to argue with his claim that with his entrance into the UFC, along with other wrestler / boxers, the martial arts tournament became MMA. With over 200 street fights, Tank considers himself the real ‘Huntington Beach Bad Boy’, proudly stating in the hype for UFC 43, “I was fighting when the prize was going to jail”.
Abbott’s father, also named David Abbott, said, “He came into this world angry”. And despite being called a bully by Brazilian Hugo Duarte (who he destroyed in UFC 17), Abbott considers himself a warrior who likes to, as he so delicately put it, “correct” guys that are disrespectful.
Upon the announcement that Tank Abbott would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, fans cried out from both sides. New fans of MMA looked at Abbott’s record, claiming his induction made no sense in comparison to Royce Gracie or Randy Couture - yet fans who have followed UFC from the early days know different.
Abbott not was the first brawler (although he was someone who loved to fight, and for that reason alone could win) but he was the first MMA fighter to ever wear gloves. Back then he was laughed at, as it was thought gloves hampered the power of one’s punches, but Abbott’s reasoning makes sense. “I like to hit people. I’ve actually been in a fight so I know that your hands get hurt,” he said.
With a record of nine wins and 14 losses, Abbott isn’t a convincing Hall of Famer. Abbott suffered three straight losses in 2003, which raises the question of why he fought in the first place. Before then, his last sanctioned bout had been in 1998. Of this Tank said, “I shouldn’t have been fighting at that time in my life.” Abbott described himself as being in a “black cloud”, though at the time it was not known he had lost his mother. Taking fights at such a time in his life seems classic self-punishment, however devastating to his story as a once-great UFC fighter.
Abbott has always been criticised for his lack of cardio, unprofessional appearance and love of vodka, but he has been a trusted hired gun for a while now. Even since the early days, he was often called into fights on short notice, with only a day to prepare in his last appearance at Cage Rage. Abbott is undoubtedly part of MMA history. His impact on the sport is undeniable, especially if you consider what Abbott says of Royce Gracie. “Technique anybody can learn – Royce isn’t tough because he knows jiu-jitsu and has been doing it his whole life, he’s tough because he’s a tough human being and was exposed to [jiu-jitsu]. Bottom line, he’s just a tough guy”.
We often look at MMA fighters today and the trait of being a ‘natural fighter’ is considered a strength, something that factors into one’s skill set, just as wrestling and Muay Thai experience would. David ‘Tank’ Abbott’s most powerful weapon wasn’t his big right hand or even his junior college wrestling experience, but his distinction as a true fire-in-his-heart fighter.
5 FACTS ABOUT DAVID ‘TANK’ ABBOTT
- Should you bump into him in a bar and want to buy him a drink, Tank’s favourite is vodka and cranberry juice.
- Abbott did indeed bench 600lb and no, he did not bounce it off his chest (that would hurt, a lot).
- He was the first fighter to wear gloves in MMA, choosing Harbinger bag gloves.
- Tank has a degree in history.
- He rips phone books in half for fun and keeps a bucket of ripped phone books atop his bar at home.
