STORMIN’ MORMON

WASILLA — Elliott Gilbert is probably not seen as a typical cage fighter.

At Colony High School, the 2010 graduate was active in the theater program and the starting goalkeeper for the boys’ soccer team. Nearly a year out of high school, Gilbert works about three jobs and will be heading off on his Mormon mission later this year.

See him in street clothes, and most would probably think the closest the 5-foot-7 Gilbert would come to a cage fight is watching from the stands.

Gilbert doesn’t see himself as a confrontational person and doesn’t see the point of fighting outside of a competitive sport.

But Gilbert is a fighter, ready to knock any preconceived stereotype across the ring and silence any doubters in the process.

Last Saturday, Gilbert was part of an eight-match fight card in the Alaska Fighting Championship Mat-Su Showdown 4 at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center. It was the second fight of a career that started after watching another AFC fighter, Colony High friend David Crozier, in action.

Gilbert said he remembers watching the fighters in the bantam class the night he hit the popular mixed martial arts event to watch Crozier. He thought this is something he could do.

Now, he’s Elliott “The Stormin’ Mormon” Gilbert.

After he told people he was going try mixed martial arts fighting, people didn’t believe him. It’s not the first time folks have said he couldn’t do something. People thought he was too short to play in goal on the soccer field. But he proved them wrong, Gilbert was a high school standout.

Now, Gilbert’s ready to prove people wrong again.

“I’m going to show you what I can do,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert made his Alaska Fighting Championships debut in January. He didn’t train much, and actually received the offer to fight the day before his bout. Gilbert lost that match, but said it’s one he could have easily won.

“If I was in training condition, I would have won that one,” Gilbert said. “My work schedule doesn’t allow me to train a lot. I wasn’t in shape to fight, but I want to show everyone I would fight.”

Gilbert has had the chance to train a bit at Black Lake Jiu Jitsu in Wasilla and he works out with Crozier. He’s a scrappy, wiry 5-7 and 135 pounds. On Saturday, he came out firing, landing and overhand right before taking his opponent to the ground.

He ended up losing the match. Gilbert was forced to tap out after getting pinned up against the far end of the ring just more than three minutes into the first period.

Gilbert was initially set to face another fighter, but his opponent was switched soon before the event. He had built a particular strategy for that other opponent.

“My friend and I worked a lot, training for this other kid,” Gilbert said.

Regardless of outcome, Gilbert was clearly a crowd favorite, receiving a huge ovation from the Menard Sports Center fans.

Gilbert is getting great response, he said, and he’s certainly surprising people, proving all the doubters wrong. He brings energy to the ring, and fans love his “Stormin’ Mormon” nickname, he said.

“My first fight, the announcer came up to me and told me that was the coolest nickname he’d ever heard,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert participated in a variety of sports growing up, everything from baseball, to hockey to soccer. He tried wrestling and boxing when he was younger, but now he’s training in a wide range of mixed martial arts disciplines.

He considers himself as more of a defensive fighter, but has worked through a variety of MMA tactics.

Gilbert said he’s learned it takes technique, conditioning and heart to power through an MMA match. Tolerance of pain also seems to help.

Gilbert is one of at least five recent Colony grads active in AFC, but part of the Alaska Fighting Championship boom in Southcenteral Alaska. AFC’s popularity continues to spike, thanks in part to the Valley’s growing number of fighters and fans.

With two matches under his belt, Gilbert may be done for the season. But he plans on returning to the ring. After his Mormon mission, he’ll be ready for college. He hopes to return to the theater and the soccer field while studying political science at a four-year school. A military officers program and career in politics are also in his sights.

Theater and soccer remain the biggest parts of Gilbert’s life. But he’s having fun with MMA. Even after the loss on Saturday, with a slight bit of blood dripping from his nose, he couldn’t help but grin.

Gilbert’s loving proving the doubters wrong.