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MICHIGAN-BORN ROHN BECOMES MMA STAR
David Rohn has finally found something worth fighting for. Rohn, 25, grew up in one of Muskegon's rougher neighborhoods, where fighting was a part of his everyday life.
He eventually channeled his aggression into an outlet on the football field, but poor decisions cost him a chance to play college ball. His life was spiraling out of control until two years ago, when, as he put it, he finally decided it was time to grow up.
So Rohn, who now lives in Grand Haven, married his longtime sweetheart and best friend, Megan Sheehan, also of Grand Haven. Soon after that, the two celebrated the birth of their son, Dawson.
Along with his newfound joys and responsibilities, Rohn craved for a way to stay in shape and still keep his competitive edge. He turned to MMA — mixed martial arts — and it's been a match made in heaven.
Wednesday night, Rohn will take on Johnathan Dutton in the UCF Cage Combat MMA at the Annex next to LC Walker Arena in Muskegon. A victory would boost his two-year amateur record to 10-0, and would hopefully open doors for Rohn to move on to the next level of cage fighting.
"It's a long, tough road to make it in mixed martial arts," said Rohn, who is sponsored by Killer Fight Gear and also works full time at Magnum Coffee. "The sport had blown up all over the United States, and Michigan just recently, within the year, made it legal to have professional fights in Michigan. We were one of the last states to do it."
That means fighters no longer have to travel across state lines to participate in the sport that has captivated fight fans across the nation.
For Rohn, the sport is a perfect outlet. "I've always been competitive. I played football and baseball growing up, but I had some bad choices in my life," Rohn said. "I hit a rough spot, but finally pulled my head out of my butt and married my best friend, Megan."