T.J. Hepburn, 2012 NCAA Division II wrestling champ for University of Nebraska-Kearney, will make his professional mixed martial arts debut Saturday night.
In his first pro fight, the former UNK Loper mat star will face fellow rookie Jeremy Mier at Resurrection Fighting Alliance?s RFA 3 event at the 5,000-seat Viaero Event Center in Kearney, Neb. on the same card where Bubba Jenkins, 2011 NCAA Division I champ for Arizona State, will have his third pro bout, taking on Jesus Adame.
However, Hepburn is hardly new to MMA. According a Thursday profile in the Kearney Hub, Hepburn was introduced to mixed martial arts during his junior year at Ledyard High School in East Hampton, Conn. He's had three amateur MMA bouts, with the first back in July 2007.
Hepburn's wrestling career goes back even further. The Connecticut native first took up the sport at age 4. In high school, Hepburn was a four-time state finalist and three-time state champ, compiling a 200-4 record. He started his college career at Colby Community College in Kansas, where he was a NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) runner-up at 149 pounds in 2008. At Nebraska-Kearney, Hepburn was a three-time NCAA D2 All-American, concluding his career by winning the 157-pound crown at the 2012 NCAAs by pinning Jarrod Shaw of West Liberty at 1:17 in the title match.
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