When 'Phoenix Jones' needed a win at WSOF 23, he channeled The Iron Sheik

Ben Fodor, the man best known as “Phoenix Jones,” knew he was in desperate need of a win at WSOF 23. So he did what any costumed crimefighter would do: He channeled a professional wrestler.

“It was such a mix of things,” Fodor told MMAjunkie after the win. “At the time of it, I was thinking, ‘Am I seriously going to get the neck scissors right now? I’m going to get him with a pro wrestling Iron Sheik. I’m going to do it.'”

Fodor (6-1-1) took on Roberto Yong (2-3) at this past Friday’s WSOF event in Phoenix, and the 27-year-old knew he needed a victory. Brought into the promotion earlier this year as a high-profile free agent, Fodor did not impress in his WSOF debut and suffered a decision loss to Emmanuel Walo in a lackluster contest.

Fodor said WSOF matchmaker Ali Abdelaziz made it clear another loss simply wasn’t going to be beneficial.

“Ali came to me and said, ‘Look, we’re paying you a lot of money. You didn’t win the first one. If you don’t win this one, we’re not going to cut you, but you’re going to have to take along break before you come back,'” Fodor said. “I was like, ‘So basically, I need to win this fight or my career is on a lot of trouble.'”

Things didn’t go Fodor’s way to start. In fact, he and Yong went toe-to-toe in a few exchanges during the 160-pound catchweight fight, and Fodor appeared to be a bit wobbled. But when the fight hit the floor, Fodor took over, eventually locking in a rarely seen leg scissor choke to end the fight at the 3:09 mark of the first round.

Fodor said it’s a move he’s practiced as setup for another submission, but quick thinking led to a tap.

“I love pro wrestling; I do it on the side,” Fodor said. “It’s an old-school pro-wrestling move, but it works really well with the kimura. So you’re hitting the kimura, and if the guy tries to roll to the left to block himself, your leg ends up one leg on the front and one leg on the back of his neck. It blocks out the carotid arteries, and you can shut him down.

“But normally when you’re squeezing, a person will turn back up, and you’ll end up with the kimura. I had the kimura in so tight he couldn’t turn. Then I saw that maybe he wasn’t going to quit, so I hit him in the stomach, and he let the air out. And when he went (gasp), I clamped it again, and then I knew he was in trouble. Once you let the air out, you can’t fight a choke with no air.”

To hear more from Fodor – who also allegedly broke up an armed attack just one day after his victory – on his performance at WSOF 23, check out the video above.

And for additional coverage of WSOF 23, check out the MMA Events section of the site.