A former BYU punter knocked out his opponent in the first round of his amateur mixed martial arts bout.
Mikkelsen has been training with former BYU tight end Kyle Griffitts near Provo for the fight. Griffitts made his MMA debut this weekend on the same card, organized by Fierce Fighting Championships. Mikkelsen is on his fourth fight, going 3-1.
“I know he is a kicker,” Griffitts said. “But man that guy is huge, gets after it. Fighting is the best workout of your life.” Griffitts and Mikkelsen are part of a growing contingent of former BYU players who have taken to MMA in recent years. BYU defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki fought in six MMA bouts when he was younger. Jan Jorgensen, a former player who joined the Cougars’ staff last week as a defensive analyst, also has a background in mixed martial arts.
Since, Tuiaki has funneled players into the sport. Now, BYU players go to a gym in Provo called Agema to train. The practices usually last around three hours and focus on the core principles of jiu-jitsu. Mikkelsen played at BYU in 2014, then from 2016-18. He forced a fumble as a kicker against Mississippi State and mostly was a kickoff specialist.