TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa is the host city of the SMOKE & GUNS MMA & boxing charity event. The event is being held at the BOK Center starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 23.
Oklahoma Firefighters will go toe-to-toe with Oklahoma Police Officers in an event to benefit the Oklahoma Firefighters Burn Camp and Oklahoma Special Olympics.
Nolan Boyd is a Tulsa firefighter and one of the fighters taking part in the event.
"It just seemed like an awesome event and an awesome opportunity that I feel like I'd be kicking myself for a long time if I never took part in it," Boyd said.
Boyd lives in Stillwater and wrestled at OSU.
He credits his wrestling past and involvement with Athletes in Action for helping him prepare for this weekend.
"So, everything kind of fell into, I feel like a really good timing to do this. Because I've been working out with the team. And I feel like my shape is good," Boyd said.
And, he'll have a big name in his corner, OSU's wrestling coach, John Smith.
"There's a lot of ties to OSU in this event now, and it happened pretty, pretty quick. And it's, it's kind of cool," Boyd said.
The SMOKE & GUNS pits firefighters vs. police officers raising money for two great causes.
Boyd said, naturally, both professions attract some competitive people.
But at the end of the day, that competitive nature is being used to achieve one goal.
"I don't know, it's just an awesome either way, it's a win-win," Boyd said.
And with the more tickets purchased, the more money donated.
"I think it'd be awesome to have as many people as we could get, maybe even pack the place out, that would be awesome," Boyd said.
Boyd originally applied to be a Tulsa firefighter because of Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.
“So, I went through the year-long process of getting your EMT going through the application process, which takes a really, really long time,” Boyd said. “And then, actually the governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, I ran into him at an event, American Ninja Warrior, it was at the state capitol, in Oklahoma City, and actually ran into him there. And he said, Hey, what are you doing? I said, Well, I'm applying to be a firefighter. And he said you have to apply at Tulsa. He said Tulsa is one of the best. You've got to apply there. So if the governor of Oklahoma tells you to do something, I guess you do it. And so that's what I did. And I applied and thankfully got on. And so that's how I ended up here.”
If you'd like to get tickets to see the fights, click here.
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