Washington State’s Pro-Cannabis MMA Fighter

MMA fighter Talon Hammons talks cannabis and CBD benefits with Evergreen Market. — *Talon wraps up his hands with extra padding on his knuckles for added protection.*

When someone pictures a cannabis user, for the majority there’s imagery of Cheech and Chong that comes to mind. As more people learn beyond the ‘high’ of the cannabis plant, the future is looking a lot different. The opposite, even. Cannabis user’s include billionaires, football players, senior citizens and all walks of life that have discovered THC and CBD benefits.

Talon Hammons, age 26, ended 2018 undefeated in his first year of professional mixed martial arts fighting. He is entering 2019 with a 4-0 record, a hunger to continue his streak, and a special appreciation for cannabis (specifically talking about CBD benefits). Talon trains with West Coast Fight Team in Auburn, WA not too far from where he grew up in Puyallup. At 145 lb’s, Talon fights in the featherweight class.

He began in amateur fights at age 20, his first match as a professional fighter was in December of 2017. He was matched up against Brandon Cromartie. Talon took the win by technical knockout three minutes and 23 seconds into the first round. When asked if he thought he would come out of his first year undefeated his response was a definite “yes”. Beneath the polite, well-spoken surface, it’s clear Talon is driven to keep the wins coming.

Cagesport 54: Hammons vs. Bohem

In addition to pre and post fights, Talon uses CBD benefits for the months of training. — *The West Coast Fight Team Gym in Auburn, WA is Talon’s training home.*

I asked Talon how he felt after his most recent fight against Kevin Bohem for Cagesport 54 at Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, “it didn’t feel good, I pick apart fights.” Talon continued more in depth, “[in] that fight, I had made two or three mistakes I felt were kind of beneath me. I could have put myself in danger.” Talon won by verbal tapout in the second round, but says those couple mistakes dampened the feeling of victory when he was announced the winner. “I have a high standard for what I consider an appropriate victory.”

Cagesport 54 left him exiting the Emerald Queen Casino with a fracture in his foot and a tear in his bicep. It isn’t just the fights that lead to harm, though. “Actually, training has a higher rate of injury.” And that is where Talon’s relationship with cannabis comes in. It’s all about the CBD benefits particularly when it comes to recovery for his body and peace for his mind.

How Contact Athletes Harness CBD Benefits

Talon doesn’t smoke and it’s not the THC that he’s interested in, but rather CBD that makes all the difference. “For me, I get lower back pain that comes from muscles being too tight and it’s really helped with that.” Talon has used CBD vapes for quick relief as well as topicals that help with localized pain due to constantly pushing his body to go harder and do better. “CBD helps me sleep, which I’m always missing out on between having to work and having to train to fight.” Fighting professionally means that recovery is a top priority and thanks to cannabis, CBD benefits are able to help with that in more than one way. “It gives me an improved quality of life, it’s worth the money for me to invest in especially when I’m constantly battering myself over a period of months getting ready for a fight.”

Cannabis in MMA Fighting

Talon Hammon's poses with his amateur belts that he keeps at West Coast Fight Team in Auburn, WA. — *Talon poses with three of the belts he earned during his six years as an amateur fighter before going pro.*

Joe Rogan once said that the majority of MMA fighters smoke cannabis. I had to ask whether or not Talon thought that was accurate. “I think the majority of people smoke cannabis.” He said, putting emphasis on the mainstream ground that weed has gained in recent years. “In MMA it might be more popular than in the general public because we deal with a lot of pain on a regular basis. Cannabis helps with that, whether it’s [high THC] weed or CBD. It helps with the physical breakdown on your body, and the mental teardown of constantly training”. A vape that is high in CBD is Talon’s choice go-to, but he also mentioned he’s currently using Relief Super CBD tincture from Ceres he picked up at Evergreen Market. “Super CBD really helps with turning my mind off which is difficult after training.”

Long Term CBD Benefits for Fighters and Athletes

When Talon thinks about his future there is a concern that comes along with his profession. “I’m afraid of my brain not working when I’m older after taking so many blows to the head”. He’s no stranger to a mind fading with age, and that the injuries he’s had in the cage can’t help. “I’m not super concerned about my knees or wrists or anything, but I need my brain to be there for my wife and my future kids”. Talon will be marrying his fiance this coming May.

When asked about the value marijuana use could have in sports, he cited lack of research as a pitfall when it comes to understanding how many CBD benefits there are. “Because of the stigma and because of the law for a long time, we haven’t been able to get the science and research done regarding what people are already finding. How it helps with inflammation, with injuries to the brain, and damage to the body”. After using it himself and finding success, Talon is a believer in CBD benefits from cannabis.

Talon utilizes CBD benefits to speed recovery, loosen up muscles, and turn his mind off so he can sleep. — *“It gives me an improved quality of life, it’s worth the money for me to invest in especially when I’m constantly battering myself over a period of months getting ready for a fight.”*

The Gameplan for 2019

Cagesport has been a great fighting experience for Talon and he will continue fighting at Emerald Queen Casino again. “We’ll likely stay in the Tacoma area for one or two more fights. My team and management are always looking for bigger and better contracts with larger promotions. I can’t say what the future holds”. Whereas in 2018 Talon totaled four fights, in 2019 he’s planning to do three, but for a very good reason. “I’m getting married in 2019, plan to fight three times, and hopefully stay undefeated”. When asked if the small decrease in fights was to make sure he wasn’t beat up for the wedding pictures, he laughed and confirmed that it is.

“As far as my career goes I don’t like to say anything too specific. I’ll be trying to make as much noise as possible.”

As part of our mission in changing the stoner stereotype and stigma around people who use cannabis, the Evergreen Market is now a proud sponsor of Talon Hammons. To check out pictures from his fights and to stay informed on Talon’s next fights follow him on instagram @talon_rex or facebook, facebook.com/TalontRexHammons.

Written by: Nikki Marangon

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