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What is MMA Gospel?

MMA Gospel is more than just the normal mixed martial arts podcast that regurgitates fighter interviews week in and week out. We are here to help educate the new MMA fans as well as to help the hardcore fan learn more about the industry as a whole. MMA Gospel and MMA Gospel Radio are here to give you a much clearer picture of what goes on behind the scenes. We interview MMA journalists, combat clothing companies, magazine owners, referees and much more. Anyone involved in the sport in one capacity or another you can find here, as part of the MMA Gospel congregation.

The website and radio show were founded and maintained by “The Reverend of MMA” Turk Vangel. Turk had several very successful years as the ambassador of MMA Gospel, and blazed a trail in making the site and radio show a recognizable brand name. In September 2010, Turk made the difficult decision to step down as the leader of MMA Gospel in order to focus his efforts on a lifelong dream. He left the company in the more than capable hands of Dan Griffin, with the website being run by Mallory Mejia and with Gary Friedman at the helm for the radio show. The new leaders promise to the readers and listeners of MMA Gospel and MMA Gospel Radio to not only keep the bar high, but to continue raising it. We will be making a few changes, but all for the better. We promise to keep all the elements you love about MMA Gospel, as well as add some excellent new features. Thank you all for your unwavering support! Please continue checking in with us.

To learn more about MMA Gospel’s current staff members,  we encourage you to read their bios here.

Thank you for joining the MMA Gospel congregation!

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How Did MMA Gospel Get Its Name?

Many have asked about the term MMA Gospel so here is the story behind the name and the founder, “The Reverend of MMA” Turk Vangel.

In the early days of MMA and the internet there were people, albeit not many at the time, going to a very rough and make shift message board to discuss the sport. Turk visited it frequently and noticed a common saying on the board when a member was discussing what they felt was a fact. “That is the MMA Gospel” was a term used frequently to try and end a debate. No arguing with the gospel after all.

Years later Turk was asked to look into becoming an ordained Reverend so he could marry friends. Turk went online and got ordained. After listening to MMA podcasts for a long time, he decided he could do the same thing, but better. He had a vision and just needed a name. There on the refrigerator was a the piece of paper declaring him a Reverend. That is when it hit him, he was the The Reverend and would preach the MMA Gospel. Thus the show was born. We are not a religious show in any way. The beliefs of Turk, Gary and the rest of the staff is something we keep to ourselves as it is not directly related to the sport.

“The Reverend” and Gary interviewed Sherdog.com reporter Loretta Hunt and after telling her the story she aptly dubbed him “The Reverend of MMA”.

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“The Reverend of MMA” Turk Vangel

“The Reverend” Turk Vangel is the founder and former editor-in-chief of MMA Gospel and host of MMA Gospel Radio. He started off many years ago as a wrestler in junior high. This led him to the world of freestyle wrestling which he loved due to the slams and the generally more aggressive style it presented. He was lucky enough to compete in the AAU junior Olympics and the Pan Am Games, and the AAU freestyle nationals. In 1993 he was introduced to the UFC via video tape. He watched everything he could get his hands on and became a fan of Royce Gracie and Bas Rutten over the years.

Eventually, “The Reverend” began to train in mixed martial arts to get a better understanding of the sport. He began training at Beavercreek Martial Arts, a Jorge Gurgel affiliate school under professional fighter Mike Patt. There he studied Brazilian jiu jitsu and Muay Thai. His love for the ground game grew from here. Reverend Turk would scour the Internet looking for MMA news and listening to podcasts until one day he decided that he needed to bring a show to the fans. Something that was pure MMA and not comedy with some MMA thrown in to the show. He started by doing small segments on BengalsWorld News Radio. This led to the starting of MMA Gospel Radio and the MMA Gospel Blog. MMA Gospel Radio became the top ranked MMA podcast online as voted on by the fans and the Reverend looked to keep moving forward and giving the fans what they want. This led to the creation of this site.

Unfortunately, circumstances arose that forced Turk to step away from the world of MMA. He left MMA Gospel in the hands of his co-host Gary Friedman and writer Dan Griffin. The Reverend will be sorely missed and will always be a part of the MMA Gospel spirit he created. Follow Turk on Twitter at www.twitter.com/punkabillyturk

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