Gavin Smith Challenges Me to an MMA Fight

While playing the 6 handed event at Borgata last weekend Gavin Smith was moved to my table a few hours into the event. Over the past few years Gavin and I have played at the same table both live and online many times, and he is always entertaining. He talks continuously to everyone not only at the table but around the room as well. He is also action, playing a lot of hands, and although he appears loose and a little reckless at times he really disguises an excellent game rather well. I have seen him again and again get players to go all in when he is way ahead and make terrible calls against him. Up to this point my table has played tight for a six handed game and shortly after Gavin sits down he manages to get a full double up. He calls a 3 big blind raise from the button and the flop comes K 8 4 rainbow and the original raiser bets 60% of the pot and Gavin starts the flapper going and then moves all in for about 30 big blinds. The other guy thinks quickly and calls with K 10 while Gavin tables K 8 and his hand holds. Now the other guy must have put Gavin on air, because that’s pretty much all he can beat. I most likely would have folded AK there because Gavin at that stage of the tournament has 2 pair or a set more likely than not. Anyway it always amazes me how a guy who has played well for several hours losses his mind in a hand.

Gavin then started needling me after I commented about a weight loss bet he was thinking about with “Will the Thrill.” Every year Will ropes a few guys into a weight loss bet for a good deal of money. He always wins, but what’s amazing is he winds up back at the same weight again. He has become an expert on gaining the weight to make the bet. I don’t think Will has ever lost one of these bets. So Gavin, in the middle of this challenges me to a MMA fight.

Now I’m not looking to fight anyone, in fact I don’t think I’ve actually been in a fight since 6th grade, but this challenge kind of intrigues me. I do train pretty regularly at Muay Thai, and although I’m not great at it, I have to think that Gavin is drawing slim here. So I ask what would be the bet. He say’s “I don’t know maybe $20,000?” Now this is starting to sound pretty good to me, in fact if I can get him to $50k I’m all in. So I start negotiating with him and he say’s “maybe now that I think about it you’re a little too eager for this. Anytime some with a 75 pound weight disadvantage is willing to fight me it’s probably not a good sign for me.” Then he withdrew from the bet negotiations, and then busted out two hands later.

All in all it was really quite amusing.