‘Freight Train’ hopes next fight tracks to professional contract

Gabe Rednose is ready to take the next step in his mixed martial arts career.

If his next fight isn’t that…it’s certainly one that could open the door.

The 2016 Kingfisher High School graduate is set to take on undefeated Trae Cusac for both the California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization (CAMO) and the Hendo’s Fight Night (HFN) state cruiserweight titles.

The fight will take place Saturday, Aug. 19, as part of an HFN card in Temecula, Calif.

“It’s the most prestigious title I can fight for at this level,” said Rednose, nicknamed “The Freight Train.”

He trains mostly in Oklahoma, but will fly to California on Aug. 11 to complete his camp before the fight.

Rednose’s days have been filled with training and rehabilitation - since his last major competition in June 2022.

It was then that Rednose was tabbed to represent the United Stsates in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation Pan American Championships in Mexico.

After reaching the finals, Rednose had to settle for silver when he got caught in a knee bar and had to submit to Mexico’s Aaron Rios.

That was just the beginning of disappointment for Rednose at the time as he learned when he returned to the U.S. that he had a torn meniscus and MCL.

The 205-pounder had surgery to repair the injuries and spent the next several months rehabilitating.

His return to the fight ring was set on June 16 in California and Rednose was supposed to battle former NFL linebacker Kache Palacio.

“I prepared very well and did everything right in that fight camp,” Rednose said.

Unfortunately, Palacio pulled out the week of the fight and after Rednose had already made the trip out west.

In stepped Dan Henderson, who runs Hendo Fight Night.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) hall of famer and MMA legend didn’t step in to fight, but rather to use his influence to find one for Rednose.

“He reached out on all of his social media asking for anyone in the state of California that wanted to step up and fight me,” said Rednose.

Henderson offered to cover all travel expenses and had three different people step up, but none of those fighters could make it work.

“I still weighed in and made the official weight not knowing if I would even fight or not,” Rednose said.

Finally, two hours before the fight card began, an opponent stepped up and a fight was made.

The fighter was 70 pounds heavier than Rednose, meaning no cruiserweight title was on the line - as previously intended.

Still, Rednose wanted the fight.

“I knew I had to honor my sponsor and supporters back home,” he said.

The fight didn’t last long as Rednose won by TKO just 43 seconds in.

He quickly returned home and - not long after - signed on for this month’s fight.

“Since then, I’ve been extremely dedicated working my jiu-jitsu and really buckling down on my strength and conditioning,” he said.

In Oklahoma, Rednose does most of his conditioning and weight work at Kingfisher’s Athletic Loft.

He drives to Oklahoma City to train at Lovato’s School of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. In California, he works at Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai Martial Arts.

“I’m the best I’ve ever felt,” Rednose said.

He said he’ll need to be on point against Cusac, who is 6-0 and ranked No. 1 in Kentucky, Ohio and the U.S. southeast region.

Thefightwilltakeplaceat cruiserweight (230-pound limit).

“I’m having a hard time finding a fight at 205 pounds (light heavyweight), which is my normal weight class,” Rednose said, “so I’m bumping up a weight class to fight him.”

Rednose is the No. 1 light heavyweight in the U.S. as well as Latin America, according to his profile on Tapology.

He’s currently 8-2 with all of his wins coming via first-round finishes, hence the nickname “The Freight Train.”

Rednose in past fights has won the Gladiator Cage Fighting heavyweight championship and the Northwest Fighting Alliance light heavyweight title.

Against Cusac, he’ll have Stevenson, also a UFC hall of fame fighter, and fellow coach Luis Iniquez in his corner for the fight.

It’s setting up to be the biggest fight of his career.

“If I can win and capture that title, it will catapult me into the pro scene and hopefully sign a pro contract with a feeder promotion that can get me to that next big promotion,” Rednose said.

Those promotions include the UFC, the biggest of them all, but also Bellator, ONE Championship and the Professional Fighters League.

But first, he knows he’s got to win in the cage later this month at the Dan Henderson Fight Center.

He knows what’s at stake.

“I’m just looking to do whatever I have to do to make it to the next level to get paid,” he said. “That’s so I can give my family the life they deserve.”

( Ed. note: The fight card will be streamed on combatsportsnow. com)