Butterbean vs. Patrick Smith: An American Tragedy
We had neither the time nor interest to watch YAMMA live, so if you want a more detailed recap of the sad spectacle than we had in our results post. But if you want the entire depressing, cut-rate experience boiled down into three minutes, look no further than the “Masters Superfight” between Eric “Butterbean” Esch and Patrick “Pillbottle” Smith. Cheers to Smith for dodging Butterbean’s infamous haymakers; jeers to Esch for not being able to get to his feet after slipping. Smith simply got down next to the 416-pound beached whale and dropped punches until Dan Miragliotta decided that the 200 audience members had gotten their money’s worth. If only ‘Bean could have fallen onto the revolutionary YAMMA incline instead — who knows what could have happened…
The YAMMA Experiment
YAMMA Pit Fighting was the brainchild of Bob Meyrowitz, the man who helped launch the original UFC in 1993. Its big idea was a ring floor that sloped upward at the edges, the “incline” referenced above, meant to keep fighters in the centre of the action. The concept did not catch on: the April 2008 event in Atlantic City was the promotion’s only show.
What Happened to Butterbean
Eric “Butterbean” Esch was one of combat sports’ most recognisable cult heroes, famous for four-round boxing shows and a Toughman background. Despite this loss he kept fighting in MMA and boxing for several more years, mostly on smaller regional and international cards, and remains a fixture of “freak show” fight nostalgia.