Canadian-born heavyweight Ben (Vanilla Thunder) Tynan makes his entrance at One Championship: Haggerty vs. Andrade on Nov. 3, 2023, at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Tynan submitted South Korea’s Ji Won (Mighty Warrior) Kang in the third round. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-One Championship **MANDATORY CREDIT**

Last time Ben (Vanilla Thunder) Tynan was at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, the Canadian-born mixed martial arts heavyweight left with a win and a US$50,000 bonus.

His mother turned out to be the benefactor from Tynan's Nov. 3 One Championship debut.

"I ended up taking her to England," Tynan said. "We checked out some cool spots. It was a good time."

"That's kind of my plan," added the six-foot-three 225-pounder. "I want to give back to my poor mom. She's put up with me for so many years and has given me so much. And now I'm in a better spot, I definitely like taking her out and doing fun stuff."

Tynan (5-0-0) gets back to business April 5 when he takes on Australian Duke (The Duke of Canberra) Didier at One Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas at the same venue in Bangkok.

The main event sees Surinamese-Dutch fighter Regian Eersel defend his One lightweight kickboxing world title against undefeated Frenchman Alexis Nicolas. In the co-main event, 21-year-old American Tye Ruotolo puts his One welterweight submission grappling title on the line against Australian Izaak Michell.

The 30-year-old Tynan says his mother now accepts what he does for a living.

"The only time I went against my mom's advice was when I was getting into fighting," he said. "I normally ask her about every big decision I make in life. And she's always guided me in the right direction. But I remember getting done with wrestling in college and I told her I was getting into fighting. And that was the only time, she didn't want me to do it.

"I said 'Sorry, Mom. I have to do this.' But she's all on board now. She still can't watch it live, but she supports it."

Tynan is a larger-than-life character always equipped with a ready quip.

Asked after his last outing who he wanted to fight next, Tynan replied: “Anybody. I don’t care who it is. Send anybody you want. Just not anyone you want back.”

He celebrated the win by ripping off his Canadian tuxedo T-shirt, à la Hulk.

A former Canadian junior national wrestling champion, Tynan grew up in the U.S. and calls himself “Camerican.”

His father Charles was originally from Fort McMurray, Alta., meeting his wife Lisa on vacation in her native Hawaii. After his father died in 1995, his mother remarried and the family moved to Seattle in 1999.

Tynan grew up in the Seattle area, often visiting relatives in Canada during the summer, and also spent a little time in Hawaii. He started wrestling in middle school and won the 2014 Canadian Junior Freestyle National Championship at 264.55 pounds in Edmonton.

He was a walk-on at Highline Community College, a junior college in Des Moines, Wash., where he earned all-America honours to complete a 26-4 sophomore year. He came north to train at Simon Fraser University while at junior college and contemplated transferring there but eventually chose North Dakota State.

He got interested in MMA at Highline, whose alumni includes former UFC middleweight Trevor (Hot Sauce) Smith.

Tynan now lives in Denver where he trains at Elevation Fight Team alongside Curtis (Razor) Blaydes, ranked fifth among heavyweight contenders, PFL light-heavyweight Ty (Big Medicine) Flores and UFC light-heavyweight Zac (The Ripper) Pauga.

The bonus cheque from the Kang fight has made things easier.

"Before I would train full-time and I'd also work my construction job, on the side," Tynan said. "So I was juggling a lot, between bills and just getting gas in my car. I'm at the point now where I can train full-time. I recover well. I'm more laser-focused on just fighting."

Otherwise life hasn't changed much.

"I hang out with the same people. I drive the same old truck. I keep things the same," he said. "It's been working so good so far."

Tynan enjoys the benefits of not having to cut weight as a heavyweight.

"I kind of eat good," he said with a laugh. "Maybe good's not the right word. But yeah, I eat a lot. And pizza's on there."

While he says he cleans his diet up in the weeks leading up to a fight, he says he follows "the seafood diet."

"I just eat everything in sight." he said

The 34-year-old Didier (8-2-0) is coming off a split-decision loss in his One debut to Uzbekistan's Jasur Mirzamukhamedov via split decision in June 2022.

Didier, head coach at his Progression MMA and Fitness gym in suburban Canberra, has fought just twice since September 2019. But he has held Australian titles in judo, jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts.

Tynan is chill towards his next foe.

"I wish him well … He seems like a nice guy," said Tynan. "I've nothing against him. Bless his heart."

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2024

News from © The Canadian Press, 2024