Opportunities to fight at home are a coveted prize for local talents hoping to hear a knock at the door by breaking down the barriers that are hampering their personal development. By doing so, they can kill two birds with one stone and erase shortcomings in one fell swoop, using them as motivation when they encounter a fork in the road for an even better performance the next time out. In today’s episode of Across The Pond, you will be introduced to a ground gripper whose submissions have the opposition reaching out at smokey straws. A professional mixed martial artist since March 2025 and representing Memento Combat Sports, Johnathan Waid holds a 2-2 record with both of his victories coming via submission. He has fought for Aries Fight Series and Legacy Fighting Alliance. Waid has spent his whole career in the United States in his home state of Tennessee. Each of his finishes during his career as a professional MMA fighter have been inside the opening round within a time frame of five minutes or fewer with times of one minute and 13 seconds and one minute respectively. Waid has finished both of his wins through four appearances in the professional ranks. He also fought for Aries Fight Series as an Amateur before turning professional.
In his professional MMA debut at Aries Fight Series 30, he faced Michael Douglas and went on to tap him out in round one. Then at Aries Fight Series 32, he submitted Chance Gillbride in the first round via armbar. The win notched Waid the second submission victory of his professional career in addition to his second first-round finish. He also secured his second overall win as a professional mixed martial artist in the process. Waid’s wrathful coils will slowly squeeze unsuspecting prey like air being let out of a balloon bouquet!
