BOCA RATON, Fla. – Tyrone Spong has been competing in combat sports for more than two decades, but he’s still driven to find fresh experiences.
Spong is one of the few athletes who has found success at a high level in kickboxing, boxing and MMA through the course of his career, even if some of his potential was hindered by injuries.
he hasn’t seen any sort of action in 14 months since he made a return to MMA to lose a main event fight against Sergei Kharitonov under the Eagle FC banner. It’s been a useful layoff, though, Spong said, because he traveled to his native Suriname and took some time to heal his mind and body.
“I think in life in general it’s a necessity to really do something for yourself, for your soul,” Spong told MMA Junkie of his journey through the Suriname jungle. “For your spirit, and that’s what I went and did.”
At 37 and with a fresh mindset, Spong said he’s “open to everything” as far as next career steps. He’s not contractually linked to anyone at the moment, and with the combat sports scene exploding in various different ways, Spong is willing to consider a move in any direction.
“The landscape of fighting is changing rapidly,” Spong said. “There’s a lot of new promotions, a lot of new styles of fighting. So, it’s a good time to be a fighter.
“Right now I’m back, I’m hungry, I’m motivated, I’m in the gym every day. I’m just getting in shape and getting ready for whatever. Let’s talk to (my manager) Ali (Abdelaziz) about that and see what he’s got for me. Other than that I’m feeling good.”
Hungry and motivated Tyrone Spong ‘open to everything’ in rapidly evolving combat landscape