PEACE RIVER, Alberta – A new fighting league has sprung up in northern Alberta over the last fe months, but not the typical cage matches the public is used to. The new GGA fighting circuit isn’t all about humans, but bears as well.
DICK RINGER, GGA PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER
The Grizzly Grab Ass League is just like it sounds. We put a grizzly bear in a cage with an out of work oilfield grunt and let them fight, but we watch closely for safety reasons. If it looks like the bear may be in danger, we stop the fight. We don’t want any animals getting hurt in this process, it’s all about fair sport. – Dick Ringer, GGA President and Founder
The amt chew began when a roughneck on a drilling rig climbed into a dumpster to retrieve an accidentally dropped glove. He hadn’t noticed that a grizzly bear had already gotten into the bin to dig through the garbage, and the fight was on. He fared well for his size, standing a slight 5’3″, 110 pounds. The grizzle left with a black eye and a swelled lip, Johnny had a few scratches and a bitten hand, but was otherwise fine. After the incident, a small, secretive league of bear fighting began to occur in camps and around rig sites. After a few months, Mr. Ringer had the idea to capitalise on the events and start the GGA league.
Tyrese Clobberfist & a fist full of winnings
I was fighting bears in dumpsters for a few months before Ringer got involved. He’s really changed the sport. The bears are rounded up the day of the fight instead of being held in a pen for future fights, and they are fed well before and after fights. The bear wranglers clean them up and brush them up so they look better for the crowd, and we have gotten better at taunting them. It all makes for a great show and we have Dick to thank for it. – Tyrese Clobberfist, GGA Champion, August 2015 Pro Circuit
So far there is no way to see a GGA fight unless you are in attendance or happen to catch a a fleeting glance at a youtube video before it gets pulled down, as no cameras are allowed at the fights for issues surrounding the bears privacy. Tickets are available at several gas stations and a few hotels in the Peace Region, as well as small, private vendors on Kijiji and Craigslist.
