Lowen Tynanes, a professional MMA Fighter based out of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, is looking for his shot to become part of the world’s biggest MMA Organization, UFC. This is an mini documentary by Antonio Agosto and gives insight into Tynanes and his Hawaii MMA roots.
Lowen Tynanes has gone far for himself recently as one of the leaders of the pack in the sport. After going unbeaten in the amateur circuit, the state wrestling champs break out of the Asian scene by stopping Filipino URCC champ, Eduard Folayang in simply his 2nd MMA bout. He immediately follow-uped with three similarly impressive wins, that included finishes against more knowledgeable stars such as Vuyisile Colossa and Felipe Enomoto.
The Hawaiian had 4 massive wins in a period of 6 months, where he asserted a KOTC title and established himself atop the ONE FC light-weight ladder, all prior to his 23rd birthday. People were expecting big things from Tynanes, but unexpectedly this prodigy’s really active calendar ended up being stagnant. He hasn’t competed considering that May 2013, and the reason behind it is an agreement conflict with KOTC.
This wouldn’t be your typical dispute either, as Tynanes declares that he never ever signed an agreement with the promo, alleging that King of the Cage is requiring him to recognize a 3-year agreement with his forged signature.
Tynanes had fought with KOTC as an amateur, and it was from those connections that got him separate deals with Asian promotions such as URCC and ONE FC.
“I initially signed a 6-fight deal with ONE FC over 2 years, which my coach Kai Kamaka and KOTC owner Terry Trebilcock established.”
Following big wins over Eduard Folyang at URCC 22 and Vuyisile Colossa at ONE FC 7, Lowen’s stock rose, and he was offered a shot at the KOTC Jr. Welterweight (160 pounds) belt on April 2013.
“I was given a title shot by Terry and instantly took it. I was not thinking of pay or challenger, (nor did I) think my coach would deal with things like he did, because I trusted him,” Tynanes explains, “After winning that bout, I got paid 1000 to show and 1000 to win. For a KOTC title battle, I seemed like I got duped, so I told Kai ‘I do not want to compete for KOTC, that’s to cheap’.”.
“Out of thin air, KOTC sends me emails and text messages telling me I’m requireded to KOTC with contract, and I have to compete. Me not knowing, I was kinda laughing because they sounded silly,” he recalls, “They then sent me a copy of the contract that looks absolutely nothing like my signature, telling me ‘We have you for three years. We have first rights over you and ONE FC cannot do anything unless KOTC says so’.”.
“I feel broken and helpless searching for a lawyer that wants to fight with me. I have not heard anything from ONE FC yet however I do not believe I will be competing anytime quickly”.
Being stuck for 3 years in an agreement he did not sign, Tynanes has actually been attempting to seek legal counsel to try and leave this bind, but to no avail.
“I’m 1000 % sure I didn’t sign anything with them. I was represented in a bad way”.
“When I told my attorney the scenario, he sent out KOTC a letter asking to be launched due to a false contract or we will certainly be required to sue them for forgery. They didn’t respond with care, just stating they have full rights no matter what.” Tynanes describes, “KOTC just will not budge. They don’t feel threatened enough to do anything. That is why I am on the bench”.
In spite of combating professionally for the promotion once, Tynanes keeps he never signed any handle KOTC. He likewise specifies that he has actually likewise severed ties with his coach, after feeling that both Kamaka and KOTC were included with the 3-year agreement which was established without his approval.
“I have actually never signed anything with KOTC! I got provided the title shot, competed, and afterwards they attempted to make me fight again however I refused,” Tynanes states, “Honestly, I have no idea who signed the contract with KOTC, however I’m being punished for it. Terry and Kai were interacting, and they exercised something behind my back, but I’m 1000 % sure I didn’t sign anything with them. I was set up in a bad way.”.
“Also that is extremely possible that things were set up before hand. KOTC owner Terry and my coach Kai Kamaka are really close”.
Files gotten reveal that the contested agreement was signed on December 12, 2012, and was undoubtedly established long before his lone KOTC bout on April 11, 2013. It also predates the ONE FC contract he did personally sign on December 21, 2012.
“I am not with coach Kai Kamaka. I got away from him after learning everything,” Tynanes stated, “I haven’t talked with him, but my father and his attorney has, and he says he has no idea about anything.”.
This is where statements clash. As far as KOTC is concerned, and officials claim that it was Kamaka who signed for Tynanes.
“On January 15, 2014, Lowen made a statement on his Twitter account that ‘KOTC forged an agreement with my signature …’ This was the first that we had actually become aware of this claim and we instantly investigated,” said Bobby Burguland, the KOTC attorney and VP of Marketing, “It was at this time that we discovered that Kai Kamaka, Lowen’s manager/trainer at the time, had in fact signed Lowen’s name to the KOTC agreement. Kai preserves that he acted with Lowen’s authorization.”.
In multiple statements sent to Bloody Elbow, KOTC authorities acknowledged that they already understand that the signature was created, but they will certainly still hold Tynanes to it.
“From a legal viewpoint, our position is that although Lowen did not really sign the KOTC contract, whether he disputes that Kai had consent to sign his name, he began performance on the contract and as a result accepted its terms,” Burgland continued, “He also acknowledges the KOTC contract when he signed the ONE FC contract, which he also began performance on.”.
Burgland also specified they’ve reached out to Tynanes’ former supervisor, Jason House in an effort to “get Lowen back in the cage ASAP”. They assert to have actually provided to “significantly decrease the period of the existing agreement”, however, conversations never ever totaled up to anything as House had ceased to represent Tynanes.
KOTC creator Terry Trebilcock likewise weighed in as he discussed the situation.
“The story Lowen’s papa want to tell you is that Lowen is a victim,” Terry Trebilcock states, “They claim that his supervisor and trainer Kai Kamaka of the 808 fight factory signed the KOTC contract, on his behalf, so they feel they are not bound to fulfill it”.
“What they do not inform you is: 1. Lowen has actually followed and contended under the terms of the agreement, as if the agreement was enforceable, and 2. Not just did Lowen acknowledge the KOTC agreement (in his ONE FC agreement) but he signed and declared with his initials that he understood he was currently under a 3 year contract with King of the Cage”.
“KOTC will at all cost remain to exercise its rights that Lowen has signed and initialed for more than when,” Trebilcock stated.
The initials mentioned by both authorities is next to a stipulation on the very end of Tynanes’ long agreement from ONE FC.
The hand written clause on the bottom of the agreement specifies that “By signing this agreement, ONE FC understands that in no way does this lessen or make null and void any of my responsibilities or rights I have already granted to King of the Cage Inc. (In deference to my 3 year contract that expires in 2015)”.
Directly on the bottom is an ‘X’ mark signifying where Lowen Tynanes was to scribble his initials, “LT”, at the time the offer was signed. The exact same marks are seen at the end of every page of ONE FC’s 25-page boxer agreement contract.
As it stands, both contracts mention that while the ONE FC arrangement is an exclusive handle a sense, KOTC’s non-exclusive agreement that predates it still has top priority in fight reservations. This leaves Tynanes in a bind, and KOTC is looking to have him complete for them once more before he can even be offered another fight with other promos like ONE FC.
“The plan was for KOTC and ONE FC to work together, and for Lowen to fight regularly for us both. His next fight was supposed to be with KOTC following his 5/31/13 ONE FC fight,” KOTC’s Berglund said, “I think ONE FC agrees that his next fight should be with KOTC. Once that is completed, I am certain they will immediately schedule him.”
If Tynanes’ challenged KOTC contract is followed, he will be under contract up to December 2015.
We can’t wait to see Lowen back in the cage he is a force.
