Christian Churchwell Is Ready for War at Tennessee SLUGFEST 9

Christian Churchwell has made an immediate impact inside the SLUGFEST cage, beginning his career with a perfect 3-0 record. On August 29, the Jonesborough fighter will face fellow unbeaten heavyweight Brady Lane in the second round of the 16-man heavyweight tournament at Tennessee SLUGFEST 9. After the two fighters abandoned the idea of a random drawing and called each other out, Churchwell spoke with SLUGFEST about the matchup, the pressure of the tournament and what Lane should expect when the cage door closes.

SF:  You’ve started your SLUGFEST career with a perfect 3-0 record. What has been the biggest key to your success so far, and how have you improved with each fight?
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Churchwell:  I started this journey for fun. I’ve always liked hand-to-hand combat, as it is extremely intriguing to me. I’ve gotten substantially better; however, the fans really keep me coming back for more. The friends I have made through this promotion also keep me around. It’s a good group of people to be around.

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SF:  This matchup was originally supposed to be determined by a random tournament drawing, but you and Brady Lane called each other out instead. What made you want this fight specifically?

Churchwell:  Danny Hickmann and I really want to see each other in the finals, so we made callouts from two different perspectives. Danny wanted Jimmy Dean, as he said, and I said, “I’ll just fight Brady Lane,” and we will see where it goes from there! Brady Lane was misinformed and, of course, called me a vulgar word in return—but that’s okay. We will test each other on Saturday the 29th, and I’m looking forward to it!

SF:  Brady is also undefeated at 2-0 and has developed a strong following in Crossville. What do you believe makes him dangerous, and where do you think you have the advantage?

Churchwell:  I think Brady’s reach is very dangerous, and he is a really tall individual. I don’t really know where I’ll have an advantage in fighting terms. However, I will get out there and give it my all, like I always do.

SF:  This is the second round of the 16-man heavyweight tournament. Does knowing that one loss ends your tournament run add pressure, or does it make you even more dangerous?

Churchwell:  It has its pros and cons. The pressure is high, but it also makes me dangerous knowing what’s at stake.

SF:  You’re representing Jonesborough against a hometown-area favorite in Sparta. Are you expecting a hostile crowd, and how do you plan to silence Brady’s supporters?

Churchwell:  I’ve always been the outsider, so going against a crowd favorite is nothing new to me. I plan to go in and execute my plan, as I have done thus far.

SF:  When the cage door closes at Tennessee SLUGFEST 9, what should Brady Lane—and everyone watching inside the arena and on pay-per-view—expect from Christian Churchwell?

Churchwell:  As I have always said, be ready for war. I will let my hands do my talking. I’m looking forward to going to war with Mr. Lane.


About SLUGFEST:
SLUGFEST is a Tennessee-based combat sports promotion featuring fast-paced cage boxing, tournament brackets, local rivalries and action-packed fight nights across the region. Built to give everyday athletes and rising fighters a platform to compete, SLUGFEST combines grassroots combat sports with high-energy production, live fan experiences and pay-per-view broadcasts through CombatSportsNow.com