Ed Weiser never doubted his son could be great.
That’s why when Eddie Weiser, Jr. approached his father and told him he wanted to give up playing football in order to focus on mixed-martial arts, the elder Weiser said “that’s awesome.”
“At first his mother and I were sad to see football go away,” Weiser said. “But I always knew he could be great in whatever he put his mind to. I’ve never seen a kid with the kind of heart and drive that Eddie has.”
Eddie Weiser was a standout football and hockey player during his time at Grand Island High School. He served as captain of the school’s hockey club and ran for nearly 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season with the Lions.
It was his impressive high school statistics along with that same heart and drive his father noted that caught the eye of head football coach Jerry Boyes upon Weiser’s arrival at Buffalo State College.
“He was one of the top athletes in Section VI,” Boyes said. “I immediately thought he had the makings to become one of those pretty good ones.”
Boyes was right.
Weiser immediately made an impact at linebacker for the Bengals, finishing fifth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference with 79 tackles (eight for a loss) while adding four interceptions, one sack and a forced fumble during his freshman season.
Following his breakout year, Weiser was named the 2009 NJAC Rookie of the Year.
It was during his freshman year, though, that Weiser was introduced to mixed-martial arts by a teammate of his. From there on out, he was hooked.
He began training in between football practices, which was embraced by Boyes and his coaching staff at the time as an opportunity to improve his overall athletic ability, something that would surely help him on the football field next season.
But Weiser would never return to Coyer Field. In the spring of his freshman year, Weiser decided to forego his final three seasons as a Bengal in order to pursue a career in mixed-martial arts.
“I love fighting. I love the one-on-one competition. I love everything about it,” Weiser said. “I always enjoyed football, but it came down what I wanted more. Every day I’d have to wake up and want to do whatever I chose. There was no doubt in my mind that was fighting.”
Boyes said he remembered being caught slightly off guard when Weiser approached him to inform him of his new plans and admits he had high hopes for the talented linebacker. But ultimately Boyes said he understood Weiser’s desire to pursue his dream.
“He would have been one of ‘those linebackers,'” Boyes said, referring to Weiser’s potential. “He had what we call a nose for the ball, the instincts that not many guys have. I’m sure of it now that Eddie would have been the unquestioned leader of our defense today.”
Although Weiser’s decision to leave football behind may have left many in shock, it’s much less surprising when you consider his achievements in the ring up to this point in his young career.
Weiser had plenty of experience fighting before he began playing football at Buffalo State. He’d spent much of his childhood watching his father train in kickboxing and in 2007, he won the Western New York Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament as a 16-year-old by defeating a 29-year-old man.
That didn’t surprise Weiser’s father.
“I’ve been around boxing for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of great fighters during that span, but Eddie has the quickest hands I’ve ever seen,” he said. “He learns so fast from his losses. Within a week he’ll come up with six ways to beat the guy the next time.”
In March 2010, Weiser won his first fight as an amateur fighting on the undercard in the popular Raging Wolf promotion at the Seneca-Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls.
Since then, Weiser is a combined 4-1 as an amateur with two knockouts.
Today, he trains out of Victory Mixed-Martial Arts and Fitness in North Tonawanda as well as Casal’s Boxing Club in Niagara Falls while still attending Buffalo State.
He’s scheduled to make his professional MMA debut on Friday in Philadelphia as part of Locked in the Cage IX at Asylum Arena on the city’s south side.
Weiser will be taking on Philadelphia-native Harry Dickey, another former amateur fighter making his pro-debut, in a matchup that Weiser remains confident he can come out on top of, despite a few admitted jitters.
“I’m a little nervous but I couldn’t be more excited. I definitely like my chances,” he said. “I get all my confidence from my trainers so I don’t think anyone is able to beat me right now. I’ll be going for the knockout.”
Weiser’s manage, Don Lilly, has equally high hopes.
“The kid (Eddie) has unlimited potential,” he said. “He shines under the big lights.”
Brandon Schlager can be reached by email at schlager.record@live.com.