Over the last few days there has been an onslaught of drama involving Fight To Win Pro, Tom DeBlass, and a BJJ black belt from Erie, Pennsylvania, named Dan Swift. Swift said and wrote some things back in 2015 that sparked outrage from certain elements in the jiu-jitsu and MMA community and was later arrested, charged with, and convicted of certain charges involving dog fighting, a conviction that he is currently appealing.
Swift was recently added to and then subsequently removed from an upcoming Fight To Win Pro card and there have been several articles written about the situation, including comments from Fight To Win Pro’s kingpin Seth Daniels as well as Tom DeBlass. Swift recently chatted with me and shared some of his thoughts on the situation. These thoughts are Swift’s alone, and do not necessarily represent this writer or any other writers on the Jiu-Jitsu Times staff.
For starters, Swift feels he has been treated unfairly by the jiu-jitsu media.
I was not placed in prison for 10 months.
My sentence was suspended and I was released pending my appeal. Had I been incarcerated for 10 months, being that my sentencing was August 3rd, I’d still be incarcerated and obviously not attending a grappling tournament anywhere.
I know you all (Jiu-Jitsu Times’ staff) don’t get paid a huge amount of money when your articles get published but this guy (the writer of the articles covering this topic) might as well work for CNN for as good as he is at reporting fake news. It’s ridiculous that anyone would submit an article without fact checking every detail. Especially when he’s paid to do so.
Swift’s feelings about being cut from the F2W pro card are a bit less pointed.
Eh… It was whatever, it didn’t really surprise me. I was kind of wondering what kind of **** storm was gonna come from it anyways. When I first heard I was laughing my *** off and my phone was blowing up with notifications, it’s just typical BJJ politics.
I can’t compete, but athletes with sex crime convictions and convictions for abusing their girlfriend or spouse are okay to compete. They have athletes that grapple on their cards that have tested positive for steroids, arrested for drugs, etc… It’s okay for them to compete but not me. I’ve never had sport politics on my side ever. So I just shake my head and chuckle about it.
As many readers may know, Tom DeBlass has had choice words for Swift, referring to him as evil and openly challenging him to a fight. DeBlass has taken to social media to call Swift out, and here’s Swift’s response.
Tom is a Bully that’s just Facebook thugging for likes. I find it funny that he can’t keep my name out of his mouth. All he’s using me for is to make himself more popular. Anyone that has some common sense should be able to see through that fake *** **** he’s doing. Dude makes a post and talks **** on me. I respond to his post and he blocks me, LMAO!!! Then he continues to talk **** after I’m blocked, like okay who the **** are you talking **** too???? You blocked me, lol! Are you talking to yourself???? Then he makes a post that says something about 10 grand. Why don’t you unblock me ***** and send that **** to me and we can discuss it. You know why he doesn’t do that? Cause he knows I’ll show up. He doesn’t really want to fight. No one thinks I can win, so what’s the point. I’ll fight anyone, I don’t care if I win or lose. I like to fight. He’ll never shut me up.
One point I was interested in exploring with Swift was his thoughts on violent criminals competing. His opinion was interesting.
I don’t care what someone’s done. In sports you have competitors that have committed nearly every crime imaginable. So I could care less if they compete or not.
I would be for their (criminals’) participation. I’ve seen a different side of the world than most. I’ve had training partners in boxing that have murdered people. I have friends doing life in prison for murder. I have friends that have been arrested and jailed for human trafficking, drug dealing, assault, you name it. I have friends that are in gangs and friends from the picket white fence side of life too. I have friends from all walks of life and it has taught me a lot about this world in general.
I don’t worry about what other people are doing. I worry about myself and the ones that are close to me. I ain’t got time to worry about who’s competing in what and what have they done badly on their past. Lol, that **** is a joke. People need to just mind their own ******* business. It’s always the people that are the most miserable. They’re the ones worried about what everyone else is doing. I’ve seen and done things in life most have to buy a movie ticket to see happen. So let people compete in sports and mind your own ******* business.
Though Dan has been convicted, he is currently undergoing an appeals process. I was curious about the status of that process.
As far as my appeal, if it had no merit or basis, it would have been rejected in the first 30 days after being filed. When it was accepted, I was released from prison after serving 23 days of a 10 month sentence pending the outcome of my appeal.
Now that in no way implies that I am guaranteed a victory, however, the majority of people who appeal their conviction spend that waiting time in prison pending the outcome and the appeals are typically rejected within 30 days. Since my appeal was accepted it could take up to a year and possibly a little longer for the appeal process to be complete. Beyond that I’m not all that familiar with the appeal process and just receive updates from my lawyer as they become available.
This is Dan Swift’s response to the recent drama and uproar on social media. He plans on speaking on an upcoming podcast as well. Any updates to this situation will be reported as they arise.
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