By day, he’s known as Chance Rencountre, but by night, Pawhuska-born Osage tribal member Chance Rencountre takes the mixed martial arts ring as Black Eagle. In homage to his roots, Rencountre is known for carrying the Osage Nation flag into the ring as he’s introduced before the fight.
This Saturday, tune in to see Rencountre represent the Osage Nation in the nationally televised Bellator MMA co-main event fight on Showtime from inside the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
“I’m excited to perform, to headline one of the largest promotions out there and hopefully put a number by my name,” Rencountre said. “At the end of the day, it’s a really big stand-out fight for this one.”
He will wrestle Bellator Welterweight Champion and No. 9-ranked Andrey Koreshkov (24-4). Rencountre is 16-4 with seven first-round finishes.
Rencountre wrestled all through his youth at Pawhuska High School, and into college at Labette Community College and Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Wrestling match after wrestling match led to his pro first title at the DCS Welterweight Championship and a title at the C3 Fights Welterweight Championship. When he’s not working as an independent contractor, or as an MMA fighter, Rencountre is a proud father to his young daughter, Suri.
“It’s always been an honor that I grew up on the reservation,” Rencountre said. He explained that living in Pawhuska his whole life was special, and to come back is equally as special.
“I left to chase my dreams, and that’s what everybody wants, is to chase their dreams. So now I get to go home and show all the kids that I came from this little reservation and look, I made it,” he said.
Rencountre says the secret to success is dedication, and hard work so even if you come from a small town you can truly do anything.
“I’m proud to come from the reservation and that I can put a little bit of light on being a Native American pro athlete. It’s really humbling.”
Tune in at 6 p.m. ET, Saturday, Feb. 19 on Showtime to see Rencountre fight in the nationally televised Bellator MMA fight.
