As a mixed martial arts fighter, I'm naturally a competitive person. So put me in a room full of men -- 13 other men to be exact -- competing for a gorgeous woman, and it's no doubt going to be a full throttle, pressure cooker situation until the woman makes her final decision.
I have never thought of myself as someone who would be on a reality show, especially competing for someone's heart. Nothing against reality shows, but it was never something that I envisioned for myself. But when the opportunity was presented to me to be on TV One's The Ultimate Merger -- and you add in the fact that it's a beautiful woman like Toccara -- the decision was an easy one.
As an athlete, I spend most of my time in intense training. Any free time I have has been devoted to CHAMP, a nonprofit founded by my brother, Keith, working with inner city kids helping them to build their minds and bodies through mixed martial arts. I'm in a place now where I am ready to have a good woman in my life. Yes, being in a relationship is important to me, but it's more important to me that it be the right person.
People may be surprised to find that in addition to Toccara being a sexy, vibrant lady, she is also very focused, intelligent and has a huge heart. It's not hard to fall for Toccara because she represents everything that makes up a good woman. I can only speak for myself but going into the show, I did not really know what to expect. I can say, though, that I've come out of the experience with so much respect for Toccara and everything she has accomplished.
Relationships are not easy; but having someone in your life who is on your side, and you on theirs, makes everything we go through worth it. On the show, we as bachelors are put through some challenging -- both physically and intellectually -- exercises in order for Toccara to see what we're really about and made of. So be prepared to see us sweat, battle it out, and outmaneuver one another to the final episode. Who does Toccara choose? You'll have to watch, and you will not be disappointed. Think of it like The Bachelor meets Survivor. It's got all of the competitive drama combined with intimate moments between the bachelors and Toccara. And the mediation room is no joke. Each week, you never know who's staying and who's going.
What I hope viewers will take away, at least from my participation in the show, is that strength and leadership are not only about what you say, it's in what you do and how you approach everything in life. I say what needs to be said when the time is right and I get my point across without any misunderstandings. Sometimes that causes friction amongst the other men, but being a man is all about standing up for what you believe in. No disrespect, but that's how I live my life -- with honor, and truth, and integrity.
The second season of The Ultimate Merger, starring supermodel and television personality Toccara, premieres on TV One on Thursday, August 4th in a special 2-hour episode from 9:00-11:00PM EDT. The premiere episode will repeat on August 4 from midnight - 2 AM. After the premiere week, new episodes will air Thursdays from 9-10 PM ET and repeat from midnight - 1 AM ET. Kevin "King" Casey is one of the bachelors who will compete for Toccara's heart. Stay tuned starting August 4th.