Steve "Fire Chicken" Hagara: How The Scrapyard Became Backyard Fighting's Biggest Stage
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Steve Hagara |
| Nickname | Fire Chicken (Firechicken) |
| Location | Gig Harbor, Washington, USA |
| Founded | The Scrapyard (2020) |
| Affiliation | Streetbeefs family |
| Instagram Followers | 1.8 million+ |
| YouTube Views | 540 million+ |
| TikTok Likes | 2.4 million+ |
| Combat Background | Semi-pro MMA fighter, wrestling coach, boxer |
| Motto | "Guns down, gloves up" |
| Management | Foundation Media Partners (as of January 2026) |
Overview
Steve "Fire Chicken" Hagara is the founder of The Scrapyard, a legal backyard fight organization based in Gig Harbor, Washington, that has grown from a small community fight club into one of the most-watched combat sports properties on social media. Part of the Streetbeefs family of fight organizations founded by Chris "Scarface" Wilmore, The Scrapyard has carved out its own massive following with 1.8 million Instagram followers, over 540 million YouTube views, and a content operation that produces dozens of fights per event during peak summer months.
Hagara is not a corporate executive who stumbled into combat sports. He is a former semi-professional MMA fighter, wrestling coach, and boxer who understands fighting from the inside. That firsthand experience informs every aspect of how The Scrapyard operates -- from matchmaking and safety protocols to the in-cage filming style that has become the brand's signature. His hands-on approach, which includes personally diving around the cage with a GoPro to capture the action, has produced a content library that feels more authentic than anything a traditional production crew could manufacture.
In January 2026, The Scrapyard's commercial trajectory reached a new milestone when Foundation Media Partners signed on to oversee brand strategy, content development, partnerships, and merchandise expansion -- a deal that signals the organization's transition from grassroots fight club to legitimate media property.
Background
Combat Sports Foundation
Before founding The Scrapyard, Hagara built a serious resume in combat sports. As a semi-professional MMA fighter, he competed in the regional circuit and experienced firsthand the physical demands, mental preparation, and emotional highs and lows of stepping into a cage against another human being. He also coached wrestling and trained in boxing, developing a comprehensive understanding of multiple combat disciplines.
This well-rounded background distinguishes Hagara from many backyard fighting organizers who lack direct competitive experience. When he makes matchmaking decisions, evaluates fighter readiness, or intervenes to stop a bout, he draws on years of personal experience inside the ring and cage.
The Streetbeefs Connection
The inspiration for The Scrapyard came directly from Streetbeefs. Hagara visited Chris "Scarface" Wilmore's operation in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and saw the model in action: community-based fighting events conducted under rules, with safety personnel present, no admission fees, and no fighter pay. The philosophy of "guns down, gloves up" resonated with Hagara, who recognized that the Pacific Northwest had its own communities where disputes could benefit from a controlled outlet.
The Scrapyard operates as part of the broader Streetbeefs family, maintaining the philosophical and structural foundations that Wilmore established while adapting them to the culture and geography of Washington state.
Career
Founding The Scrapyard (2020)
Hagara launched The Scrapyard in 2020 in Gig Harbor, Washington, a small city on the Puget Sound that seems an unlikely home for a backyard fighting empire. The timing coincided with the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for raw, authentic content was surging and traditional entertainment options were limited.
The early events were modest affairs: a cage set up outdoors, volunteer staff, and Hagara himself filming the action with handheld cameras and cell phones. The production quality was rough, the audio was imperfect, and the lighting was whatever the Pacific Northwest weather provided. None of that mattered. The content was real, the fighters were genuine, and the audience response was immediate.
The GoPro Filmmaker
One of the most distinctive elements of The Scrapyard's content is Hagara's personal filming style. Rather than relying on fixed cameras or a professional crew (though the operation has since added both), Hagara dives around the cage with a GoPro, getting angles and perspectives that traditional combat sports production never captures. The result is footage that puts the viewer inches from the action -- close enough to hear the impact of punches and see the expressions on fighters' faces.
This filming approach became a signature of The Scrapyard's brand. The shaky, immersive footage creates an intimacy that polished production cannot replicate. Viewers feel like they are standing in the crowd, not watching from a broadcast booth. It is the visual equivalent of the organization's grassroots philosophy: raw, authentic, and unfiltered.
Explosive Growth
The Scrapyard's growth over five years has been staggering by any measure:
- Instagram: 1.8 million followers
- YouTube: Over 540 million views and approaching 1 million subscribers
- TikTok: 2.4 million likes
The content pipeline is massive. During summer months, Hagara says The Scrapyard hosts up to 50 fights in a single day. Each event is a content factory, producing dozens of individual fight videos that feed the organization's social media channels for weeks.
The audience has expanded well beyond combat sports enthusiasts. The Scrapyard has collaborated with some of the world's biggest content creators, including iShowSpeed, bringing the organization to audiences that would never seek out traditional boxing or MMA content.
Operations and Safety
Despite its backyard roots, The Scrapyard operates with a level of structure and safety consciousness that reflects Hagara's competitive background:
- Volunteer referees officiate every bout
- Judges score competitive matches
- Medics are present at every event
- No pay-to-play: Fighters do not pay to compete
- No ticketed spectators: Events are free to attend
- Matchmaking: Fighters are assessed and matched based on skill level and experience
The organization functions as a community-driven outlet for competition, conflict resolution, and self-expression. Hagara has described it not just as a fight club but as a community -- a place where people from different backgrounds come together around a shared respect for combat.
The Foundation Media Partners Deal (January 2026)
The most significant commercial development in The Scrapyard's history came on January 27, 2026, when Foundation Media Partners announced a partnership to oversee the organization's brand strategy, content development, corporate partnerships, and merchandise expansion.
Foundation Media Partners CEO Patrick Hughes framed the deal in terms that reflect what makes The Scrapyard unique: "What we love about Scrapyard is its authenticity and the fact that it truly stands alone in the marketplace. This isn't about trying to be the UFC or imitate any other league. Scrapyard is for the everyman and everywoman."
The partnership focuses on long-form and short-form content, athlete storytelling, consumer products, and cultural collaborations. It represents The Scrapyard's transition from a grassroots operation to a professionally managed media brand, while the core identity -- community-driven, authentic, and accessible -- remains intact.
Fighting Style
As a former semi-pro MMA fighter, wrestling coach, and boxer, Hagara brings multi-disciplinary knowledge to The Scrapyard. His competitive background spans striking and grappling, giving him the technical literacy to evaluate fighters across different combat sports formats.
The Scrapyard itself hosts fights across multiple disciplines:
- Boxing: The most common format, with 12-ounce gloves and standard boxing rules
- Kickboxing: Adding kicks to the striking arsenal
- MMA: The full mixed martial arts rule set, including ground fighting
- Grappling: Submission-only or points-based grappling matches
This multi-format approach reflects Hagara's own diverse combat sports background and ensures that fighters from any discipline can find a home at The Scrapyard.
Notable Fights
The Scrapyard's most significant moments are defined not by individual bouts but by milestones in the organization's growth:
- First Scrapyard event (2020) -- The founding fight card in Gig Harbor, Washington, filmed on cell phones and GoPros
- iShowSpeed collaboration -- Cross-platform content with one of YouTube's biggest creators, introducing The Scrapyard to millions of new viewers
- 50-fight summer events -- Peak operational scale, with up to 50 fights hosted in a single day during summer months
- 540 million YouTube views milestone -- Establishing The Scrapyard as one of the most-viewed combat sports channels on the platform
- Foundation Media Partners signing (January 2026) -- The deal that formalized The Scrapyard's transition from grassroots fight club to professional media property
Legacy
Carrying the Streetbeefs Torch
The Scrapyard is the most successful offspring of the Streetbeefs movement that Chris "Scarface" Wilmore began in 2008. By taking the Streetbeefs philosophy -- community-based, rule-governed fighting as an alternative to street violence -- and scaling it with modern content production and social media strategy, Hagara has proven that the model works in any community that needs it.
The relationship between Streetbeefs and The Scrapyard is symbiotic. Streetbeefs provided the blueprint and the philosophical foundation. The Scrapyard demonstrated that the model could be replicated, scaled, and adapted to a completely different geographic and cultural context.
The Pacific Northwest Hub
Gig Harbor, Washington, is now synonymous with backyard fighting in the Pacific Northwest, a reputation that would have been unimaginable before 2020. Hagara has created a regional institution that draws fighters and spectators from across the state and beyond, building community around a shared love of competition.
Hagara himself has reflected on the impact: "It's crazy to think that we've been at this for five years, and that we've really touched a lot of different people's lives, and that they depend on this monthly."
Content Production Innovation
The Scrapyard's approach to content production -- GoPro-first filming, massive volume of fights per event, rapid upload cycles across multiple platforms -- has established a template for how grassroots combat sports organizations can build audiences in the social media era. The operation went from shaky cellphone uploads to full live streams with commentators, slow-motion replays, and multi-camera coverage, all while maintaining the raw authenticity that attracted the audience in the first place.
Mainstreaming Backyard Fighting
With 1.8 million Instagram followers, collaborations with mainstream creators like iShowSpeed, and a professional management deal with Foundation Media Partners, The Scrapyard has done more to mainstream backyard fighting than any other organization in its weight class. Hagara has demonstrated that backyard fighting can be authentic and professional simultaneously -- that structure and production value do not have to come at the expense of the grassroots energy that makes the format compelling.
The "Everyman" Platform
Perhaps the most important aspect of The Scrapyard's legacy is its accessibility. There are no pay-to-play fees, no ticketed events, and no barriers to entry beyond being 18 and willing to compete. In a combat sports landscape increasingly dominated by pay-per-view costs and premium subscriptions, The Scrapyard remains free -- both for fighters and fans. Hagara built a platform for the everyman, and millions of people have responded.
FAQ
Who is Fire Chicken from The Scrapyard? Steve "Fire Chicken" Hagara is the founder of The Scrapyard, a legal backyard fight organization based in Gig Harbor, Washington. He is a former semi-pro MMA fighter, wrestling coach, and boxer.
When was The Scrapyard founded? The Scrapyard was founded in 2020 by Steve Hagara in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Is The Scrapyard part of Streetbeefs? Yes. The Scrapyard is part of the Streetbeefs family of fight organizations. Hagara was inspired to start The Scrapyard after visiting Chris "Scarface" Wilmore's Streetbeefs operation in Virginia.
How many followers does The Scrapyard have? As of early 2026, The Scrapyard has 1.8 million Instagram followers, over 540 million YouTube views (approaching 1 million subscribers), and 2.4 million TikTok likes.
Where is The Scrapyard located? The Scrapyard is based in Gig Harbor, Washington, a small city on the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest.
Do fighters get paid at The Scrapyard? No. The Scrapyard operates as a community-driven organization. There are no fighter payments, no pay-to-play fees, and no ticketed spectators. Events are free and open.
What is the Foundation Media Partners deal? In January 2026, Foundation Media Partners signed on to oversee The Scrapyard's brand strategy, content development, partnerships, and merchandise expansion, marking the organization's transition to a professionally managed media property.