Canadian MMA Fighter Ben Tynan's Lifelong Love for The Used

Ahead of ONE Fight Night 40, Tynan explains how the post-hardcore band became the soundtrack to his life.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Canadian heavyweight MMA fighter Ben Tynan, known as "Vanilla Thunder," has been a lifelong fan of the post-hardcore band The Used. Tynan first discovered the band's hit song "The Taste of Ink" as a child living in Seattle, and the band's music became the soundtrack to his adolescence. In 2009, Tynan even skipped school to see The Used perform live at a concert in Seattle, where he moshed in the crowd. Now, as Tynan prepares for his fight at ONE Fight Night 40, he reflects on his deep connection to The Used and how their music has influenced his life.

Why it matters

Tynan's story highlights how music can become deeply intertwined with one's personal experiences and identity, even shaping the trajectory of someone's life. The Used's raw, emotional sound clearly resonated with Tynan from a young age, and their music has remained a constant presence as he has pursued his MMA career. This connection to the band's music speaks to the power of art to inspire and motivate people, even in unexpected ways.

The details

Tynan first discovered The Used's hit song "The Taste of Ink" when he was a child living in Seattle, borrowing his brother's copy of the band's self-titled debut album and playing it on repeat. He went on to become an avid fan, consuming the band's subsequent albums like 2004's "In Love and Death" and 2007's "Lies for the Liars." In 2009, when The Used was touring in support of their album "Artwork," the then-high school sophomore Tynan skipped school to see the band perform live at the Showbox SoDo venue in Seattle. Despite being a "little dude" who got "tossed around" in the mosh pit, Tynan reveled in the energy of the concert and the connection he felt to the band's music.

  • In September 2002, The Used released their debut single "The Taste of Ink".
  • In 2004, The Used released their platinum-selling sophomore album "In Love and Death".
  • In 2007, The Used released their album "Lies for the Liars".
  • In 2009, The Used released their album "Artwork" and went on tour, which Tynan attended as a high school sophomore.
  • On February 13, 2026, Tynan will compete at ONE Fight Night 40.

The players

Ben Tynan

A Canadian heavyweight MMA fighter known as "Vanilla Thunder" who is a lifelong fan of the band The Used.

The Used

A Utah-based post-hardcore band that became one of the most popular acts in the genre, with albums like "In Love and Death" and "Artwork" resonating deeply with Tynan.

Bert McCracken

The frontman of The Used, whose anguished vocals on songs like "The Taste of Ink" captivated Tynan from a young age.

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What they’re saying

“The Taste of Ink' is, like, the classic. That was the first one I heard as a kid. It was on my brother's CD, and I remember going, 'Ohh, this is cool.' And what made it worse is I was so excited about it. I kept listening and listening to it.”

— Ben Tynan, MMA Fighter (Yahoo Sports)

“I went through a huge phase. I actually really liked their album Artwork. That came out when I was in high school, and it doesn't get a lot of credit. But man, something about those songs, they hit so hard. Album-wise, I love Artwork. In Love And Death is an awesome album too.”

— Ben Tynan, MMA Fighter (Yahoo Sports)

“That was my first big concert. I went to little shows before when I was younger, but I remember I was living in Eastern Washington at the time, and my sister was back living in Seattle. I had a buddy, and we road-tripped there. We had to skip school to make that concert, so we skipped a day of school and then went to Seattle and saw them. It was sick.”

— Ben Tynan, MMA Fighter (Yahoo Sports)

“It was packed, and I remember being a little dude getting all jacked up. There was a mosh pit, I went in it, and I got tossed around because I was a little pipsqueak back then. But, you know, it was good vibes. Everyone had good energy. It was really cool.”

— Ben Tynan, MMA Fighter (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

Tynan will compete against Japanese knockout artist Ryugo Takeuchi at ONE Fight Night 40 on Friday, February 13, 2026.

The takeaway

Tynan's lifelong passion for The Used's music has been a constant in his life, even as he has pursued a career as an MMA fighter. This connection to the band's raw, emotional sound speaks to the power of music to inspire and motivate people, shaping their identity and experiences in profound ways.