Aguirre takes close nod over Estrada in boxing match

The Complex in Salt Lake City hosted a pro/am boxing card on March 16, and the main event matched undefeateds Christian Aguirre and Bladimir Estrada in a promotional six-round title fight at 168 pounds. It was a fantastic bout (I had the opportunity to view it via Facebook Live (thanks Julian Stevens). It matched the Jake LaMotta-like aggression of Aguirre against the strong boxing and counterpunching skills of Estrada. Aguirre was the winner via a split decision, which was fair, but if Estrada had gotten the nod it would have also been fair. What likely earned Aguirre a win was a knockdown he scored in round 5. I'd love to see these two good prospects fight a rematch, this time over eight rounds.

Here is the undercard: You can see the results at the bottom of this webpage:

Debuting featherweight Brandon Douglas, who Utah Speaker of the House Greg Hughes believes is a great prospect, won his pro debut with a KO in 35 seconds over Andre Kennedy.

Undefeated heavyweight Frank Sanchez Faure defeated Eric Salazar

Heavyweight Eric Wahlin, also an MMA pro, is 2-0 as a boxer after defeating Uchendan Alete.

INVICTA

On Saturday, March 17, the Union Event Center in SLC hosted an Invicta card that was also streamed on UFC Fight Pass. In the semi main, Orem-based DeAnna Bennett won a split decision over Karina Rodriguez, of Mexico. In a preliminary bout, Spanish Fork's Kaytlin Neil lost a unanimous decision to Tracy Cortez of Phoenix, Ariz. The entire card is here. Thanks to Eric Tillotson for keeping us informed of the results via Facebook.

MORE: FitCon MMA card is April 6 at the Salt Palace. In the main event veteran MMA pro Jarome Hatch meets Ben Robinson. A series of amateur state title belts include Destiny McCubbin versus Lauren Chidester, Nathan Owens versus Daniel Arelleno (a rematch of a bout won by Arellano) and Hector Lopez versus Julian Ruiz. The scheduled card is here. ... The regional Golden Gloves are also at FitCon on April 6-7. ... Finally, Northern Utah professional MMA fighter Miles Welk will fight May 18 for SteelFist. He meets another undefeated fighter, Nick Clem, for the promotion's 125-pound belt. The pair were scheduled to meet in Logan earlier this month but Welk was injured.

Jose Haro to defend boxing title on May 12

Some big news in Utah boxing this week. West Jordan's Jose Haro, the USBA professional featherweight champ, will defend his title on May 12 -- against an opponent to be named -- in Wichita, Kansas. Jose's bout, a co-main event, will be televised live via CBS, probably on the CBSSports Network (Xfinity 269).

Also Friday night this week there's a pro/am boxing card at The Complex in Salt Lake City. I'm having a tough time getting info on the overall card, but there's a great main event matching two undefeated Northern Utah prospects, Bladimar Estrada and Christian Aguirre, for the state middleweight pro title. A promo for the bout is at Estrella TV's Facebook page.

In amateur Golden Gloves competition this past weekend Jon Bryant defeated Ramon Lopez and Felipe Nino, and will fight Nikolas Stidham of UCTC on April 5. Michelle Maya defeated Lisa Carroll, and Diego Alvarez, of Ogden, a former national champ, defeated Jay Wright of Foley's gym via decision. Another amateur boxing winner was Anthony Charlie of Lights Out gym. I'd love to have more results, pro and amateur, just message your blogger, Doug Gibson, via Facebook Messenger.

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Lots of MMA action next month and on, here's a schedule from the state athletic commission website. Remember that Saturday night at Union Event Center in Salt Lake City is Invicta 28 MMA card. More about the card in last week's blog.

Also in last week's blog, we mentioned that a little boy battling cancer was to be presented with a belt at Saturday's Mountain Force MMA card. It happened, and it was wonderful. The Logan (Utah) Herald Journal covered it here. ... Card results from last Saturday's Mountain Force MMA card are at Jeffrey "Dutch" Dutcher's Fighting Out of Utah MMA News Facebook page. In the pro main event Allen Silva decisioned Anthony Miller (135 pounds) and the pro co-main had Nick Clem winning via decision over Justus Mi-Gnarly (125 pounds). ... Finally, some pros of note, Fabio Serrao, Kerry Lattimore, and Gabe Pelayo, will be fighting April 28 in Idaho Falls. Serrao will be meeting Andrew Cruz, a good regional pro also, in the main bout.

Mountain Force MMA card this weekend, more

Mountain Force MMA is having its inaugural card in Utah this Saturday in Logan. Let's hope that a good crowd shows up. In recent years a couple of regular MMA promotions in Northern Utah has ceased operating, although SteelFist is still going strong and Jeremy Horn's has a couple of cards a year. It's at the Eccles Ice Arena at 7 p.m. Website is here. The promotion has a strong Facebook presence here. The card is here. Main bout matches Anthony Miller versus Allen Silva, pros. Another pro bout has Nick Clemm meeting Justus Minardi, who is a fill in for an injured Miles Welk. A pro bout matches Andy Pitcher and Ben Goins. An amateur 205 pound title bout matches Joe Flores versus Colton Hildebrand. Another amateur fights has Brittany Guillemin against Stephanie Hernandez.

Readers may have noticed the belt above. It will be at the Mountain Force MMA card. Stackd Fitness and AlphaSetBoxing have come together to donate this MMA championship belt to a child who is undergoing his cancer treatment. They will be surprising him this Saturday at the MMA event. If anyone wants to know more about this and offer assistance you can message professional fighter Christian Nava via Facebook. We give kudos to Stackd Fitness and AlphaSetBoxing for sponsoring this effort.

Mountain Force MMA also plans a June 2 card in Ogden. It will be a Pat Reeves Fight Night with some of the proceeds benefiting the late fighter's family. MMA pro Thomas Hughes will be fighting on the card.

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Fierce Fighting Championship in Price was last Saturday. In the 155-pound pro main event Nate Kearsley scored a decision over Cy Nelson. In a 125-pound amateur title bout Brandon Rease scored a decision (5 rounds) over Thomas Prestriedge. I was able to watch that bout via a smart phone video over Facebook. Both fighters competed very well. To get all the results go to Facebook's Fighting Out of Utah MMA News here.

I also watched amateur kickboxer Kaecy Raddon win a WAKO bout Saturday in Wisconsin thanks to a smart phone and social media. Raddon, who also fights as an amateur MMA, fights for a belt next month in the Pacific Northwest.

Invicta is having an MMA card Saturday, March 24 at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. The card is here. DeAnna Bennett is part of the co-main, fighting Karina Rodriguez of Mrexico. The undercard includes local Kaytlin Neil against Tracy Cortez of Arizona.

Finally, The Complex in Salt Lake City is scheduled to have a boxing pro am card on March 24. I have not garnered much information on it but it has been reported on social media that undefeated professional boxers Christian Aguirre and Bladimir Estrada will be meeting with the state title on the line (middleweight?). 

Interviews with Brandon Rease, Thomas Prestriedge

(UPDATE: We learned this early afternoon that MMA pro Miles Welk has to pull out of his March 17 bout in Logan. He suffered a severe MCL sprain in hand and knee as well as a severely sprained thumb. We wish him well in his recovery. He hopes to fight again in April or May. )

This Saturday night is Fierce Fighting Championship's latest card. You can see it here. The main pro bout matches Cy Nelson against Nate Kearsley. An amateur rematch places Brandon Rease against Thomas Prestriedge. It's for a promotional title and we're very intrigued by this fight. Utah Fight Game interviewed both Thomas and Brandon:

THOMAS PRESTRIEDGE:

UFG: You fought Brandon a couple of years ago, lost a split decision. Now it's for a title. What are you looking for from your opponent? Do you think there's more to learn about your opponent? Or are looking for an updated version of the same bout? 

Prestriedge: I'm looking for a good fight from him, I'm really hoping Brandon has improved since the last time we fought like I have. There's nothing I hate more then a easy fight . I only wanna fight the best! It's the only way I'll ever reach my goal in life.

UFG: What is training like? Who are your main coaches, who are you training and sparring with? 

Prestriedge: To me training is a awesome experience. It's where I get to work on all my weaknesses and spend time with awesome people. I always train harder then the day before! My main coaches are professor Rob Handely, Pedro Sierra, Paul Tom, and coach Pat Garcia and I work on my Jiu-Jitsu at Paul Tom's academy of BBJ and I work on my wrestling sparring and my MMA training at Absolute MMA.

UFG: What advantages do you take into the bout? What are some challenges that your opponent will bring to you?

Prestriedge: I think my advantages in this fight are gonna be my stand up and my Jiu-Jitsu, not to mention my mentality. I am not willing to give up no matter how hard he comes at me! And I think one of the biggest challenges he will bring at me is having the same mindset; he is not gonna be willing to give up either and when both opponents aren't willing to give up that's when the fight really becomes interesting.

BRANDON REASE:

UFG: You fought Thomas a couple of years ago, won a split decision. Now it's for a title. What are you looking for from your opponent? Do you think there's more to learn about your opponent? Or are looking for an updated version of the same bout? 

Rease: I’m looking to see a mor improved Thomas. I have a feeling he’s gonna come at me with everything he’s got and I will be bringing everything I got to him. I know this fight will be a war.

UFG: What is training like? Who are your main coaches, who are you training and sparring with?

Rease: Training, I’m not gonna lie is very brutal. I train at KOA which is now the home for the Garage MMA and we got some high-skilled "bangas" in there, like Bryce Edminister, Bobby King, Miles Welk, Hector Lopez, Bryce Scanlon, Alonzo Salas, Edgar Soto and Kelsey Skillman; so many well-skilled fighters. My coaches are Anthony Lobato, David Castillo and Bobby King! Those are some big names in Utah MMA. Sparring at KOA isn’t no walk in a park and I love it.

UFG: What advantages do you take into the bout? What are some challenges that your opponent will bring to you?

Rease: Advantages I will bring into this fight are I already beat him -- that’s gonna be on his mind this fight -- (and) also my skills in everything have improved since we last fought. The challenge he will bring to me is his reach and heart; that kid can bang. ... also this fight is dedicated to Pat Reeves (Ogden MMA fighter who recently died).

We wish both Thomas and Brandon the best. I admire both these veteran amateurs. Brandon rebounded well from some tough, early losses in his career, and improved to become a consistent winner. Thomas, in his last fight, won a SteelFist crown after taking quite a beating in round one against a very talented opponent. He withstood the early attack and battled back to take a five-round decision. Saturday's bout is also for five rounds.

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A reminder that Mountain Force MMA card is next Saturday in Logan. We have interviewed Miles Welk, pro fighter on the card. The entire card is here. Anthony Miller fights Allen Silva in the main pro bout. Also on the card are debuting pros Andy Pitcher and Ben Goins, and amateurs Hayden Brown and Joe Flores. ... Hector Lopez, 3-0, amateur out of KOA, is fighting on the April 6 FitCon card in SLC. 

Notes: Amateur MMA fighter/kickboxer Kaecy Raddon, who fights out of Colorado now, is competing in a WAKO Team USA  K1 Kickboxing card this weekend in Janesville, Wisc. Raddon will be back in the  cage on April 7 in Everett, Wash., fighting for the Sparta Combat League 155 pound amateur belt. ... By the way, Eric Tillotson is calling the Fierce Fighting Championship card on Saturday in Price. He recently previewed the card on a podcast. You can find it here on Facebook.

SteelFist results, upcoming bouts

A quick Utah Fight Game blog post this week: Last Saturday SteelFist had its MMA pro/am card in Salt Lake City. In the main event Fabio Serrao defeated Cody Bunderson in round three and in another pro bout, Trever Bradshaw stopped Daniel Benjamin Grass is the opening stanza. Amateur winners included Jordan Matrshall, Jayden Marshall and Hayden Brown. ALL THE RESULTS are at the Facebook page Fighting Out of Utah MMA News here.

There was an amateur card Saturday at the South Salt Lake PAL. I don't have all the results but here is what I have:

Austin Garcia dec. Diego Cabrera, 50 pounds (both Team Unbreakable)

Alyssa Mendoza (Alpha Boxing Club) dec. Soledad Rodriguez (Louie's Boxing Club) 114 pounds

Shane Saunders (SSL PAL) dec. Corbin Lloyd (Team Unbreakable) 65 pounds

Erik Castenada (Fullmer Bro. Boxing Club) dec. Joe Gibson (Foley's gym) 95 pounds

Fernando Quintanilla (SSL PAL) dec. Guillermo Martinez (Louie's Boxing Club) 85 pounds

John Ortiz (Reyes Boxing) dec. Robert Chaiarez (Salt Lake City)

Jay Wright (Foley's gym) dec. Abuch Jones (Team Unbreakable) 141 pounds

Nicole Sontag (Logan, UT) dec. Bethanny Wurster (Cache Valley Boxing Club) 141 pounds

Heneli Paea (Salt Lake City) defeated Tyson Haddon (Cache Valley Boxing Club) 165 pounds

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Back to MMA: SteelFist has a great main event on April 13, Clay Collard versus undefeated Carson Gregory. An amateur 185-pound bout will match Eric Munoz, who trains at Foley's, against Cole Shafer. ... Next week is the Fierce Fighting Championships card. A great amateur title bout matches Thomas Prestriedge against Brandon Rease. We should have interview with both on the blog next week.

Here is a list of upcoming events in Utah courtesy of the state athletic commission website. Mountain Force MMA and Invicta are in Logan and Salt Lake City March 17 and March 24. Rumor has it a boxing card is on tap in March kin SLC but it's not listed as of yet. Mountain Force MMA plans an Ogden card in June, and Jeremy Horn's will be in Ogden in August.