Boxing at The Complex; Michelle Maya, GG champ

There's boxing tonight at The Complex In Salt Lake City. One of the pros fighting is undefeated prospect Gabriel Chairez (seen above in his amateur days). He will fight Felipe Medina Jr., of Oregon, at 130 pounds. Also, Bladimir Estrada,  a super-middleweight who just lost a tough, narrow decision to Christian Aguirre, fights Jerhed Fenderson of Las Vegas.

Gabriel's brother, Ignacio Chairez, also undefeated, was scheduled to fight but his opponent fell out late. That's a tough break; we hope to see Ignacio back soon. The Complex is at 536 W 100 South in SLC. Doors open at 7, fights start at 8 p.m.

MICHELLE MAYA, NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMP

A big shout out for Northern Utah amateur boxer Michelle Maya, who captured the National open Golden Gloves championship recently. She's the 119 pound champ. In fact, three women boxers from the Rocky Mountain region made it to the finals. Idaho's Kendra Reeves won the 152-pound title. Maryguenn Vellinga took runner up at 112 pounds. The Deseret News' Amy Donaldson covered the recent Golden Gloves well. Here's a story on Maya and others. Top of Utah men at the nationals included Lights Out's Jon Bryant, who lost a split decision in the opening bout, and Los Gallitos' Diego Alvarez, who won in the first round but was decisioned in bout two. Utahns Matt Searle and Milo Gomez also lost decisions.

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THE PACK TALK ABOUT PAT REEVES

Later this month, we will preview a SteelFist MMA card and a Mountain Force MMA card. The latter card is dedicated to the late pro fighter Pat Reeves, with a portion of proceeds being donated to his family. Recently, Matt Oyler's Undefeated by Choice video podcast sat with several of Reeves' The Pack fighters, who will be on the card, and they talked about Pat and MMA. It's a great watch.

FINALLY, STEELFIST RESULTS

There was a recent SteelFist MMA card. In the main bout, Eric Iman, heavyweight, defeated Samuel Sprauer via unanimous decision. All results are here at Jeffrey "Dutch" Dutcher's Fighting Out of Utah MMA News Facebook page.

Chats with Larry Gomez, Christian Aguirre, Francisco Alcantara

On Saturday, May 26, Imperial Boxing Promotions, headed by Trifon Petrov, of California,  returns to the Davis Conference Center, 1651 N, 700 West, in Layton, for a night of boxing. The main event matches undefeated Utahns Larry Gomez and Christian Aguirre for state middleweight rights. The pair will also be fighting for another title, the AmericanBoxing Organization’s regional middleweight title, according to Juan Curiel of the ABO.

A bout between Aguirre (winning a bout, at left, below) and Gomez (scoring a KO above) has been long anticipated and has gyms across the state buzzing with talk of who will prevail. Aguirre, in a recent state super-middleweight title fight, took a close nod over previously undefeated Bladimir Estrada. Gomez, who had an impressive amateur career, won a state title recently, stopping a previously undefeated opponent, Donald Griffin.

Utah Fight Game blog will be ringside for the card, which starts at 6 p.m. I’ll be reporting on the bouts, and Charles Presnell will be taking pictures. At the end of this article we have comments from both Gomez and Aguirre, as well as comments from local boxer and MMA pro, Francisco Alcantara, who also fights on the card.

According to Josh Morales, of Imperial, here is an update of the card 9 days before fight night. Amateurs: Jonathen Montalogo vs Rena Mendoza is one bout. Mateo Holt and Jay Wright are scheduled to meet opponents. Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves champs  Michelle Maya and Jon Bryant are scheduled to meet opponents.

Here’s the pro show: 122 pounds, Julio Martinez vs Jair Nava; 170 pounds, Enrique Ojeda vs Francisco Alacantara; 147lbs Anthony Ayala vs Justin Morales; and the main title belt between Gomez and Aguirre.

STEELFIST MMA FRIDAY NIGHT: Before we get to the interviews with Aguirre, Gomez and Alcantara, SteelFist MMA has a good pro/am card on Friday, May 18, in Salt Lake City. The doors open at 6 p.m. at the Union Event Center with heavyweights Eric Iman and Samuel Sprauer in the main event. A very intriguing co-main matches flyweights Miles Welk and Nicholas Clem for the professional promotional belt. A pro lightweight bout matches Nathan Kearsley against Idaho’s Kerry Lattimer (fighting for the third time in three weeks). There’s a whole night’s worth of bouts. It’s at 235 N. 500 West. The card, without Lattimer as replacement noted, is here.

BACK TO INTERVIEWS: Both Aguirre and Gomez were presented with the same questions. Gomez chose to be more brief in his responses. They are both good fighters and great individuals and we wish them the best.

CHRISTIAN AGUIRRE:

The most important reason why this fight means everything to me is because I get to show of my Heavenly Fathers name (CRISTO) in front of a big crowd. What motivates me most about this fight is that the odds are against me because my opponent hits super hard so it motivates me to wake up and run up the mountains. I just want to shock everyone once again because I know I work harder than he does. He may hit harder but I know I work harder.  (Photo below shows Aguirre, at right, sparring at the gym)

My fighting style is more old school like great legends such as Gene Fullmer, Roberto Duran. Marvin Hagler, Julio César Chavez Sr, Jake LaMotta, and Rocky Marciano. My opponent’s strengths are his speed and power but … I know I have more heart than him to make him quit ... I only had one amateur bout but he’s had a little bit over 60 amateur fights. I used to spar him and he’s the real deal but I know that I won’t be alone in the ring that night. 

My training consists of waking up early in the morning and running up at the state capital and up the Ensign Peak. I do a lot of sprints to mimic the intensity of the bout and countless workouts later in the day. I’m also sparring with a few people for this bout such as Shilo Platts, Francisco Lopez, Julian Ruiz, and Nate Kearsley. I’m literally putting everything I have into this and I know the results will be good this May 26th. Huge shoutout to gyms such as BFit, Lights Out Boxing, Fullmer’s Boxing, UFC Gym, UCTC, Hidden Valley, KO Reyes Boxing, and Louie’s Boxing for molding me into the fighter I am today. 

Being a fighter has improved my life by keeping me disciplined and away from trouble. I used to street fight a lot growing up in Jalisco, Mexico. I used to fight for money and beat kids up in order to buy chips or soda. I also got my first knockout as a 4-year-old against a bigger kid than me when we would fight in the broken-down bricked houses. 

I grew up very poor and hungry but also angry because my biological father left me when I was just two years old. I would fight in elementary school all the way through high school until I ended up at the hospital once because my own friends jumped me but I made sure they ended up at the hospital also. After all that drama happened I decided to go into boxing and I don’t regret a single minute of it. I know I was born for this and I’m not afraid of any man with two arms and a chin.

After winning this fight against Larry Gomez 6-0-0 (6KOs) I will show off my Heavenly Father’s name to the world because I know my purpose is greater than money and fame. I used to be the weakest one in the gym. They used to drop me and bully me in that ring but it only made me stronger. I’m just ready to show the lake that Goliath is just a man. I’m just ready to become a world champion after this Great War with Larry. I give my God all the glory and I thank my family and everyone who is supporting me or has helped me in the past. This one’s for the underdogs! 

... Tony Fulilangi and Rick Manzanares are training me. Tony fought Big George Foreman.

LARRY GOMEZ: 

I don’t really want to give out my information  but … I’m training harder than ever and I’m 100 percent ready. I’ve never wanted to knock someone out more in my life after all the crap he talks. He’s finally gonna’ get what he’s got coming. Team Gomez is finally back and I always go for the knockout; that’s my style -- knockout punching. (photo below shows Gomez with handlers after winning state title)

ALSO HERE’S OUR CONVERSATION WITH FRANCISCO ALCANTARA

I’m stepping back in the ring because I want to try and make something happen; … I love fighting and I’ve been a striker in my MMA fights. My style will be the same, an aggressive approach and everything will be thrown with bad intentions.

I’m training with Danny Garcia and getting my sparring sessions in with The Pack members at Foley’s gym as well as Justin Roberts, my longtime friend. ... I don’t know much about my opponent but I just see him like any other opponent I’m coming to put him out.

I've enjoyed watching Cisco Alcantara fight for a long time. The best of luck to him and all the boxers that night. It’ll be great to see professional boxing back north of Salt Lake City. There’s another pro/am boxing card in SLC on June 1 from Flash Academy at The Complex. Bladimir Estrada will be on the card.

SteelFist results, Raddon, Kelton fight this weekend

Although the poster says April 7 in Everett, Wash., an amateur title bout between Nasona Johnson and former Utahn Kaecy Rraddon for the Sparta Combat League 155-pound title is actually this Saturday in Denver. Several fighters with Utah ties are on the card (MMA bouts here). Besides Raddon and Nasona, Hayden Brown, an amateur who fights out of One Hit MMA, battles Joshua Cordova, and Allie kane fights Megan Winick.

Also competing in a kickboxing bout against Brandon Taylor is Top of Utahn Jarrett Kelton. Besides having compiled a career in MMA, Kelton is a highly regarded kickboxer, as is Raddon, who compete in WAKO-sanctioned bouts. I chatted with Jarrett recently about his career and the upcoming Sparta card.

KELTON: "I'm just training at ONEHITMMA, teaching Bangmuaythai two days a week. I have a pretty busy (schedule), working full time (at) Juvenile Justice at Mill Creek Youth Center, teaching, training and raising my 17-year-old son, Rhett Kelton . We travel out to LUDWIG Martial Arts (in Colorado) every other month to dial in skill sets With Duane Ludwig, Bangmuaythai drills. I am the Bangmuaythai affiliate coach for Utah. Aldo Oreggia Owner/Head Coach At ONEHITMMA, has been great to work with over past years . He is great coach and friend. Myself, Allie Kane , Hayden Brown and KC Raddon will be fighting This Saturday in Denver for Spartan Combat League."

The Sparta card starts at 1 p.m. and should be livestreamed at their site. The Facebook page is here.

STEELFIST: Results from last week's SteelFist card is at Fighting Out of Utah MMA News Facebook page. In the main pro bout, former UFCer Clay Collard handed Carson Gregory his first loss via a second-round stoppage. That was for the 170-pound belt. In another pro bout, 145 pounds, Bryce Edminister stopped Karl Grace in round one. Winning in amateur title belts were Lehi Dominguez and Bryce Scanlon.

-- A couple of pro boxing notes: Bladimir Estrada plans to return to the ring in June and Francisco "Cisco" Alcantara, who is also a pro MMA fighter, plans to box on May 26 in SLC.

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?). 

Weekly update of the fight game in Utah

Last Saturday was a fight night at Foley's, an amateur boxing card. Winners included Jon Bryant, Michelle Maya (seen (at right) fighting Mary Quinn below) and Jesus Saldana. There was a 10 count prior gto the fights in memory of the late boxer/MMA fighter Pat Reeves. In the other photo trainer Dave Foley tends to fighter Joe Gibson between rounds.

There were three events last weekend devoted to Pat Reeves memory, and at the memorial service on Sunday it was announced that Boston University researchers will study Pat's brain as part of an effort to learn more about potential damage to the brain after years of fighting. This is a good effort that may help increase our ability to protect fighters. Read about Pat here and it includes a link to a Go Fund Me page to assist his family with funeral costs.

--- Tomorrow night is SteelFist MMA action at the Union Event Center (235 N 500 West) in Salt Lake City. Card starts at 7. It's a big card (see it here). I'm very interested in the main event between Fabio Serrao and Cody Bunderson and a pro bout between Trever Bradshaw and Benjamin Daniel Grass. Amateurs competing include Jayden Marshall, Jordan Marshall, Brittany Guillemin, and Hayden Brown.

-- We have learned that two undefeated Utah boxing prospects, Bladimir Estrada and Christian Agguire, will meet in March for a state pro title (super middleweight). Also in boxing, local pro Tim Carroll traveled to New York recently, losing a decision to Akeem Mauzon. ... In MMA action, local Josh Burkman fought on last week's UFC card in Omaho, Neb., losing to Alex Morono. ... Also, pro grappler John Valentine will be competing in Utah on May 5 at the Proving Grounds Super Fights.

Boxing, MMA Jiu Jitsu results and more

A quick blog this week:

Some boxing news: There was a pro/am card last weekend at The Complex in SLC. I'm a bit frustrated at not getting results but here is what I have: Undefeated young pro Bladimar Estrada is now 5-0 after logging a win. Female boxer Lisa Carroll was a winner as was amateur boxer Jay Wright of Foley's gym. If we get more results we will share them.

The Complex may have another card in March. Also, as we have mentioned, West Jordan pro boxer, and world ranked featherweight Jose Haro will fight March 17 on ESPN, nationally televised, at Madison Square Garden in New York City against another world-class boxer, Jean Carlos Rivera.

Jiu Jitsu -- As we mentioned last week, John Valentine, who is competing in Jiu Jitsu and has won a world belt, competed professionally in a Submission-Only card alongside his three sons, Cody, James and Kyle, in five-minute bouts. All competed well and you can read about the fights, see photos and watch a video at John Valentine's Facebook page. Valentine went the distance, meaning a draw, with Mark Wegener.

On social media this past week Valentine announced he will have another sub,mission-only bout soon in Utah. We'll keep on top of that.

In MMA, Rowdy Akers, a pro fighter from One Hit MMA, headlined a pro card in Casper, Wyo., but came ups short against Kehlin Rozsel. (You can see a photo spread of the card via the local media here). Unfortunately, Rowdy broke his hand in that bout and will miss a planned March fight.

More info: Amateur MMA fighter Destiny McCubbin will fight at FitCon in April in SLC for a Utah belt. Pro Jarome Hatch is also on that card. Amateur Brandon Rease will be fighting for a Fierce Fighting Championship belt soon. Pro Bryce Edminister of KOA gym plans to fight again soon. Kaecy Raddon, who has relocated to Colorado the past year or so, fights Dean Cotton for the Sparta Combat League amateur featherweight belt in Denver on Feb. 10. 

And remember The SteelFist MMA card this month is on the 24th at the Union Event Center in SLC. Cody Bunderson versus Fabio Serrao is a strong main pro bout but there are a lot of bouts, including a pro bout between Trever Bradshaw and Benjamin Daniel Grass. Here is the promotion's Facebook page.

Former MMA fighter John Valentine on competing with his sons

As readers can see from the above poster, a combat sports dad is sharing the competition with three of his young sons this weekend just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. It's called Submission Hunter Pro 22, and it's promoted by Eric Garcia. 

My friend John Valentine, who wrapped up a pro MMA career last year, coming up short in a brutal battle with Rowdy Akers, is still competing. He's the current 2017 IBJJF Master Ju Jitsu World Champion and still is a matchmaker for female MMA fighters, and a fight manager.

Besides training, he works full time for a biotheraputic firm as an area manager. Saturday night is "Superfight," submission-only grappling, roughly 30 fights, including Valentine and his sons.

John has shared observations with us about retiring from pro MMA action, his current efforts in Ju Jitsu, and training with his sons.

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How did you know it was time to go from MMA?  That’s a difficult question but the answer for me is that it is time if you truly listen to what your body and mind are telling you then you will know.  Having been involved in competing and fighting since 2000 in fight after fight my body (but definitely not my heart) began to tell me it was time. While as far as stamina goes I knew I could still fight for years to come, however the risks of injury far outweighed the benefits. I knew of the potential dangers and knew it was only a matter of time before some potential irreversible damage occurred.  While my training was always on point, risks were rising with every fight and was it becoming progressively harder to heal each time.  For years I feared the inevitable would come and ironically in a twist of fate on the night I announced my retirement, it did.  On the fateful night of my last MMA fight with my friend and opponent Rowdy Akers, I suffered a concussion early on about 45 seconds in and remember very little on from that point.  As I endured almost 30 elbows to the face and though I went on to “zombie through” 3 grueling and back and forth competitive rounds, the bloody aftermath left me with an unforeseen and brutal outcome.  I suffered 29 stitches to my face internally and externally, a broken nose as well as a fractured orbital and lost my normal speech for days following leaving the hospital.  In addition, my short-term memory is and may not likely ever be the same as it was before that night.  To make matters worse, the many friends and family (most notably my four young sons) that had gathered to support me that night had to watch as I tried to fight and stand up in the cage only to slip and fall in puddles of my own blood.  That night solidified in my mind the risk of continuing on in the sport that I loved. Being here for my children in the future is far more important; after that night I realized that my career truly was at its end.  Most importantly, MMA took so much time away from raising my sons.  Even as I shared my victories with them they suffered from my absences. In Ju Jitsu it’s just the opposite: they are a part of it as they compete alongside both myself and each other.  While I truly loved the sport, when I took a step back and reflected upon what was most important to me I realized it was time to focus on my other passions and life goals.

So do you regret MMA and that bloody fight? Absolutely not.  I believe that on the backside of fear and things that challenge us are lessons that can’t be gained from safe spaces, winning or acting in the realm of the average. Nelson Mandela said it best when he said “I never lose. I either win or learn.” That last night in a cage I was hurt as I had my first “loss” and yet it was my best fight/learning experience.  I made so many great friends such as the Patton brothers of SteelFist Promotion who gave me many opportunities to challenge myself.  I was honored that night to receive a recognition award from Steelfist and the MMA community.  I was honored to have been involved with the organization in so many ways as a fighter, matchmaker, and co-host of the TV show and ringside commentator.  Fighting has helped me show others that despite fighting into my mid 40s age is just a number. This sounds strange but the defeat that night helped propel me forward into my next chapter.  That night’s blood bath removed fears I’d had at competing at a national/world level and helped make me mentally strong before I stepped on the mat at the Ju Jitsu World Championships in December. I told myself nothing would be harder than what I went through that night so why be nervous?  MMA has always been a young man’s sport and is amazing if kept in the right context.  It can also be a destructive ego force that can damage so much if you let it so don’t; stay grounded.  Utah MMA is alive and well and I am honored to have put on many battles and to have gained the fans and friends I had. 

Any words to new MMA fighters? Yes…learn that it’s not all about you.  It’s about your team, your coaches, your family, and the promotions and that it takes everyone to help you.  The spotlight of the cage can amplify the best and/or worst qualities in us so it’s up to you to recognize which is which and then represent yourself and team to the best of your ability.

Do you have a favorite Utah MMA fighter? Yep. Carson Gregory who is truly an inspiration and represents the next generation of fighters.  I don’t see any ego, simply a focus on faith, fighting and family.        

So tell me about your transition from professional MMA fighter to professional Ju Jitsu fighter for those making that switch? I have nothing negative to say about MMA but I am very much enjoying this chapter of my life.  The rise of professional jiu-jitsu has flipped an old idea on its head and here’s why:  the popularity of MMA over recent years has led to some of the most talented MMA fighters current and past making the switch to professional and competition jiu-jitsu.  Whatever you are seeking awaits you.  Thus if it’s important to have your name up in lights, you can.  If you want to produce far more money in the bank than the average MMA fighter…you can as you can fight every week if you want to but without the same level of physical risk.  Need sponsors? Many are willing to support your efforts financially. For myself I was not as concerned about sponsorship as I was about leaving a legacy and continuing on in a sport where I could excel at the highest levels until I was well into my 70’s.  My long-term goal is to chase lifetime goals in the sport and not chase wins or a record as I stopped keeping track of my grappling record after over 100 competitive matches.  The professional ju jitsu scene appeals to both practitioners and fans of combat sports and can be just as nasty when you enter in submission-only super fights that can take place in the mat and in the cage.  For those seeking the glitz and glamour of MMA you can still get that but perhaps without the physical risks of MMA. When you fight at a higher level, that fight is in your blood and I will be forever grateful for my MMA career. I hope to stay involved to some capacity but the feeling of victory in the cage can never surpass fighting alongside my children in local or pro Ju jitsu matches.

So you can make money outside of MMA?  You can make money in whatever you decide to put your heart and soul into, but yes normally in the pro tournaments it is winner take all. In some cases you are paid for super fights and there are many sponsors willing to supplement your efforts if you are a respectful ambassador to the sport. For me personally I choose to donate all my winnings to charity, but there are many avenues to create a revenue stream outside of MMA if you so desire.

Tell about what you have been able to accomplish since leaving the sport of MMA?  I feel both humbled and proud to have accomplished so much starting with helping 3 of my children compete and train more and watching them win national championships and become medal holders.  I was also honored that my professor, the great Robert Drysdale, felt me worthy to receive my black belt in Ju jitsu.  This journey for me took about 17 years of training and it meant so much.  In December I competed and became a 2017 Ju Jitsu Masters World Champion which was an honor.  In Ju Jitsu the medal and the title means the world but you get to reflect upon this victory only for about 30 seconds on the winner’s podium;  It then becomes an afterthought and the work continues to challenge yourself to get to the next level.  You will get no accolades from your coaches or teammates past the day you win; you may get some level of respect but there is expectation to get back to work and be better the next day.

Tell me about your upcoming Super fight with your own sons? This fight is both symbolic and historic for me as it represents an opportunity to step on the mat for one moment in time with my sons for one pivotal night. It is a submission only, no points professional match where the winner takes all and the loser takes nothing home but lessons.  I am proud to see 3 of my 4 sons step on the mat, the youngest being 7 years old.  I cannot imagine at 7 years old what it would be like to step on a mat in front of thousands of people. Regardless of whether we win, lose or learn it will be a magical night for all of us.  For many years my children have watched me with a certain kind of awe reserved for idols because I am their father and they watched as they sacrificed time with me, always understanding that I was trying to set an example for them of sportsmanship, dedication, humility and honor.  This time, I am the one who is honored to step into the arena with my children to support them in their own battles. In this journey my goal is to teach them a little something along the way about strength and honor, and to show them that I am in awe of the dedication and passion and commitment that they have shown to this sport and to themselves along the way.  This is their night.

Though I am forever grateful there is a big world past MMA. Ju Jitsu gives me the thrill of the fight, continues the love of the sport, brings a bit of extra practice to hone my skills even further, shows my boys that jiu-jitsu truly erases limitations and gives us years of time to succeed, fail and enjoy each other as a family.

John offered these thoughts about fight week and competing with his sons: Well it’s fight week is upon us and my boys and I are looking forward to a successful weigh-in. The week of the fight is one of the most important for us as weeks of hard work and failure are now being funneled into 5 days. Our coaches and team have paved euphoric path for us to follow and it’s still not over as my boys and I look to balance and maintain not just physical but mental health. Each of you have helped in this journey through your kind words and support. We love you all. I have seen each one of my boys begin to develop their own athlete personalities leading up to this and I am proud to partner with them helping them create their own preflight routines and ways to mentally prepare. While nervousness is normal I want my boys to understand that while winning is what we are seeking it is not the main goal therefor they don’t need to feel like they are walking a tight wire. Instead, I want them to do their best, have fun, have us come together as men and grow as a results of this amazing opportunity. While I want victory for my boys I want so much more for them simply to enjoy their experience. I hope I am able to Instill in my boys that fight week like any other goal “is NOT about counting the days but making those days count.

Good luck to John and his sons on Saturday night.

ALSO ... Hector Lopez, of KOA gym in Layton, remained undefeated last weekend, scoring an amateur win at a Tuff N Uff catrd in Nevada. ... The aforementioned Mr. Akers has a pro MMA bout in Wyoming this weekend ... and undefeated pro boxers Gabriel Chairez and Bladimir Estrada are among boxers scheduled to fight on a card Saturday night at The Complex in SLC. Also scheduled to box is female boxer Lisa Carroll. A poster is below. Undefeated Ignacio Chairez and Christian Aguirre, as well as Jordan Marriott, are listed as boxing on the poster. ... A whole bunch of fights have been released for the SteelFist MMA February card in SLC. Go here to see them on social media.

Jones has MMA fight in Atlantic City; Complex to host boxing card

Several nuggets of information in the Utah boxing and mixed martial arts world:

MMA:

Saturday's SteelFist card results are available the Facebook page Fighting Out of Utah MMA news. In the main pro bouts, all ending in round one, Thiago Alvez defeated Kyle Herrera for 155 pound belt, Dustin Jenkins defeated Thomas Hughes, Carson Gregory defeated Francisco Alcantara, Daniel Grass defeated AJ Garcia, and Ben Moa defeated Ryan Wagner. In two amateur title bouts, Ranu Meah defeated Ryan Gunderson in round one, 265-plus; and Mike O'Laskey stopped Ethan Shepherd in round three, 155 pounds. Because O'Laskey missed weight, the title remains vacant.

-- Colorado's Mike Jones, an Utah native who now fights as a professional MMA fight out of Colorado, fights Sean Brady for the CFFC promotion welterweight title Saturday, Oct. 21 in Atlantic City, N.J. We wish Mike the best with this great opportunity.

BOXING:

There is a professional, boxing card on Friday November 3, 20107 at The Complex, promoted by FKP Productions. The main even matches local pros Michael Gomez and Christian Aguirre for the Utah state middleweight title. Also, local amateur star Gabriel Chairez makes his pro debut against Andre Kennedy. Another well-regarded amateur who is a young professional, Bladimir Estrada, is scheduled to fight Dylan Raffuto. Antonio Montoya fights Jose Avalos. Rumor has it that two of Utah's best pro prospects, Ignacio Chairez and Larry Gomez, are scheduled meet opponents that night. I have also heard that veteran Ogden pro Stanley Robinson is fighting on the card.

-- "The Second Coming," an amateur boxing card hosted by All Heart Boxing of Farr West, has a full schedule of amateur bouts this Saturday at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington. Fights start at 7 p.m. It's $12 for adults, $6 for kids. Brad Davidson will be announcing.

Photos from SLC boxing card on April 1

(UPDATE: Below more info on Saturday's amateur card in Draper.) As we promised, we have a collection of photos from several bouts at the April 1 Boxing at the Bend card in Salt Lake City. Without further ado, we go to the photos, taken by Utah Fight Game's Justin Hughes.

IGNACIO CHAIREZ (red and white trunks) DEFEATS JORGE SOTO, PROFESSIONAL

BLADIMIR ESTRADA (on the left) DEFEATS BRITTON NORWOOD, PROFESSIONAL

CHRISTIAN AGUIRRE (white trunks) DEFEATS LAURENTINO ENRIQUEZ, PRO

IN THE MAIN EVENT, DAMIAN VAZQUEZ KO 1 OVER LORENZO TREJO, VASQUEZ IS ALSO SEEN WITH HIS HAND RAISED AND IN A PHOTO THAT INCLUDES PROMOTER EDDIE "FLASH" NEWMAN.

AND FINALLY, ONE OF THE AMATEUR BOUTS INCLUDED LAST YEAR'S NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION, DIEGO ALVAREZ OF OGDEN (red white and blue trunks), WHO DEFEATED RENEE MENDOZA

UPDATES --- And one more thing ...Saturday night from Legends in Draper at Sports City, 757 W 11400 South there's an amateur card from 7 to 10. A couple of Ogden-area gyms were scheduled to have these fighters competing:

Foley's gym: Alex Treadway, heavy; Eduardo Arrequin, 138, Lizber Herrera, 147, England Patu-Pauulu, heavy, Macy White, 125, Andy Gold, 175, and Luis Cornejo 135.

All Heart Boxing: Adrianno Benn, 15, 124, Santana DeCarlo, 17, 130, and Jesus Saldana, 18, 128.

Lights Out in Clearfield will have 152-pounder Jon Bryant, one of the area's best boxers, competing.

The card as of Thursday is below.

And more things. We neglected to note that northern Utah woman MMA fighter DeAnna Bennett competed at Invicta on March 25. Bennett, 8-3, lost a split decision to Jodie Esquibel. It was Bennett's second straight split decision loss. ...  in an amateur boxing last weekend in Idaho Lights Out's fighter Ozmanny Sanchez won both nights and garnered outstanding boxer of tournament. James Cox won and Dylan Bahama and Jose Torres were defeated in bouts.

Chairez among winners at boxing card in SLC

Above, Ignacio Chairez scores against Jorge Soto Saturday night in Salt Lake City enroute to a four-round unanimous decision Saturday night as part of the FKP Promotions Boxing at the Bend. Photo taken by Utah Fight Game blog's Justin Hughes, who was at ringside.

HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF SATURDAY'S BOXING AT THE BEND IN SALT LAKE CITY: A photo essay of the entire card will be published Thursday. Justin Hughes was at ringside.

Pro bouts:

Laurentino Enriquez v Christian Aguirre - Unanimous Decision - Winner Christain Aguirre

Ignacio Chairez v Jorge Soto - Unanimous Decision - Winner Ignacio Chairez (40-36 all rounds)

Bladimir Estrada v Britton Norwood - Split Decision - Winner Bladimir Estrada (37-38, 38-37, 38-37)

Damian "Sugar" Vazquez v Lorenzo "Explosivo" -- Trejo - Winner by way of 1st round Knock Out - Daminan "Sugar" Vazquez

Amateur bouts: 

Rodney Arcia defeated Daniel Keokham

Hsinkai Chiang defeated Gary Bailey

Gionni Madrid defeated Matt Searl

Diego Alvarez, national Golden Gloves champ, of Ogden,  defeated Renee Mendoza

All amateur bouts were decision wins. Photo below from Justin Hughes: Diego Alvarez (left) scores to the body of Renee Mendoza. Alvarez won a decision in the amateur bout.

Mendoza v Alvarez - UD Alvarez

UPDATE: A chat with MMA pro John Valentine; boxing card Saturday

BLOG UPDATED WITH INFO ABOUT SATURDAY'S BOXING CARD (See below) ... John Valentine, (above) is making a return to the cage Saturday, May 13, in Hurricane, Utah, against Jeff Carson as part of the South Valley Slam. We chatted with the undefeated fighter recently about training for the bout and other issues. We'll get back with John and other Slam competitors as the fight date draws nearer.

Former Hidden Valley MMA head coach John Valentine looks to extend his undefeated pro record as he faces facing his toughest competition to date, Jeff "The Hitman" Carson. Carson has three times as many fights and is 21 years younger. John will be 46 upon entering the cage in May. 

While he hasn't been in the cage since his TKO win of Curtis Coe over a year ago he has been anything but inactive. Since moving to Las Vegas he joined the Robert Drysdale team and since has won three expert division titles with the North American Grappling Association (NAGA), competed at the Jiu Jitsu World Championships and recently in November competed on national TV on CBS Sports in a submission-only match in the cage for Randy Couture's charity event in Las Vegas to benefit wounded veterans. 

John won that match in less than 90 seconds after two vicious body slams eventually sending his opponent to the hospital via inverted heel hook. At the Pan-American Jiu Jitsu championship games in Long Beach in March he took the bronze medal in the brown belt division against some of the best grapplers in the country. 

I spoke with him shortly and he seemed very excited about this upcoming match up against someone he respects and has known for years. "I have followed Jeff's career for years and know him personally. He's a true respectful warrior and will have a noticeable size advantage over me. He's a great person who brings his best to the cage each and every time and I'm excited and honored at the opportunity."

He added, "I normally lose 20 pounds for my fights so I'm actually excited to fight at 155," adding he'll be strong at that weight.

Following The Pan-American games in March John told me he will be dedicating and switching his training back to MMA and has already assembled a dream team of coaches to ensure he brings his A game to the table. "I sometimes laugh when people think my only style is grappling and while many of my fights have ended that way I started out as a Muay Thai- and wrestling-focused fighter in the early '90s and didn't switch to grappling till 1999." 

In speaking with him it was evident that he is very focused on proving the critics wrong once again. "Most of my jiu jitsu, judo or fighting titles happened after I was 35 and now at 46 I believe I can accomplish anything and that age is just a number if you put the work in. This fight will surely not want to be missed."

We wish John the best at the South Valley Slam. Besides him, we have interviews scheduled with competitors James Russell Francis, Daniel Stratton, Bryce Edminister and hope to log a couple more chats.

Boxing

Saturday in Salt Lake City there is a Flash Newman-promoted card in Salt Lake City, Boxing at the Bend, at 1085 Winding River Cove West. The doors open at 7, and fights start at 8 p.m. The main event matches veteran pro Lorenzo Trejo with undefeated flyweight Damien Vasquez. 

Of more local interest is that a trio of undefeated local boxers, Larry Gomez, Ignacio Chairez, and Bladimir Estrada, are scheduled to fight. General admission seats are $30 and VIP Ringside $45. For information, call 801-949-8317.

Updated information March 31: Utah Fight Game blog has received the card for Saturday's fight night. Chairez fights Jorge Soto at 144 pounds (4 rounds), Estrada fights Britton Norwood at 178 pounds (4 rounds), Laurentino Enriquez fights Christian Aguirre at 155 pounds (4 rounds). And the main event between Vasquez and Trejo is 8 rounds.

Unfortunately, an opponent was unable to be found for undefeated Utah boxer Larry Gomez.

There are also six scheduled amateur fights. Of particular note, Ogden 120-pounder Diego Alvarez, who won the national Golden Gloves tourney in 2016, will be competing.

Another Salt Lake City fighter, Jose Haro, is slated to fight April 28 in Tijuana, Mexico.

Upcoming Utah boxing and MMA events can be found here.