Talking with MMA pro Eric Iman

This Saturday night is the latest SteelFist MMA pro/am card. Fight card number 54 is at the Rail Event Center in Salt Lake City (235 N. 500 West, SLC 84116. The main event matches Eric Iman, of Team Link Utah, (seen above) as well as a Ben Lomond High School graduate, against One Hit MMA fighter Ben Moa, former collegiate (Utah) and NFL football player. They are fighting for the promotion's professional heavyweight title. The entire card is here.

We've followed Iman's career through the second decade of the 21st century and are pleased to publish this pre-fight interview:

Utah Fight Game: Tell readers a little about yourself. What got you interested in MMA, who are some MMA athletes you admire? 

Iman: "I was always interested in martial arts; who growing up didn’t want to be a samurai or a super hero? I started training with Rich Layton in Brazilian jiu-jitsu back in 2006 or so I trained with him for almost a year. Then I started training Muay Thai with Chris Fisher and learned from him for 6 months or so then I moved to train with Mickee Janjira and Danny Sanchez in Clearfield, I also was going to the Muay Thai Institute once a week or so to train with Sakasem. I trained at the Mori academy for a bit then moved to California where I trained under Gonyao, Jongsonan, and Enn at Fairtex in San Francisco for several years. I fought amateur Muay Thai in the Bay Area. When I moved back from California I met Fabio Serao and we have been training together ever since. I help coach him and some students at Team Link Utah in Layton."

Utah Fight Game: Who are some MMA athletes you admire?

Iman: "I really look up to Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone. He is a no-nonsense hard-nosed fighter I respect a lot.  I have been really impressed with Anthony Joshua and the fight he had with (Wladimir) Klitschko, I admire a fighter that can weather some damage and show some grit and bite down on his mouth piece and fight on.  Robbie Lawler is always entertaining and tough."

Utah Fight Game: What are your strengths, what are your opponent’s strengths and what’s your strategy to come out on top? 

Iman: "My striking is definitely my strength, I have worked relentlessly on my takedown defense my whole career so I can keep the fight standing. I have knockout power in my hands and can finish a fight kicking with either leg. I think Ben has a lot of athleticism and I believe he will try to get me to the ground. I will use my defensive wrestling to keep the fight standing and I will always return with my shield or on it. I went the distance with (Maurice) Jackson and felt I won but I know if it's left to the judges it may be a crap shoot."

Utah Fight Game: Where do you hope to be in your career a year from now?

Iman: "As far as my fight career and where it will be in the next year? All I can say is 'You never know how far you can go, until you have gone too far.'  -- T.S. Eliot. I am 39 and I am in as good shape as I have ever been. I am definitely towards the end but I have a few left in the tank. A win here will definitely determine what’s next!

We wish the best of luck Saturday night for Iman, and Moa, as well as for all the fighters on the card. In the co-main, Josh Wixom and Cole Shafer fight for the SteelFist amateur middleweight belt. We are intrigued by pro bouts matching Trever Bradshaw with William Dunkle and Jared Toothaker versus Tyson Cowan. One of the amateur bouts matches a returning Carissa Merrill against debuting Brittany Guillemin.


MMA RESULTS LAST WEEKEND OF AREA NOTE

In Mesquite, Nevada, Kaecy Raddon lost a close bout to Rocky Cantu for the TuffNUff amateur lightweight title. This was a closely contested bout that could have gone to both fighters. Raddon finished the fight very strongly. A couple of local amateurs from KOA gym fought on the card. Kelsey Skillman lost a decision and Hector Lopez scored a TKO win.

Brenda Enriquez, a former SteelFist amateur champ who fights pro MMA with Combate Americas is now 1-1 as a pro after losing a decision to Vanessa Rico Fernandez last weekend at Combate 19 in San Antonio, Texas.

And amateur Aubree Thompson, who also won a SteelFist title when she lived in the Top of Utah, stopped Irene White in round one last weekend in Portland, Ore.

AMATEUR BOXING IN SLC

The U.S. Boxing nationals amateur boxing championships and junior open is this week in Salt Lake City. Some local amateurs have competed, including Mateo Holt of Louie's gym, and James Cox and Dylan Bahena, of LightsOut gym..

Siler to meet Lance Palmer in MMA fight; Brenda Enriquez wins pro debut

Some short nuggets of MMA and boxing information:

-- Former amateur SteelFist women's MMA champ Brenda Enriquez (seen above) turned pro last weekend in a Combates America MMA card, scoring a unanimous decision win over Shyann Farmer. It was judged the fight of the night, as Enriquez won 29-28 on all cards.

-- Ogden MMA pro Steven Siler is scheduled to meet Lance Palmer, former WSOF champ, in a Professional Fight League MMA bout on Nov. 2. The PFL is the revamped WSOF, of which Siler was of late a part of. It's another tough assignment for former UFC veteran Siler, but it's also a great opportunity.

-- Both Palmer and Siler have a common opponent in former Ogden MMA pro Pat Reeves, whom bolth stopped in round one of bouts in Orem (Palmer) and Ogden (Siler). Siler announced the bout, scheduled to be in Washington DC, by posting an Sept. 15 MMA  Bulletin article on his Facebook page.

-- Proving Grounds Invitational 3 is Saturday, Sept. 23 at KOA in Layton, 109 W. Gentile. (http://www.provinggroundsinvitational.com/tickets/) A lot of prominent local fighters will be participating. The aforementioned Steven Siler will be competing, so will Lucus Montoya, amateur Aaron Thomson, and former MMA pro Craig Mock, as well as MMA's Nick Rossborough. Here is the event's Facebook page.

BOXING: There was a charity boxing event in Draper last weekend that fell off my radar, but here's a news article about it. Greg Hughes, speaker of the Utah House, who has an impressive boxing collection/shrine in his office, was in the ring tossing punches. Sorry to have missed that.

MORE MMA: Reminder that in a little more than a week Fierce Fighting Championship has a card in Tooele. It looks like quite a good card. I am interested particularly in seeing how Tanner Cowan and Aaron Thomson do, as I have followed their careers with interest. But good luck to all the fighters.

And next month SteelFist will be back with a card that includes Kyle Herrera versus Thiago Alves, Francisco Alcantara versus Carson Gregory. Also fighting in separate bouts are Thomas Hughes and AJ Garcia. We'll try too preview some match ups as the date, Oct. 14, draws near.

--  Here's a look at the state athletic commission website's schedule. A pro boxing event is scheduled at The Complex on Nov. 3. We'll let you know if we learn more about it.

MMA amateur Enriquez to fight with national promotion

I was talking recently with John Valentine, who started a women's MMA program at Hidden Valley gym in Draper that has made an impact in female mixed martial arts. (I once did a feature on the program)  He books more matches than likely anyone in Utah and is considered one of the key female matchmakers in the western United States, creating matches in Las Vegas and beyond. His company is named VSM.

Enriquez, he announced recently, will fight for Combate Americas, a U.S. Hispanic MMA sports franchise. On the blog we plan to interview Enriquez, 27, known as "Little Hands of Stone. Enriquez has logged the fastest knockout in Utah and has won both the 105- and 115-pound SteelFist belts.

Until then, we'll share Valentine's recent Facebook post on Enriquez:

"I have a very special announcement tonight regarding one of your very own local fighters that has just been signed to a major fight organization. I've been in talks for just over a month and we are finally we're able to finalize the contract for Brenda "Little Hands of Stone" Enriquez. 

"This generous multi-fight contract will be with none other than Combate Americas, the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic and American fans. The franchise includes award winning reality TV programming; action-packed, world championship live events. The company's CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). They recently began partnering with TV Azteca which means all of Brenda's fights will air nationally and take her across the globe. Her fights will also air on UFC fight Pass. She will also be fighting across the globe.

"In addition to amazing contract, Combate Americas is committed to continuing to partner with myself and her team to build Brenda's career and brand. This exclusive contract means Brenda must be poised to face world championship level MMA competition. Several camps will be joining forces in this task including Team Victory and Hidden Valley MMA will be preparing for her professional transition.

"Brenda will make her debut with the organization on a highly anticipated and televised card against a top name opponent which I am in now in talks with the organization as we speak.

"As you know Brenda has work very hard surmising a near perfect amateur record 7-1 and being the only female Utah fighter to hold 2 title belts in 2 different weight divisions and also holds Utah record for the fastest female finish in the cage. Her hard work and dedication led to this amazing opportunity in addition to her unwavering loyalty to stick with the people that have been there since the beginning her coaches and team. Loyalty builds unbreakable partnership.

"I want to thank Steelfist for taking the time to also invest and build Brenda's career. None of this would have happened without the dedication from Kevin, Pat, Troy and the rest of the crew led to this opportunity. Steelfist is the place to build your career.

"Those interested in national recognition and sponsorship with Brenda "Team Enriquez" can feel free to inbox me. All budget considerations considered.

"Please join me in congratulating Brenda on this amazing life changing opportunity and her future. Thank you."

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Another peek at scheduled events from the state athletic commission shows a relatively thin schedule through spring. SteelFist has an all-ages MMA card Feb. 18 in Farmington at Legacy Events Center. Nothing shows up for March. April has an all-ages SteelFist card in Salt Lake at Riverbend on the 15th. FitCon has two cards in April at the Salt Palace. The 21st is MMA and the 22nd is Muay Thai.

Finally, in May, there will be a South Valley Slam MMA card in Hurricane on the 13th, We hope to interview two or three contestants on the Feb. 18th card soon

Happy to see consistent MMA cards; hope we get some more boxing cards as well.