Gregory wins at SteelFist; Larry Gomez to box on March 8

Some nuggets of fight news in Utah.

At the SteelFist MMA card last Saturday, 170-pound pro Carson Gregory (7-1) scored a first-round win, via strikes, over Craig Grove. After withstanding an early attack from Groves, Gregory took charge, wearing his opponent down before bout was stopped at 2.37.

In other pro bouts, heavyweight Eric Iman and 170-pounder Trever Bradshaw scored first round stoppages over Joshua Brown and Joe Maama. And 185-pounder Tracy Hardy stopped Marco Sanchez in round two in a pro bout. In a 265-pound amateur title bout, Dakota Witkopf stopped Kent Mafileo in round 4. All card results are here.

--- On March 8 in Salt Lake City, undefeated boxer Larry Gomez, (7-0), of Midvale, will headline a boxing card. It's at the 801 Event Center. Fights start at 7 p.m. Above photo shows Gomez after a KO win.

-- Tomorrow night, Saturday, March 23, at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington, Mountain Force Kickboxing will have its second promotion. Kaecy Raddon, formerly of Utah and now fighting out of Colorado, will fight for the promotion's super- lightweight belt against Ian Scott. A list of the bouts is here. One fighter, Joe Flores, had to pull out due to injury.

--- Finally, last night in Southern California, for Fight Club OC promotion, at the Hangar in Costa Mesa, Calif., Utah pro MMA welterweight Westin Wilson (7-3) scored a first-round choke submission over Javier Garcia, (4-3). Westin stunned Garcia with a leg shot from the floor before getting him into a choke finish.

A chat with MMA pro Carson Gregory, Aguirre to box in March

Saturday night in Salt Lake City, SteelFist has an MMA card at The Union Event Center, 7 p.m., 235 N. 500 West, that headlines pro welterweights Carson Gregory against Craig Grove. The co-main matches Eric Iman against Joshua Brown. In other pro bouts, both middleweight fights, Trever Bradshaw fights Joe Maama and Tracy Hardy meets Marco Sanchez. In a 265 pound amateur promotional title fight, Dakota Witkopf meets Kent Mafileo. Card is here.

We chatted with Gregory, 6-1, as he prepares to meet Grove:

UFG: Carson, I want to get a little personal here. You suffered your first professional loss, then you took on a tough, spoiler fighter in Kerry Lattimer and you got the win. How is it coming back from a loss? Do you have a pragmatic attitude, or do you have to deal with the subsequent feelings of setback, and get right in your fighter's mind, as much as learning new ways to improve?

Gregory: It was tough losing to Clay in the fact that I didn't fight at my best. It's one thing to lose when you go out there and do the best you can, but it's humiliating losing because you choked and looked like a fool in doing so. Leading into the Lattimer fight I had the thought of having another mental breakdown and choking mid-fight. I was constantly pushing thoughts of self doubt out of my head, even during the match. It wasn't until weeks after I won the Lattimer fight (that) I regained my confidence back. I learned that the key to moving past a loss like that, is to not obsess over it and focus on what you can change.

UFG: What do you know about Groves? How is training going?

Gregory: Groves is a gamer and I definitely understand why he gets the fight name of "Caveman." He fights violently and he definitely has strength behind his punches. But that being said he also has the fight IQ of a caveman. He's done great at capitalizing on mistakes and pulling out the win, anyone can do that. I respect him for those wins but I think he will soon find out that I'm on a whole other level than his past opponents.

Training has been great. We have focused on getting back to our roots. Reconnecting so to speak. We have learned that less is more, and technique will always triumph over physical strength. I feel confident in my physical abilities as well as my skills as a martial artist.

UFG: Where do you want to be in a year?

Gregory: I would love to be fighting full time in a year in a higher level promotion, such as Bellator or UFC! Supporting my family and living the dream, being one of the world's greatest fighters is all that I want in life!

Thanks Carson, and good luck this weekend. We extend those same wishes to all the fighters on Saturday night.

BOXING UPDATE: Utah super-welterweight Christian Aguirre will be back in the ring next week. He fights Thomas Hill on March 16 in Dallas, Texas. ... Saturday there is an amateur card at the South Salt Lake Police Athletic League.

BACK TO MMA: Speaking of Lattimer, he fights in Hawaii on Saturday against Robby Ostovich for Trinity Kings promotion's title. Card is here.

Two weekends ago some local fighters competed in Idaho at Front Street Fights 18. Bryce Edminister, 145 pounds, lost a very competitive pro bout against Cody Sattler via majority decision. Carl Dieckmann of Utah retired after round one due to injury to his ribs against Emilio Trevino, 205 pounds, and Andrew Cruz won a promotional pro belt, 145 pounds, stopping Drew Brokenshire in round 3. Card results are here.

Montoya takes on Collard in SteelFist MMA bout in March

Here are some news briefs involving the Utah Fight Game:

Tonight in Boise, Idaho, Front Street Fights 18 card includes Top of Utahn Bryce Edminister (2-1) who meets Cody Sattler in a 145-pound pro bout. Also, Utah pro Carl Dieckmann meets Emilio Trevino at 205 pounds. And the main bout, for a 145-pound promotional pro belt, matches Idaho's Andrew Cruz against Drew Brokenshire. Card is here.

Last weekend, Jan. 26, Top of Utah amateur Hayden Brown fought in Grand Junction, Colo. Brown, 6-2, was victorious, stopping Tanner Ellenberger in round one. In Pocatello, Idaho, veteran Kerry Lattimer, of Idaho, stopped Monte Klistoff in round 3. Lattimer announced afterward that he will travel to Hawaii to fight for a promotional belt on Feb. 16. The Junction City card is listed here. The Pocatello results are here.

Utah amateur MMA fighter Joe Flores will be fighting David Meeks on Feb. 23 in a kickboxing match, 190 pounds, as part of Mountain Force Kickboxing 2. The card is in Farmington and Kaecy Raddon headlines in the main title bout (160 pounds) against Ian Scott.

As you can see from the above graphic, SteelFist has announced a major MMA bout between comebacking Lucus Montoya and veteran Clay Collard. It's for the SteelFist pro welterweight title. Montoya is a former WSOF competitor who has rehabbed for a few years after breaking his arm in a nationally televised. He has prepped for this return by competing in events such as Proving Grounds. Collard is a former UFC fighter who is on a SteelFist winning streak of late. A co-main pro bout that will be for the SteelFist women's flyweight title will match Kaytlin Neil of Spanish Fork against Shannon Sinn. Also scheduled to fight that night is undefeated Utah heavyweight pro Zac Cavender.

And SteelFist has a card on Feb. 16 in Salt Lake City. Main bout matches Carson Gregory against Craig Grove.

Kelsey Skillman, a Top of Utah amateur MMA, will fight Asia Negron on March 2 in Salt Lake City on the Fierce Fighting Championship. Ogden professional MMA fighter Thomas Hughes is fighting Bobby Rowland in a 155-pound pro bout and Top of Utahn Brandon Rease will defend his amateur 125 pound belt against Andrew Arrellano. Main bout for the pro 155 title matches Thiago Alves against Bobby King. Card is here.

Hughes, Raddon, Edminister have fights scheduled

A quick Utah Fight News report this week.

-- Proving Grounds Invitational 5 was held this past weekend in SLC. I don't have results but its FB pages is here and website here.

--- Mountain Force MMA unfortunately had to cancel its card in Logan last week due to just plain bad luck of fights falling out the last week. Here's a press release. Mountain Force does plan another MMA card in Utah, in Logan on March 30.

Factum gym in Sandy had an amateur card last weekend. Photos and more are at the gym's Facebook page here. Winners included Jon Bryant and Jay Wright. ... There is another amateur card Jan. 26 in Pocatello where many locals will box. Former MMA fighter Brad Davidson will make his amateur boxing debut.

-- Thomas Hughes, MMA professional (above), will be fighting March 2 in SLC in a Fierce Fighting Championships card. He's training at One Hit Gym with Kaecy Raddon, who has a scheduled kickboxing bout with Mountain Force Kickboxing Feb. 23 in Farmington. Both Hughes and Raddon have international kickboxing experience, as well as being MMA fighters.

-- Bryce Edminister has a professional MMA bout in Boise on Feb. 1. Edminister trains at KOA Kingdom gym and has been training there with Raddon as well.

-- Madie Meacham, of One Hit, fought on a televised card with LFA promotions last weekend. She did well but was stopped due to a permanent retainer inside her mouth that broke and caused a cut.

--- Remember, Feb. 16, in SLC, Carson Gregory versus Craig Grove headlines the next SteelFist MMA card.

-- And there is a PFK pro/amateur boxing card scheduled for March 8 in SLC at the 801 Event Center. ... You can see a complete list of fights cards on the Utah athletics site here.

Rodriguez wins SteelFist bout; Proving Grounds Invitational

At the SteelFist MMA card in SLC last Saturday night, 205-pound Joe Rodriguez (seen above) won the main event stopping Hank Weiss in the first round. In another pro bout, debuting Eric Munoz stopped veteran heavyweight Andy Witt in the first round. And in a professional 125-pound women's MMA bout, Katlin Neil ended her fight with Andrea Miller in round one. The best amateur bout was a highly competitive match between Augustin Valdez and Thomas Prestriedge for the 135-pound belt. Valdez earned a split decision win. The entire card is here.

The next SteelFist card is Feb. 16 at the Union Event Center in SLC. Bouts include Carson Gregory versus Craig Grove, Eric Iman versus Joshua Brown and Trever Bradshaw versus Jo Maama.

The Proving Grounds Invitational 5 is on Jan. 19 at 370 S 300 East in Salt Lake City. One intriguing superfight matches Sean Powers versus Josh Burkman. Competing again in the grappling competitions is Lucus Montoya, among many other local competitors.

Also, Mountain Force MMA has a card in Logan at the Cache Events Center on Jan. 19. Mike Jones headlines the main event. Card is here.

O'Connell advances in PFL, Aguirre wins boxing match, SteelFist results

We haven't mentioned Utah's Sean O'Connell as much as we have Steven Siler this year in the MMA PFL tournament. But he merits mention now after a remarkable Saturday night in Long Beach, Calif., in which the 205-pounder scored upsets in the quarterfinals and semifinals to advance to his weight division tournament final. Like Siler, a featherweight,O'Connell will fight December 31 for a million-dollar purse, that goes to the winner. Both O'Connell and Siler merit media attention from Utah's daily newspapers and television news stations for these accomplishments. If they don't get it it will speak ill of our state's news sources.

Also Saturday, in a preliminary, non-tournament bout, Utah-based fighter Ramsey Nijem scored a pro win in Long Beach.

STEELFIST -- Results of the SteelFist card on Friday night are in. You can read them at Jeffrey Dutcher's Facebook page Fighting Out of Utah MMA news. In a pro flyweight title bout, Nick Burgos defeated Nicholas Clem, and in another pro bout, Carson Gregory decisioned Kerry Lattimer. In amateur title belts, winners were Hayden Brown, Justin Horsley and Jordan Marshall.

BOXING -- Last Friday in Costa Mesa, Calif., super-welterweight Christian Aguirre, of Salt Lake City, (seen above at left in an earlier fight) scored an upset KO over previously undefeated Joey Alday, Jr., of Odessa Texas. In the fourth round, trailing on points, Aguirre (8-3) flattened Alday Jr., with a left hook. You can see the bout at Facebook here.

I chatted with Christian about the bout. Here is our conversation:

Utah Fight Game: Tell us how the bout came to be and training?

Christian: This bout against Joey Alday was the hardest bout I’ve had in my career. In all my other fights I would try to brawl and turn it into a street fight but I knew I had to really dig inside and change my style into a boxing style. I sparred Jon Bryant, Gary Bailey and worked with Rick Manzanares on my boxing skills. It was an 8 day notice so I had to make it happen.

I thought I was looking all the rounds honestly but I knew my experience of tough fights would kick in, in the later rounds. I was really patient and I told my trainer in one of the rounds that Alday’s power was diminishing. I also told my corners (Jesse Reid and Jason Parillo)  that I was going to set up my left hook and counter Aldays left hook because he was landing it a lot. Alday tried to break me down mentally and physically but my experience helped a lot and in the 4th round he was in the corner and I threw a simple 1,2,3 and he fell face first. It was the hardest fight of my career but I had God on my side that night.

Utah Fight Game: So what are your fight plans for the future?

Christian: My plans for the future are to avenge my losses but first I will be fighting in November. I don’t know with who but I will fight anybody, anywhere, any time. I give my Lord and savior all the glory and I’m thankful for those who have been with me through the good and the bad.

ONE MORE BOXING NOTE: Larry Gomez, undefeated and with a win over Christian on his record, said last week he plans to fight in November. More information coming soon, he added.

Siler advances to final of MMA million-dollar tourney

Last Friday night, in New Orleans, on national television (NBCSports network) Northern Utah MMA professional Steven Siler advanced to the finals of the PFL featherweight tourney that offers $1 million to the winner. Siler, who has been on a major roll this year, outclassed Nazareno Malegarie in the quarterfinals and Alexandre de Almeida in the semifinals (his second win over Almeida in the tourney). The entire card is here.

The first bout, two rounds, was technically a draw, but Siler dominated the most-important round one, flooring Malegarie with a right hand. Because a draw would be decided by the winner of the first round advancing, Siler fought a conservative second and final round, avoiding wild swings by a desperate Malegarie. Siler advances after a draw of 20-18 (Siler) and 19-19 twice.

In the semifinal bout, Siler dominated a round-plus against de Almedia, who the Utah fighter had stopped last summer in a preliminary non-knockout round of the tournament. Early in round two, de Almedia was disqualified when, on the ground, he landed an illegal left upkick to the right side of Siler's face, who was kneeling above him.

On New Year's Eve, in a nationally televised match, Siler will fight Lance Palmer in the finals with the winner earning a $1 million purse. Palmer defeated Andre Harrison in the other semi-final bout. Last year, Palmer scored a decision win over Siler.  ... Also, Saturday night Utahn Sean O'Connell fights -- potentially twice -- in the 205 pound PFL quarter/semifinals in the tournament. One the undercard is often-Utah MMA pro Ramsey Nijem.

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Mountain Force MMA had a fight card last Saturday in Logan. Results are here at Jeffrey "Dutch" Dutcher's Utah Fighting Out of Utah MMA news. In the main bout for an 145-pound amateur belt, Tyson Craig stopped Lee Critchlow. In a pro bout, 170 pounds, Aaron Chambers stopped Andy Pitcher.

-- This Friday night in Salt Lake City SteelFist has a card (here). In pro bouts Nick Clem fights Nick Burgos for the promotion's 125-pound belt, Carson Gregory fights Kerry Lattimer (170 pounds) and Dom Gero fights Tracy Hardy, 185 pounds.

In amateur title bouts, Hayden Brown and Lehi Dominguez meet, 170 pounds, Jordan Marshall meets Robby Minor, 125 pounds, and Thomas Preistridge fight Justin Horsely, 135 pounds.

The card is at the Union Events Center, 235 N. 500 West. Fights start at 7 pm

--- A host of local amateur boxers are in Tennessee fighting in a regional championship. We'll try to get results next week.

Chat with Christian Aguirre, Horn MMA card at fair

Let's start with some boxing. Christian Aguirre, (see above at right) who recently lost a tough fight to Larry Gomez in Layton, has been quite active. In fact, a week after his loss to Gomez, he traveled to Connecticut and lost an eight-round decision at Foxwoods Resort to Jimmy Williams, who holds a national welterweight title. And Aguirre, later this month, will fight on a televised Top Rank card Aug. 25 in Phoenix, meeting undefeated Sagadat Rakhamankulov. Aguirre is training with a boxing legend, Jesse Reid. Utah Fight Game chatted with Christian as he prepared for the fight later this month.

UFG: What do you know about Rakhamankulov? Are you excited to fight with Top Rank?

Aguirre: I don't know much about Sagadat but I know I'm going into the ring ready to fight. Yes, I am excited to fight for Top Rank but even more excited for that bell to ring.

UFG: Tell us what it's like to train with Jesse Reid? Who else are you working with in the gym? Are you spending more time out of state?

Aguirre: Jesse Reid is an honest man that only wants the best for me. I've been training in Las Vegas for this upcoming fight. I live with my sparring partner, Tommy Hartshauer, and boxing is all we focus on.

UFG: What are your goals over the next year?

Aguirre: My goals over the next year are to continue to work in the gym and improve on my skills. I'll most likely fight in Mexico in September and then fight in Utah in October.

We wish Christian the best later this month in Phoenix.

MMA

Tomorrow night is the Horn's Elite card at the Weber County Fair in Ogden. I'm intrigued by one pro bout, debuting Ha'va Nathan Owens versus Steve Chan. Both were good amateurs. Chan, in his second bout, lost his pro debut to the very talented Miles Welk. An amateur bout matches Eeric Munoz against Graham McMillan. The entire card is here.

SteelFist results from last Friday are here and here. In pro fights, AJ Garcia stopped Karl Grace very early and and Leo Plaz stopped Joe Rodriguez in 2. .... Mountain Force MMA had a card in Pocatello last Saturday. Kerry Lattimer scored a win in one of the pro bouts.

Lattimer will be facing Carson Gregory in the next SteelFist card. Also fighting opponents on that card are pro Dominic Gero, amateur Hayden Brown, and amateur Xasha Lopez, who recently dropped a decision in Wyoming. In a pro flyweight promotional title fight, Nicky Barz meets Nicholas Clem. The card is Oct. 12 in Salt Lake City.

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.

Collard versus Gregory highlights SteelFist MMA card

There's a lot going on locally in MMA and other combat sports ... Thomas Hughes plans to fight soon, as does Rowdy Akers, as well as Jarrett Kelton. And in a submission-only card in Davis County, John Valentine will compete. In boxing, Jose Haro's next televised fight is pushed back a week to May 19. But today we'll focus on the Friday the 13th MMA card in SLC from SteelFist. There's a terrific main event, a promotional welterweight pro title bout between former UFC competitor "Cassius" Clay Collard, and undefeated Carson "The Perfect Storm" Gregory. It's scheduled five rounds.

Over the course of a year in 2014 and 2015, Collard fought four UFC bouts and acquitted himself well, winning one, losing two via decision and being stopped in round three by Max Hollaway. He took two years off before returning to action on a SteelFist card, stopping a tough fighter, Troy Dennison.

Gregory, 5-0, has been very impressive. He last win was over an excellent pro, Mike Jones, which he ended in round two. He's improved a lot since I first saw him outslug and eventually submit Kade Lindstrom in SLC a year ago. Gregory had only one loss as an amateur, a majority decision several years ago against Thomas Hughes.

On paper Collard would be the favorite; a lot depends on how good Gregory is at this stage in his career. If he beats Collard, he likely rapidly moves into a higher echelon of competition. Even if he were to be defeated, he would still be considered an excellent prospect. Collard, obviously, moves farther away from the UFC orbit if Gregory wins.

I chatted with Carson Gregory, asking him for comments on training and preparation for the bout, and what it's like to step into the cage with a veteran such as Collard. He was kind enough to provide these thoughts:

GREGORY: Clay it's just like any other opponent! I respect everyone the same in the ring because everyone has a fighting chance! Therefore, I treat every fight as if it's a championship for the world. I'm constantly upping my training no matter who is in my way. I believe the true enemy is within ourselves. When we beat the enemy within, then we are ready to face any challenges that lie ahead of us.

I think the biggest challenge has been trying to stay true to my morals. There have been a lot of things said over social media that definitely pushed my buttons during this camp, but I had to remind myself that I am not the judge. I am merely a man and have made mistakes and said things that I regret in the past, so why would it be any different with any other man? I feel the calm before the storm, I'm ready for this fight. Friday night is my night! Friday night The Perfect Storm will arrive and destroy anything in its path!

Here are some of the other scheduled bouts on the SteelFist card that I find intriguing. I wish all the fighters the best. The entire card is here.

-- Bryce Edminister versus Karl Grace, 135 pounds: Edminister is returning to SteelFist as a professional. He had success here as an amateur. He trains out of KOA in Davis County, scheduled three rounds.

-- Lehi Dominguez will attempt to defend his 170-pound SteelFist amateur belt against Ului Papanue, scheduled five rounds.

-- Two undefeateds meet with Bryce Scanlon trying to wrest away Ranu Meah's amateur promotional heavyweight title belt, scheduled five rounds.

-- Two amateur middleweights, Ogden's Eric Munoz, and Cole Shafer, meet in a scheduled three rounder.

Card is at Union Event Center in Salt Lake City. Doors open at 6 p.m.

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.

An interview with MMA pro Miles Welk

On March 17 Mountain Force MMA will have its first promotion at the Eccles Ice Arena in Logan. The card is set and you can see matchups at the promotion's Facebook page. One of the pro bouts matches Miles Welk (of KOA gym in Layton) (at left above) with Nick Clem. Both fighters are undefeated. We have observed Welk's career for several years, from a successful amateur who captured regional titles through two successful pro bouts. We took the time to chat with him recently.

Miles, there have been fairly long gaps between your two pro fights. Do you have plans to fight more often?

Welk: Yeah I've struggled to stay in the gym and be consistent in my training. I've rededicated myself and I'm going to see if I can't take my career to the next level so I'm planning to fight at 3 times this year maybe 4 depending on how healthy I stay.

How is training going? You train at KOA. Who are your trainers and other fighters you work out with?

Welk: I do train at KOA. I love it. It's an amazing gym and it has so much to offer to everyone, especially fighters. It's a great fit for me. Training is good. I'm working hard in every aspect. I’m just trying to get better at being a mixed martial artist every day. My head coach is David Castillo, my Jui Jitsui Coach is Anthony Lobato, My strength and conditioning Coach is Bobby King. I have a room full of great partners. Bryce Edminister, Bobby King, Hector Lopez, Edgar Sorto, Brandon Rease, Kelsey Skillman, Bryce Scanlon,Alonzo Salas. We have a pretty stacked team right now.

How do you match strongly against your opponent?

Welk: My opponent is Nick Clem from Colorado. He's a tough guy, had 12 amateur fights, 1-0 as a pro. He has good footwork and lateral movement and I can tell he likes to wrestle and grapple so I feel like I match up well against him. I feel like I can wrestle with anyone in the 125-pound weight class and my striking is getting better every day and so is my jui jitsui . Overall I'm ready for whatever and match up well with him.

You are fighting, and getting some good publicity, from a new promoter. What are your plans beyond this bout. Do you have a schedule, plans to move forward in MMA?

Welk: This is a new promotion Mountain Force MMA. They have been awesome to work with. Juan (Pablo) is the man, and I'm looking forward to fighting and trying to get the W on the very first card. Hopefully they'll have me back. I don't have anything scheduled yet but I have plenty of teammates who do so I'm just going to stay in the gym and stay ready for the next fight and help my teammates get ready.

Thanks Miles for your time and good luck on March 17.

Some extra news: SteelFist has announced a very strong matchup for its Friday the 13th April card. Undefeated Carson Gregory versus former UFC veteran Clay Collard. This will be highly anticipated; either a gate for Gregory to move up early in his career or perhaps a means for Collard to move back into the major promotions. ... Locally, we are intrigued by a Fierce Fighting Championship promotional amateur title fight between Thomas Prestriedge, of American Fork, and Brandon Rease, who fights out of KOA. The pair fought two years ago at at SteelFist card with Rease getting a split decision. It's in Price on March 10, and we'll likely try to interview both soon.

And more ... Kelsey Skillman, amateur at KOA, is set to fight in April for SteelFist, and this weekend, Kaecy Raddon, formerly at One Hit MMA, who now fights out of Colorado, is fighting Roy Sarabia for a Sparta Combat League 155-pound amateur belt.

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.

SteelFist results; a chat with returning Rowdy Akers

To get things going this week, let's get to SteelFist results from last Saturday. You can see them at Fighting Out of Utah MMA News Facebook page. Some of the top fights included former UFCer Clay Collard stopping Troy Dennison in the first round, undefeated Carson Gregory stopping Mike Jones in the second round (that was for a for a pro title). In amateur title bouts, Lehi Dominguez decisioned Alonzo Salas and Ha'va Nathan Owens TKOd Tyson Roberts in round 4. Both Dennison and Jones are tough vets who have won often so Collard and Gregory's wins were impressive.

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If you see the above photo, you can see there's an Infamous MMA card Jan. 27 in Casper, Wyo. On the card is One Hit MMA pro Rowdy Akers. He had announced his retirement after defeating John Valentine last year but is back, and in fact is also scheduled to fight in March. We chatted with Rowdy as he prepares for the 27th against Kehlin Roszel.

Utah Fight Game -- Tell me about the fight, what you know about your opponent, how training is going and what you have that makes you the victor on the 27th. Also, in detail, tell us why you decided to return to the cage after announcing your retirement?

Rowdy: About the fight I don't know much about my opponent. I know that he was 11 and 6 as an amateur and this is his pro debut. Training is going well, even though this is a short-notice fight I took it because I have stayed ready.

My last fight with John Valentine was an epic and I shined like I wish that I always would have. I have continued training consistently at One-hit MMA. ... 

I'm returning to the cage. I'm not done. I don't know why I quit (hard work pays) ...  some of it has to do with making my rent and paying some bills and I need the money. I work too but between sponsorship and fight-first if I can pick up this ... it puts me ahead.

What makes me the victor in this bout? Experience, violence and I have no quit. It should be fun; that's the way it's supposed to be. My opponent is humble and (I'm) excited to make a new friend inside the cage. 

A lot of why I fight is I've been going through a lot of struggles in my life. Within myself I am my own biggest critic. I have something left to prove to myself. MMA saved my life, I've always wanted to be part of something. Years of wrongdoing and trying to be part of stuff that I shouldn't have has some regret in my past but where I'm at today MMA saved my life. I change daily because it makes me a better person. I have real friends at the gym, they're my family and I'm a part of something way bigger than me. They say the MMA isn't a team sport because it's just two men getting in there but my team is with me and we're going to get this one for one-hit MMA.

Good luck on the 27th, Rowdy. We''ll be rooting for you later this month.

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Notes: SteelFist has already announced a couple of bouts for its Feb. 24 SLC card at the Union Event Center. In a pro welterweight bout, Trever Bradshaw will meet Pedro Artal and in a pro  bantamweight bout (the main event) Cody Bunderson meets Fabio Serrao. ... Jarome Hatch, who has fought often locally, announced on social media that he will be fighting April 7 on the FitCon card at The Salt Palace. ... Hector Lopez, amateur from KOA gym in Layton, fights tomorrow night in Las Vegas at The Orleans on a TuffNUff card. His bout against Evan Schoonmaker is the co-main event. ... Finally, two amateur boxing cards next month. Foley's gym in Ogden will have fights Feb. 17 and PAL in SLC on Feb. 24.

Interviews with MMA amateurs Nathan Owens, Tyson Roberts

One of the title fights this Saturday at the SteelFist card in Salt Lake City matches amateur bantamweights Ha'va Nathan Owens, of Ogden, and Tyson Roberts, of Harrisville. It's an interesting matchup in a card that also includes a pro lightweight title bout between Clay Collard and Troy Dennison and a pro welterweight fight between Carson Gregory and Mike Jones. There is another amateur title bout, between welterweights Alonzo Salas and Lehi Dominguez.

We chatted with both Roberts and Owens this past week.

Utah Fight Game: Hos is training going?

Roberts: Training for a big fight like this one consists of more than just going to practice. I had a 20-pound weight cut so diet was a huge factor. I would wake up and start the day with a good cardio workout with the love of my life. Then I would continue with some great training over at One Hit MMA; a lot of the days I would be putting in 3 workouts a day spending more than 5 hours in the gym getting prepared for this bout!

Owens: ... I don't train for just one bout or get into fight camps. I always stay ready no matter what. I train hard every single day with no breaks. I train about 10-12 hours a day every day. 

Utah Fight Game: How will your strengths provide you the edge over your opponent on Saturday night?

Owens: ... My strength is that I will outwork anyone who decides to challenge me in any aspect. Striking, grappling, anything. Simply put, I choose how I want to finish the fight. My opponent I will be facing Saturday has disrespected me by not training as hard as I do. By not taking this fight seriously, Come Saturday night I will not give him the luxury of being finished early. I'm going to hurt him, cut him up, I'm going to break him. So after I beat him down Saturday night he'll have to look in the mirror every day at the scars I will leave him and he'll remember not to challenge me.. The dominate species. Just another step to becoming world champion.

Roberts: My strengths I have over my opponent this Saturday ... the biggest one is I have the best training partners and gym in the state, putting in work with Jon Neal, Rowdy Akers, and LJ Schulz. I know how Nate fights and I know once it hits the ground he is going to be in some big trouble. I have reach and have developed a strike game he will have to try and match. I can’t wait to get out there and showcase my skills after this 3-year break I have had since my last fight. Come Saturday I plan on having that belt around my waist.

Thanks to both competitors and we wish them well on Saturday night.

Some more MMA notes: Kaecy Raddon, 155 pounds, who recently fought for a Tuff N Uff title, is returning to the cage on Feb. 10 to fight Dean Cotton in SCL (Sparta Combat League) 65. The card is at the Grizzly Rose in Denver, Colo.

We announced last week that featherweight MMA fighter Rowdy Akers (One Hit MMA) is fighting Tyler Polito on March 10 for Fierce Fighting Championship. That's still on but Akers announced on social media that he also take a pro bout on Jan. 27 in Casper, Wyo., against Kehlin Wayne Roszel.

Interview with MMA pro Carson Gregory; Jose Haro to box in March

The next SteelFist card is Saturday, January 13, in SLC, and the co-main pro bout matches undefeated Carson Gregory, of Lehi (seen above), against a very tough veteran out of Idaho, Mike Jones. It's for the welterweight promotional belt.

We had the opportunity to chat with Jones recently and we share that with out readers now.

(About himself, his MMA history and fighters he admires) GREGORY:  I started MMA when I was 14 years old. I was looking for the new hobby. Throughout my high school years MMA has kept me clean and true to my values. Because I'm Mormon I'm often asked at church how I can fight when we believe we're all children of God. I simply tell them that MMA helps me fight my depression and anxiety and has kept me out of trouble since an early age. And then usually answer their question with another one of my own; Why wouldn't God want me in something that helps me stick to my values and keeps me clean? Francis Ngannou is a new and upcoming athlete in MMA who I look up to. He's all about the KO. I can relate to that. I don't believe that MMA should be a point game. I believe that when you step into that ring that it should be a "kill-or-be-killed" mentality, not to see who can score the most points or hold each other down. Another fighter I relate to and respect a lot would be Chuck Liddell. He was never anything special as far as an athlete goes. He just had tremendous heart and a deadly right overhand. I feel like I'm in a very similar boat. I'm nothing incredible as far as an athlete goes but I know I can hit like a freight train and I know I have more heart than any fighter! 

(On where he trains, his coaches, and other athletes he trains and spars with) GREGORY:  I'm training out of Xcite MMA in Lehi. My coaches are Mark Balcer and Dustin Smith. I'm currently the only active fighter in our gym. My gym does not like to spar a whole bunch, we generally try to keep sparring at a minimum. Our training is focused around drills and lots of fight applicable mitt work.

(On his strengths, his opponent Jones' strengths and how he plans to win) GREGORY: My strengths are obviously in my hands. My footwork is very unorthodox and I can strike at awkward angles. My goal is to move like Muhammad Ali and hit like Mike Tyson. My opponent is an opportunist not a warrior. He has a good one two and a half-decent head kick. It's nothing special or that I haven't seen before. I just need to go out there and fight my fight. My game plan never changes its all the same. Use my footwork to break my opponent down then go in for the kill.

(On where he plans to be a year from now in the sport) GREGORY: A year from now I plan on fighting in UFC or at least Bellator. Sooner or later a bigger promotion like them is going to want an exciting fighter like me fighting for them. It's not a matter of if just when. The only thing that separates me from other fighters already in those promotions is experience. I'm still very young in this sport and just need a little more time.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Carson, and good luck the 13th. We also wish Jones the best of luck as well, and all the competitors. It's a great card. The main pro bout matches former UFC fighter Clay Collard against Troy Dennison. It's a great opportunity for Troy. Two good amateur title bouts match Lehi Dominguez against Alonzo Salas and Ha'va Nathan Owens versus Tyson Roberts.

NOTES: A couple of news nuggets: Rowdy Akers, of One Hit MMA, an MMA pro who had retired after winning a very exciting bout over John Valentine, is making a comeback. He will fight Tyler Polito on March 10 on a card promoted by Fierce Fighting Championship. Valentine, by the way, has enjoyed success in top-flight grappling competitions recently. And Andy Pitcher, of Smithfield, will fight Ben Goins on the March 17 inaugural Mountain Force MMA card in Logan. 

BOXING

Big news for Utah boxing. Jose Haro, of West Jordan, the United States Boxing Association professional featherweight champ, announced this past week on social media that he will fight undefeated Jean Rivera on March 17 at the storied, historic Madison Square Garden in New York City. The bout will be televised on ESPN. Best of luck to Jose, and we hope to talk with him prior to the bout.

Jose Haro looks to 2018, Owens meets Roberts for MMA belt

Happy holidays from Utah Fight Game blog! We'll likely take a break next week but we wanted to get some news in. Jose Haro (seen above at left on the attack) the US featherweight champ, is featured in an article at fightnetwork.com (here). Jose, of West Jordan, almost fought for the world title this fall. But the bout failed to materialize. We hope he gets his shot in 2018 -- we think he'll win.

In MMA ... The January 13 SteelFist card is taking shape. Ha'va Nathan Owens (Mori) will fight Tyson Roberts (One Hit MMA) for the SteelFist amateur bantamweight title. Also, Alonzo Salas (KOA) will fight Lehi Dominguez for the amateur welterweight title. The entire scheduled card, which highlights Clay Collard versus Troy Dennison and Carson Gregory versus Mike Jones, is here.

Also, Top of Utahn amateur MMA fighter Destiny McCubbin, who fights out of Las Vegas and recently fought for a Tuff N Uff title, will be back in the cage on Feb. 3 fighting Valerie Wong. The bout is in Jackson, Calif.

Finally, a promotion, Mountain Force MMA, is presenting its first card in Utah on March 17 in Logan at the Eccles Ice Arena. The promotion's website is here. Several promotions are planned for next year.