Gomez, Jones, Chairez, Bradshaw among recent fight winners

Boxing:

Last Saturday in Wendover Utah boxers Larry Gomez and Christian Aguirre met in a rematch of a 2018 bout won by Gomez. Gomez won the rematch as well, with Aguirre retiring after three rounds. In other bouts, local professional Bladmir Estrada lost via decision to Kevin Hand and professional Helaman Olguin scored a win over Joseph Jones. Card is here..

A couple of weeks ago in SLC professional boxing brothers Ignacio Chairez and Gabriel Chairez competed in separate bouts. Gabriel won a decision over Edison Charley and Ignacio (seen above on right defeating Jorge Soto in a previous bout) ended in a no contest bout against Mikhail Lyubarsky. Early in round one, Lyubarsky, preferring to hold and clutch Chairez rather than fight, dragged Chairez to the floor. Things spiraled out of control and the bout was halted.

MMA

In the most recent SteelFist card in May, Mike Jones stopped Tracy Hardy in the main pro bout. In another pro bout, Trever Bradshaw knocked out Joe Maama in the first round. Card is here. On June 28, Carson Hardman headlines in a pro bout against Brian Thomas. The card, which also includes a heavyweight pro bout between Eric Iman and Mike Robinson, is here.

Father and son MMA fighters Eric and Jordan Munoz have separate bouts set. On Aug. 3, in Price, Utah, in an intriguing match, Eric Munoz (2-0) fights pro debuting Aaron Thomson, a one-time amateur of note. And on Aug. 9, on a SteelFist card, amateur Jordan Munoz (1-0) meets Doug Anderson.

Bryant gets bronze at Golden Gloves, Rose takes kickboxing bout, more

Some very quick Utah Fight Game notes:

We neglected to mention that Top of Utah amateur boxer Jon Bryant (seen above at left) earned a medal in the recent national Golden Gloves tourney, 132 pounds. Jon will later this year attempt to earn a spot in the U.S. Olympics team qualifying competition.

Both Ignacio and Gabriel Chairez, Northern Utah professional boxers, are slated to fight against separate opponents on June 8 in Salt Lake City. Two other area competitors, professional boxers Larry Gomez and Christian Aguirre, headline a June 15 card in Wendover.

Utah MMA professional Clay Collard had his second professional boxing bout last weekend in Dearborn, Mich. Collard, a former UFC fighter, is now 1-0-1 after holding undefeated Tipton Walker, 6-0-1, to a six-round draw. Given that Walker is from Michigan, achieving a draw speaks well for Collard's effort.

On May 31 and June 1 at The Utah Stair Fairpark, Junior Olympics amateur boxing champs from Utah and three other Rocky Mountain States will be competing for a chance to go to the national tournament in Wisconsin.

Last weekend in Farmington, Cole Rose wrested a regional 170-pound Mountain Force Kickboxing pro title via a five round decision over former titlist Jarrett Kelton. Results of the entire card were posted May 19 on the promotion's Facebook page here.

And, in SLC on May 31, SteelFist has another professional/amateur MMA card. Tracy Hardy and Mike Jones headline the card in a professional bout. Other professionals competing include Thomas Hughes and Trevor Bradshaw. Entire card is here.

And last Thursday, Northern Utah MMA professional Steven Siler was defeated in his first bout in the 2019 PFL Featherweight MMA tournament. Siler, a finalist last year, dropped a decision to Gadzhi Rabadanov. Siler can still move further into this year's tournament with a win in his next bout this summer.

Chairez brothers, Raddon, Aguirre have fights on calendar

Some fights news of the past couple of months:

Tonight, at the 801 Event Center in Salt Lake City, there is a boxing card and undefeated professional boxers/brothers Ignacio and Gabriel Chairez are scheduled to meet opponents.

Tomorrow night in Denver, Colo., at the National Western Complex, Kaecy Raddon fights in a 165-pound Sparta Combat League Muy Thai title belt. Raddon, along with Utahn Jarrett Kelton, recently competed internationally for the U.S. Kickboxing team. Kelton, by the way, recently won the pro 170-pound kickboxing belt at the inaugural Mountain Force Kickboxing promotion, in Logan.

This Thursday night, Dec. 6, at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, Calif., super welterweight Christian Aguirre (seen above at left in an earlier bout) meets undefeated pro and former international amateur star Andreas Katzourakis in the top bout of the card. Aguirre, 8-3, scored a KO win over a previously undefeated boxer, Joey Alday Jr., at The Hangar earlier in the fall. The card is scheduled to be streamed on Facebook Live. SoCal Fights is the FB page. According to boxrec.com, Aguirre's last five opponents have met with with combined records of 31-1-1.
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Zac Cavender, a Tooele MMA heavyweight who had a lot of success as an amateur with Steelfist and Fierce Fighting Championships, continued that success in the pro ranks in mid November, scoring a win in his pro debut at a Final Fight Championships card.

Utah amateur MMA fighter Brittany Guillemin traveled to Nevada for a Tuff N Uff card, suffering a defeat.

SteelFist had a fight card on Nov. 16. Here are the results. On the card, local amateur Trevor Mortimer scored a stoppage win over Brandon Lemmings. It was Mortimer's second straight win. Sadly, this past week Mortimer died. He turned 24 on Nov. 27. We express our sadness and prayers for Trevor, his family and friends.

Fierce Fighting Championships had an MMA card on Oct. 27 in Price. Here are the results. In an ongoing 155 pound pro tournament, Thiago Alves and Bobby King won semi-final tournament bouts and will meet in an upcoming championship bout.

Another SteelFist card is scheduled for January 5. Pro bouts include Joe Rodriguez versus Hank Weiss and Kaytlin Neil versus Andrea Miller. Amateur bouts include Alonzo Salas versus Aldyn Ashcraft and an amateur title bout, 135 pounds, between Augustin Valdez and Thomas Prestriedge. Here is the SteelFist Facebook page.

John Valentine, former MMA pro, continues to have success as a grappling competitor. He recently scored a win over Arron Carson in a submission-only grappling competition. You can watch the bout here.

AND I ALMOST FORGET!!! USA Boxing amateur qualifying tournament in Salt Lake City starts Dec. 2. The bouts, which through the next week, are at the Salt Palace. Here is some information. Louie's Boxing Gym, 855 W California in Salt Lake City, is offering free training for credentialed competitors, tomorrow from 10 am to 1 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2 to 8 pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 6 pm.

Siler scores win at PFL MMA tourney

Ogden's Steven Siler, who now fights out of Provo, (seen in a file photo above) scored his first win in a major competition in a while with an exciting, comeback first-round submission of young contender Magomed Idrisov.

It didn't come easy, through. In the Professional Fighters League featherweight bout, Siler (30-17) was losing the striking battle to Idrisov (8-2). A couple of minutes into the round, Siler was floored by a hard shot by his opponent. The Utah fighter, who has competed in Showdown, the UFC, Titan and PFL, probably came within a punch or two of the referee stopping the bout.

But he survived, and got off the ground, shakily resuming action. In the final minute, Siler's 47-bout experience paid when, with Isidrov getting a takedown, Siler skillfully maneuvered his opponent into a triangle choke and expertly tightened it. At that point, Isidrov was finished, with the submission tallied at 4.19 of round one.

Despite dominating most of the first round, Isidrov seemed wary, perhaps with reason given the ending, of engaging his veteran opponent on the ground. On more than one occasion he allowed Siler to get to his feet.

The card, at New York City's Madison Square Garden Hulu Theater, had its early portion (including Siler's win) streamed via PFL's Facebook page. Later bouts were televised on NBCSports cable TV network.

Two recent opponents Siler lost decisions to, Lance Palmer and Andre Harrison, also scored wins on the card. Siler is part of a featherweight PFL competition/tournament that could net the winner $1 million.

You can watch the entire card, including Siler's fight (roughly 45 minutes in), at PFL's Facebook page. Here's a recap from mmafighting webpage.

This was a good win for Steven, and we hope that some of Utah's "legacy media" will note his well-deserved win.

RESULTS FROM THE COMPLEX BOXING CARD

Last Saturday there were several pro bouts at The Complex in Salt Lake City. The card results are at the bottom of this boxrec webpage. Winners included Gabriel Chairez, Eric Wahlen and Jerhed Fenderson.

ETC:

Later this month there will be MMA in Logan on June 23, (Mountain Force MMA) in Salt Lake City on June 29 (SteelFist), and  an amateur boxing card on June 30 in Clearfield (from Lights Out gym). Starting next week, we will begin interviews with participants on these cards. To see a future schedule of state MMA, boxing, kickboxing events, go here.

Also, amateur MMA fighter Destiny McCubbin, who recently won the Utah state flyweight title, will be fighting for a Tuff N Uff belt on June 30 in Nevada. We hope to speak with her prior to the fight, as well.

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.

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.

Gabriel Chairez wins his pro boxing debut

A quick post to let Utah fight fans know the results of a professional boxing matches at The Complex in Salt Lake City last Friday night.

Former amateur star Gabriel Chairez, who recently competed in the national Golden Gloves, won his pro debut with a first round knockout over Andre Kennedy.

In other pro bouts, Francisco Camarillo defeated Enrique Ojeda, Antonio Montoya defeated Jose Avalos, and Bladimir Estrada stopped Dylan Baffuto in round two.

In one of the amateur fights, heavyweight Shakeem Barwell stopped Lalo Riquelme in round one.

The planned main event, a middleweight Utah title fight between Michael Gomez and Christian Aguirre, was scrapped after Gomez injured his hand.

Boxing at The Complex tonight; Siler defeated by Palmer in MMA bout

There is professional boxing at The Complex in Salt Lake City tonight. Also planned are amateur bouts. Main event matches Michael Gomez and Christian Aguirre for the state middleweight titled. Also included is noted amateur Gabriel Chairez making his pro debut. For more information, go here. Fights start at 8 p.m.

Last night at a charity/auction event in Washington D.C. promoted by Professional Fighters League, Top of Utahn Steven Siler was in the co-main event, and fought former World Series of Fighting (now the PFL) featherweight champ Lance Palmer. It was a good, competitive match with Palmer's ability to get Siler on the ground providing him the edge. Although the judges scored every. round for Palmer, we thought he merited round three, where he fought impressively on his back on the ground for most of the round.

Some notes:

One Hit MMA amateur Kaecy Raddon, who now lives in Colorado, won an MMA bout last weekend in that state. Raddon will fight Dec. 2 for a Tuff N Uff amateur title.

Davis County amateur Bryce Edminister makes his pro debut a week from today on Boise, Idaho, on the Front Street Fights card.

Destiny McCubbin, of Weber County but training in Las Vegas, fights for an amateur Tuff N Uff titlre on Nov. 11 in Las Vegas.

The Factum gym is hosting an amateur boxing card on Nov. 11 in Sandy. 8383 S. 700 West.

An interview with amateur boxer Gabriel Chairez, more news

(UPDATE NOTING AMATEUR CARD ON SATURDAY)I chatted recently with Gabriel Chairez, (above at right) the Utah and Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves 132-pound champion. Gabriel has had success at the national Golden Gloves as well, and this year scored a win prior to being eliminated. I asked him what it's like competing at the top amateur level and what the future holds for him.

Utah Fight Game: Tell us a bit about the difference of fighting at nationals?

Chairez: It's a great feeling because when you beat a fighter at nationals you know your beating the top fighters in the nation. It gets you pumped to fight the next day. It's a whole other environment, and different mindset when you’re fighting at nationals compared to states and regionals because you have to be prepared to fight for a whole week straight and every one of those fights are going to be wars with some of the toughest fighters in the nation.

Utah Fight Game: What does the future hold?

Chairez: I plan on making my pro debut at the end of the summer this year, there's no exact dates yet but it's looking like it will be toward the end of July or early August!

Utah Fight Game: What are you goals for the early portion of your pro career?

Chairez: For the first 18 months I want to work my way up the rankings by facing some tough competition and by that time I would hope I'm around 10-0. Once I'm in that range I'd like to be competing for some junior belts.

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Thanks, Gabriel, and we wish you well. Gabriel's brother, Ignacio, is an undefeated professional. Both he and another undefeated Utah pro, Larry Gomez, fight on June 9 at The Complex in SLC. ... And Utah's highest-ranked pro fighter at this time, featherweight Jose Haro, goes for the NABF title on June 10 in Iowa, on a bout that will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network. ... An amateur boxing card will be in Farmington on June 3, sponsored by All Heart and Lights Out gyms. ... UPDATE, There is a local amateur boxing card Saturday at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds, 320 N. 1000 West, in Tremonton, sponsored by Fractured Gym. It's called Fist of Fury and starts at 5:30 p.m.

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MMA: 

Beginning next week, we will start publishing interviews with some fighters competing on the SteelFist card June 23 in Salt Lake City. Steve Chan and Miles Welk, who are battling in the co-main, will be interviews, as will Kaden Weston and Ben Guymon, who are matched in an amateur prelim. I have also interviewed main-bouter LJ Schultz, who is fighting for a SteelFist title, and I hope to interview his opponent, Anthony Miller. Card is here.

Locals pros Jordan Chandler, Sean Powers, and Rowdy Akers have out-of-state bouts in June that we will be keeping an eye on. 

CASTILLO ON UFC FIGHT PASS: Also, today, professional MMA fighter David Castillo announced some big news: He will be fighting the main bout, against Dakota Cochrane, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, for the Victory Fighting Championship promotion. The bout will be aired on UFC Fight Pass.

Golden Gloves recap; Valentine wins Jiu Jitsu tourney

Here's a recap of Utah's experience at the national Golden Gloves. First, I asked Jon Bryant, of Lights Out gym (above at left), the Rocky Mountain 152-pound champ, to share his experiences, in his own words:

Bryant: My national Golden Gloves experience was crazy! Our flight got canceled to Louisiana from Dallas. So we were stuck at the airport for six hours and we all decided to take a three SUVs and drive the seven hours all the way to Lafayette, Louisiana.

My first morning was eye-opening and kind of overwhelming. As I went to go get breakfast there were hundreds of fighters in one hallway. Never have I seen so many fighters in one place, especially good top fighters. We got served powdered eggs, grits, sausage, bacon, and rolls. 

Then on May 2 I had to weigh in. I was super tall and lanky compared to the rest of the 152 division. But there was two that were even taller than I. By this time I was getting nervous to fight. But I got a pass the weigh-in day. 

The most positive things about the national Golden Gloves experience would probably have to be getting to see top competition and seeing what I have to be at next year. I feel like I'm on their level I just have to get to the comfortable level in the ring because I know I can stop these guys, 

Another positive was getting to know everyone on the Rocky Mountain team. At first everyone kind of kept to themselves but by the second day everyone was talking and having fun acting like a team etc. I've learned a lot from this experience, I need to throw a lot more and just be me in the ring. Because if I'm comfortable and I'm myself, nobody at the national tournament can stop me. I also have to have more confidence in my ability to box because I have so many advantages over everyone that was there and I didn't use them. 

But hand-in-hand it was an amazing experience and I will make it next year and I'll get even farther into the tournament or perhaps come back as your 2018 Rocky Mountain Golden Glove Champion.

Thanks Jon, we appreciate hearing a personal and unique perspective of competing at that level.

I chatted with Julian Stevens, of Lights Out, who was there with Jon and Jose Torres, another local competitor, for an update on the week. From Stevens:

-- Diego Alvarez, of Ogden, last year's champ, lost a close decision to the New England rep; Gabriel Chairez defeated Michigan's rep then lost to Cincinnati's rep; Bryant lost to the New York rep; Halatoa Piutau lost to the Texas rep; Torres was defeated by the Chicago rep; and Emilio "Milo" Gutierrez lost to Buffalo rep. 

Thanks Julian.

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As I mentioned yesterday, John Valentine, who is competing at Sand Hollow in the South Valley Slam on May 13, just competed in the Las Vegas International IBJJF Open Jiu Jitsu Championships. He took first in his division. I asked John (see above on top at podium) to share his experiences at the event. These are his words:

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu(BJJ) tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Nogi World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship and European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship. The federation was created by Carlos Gracie, Jr. 

Its tournament, with one of the toughest fields, leads up to the world championships. It's called the Las Vegas Open International IBJJF Jiu Jitsu Championships. Competitors included the likes of Andre Galvao, Lucas Barbosa, Ary Farias, Paul Miyao, Vinny Magalhes, Carlos Farias, Drysdale champions Antonio Lopez, Arin Adjamian and Sylvio Behring, standout champion, and Coach Peter Iacavazzi. 

The event host not only opportunities to compete in your weight class but also the absolute division where there are no weight limits. For example, someone 125 pounds could fight someone in the ultra heavy weight at 260 pounds. The event makes for exciting spectacles for the fans. 

With the world championship looming in just a few months this tournament at used as a tuneup for many of the fighters as they look to pursue their dream of a world championship. The tournament hosted many local Utah fighters and those associated with the sport here locally. 

(As John told me, he decided to take the challenge, less than two weeks before fight time at South Valley Slam, and compete. He entered a division two weights higher than is usual weight, the middleweights, or 180-plus pounds. His competitors extended to Brazil.)

Why that weight? "Partially for the challenge to see if I could compete at that level and against opponents much larger like the one I'll face at South Valley Slam, who is younger and will hold a 7 inch reach advantage and likely be 20 to 30 pounds heavier," Valentine said.

(To his credit, John won his division, taking the gold medal, defeating all in his bracket and not having a point scored against him. It's an impressive accomplishment for a 46-year-old competitor. He's seen below with his hand raised.)

As for the future, after the MMA fight, "I'll switch gears in preparation for the world championships and then a submission-only super fight that will take place in Las Vegas for charity," John said, adding that Amy Campo from Edward Mori team also participated. He also thanked Team Drysdale, saying, "I attribute my success to training with one of the best teams in the country under world champion Robert Drysdale."

Congratulations Jon, and good luck in the world championships. We also wish John and his opponent, Michael Dillard, best of luck on May 13 in Sand Hollow.

On this multiple week of Utah Fight Blog, we'll have one more post Saturday, talking a bit more about local boxing and MMA cards in June. Don't forget to read Thursday's blog post.

Interviews with MMA pros Daniel Stratton, James Russell Francis

This week we start previewing, in earnest, the South Valley Beach Slam that happens in Hurricane, Utah in about three weeks, We have interviewed John Valentine, who will fight on the MMA card, and today we interview Daniel Stratton and James Russell Francis, who will be meeting on the card. It's a rematch of a bout a while ago that Francis won. (Stratton is on the left and Francis the right on the photo above.

So, let's start with Stratton first:

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: So my name is Daniel "The Spartan" Stratton..... I am from Vernal, Utah and recently turned 27 years old. I've been into martial arts pretty much my whole life... I was never really into team sports but I always loved wrestling and martial arts. I had my first fight when I was 17 and a junior in high school and I have been in love with it ever since.

I'm currently scheduled to face James "Scrappy" Francis in an MMA bout for the South Valley Slam promotion May 13th down in Sand Hollow, Utah. This will actually be a rematch between us... he beat me back in January of 2015. So I am very eager to take a shot at redemption. I've been on a rather long hiatus from fighting... when I step into the cage to fight James it will have been 18 months since my last fight. And boy let me tell you what a crazy 18 months that has been. Among many other things I recently spent some time in the hospital with a life-threatening lung infection... this happened back in January. So its pretty crazy to me that not too long ago I was on death's doorstep and now i'm saddling up to be a gladiator again.

One of my best friends and long time fight manager Joey Montanez spent some time with me in the hospital and has been keeping up with me since I got out and thought a fight would be the perfect thing to get my life up and back on track and going again so he gave me a call and asked if I wanted to start getting ready. He did some looking around and called me back and asked if I'd be interested in re matching James again... I don't think the first fight lived up to its full potential and so I jumped at the opportunity. (Photo below is of Stratton and Valentine (right) from 2012)

(ABOUT YOUR OPPONENT) James and I are friends and I know we both respect each other as men and athletes... I know we are both tough as nails and love putting on a good show. I'd bet my purse that its going to be fight of the night so it's not going to be one you want to miss. Skill-wise we match up really well.... we are both well rounded and our fights tend to turn into slugfests so I'm excited to throw down.
(ABOUT TRAINING) I'm living in Vernal, Utah and doing the bulk of my training with Travis Marx at his gym called The Train Station here in Vernal.... I've been working with him for a couple years now and he's been a great friend and coach. I also come to Salt Lake a lot and do some training with my manager Joey and a few other fighters. I even made it up to Layton to train at with Aldo and the killers up at One Hit a while back... I want to make that a regular thing. Life has just been hectic and my schedules been a mess, but I know I'll be coming into the fight sharp, prepared, and ready to win.
(ABOUT THE FUTURE) During my time off I did a lot of thinking on my fight career and where I want to take it... I even considered retirement. Martial arts have always been a huge part of my life and my identity. Looking back I realized that when I'm living the fighter's lifestyle and im dedicated to my training that my life is great and I excel at everything I do... I also realized that when I step away from fighting is when everything in my life goes downhill.... So I made the decision to jump back into the fight game. I'm still young and have too much talent to let it go to waste. So after I win this fight I'd like to keep going with it and become really active again. Start climbing the ranks! I'd just like to take this time to thank all the fight fans, promoters, coaches, and other fighters who have made the fight game in Utah what it is. I hope to see all of you at the fights come May 13th, I promise this is one you won't want to miss. Win loss or draw I promise to give you a show! Big thanks to my family, friends, teammates, and girl for all of your support of me living the dream!

Thanks Daniel, and good luck on May 13. Now, let's chat with James Russell Francis.

How the opportunity arose: My last fight was against Daniel in January 2015. Due to my job, my training had really been hindered to be at a competitive level. Last year my schedule got to a point that I could be consistent and get in shape. I finally feel in shape and was offered a fight by my manager Jen Howe over at Elite Performance. Initially I was not aware who the opponent was when I accepted, when I saw it was Stratton, I still accepted because in my mind, nothing had changed... I want to fight.  

My fighting style:  I've been in this game for a while now. Not saying I'm not improving, but when I first started I was a striker. At this point I am no longer just a pure striker. I am an MMA fighter who can strike and grapple and combine the two quite effortlessly. But... I still do prefer striking. To nutshell though, I'm a fight finisher... I don't like decisions. I go with every intent to live with or die on my sword about your opponent? Stratton is another cat who has been in the game for a while. For our first fight I would have sworn that his background was wrestling (especially growing up in Vernal), but I learned that he is a striker. He has fought in some big shows locally (Showdown for example), so he can handle the pressure of the fight game. He has my respect in that he is a dangerous fighter that if I ignore his skill, he can and will beat me. 

About training: I train over at Jeremy Horn's Elite Performance. We have an awesome group of guys that have always helped me. Jeremy Horn, Josh Tyler, Mitch Thompson (who is fighting on this same card), Tommy Le, etc. Unfortunately due to my work schedule I don't get to see them regularly. For this fight though outside of my usual help, I am getting help from my friend and Elite teammate Kenneth Scott (former U of U wide receiver), Eric Wahlin (former 205 Steelfist champion), Angel Ortiz (fighter/friend/coworker from California, Jordan Clements (former 155 Steelfist title challenger), Ryan Whipple (cardio nut who knows how to push my buttons to push myself) and last but definitely not least, my biggest cornerstone for training, my wife, Giselle Martinez. My teammates from the evening randomly come through in the mornings and help when their work schedule allows them to. I have a solid group of people to help prepare and no stone will be left unturned. (Photo below is of Francis (right) with MMA pro Jordan Clements)

What's next if I win: Like almost all MMA fighters (I only know one person whose goal is to end up not in the UFC but over in Japan), it is to fight in the UFC. That is the pinnacle of my goals. I have small goals to attain that will help me reach my final goal. After I win this fight I would like to fight the winner of Jon Neal vs Skyler Frazier (Neal) for the Steelfist 145lbs belt in June or July, or fight a contender fight if that is what will be required for that title fight. I also would like to fight internationally, I heard Nicaragua (where basically all my cousins, aunts, and uncles are at) has started to promote MMA events there. I'm from New York and have friends and my dad out there and would love to fight in Long Island. I would love to fight in both locations in front of my family and friends who have never had the opportunity to see me fight live. In the end, it will be a little over 28 months when we have our rematch. The result will be the same. It will be exciting, and I will come out victorious. He trains hard, and I anticipate he will train hard for this fight because he is dangerous. But I think it is overall what we have done in the last 28 months that will be the difference. I train to evolve, not just train hard for the sake of training. I evolved, I cannot say with guarantee he has.

Thanks James, and good luck to you too.

Here is more information about the card and promotion. It starts at 7 on May 13 and is at 3351 South Sand Hollow Road in Hurricane. For ticket info, 801-427-2020. Next week we'll have an interview with MMA amateur Bryce Edminister, who is on the card.

Some boxing news: Professional Jose Haro will not be fighting this month in Tijuana, but he says an Iowa bout is likely in the future. ... Several local Utahns, including Jon Bryant and Gabriel Chairez, are heading to Golden Gloves open nationals in early May. ... Utah Junior Olympics is this weekend in SLC. We'll try to get some results. ... All Heart Boxing is planning an amateur card on June 3 at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington.

Burkman defeated in Brazil, announces MMA retirement

UPDATED WITH MORE AMATEUR BOXING RESULTS: It was a tough night for veteran UFC MMA pro Joshua Burkman. The Salt Lake City fighter, 28-15, was stopped in the first round in Fortaleza, Brazil, by Brazilian Michel Prazeres, 22-2. The nationally televised bout was part of UFC Fight Night 46.

Burkman, staggered early, withstood a tremendous barrage of punches in the first minute from Prazeres. In the second minute of the fight, Prazeres got past Burkman's guard on the ground to take side control, and administer a left-to-right choke, forcing a tap from the veteran, 36.


After the bout Burkman announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. He'll be missed as he was a credit to the Utah MMA scene, one who attained world contender status.

SOME QUICK MMA NEWS: Heard through the grapevine, otherwise known as social media, that undefeated amateur Jessica Kruger, who trains with Hidden Valley MMA, will be fighting at Fitcon next month. ,,, Also, amateur Bryce Edminister, who trains at The Garage, will be fighting at the South Valley Slam in May. We'll have an interview with Edminster in the weeks ahead.

AMATEUR BOXING: A lot of amateur boxing the past two days in Salt Lake City, with some fighters trying to move on to regional contests. As I get information, and I need to rely on gyms, trainers and fighter to pass on the news, I'll post results. Have a few results: From All Heart Boxing, Santana DeCarlo won both nights and Jesus Saldana also competed. On Friday, Lights Out Boxing: John Bryant defeated Ryder Campo and was scheduled for a Saturday bout; Youngsters James Cox and Deontay Nish won on Friday, and Giavonni Gonzales competed. Besides Bryant, Chris France, Jose Torres, John Daniels fighting for championships, and also Gonzales and Dylan Bahema scheduled to fight Saturday.

If we get results, we will post them. UPDATE: Lights Out's Bryant won his championship bout Saturday, and other Lights Out fighters included Jose Torres advancing to regional Golden Gloves and Chris France losing in the finals of his division. And 132-pounder Gabriel Chairez, brother of pro boxer Ignacio, won his division and moves to regional finals for the fourth time. Chairez is an independent fighter.