Akers wins at Steelfist; Olquin wins boxing belt

In an 150-pound pro bout, Rowdy Akers stopped Gregg McFarland in the main event at the SteelFist MMA card in Salt Lake City on Oct. 19. Results of all bouts on the card are available at the Fighting Out of Utah MMA News Facebook page.

Also on Oct. 19, at a UFC MMA card in Boston, Utahn Court McGee dropped a three-round decision to undefeated Sean Brady.

Speaking of Akers, he was scheduled to fight in a submission-only limited-rules 7-minute bout in Las Vegas Nov. 9 at Sam's Town against John Valentine. The pair fought a memorable MMA bout a couple of years ago that Akers won. However, this past week Valentine announced on social media that Arron Carson will be replacing Akers. It will be the second bout between the pair. Valentine won the first match.

SteelFist's next card is Nov. 22 in Salt Lake City at the Union Event Center. Bouts include professional fighters Hayden Brown and Joe Maama fighting at 175 pounds. Also, Lehi Dominguez will fight Jordan Marriott in a lightweight pro bout.

BOXING

In Salt Lake City on Oct. 11, heavyweight Helaman Olquin won the FKF promotional state pro heavyweight title with a majority decision over Joseph Jones. In two other pro boxing bouts, both super-lightweight, undefeated Ignacio Chairez scored a decision over Anthony Curtiss and Joey Borrero decisioned Edison Charley.

According to state athletic commission website, DiBella Entertainment is planning a pro boxing card on Nov. 15 at the Salt Palace Convention Center. I have heard no information on that card as of yet.

KICKBOXING -- This week professional kickboxer Kaecy Raddon, who now lives in Colorado, is competing in Sarajevo in the 22nd WAKO Masters World Championships. Raddon is Mountain Force Kickboxing promotional pro champion. On Wednesday Raddon was defeated in the tourney by Marzaq Soufiane of Morroco. Mountain Force Kickboxing plans a kick boxing card in Ogden on Nov. 16.

Larry Gomez to box, Court McGee tabbed for MMA bout, more

Lots of nuggets of fight news in Utah right now. Let's start with the earliest:

On Friday, Oct. 11, at the 801 Event Center in Salt Lake City, there will be a pro boxing card, with also some amateur kickboxing. In the main bout, for the FKF promotion state pro heavyweight championship, Helaman Olguin (above middle) fights Joseph Jones. In another pro bout, undefeated Utahn Ignacio Chairez, fights Anthony Curtiss. In a third pro bout, Joey Borrero meets Edison Charley. The card is near the bottom of this page (link).

Also, northern Utah pro boxer Larry Gomez (9-1) has a major bout on Nov. 30 in Las Vegas against undefeated Brian Mendoza, 18-0. Scroll down this link to see the entire ESPN-Plus streamed card, which includes work-class boxers Oscar Valdez, Arnold Barboza Jr., and Carl Frampton in bouts.

Finally, Jon Bryant, who took the Bronze in the national open Golden Gloves, is competing in the Eastern Qualifiers over the next few days. He is seeded fifth in his category and won his first bout last night. He has several more bouts. Jon is seeking an opportunity to earn a qualifying spot in the Olympics trials.

MMA

On October 18, on the card UFC on ESPN 6, veteran Utah MMA pro Court McGee, 19-8, fights undefeated Sean Brady, 10-0. The entire card is here. It's a preliminary so bout will likely be streamed via ESPN.

Oct. 19, in Salt Lake City at The Union Event Center, is the next SteelFist pro/am MMA card. The main bout pits veteran pros Rowdy Akers and Gregg McFarland. Matt Oyler of Undefeated by Choice has interviewed McFarland here and I imagine Akers will be interviewed as well. The entire card is here.

On Oct. 4, on the Front Street Fights card in Boise, Idaho, pro MMA fighter Kerry Lattimer, of Idaho, who fights often in Utah, was defeated by Darrell Flores in the co-main event.

Finally, on Nov. 9 in Colorado Springs, Colo., Ogden area MMA pro Eric Munoz, who is undefeated, takes on Josh Watson on the card No Mercy 68, Also on the card will by Northern Utah MMA amateur Brittany Guillemin.

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.

SteelFist kicks off new year with MMA card; pro boxing results

Two veteran professional MMA light-heavyweights will headline SteelFist MMA's first card of 2019 on Saturday, Jan. 25, at The Union Event Center, 235 North, 500 West, in Salt Lake City.

Joe Rodriguez, 7-5, who has logged wins over Damarques Johnson, Eti Palu, and Eric Wahlen, takes on 50-plus fight veteran Hank Weiss, 31-20, who in a long career has notched wins over Jarome Hatch, Sean O'Connell, Mike Crisman, Josh Burkman and Nick Rossborough, among others. Both fighters are 41 years old.

The entire scheduled card is here. A pro women's MMA bout matches Kaytlin Neil versus Andrea Miller and professionals Jared Toothaker and Andy Witt meet as well. Amateur bouts include Thomas Prestriedge and Augustin Valdez competing for a SteelFist title belt and Alonzo Salas meeting Aldyn Ashcraft. Doors open at 6 p.m. in this card for all ages.

Professional boxing results

On Nov. 30 in Salt Lake City local pro boxer Ignacio Chairez remained undefeated with a unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Anthony Curtiss. Chairez is 6-0-1 in his pro career.You can see all results here. Eric Wahlen, also an MMA pro, also won on the card, remaining undefeated as a professional boxer.

On Dec. 6, Salt Lake City professional boxer Christian Aguirre, 8-4 as a pro, traveled to Costa Mesa, Calif. to meet undefeated, former amateur star Andreas Katzourakis. Aguirre was dropped in round one but survived, and fought competitively against his larger opponent through rounds 2 and 3, although Katzourakis kept an edge with strong body shots.

Midway through round, the referee inexplicably stopped the bout, awarding Katzourakis a TKO victory. It deprived the usually resilient Aguirre of an opportunity to rally and perhaps grab a win, something he has done more than once. Results from the entire card can be found here.

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.
---
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.

Interview with boxer Justin Morales; more news

Above (at right) is undefeated pro welterweight Justin Morales, who stopped opponent Anthony Ayala in round 1 in a May bout in Layton. Saturday night in Columbia, S.C., Morales, a Northridge High graduate who lives in Clinton, fights Kelton Davis. We  chatted with Morales a few days before his bout.

---

Before we get to the interview I want to mention that Friday in Boise, Idaho there's a Bellator card and three local fighters will be tussling in the preliminary card, which will be streamed at Bellator.com and various other sites. In a fight that's getting a lot of ink, heavyweight Ben Moa, 4-0, of One Hit MMA, will meet another undefeated prospect, Steve Mowry, 4-0. Also, Sean Powers, Fruit Heights, of Power MMA, 9-6,will be in the Bellator cage for the fourth time, and fights 3-0 Jared Trice, 190 pounds. And Bryce Edminister, Layton, who trains at KOA Kingdom, (1-1) meets debuting Leon Taylor, 145 pounds. And Andrew Cruz, who fights out of Idaho and has fought in Utah, is also on the card. Here is the entire Bellator 205 card; main bouts will be televised at 7 on Paramount Network.

Some quick notes: Mountain Force MMA has an MMA card Saturday, Sept. 30 in Logan; Undefeated pro boxer Ignacio Chairez plans to fight Oct. 6 in Wendover; Amateur fighter Kaecy Raddon, who usually fights as a kickboxer and mixed martial artist, has a boxing match in Colorado Saturday at a Sparta Combat League promotion; Both Raddon and Jarrett Kelton plan to compete in international amateur kickboxing competition in October; Ed Whitmore, an MMA professional, has a pro boxing match scheduled Saturday. He fights Joseph Carriker. It's in Joplin, Mo.; MMA pro Thomas Hughes will return to the cage on Dec. 1, I have heard, on a Sparta Combat League card; MMA pro Steven Siler's next bout in the televised PFL 145-pound tourney is Oct. 5. He meets Nazareno Malegerie.

NOW, ON TO THE INTERVIEW WITH JUSTIN MORALES:

Utah Fight Game: Justin, how did the September bout come about? How is training going, where, who is trainer, who are you sparring with?

Morales: My fight Sept 22nd came about because I wanted to stay active fighting and my coach has a good relationship with the promoter of the show so he lined me up. Training has been going great, I can feel myself improving both mentally and physically. I currently live in Las Vegas and train with Hall Of Fame Coach Jesse Reid. If we aren't at our home gym it's likely we are either at Johnny Tacos Boxing or Barry's Boxing sparring with various pros at those gym to get different looks!

Utah Fight Game: When do you think we'll see you in Utah again?

Morales: If all goes well I'd like to fight in Utah before the years end. No later than next summer for sure though.

Utah Fight Game: Where would you like to be a year from now in your pro career?

Morales: In a year from now hopefully my professional career is really starting to take off, I'd like to possibly fight for a Super Lightweight State Title or any opponent that would help boost my ranking!

Good luck this weekend Justin, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

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.

---

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.

Junior Olympics amateur boxing results

The Utah State Junior Olympics tournament was held last Saturday at Foley's gym in Ogden. Here are the results, including title winners, who can move on to compete at Nationals in New Mexico:

56 pounds: Austin Garcia, Maximus Boxing, defeated Corbin Lloyd, Payson
170 pounds: Tate Johnson, Maximus Boxing, defeated Tod Pachecko, Foley's
98 pounds, TITLE: Colin Toilevuka, defeated Joe Gibson, Foley's (photo above shows Colin (at right) and Joe in corners between first and second round).
70 pounds: Giovanni Gonzales, Lights Out, defeated Shane Saunders, PAL
95 pounds: Elijah Willett, Maximus Boxing, defeated Erik Castaneda, Fullmers
80 pounds: Gizelle Alvaraez, LALO, defeated Estrella Hernandez, Lights Out
75 pounds: Sergio Sanchez, Maximus Boxing, defeated Saul Gamino, Lights Out
120 pounds: Juma Uredi, PAL, defeated Andre Lopez, Louie's
85 pounds: Anthony Charlie, Lights Out, defeated Fernando Quintanilla, PAL
65 pounds: TITLE: Adrian Ggamino, Lights Out, defeated Valentin Ssanchez, Maximus Boxing
110 pounds: Carson Matthews, Foley's, defeated Leonardo Sanchez, PAL
116 pounds: Lesly Hernandez, Louie's, defeated Aliyah Garcia, Oogden
132 pounds, TITLE: Javy "Danny" Melgar, PAL, defeated Giovanni Rodriguez, Oogden.
---
Unopposed champions were 8 yrs to 10, Diego Cabrera, Austin Garcia, Giovanni Gonzales, 11 yrs to 12, James Cox, Saul Gamino, Sergio Sanchez, Jesus Guzman, 13 yrs to 14, Eduardo Lopez, Jr., Leonardo Sanchez, Carson Matthews, Sol Rodriguez, Jaqueline Garcia, 15 yrs to 16, Aaron Garcia, Adrian Lopez, Tanner Gurule, Alex Avila, Robert Chairez, Jayden Lopez, Lalo Zimora.

A reminder that local Rocky Mountain Open Golden Gloves champs Diego Alvarez (Los Gallitos) and Jon Bryant (Lights Out) are in training for the upcoming national Golden Gloves in Nebraska.

---

Last weekend was The Proving Grounds Invitational 4. Results included Jon Valentine submitting Chris Wells and Lucus Montoya was also a winner via submission. Ethan Alejo, of Park City Jiu Jitsu, was injured in competition but his gym says that he is on the road to recovery. The gym also expressed appreciation to fighters, PGI and others for raising money to help with Ethan's medical expenses. For photos, etc., go to PGI's Facebook page.

In MMA action, Kerry Lattimer, an Idaho pro well known to Utah MMA fans, was stopped by Nathan Stolen in round 2 at Front Street Fights 17 in Boise, Idaho, last weekend. Another fighter known to local cages, William Dunkle, lost a decision to Joe Boerschig. Card is here.

Local MMA pro Brenda Enriquez fights on a Combate card in Sacramento on Friday, against Lizbeth Lopez Silva. It's the main event and the card will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

SOME BOXING NEWS: Next week we will preview the May 26 Imperial Boxing card in Layton. Interviews will include Christian Aguirre and Larry Gomez, meeting for both a state and ABO title. ... The Complex will host another boxing card on June 1. Bladimir Estrada, Ignacio Chairez, and Gabriel Chairez, will be on the card.

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.

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good luck to John and his sons on Saturday night.

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

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

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

MMA:

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

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

BOXING:

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

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

SLC fights: Chairez and Brown draw, Aguirre stops Carroll

Here are results from the pro/am boxing card last night at The Complex in Salt Lake City. I want to thank Dave Foley, Julian Stevens and Jason DeCarlo for keeping me informed, as I had to work last night. Also thanks to Charles Presnell for some background information.

In the main event, for the state middleweight championship, Christian Aguirre remained undefeated with a KO in the second round over Factum gym's Tim Carroll. Congrats to Aguirre and we wish future success for Carroll, who is one of the great guys in Utah boxing.

In the co-main, undefeated SLC boxer Ignacio Chairez was held to a draw by undefeated Las Vegas boxer Anthony Brown over four rounds. This was a competitive, well-matched bout, I heard. Brown, incidentally, fought in a Golden Gloves tournament in SLC in 2013. It'd be nice to see both rematched over six rounds soon.

In a third pro bout, Clay Collard defeated Jamey Swanson.

In amateur bouts:

Ozmanny Sanchez (Lights Out) defeated Vinnie Apodaca (Foleys)

Lalo Zamora (Fullmers) defeated Luis Cornejo (Foleys)

Rene Mendoza (Louie's) defeated Matt Searl (Fullmers)

Jordan Jones (Louie's) defeated Jesse Stoneman (Orem)

Interviews with LJ Schulz and Tim Carroll, Jose Haro fights Saturday on TV

The big news this weekend is that West Jordan featherweight boxer Jose Haro fights on CBS Sports Network on Saturday night (Xfinity 269) against Daniel Franco for the United States Boxing Association title. This is arguably the biggest fight for a Utah pro since heavyweight Billy Zumbrun lost, via a disputed decision, a televised bout against former heavyweight champ Riddick Bowe a decade back or so. Good luck trying to find a TV listing at CBS Sports website but fightnews.com has it starting a 10 pm EST, which would be 8 pm locally.

We'll get back to boxing, including a preview of Friday's boxing card at The Complex in SLC and an interview with one of the boxers. However, as part of our preview of the June 23 SteelFist MMA card in SLC, we were fortunate enough to chat with One Hit MMA's LJ Schulz (seen training above at left) who is fighting The Garage's Anthony Miller in the main event. The 150 pounders are competing in a 5-round SteelFist title challenge. Miller defeated Jeremiah Guzman to win the belt recently.

So, here's the interview:

1) Tell me a little about yourself. What got you interested in MMA, who are some MMA athletes you admire?

Schulz: I'm 28, married and a proud father of 2 kids. I got into MMA right about the time the first ultimate fighter came on. I was just a fan for a while. I didn't even start training until about 2 years after my first fight. When I did decide to train, I was lucky to be able to train with Shane Brennar at his basement gym. He created a lot of my grappling foundation to this day but he left to California after a year. I had to find a gym and knew Jordan Smith was the top guy in Utah at the time and he trained near me.
 
2) Where are you training for the bout. Who are your coaches? What other fighters are training, or sparring with you?

Schulz: That's how I found One Hit and the head trainer Aldo Oreggia. I've been training there for 6 years now and we prove every fight card we're the top gym in Utah. I train with the best and because there is too many to name, I'll stick with the upcoming talent that are fighting with me on June 23. Cory Rose, Gavin Weston, and Kaden Weston, will set One Hit up with a 3-0 before I get our fourth and my shiny new belt. 

3) What are your strengths, what are your opponent’s strengths and what’s your strategy to come out on top? 

Schulz: My strength is the ability to go anywhere. I've improved my boxing a lot during that pro boxing try I had. However, I've always been known as a ground guy. I recently earned my purple belt in BJJ but keep in mind I've done No-Gi grappling a lot longer. He'll most likely try taking me down which is fine, I'll be the one picking if we go there.

4) Where do you hope to be in your career a year from now?
Schulz: Not quite sure where I'll be. I'd love to get another shot at LFA but I'm more than happy to defend this belt a couple times then take the 145lb SteelFist belt. My training partner and friend Jon Neal will relinquish it because he'll be in the UFC by then.

We wish Schulz, as well as Miller, the best of luck on the 23rd. We may have some more interviews as the date of fight night approaches. Also, read these previous interviews of June 23 competitors here and here.

---

More boxing: As mentioned, there is a pro/am boxing card Friday night at The Complex, which starts at 8 p.m. The main event matches Tim Carroll, (above) who teaches boxing at Factum gym, with Christian Aguirre. The bout is for the state middleweight title. 

We chatted with Carroll recently about the fight:

Utah Fight Game: Tim, what do you know about Christian Aguirre and how are you training for him? Who coaches you and helps you with your training? What is a typical day of training like? You've had some fights with tough opponents and I thought a couple should have went your way. What have you learned from tough bouts? What's it like being the coach at Factum? You started late as a pro. Where would you like to be a year from now?

Carroll: My days are pretty busy. I work 10 hours a day as electrician then I go to Factum and train people for a couple of hours. After that I try to fit in some time to train with (former pro) Gary Gomez, then go home to my beautiful wife and seven-month-old baby.

I turned pro at 34, I'm 37 now me and Christian (and I) used to be sparring partners. We both trained with Gary Gomez. I've worked the corner against him in three out of his four fights. He is a good boxer. (At this point Carroll expressed concerns with some comments Aguirre has allegedly made prior to the fight.)  ... but all of his trash talking just gets me more excited. I have forgotten more about boxing than he knows as a coach. I put more pressure on myself to win but I just want to show all the people I train just to leave it all in the ring.

That's all I expect people to do that I train; is to leave it all out there so that's what I try to do every time. 

Good luck Tim, and to all the competitors, including undefeated Ignacio Chairez, who are fighting on the card. Unfortunately, undefeated boxer Larry Gomez's fight was cancelled.

We will report boxing results through the weekend.

Chan, Welk talk before SteelFist MMA clash, plus more

UPDATE ON DAVID CASTILLO MMA BOUT SATURDAY: David Castillo, who runs The Garage MMA gym, fights Saturday in Council Bluffs, Iowa, meeting another veteran, Dakota Cochrane. Card is here; good luck David. ... Today we are chatting with the two MMA professionals meeting in the co-main even on June 23 in SLC at the SteelFist card. Both were successful local amateurs. Miles Welk, of The Garage MMA, is 1-0 and Steve Chan, of Victory MMA, is making his pro debut. This is a tough match for novice pros but even a loss is better than five wins over outmatched competitors. The whole card is here.

So, here we go with the interview:

1) Tell me a little about yourself. What got you interested in MMA, who are some MMA athletes you admire?
 
CHAN (Seen below) When I was younger my dad would teach me karate and Kung Fu, We would watch a lot of martial arts movies like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, So I've always been interested in combat. When I got a little older I started watching shows like Dragon Ball Z and Power Rangers and started reading X-men comics, So I got really into the whole superhero/combat/ fighting atmosphere. Later I found an interest in boxing and then discovered MMA one night flipping through the channels. It was Ben Henderson fighting and I was immediately hooked. I started watching the local late-night MMA shows and was very impressed with the sport: the grappling, striking, everything. I continued boxing and later decided to try Muay Thai and my obsession just grew from there. I admire Anderson Silva because of his unorthodox style, it is really exciting to watch. I also admire Zach Zane, his heart, passion and aggressiveness for the sport taught me that you don't have to walk around like a tough guy to earn respect outside of the cage. Chan Sung Jung, Jose Aldo, Demetrious Johnson are also fighters that I enjoy watching. 

WELK (Seen below with trainer David Castillo): I'm 27. I wrestled for a while and after school I missed wrestling and that type of workout and competing. I admire my coach David Castillo and my stand-in big brother Lucus Montoya, Chris Weidman, George St. Pierre Matt Hughes and Jeremy Horn are fighters I admire.

2) Where are you training for the bout. Who are your coaches? What other fighters are training, or sparring with you?

WELK: I'm full time at The Garage in Layton, Utah. My coaches are David Castillo, Jason Tafoya, Anthony Lobato. I have a solid group of teammates who I would be nothing without. (They include) Bryce Edminister, Anthony Miller, Bobby King, Nathan Owens, Brandon Rease.

CHAN: I am training at Victory MMA, where we have amazing coaches that make sure we are prepared for war. My coaches are: Jake Paul, Kam Tuller, James Foster, Matt Raines and Kyle Herrera Some of my teammates I am working with are: Brenda Enriquez, Clay Abrams, Jayden and Jordan Marshall, Kelleck Diamond, Drew, Erick, Dan, Joshua Tauteoli, Ethan Shepherd, Pedro and a handful of other guys and girls.

3) What are your strengths, what are your opponent’s strengths and what’s your strategy to come out on top?

CHAN: I believe I am a well-rounded fighter and I am looking to come away with the win wherever the fight goes. My opponent likes to wrestle, and I like to do all of it, wrestling included. 

WELK: My opponent is a tough guy with a deep gas tank I know he's training hard. He has good hands and decent ground awareness from the video I've watched. I'm just working hard to get better everywhere so I'm comfortable no matter where the fight goes.

4) Where do you hope to be in your career a year from now?

WELK: In a year I would like to be 4-0 maybe 5-0 with a local title.

CHAN: A year from now I will be an even better fighter, with much sharper tools and farther in my journey to become the best mixed martial artist I can be.

We wish the best to both Welk and Chan, two great competitors with strong futures in the sport.

SOME MORE NEWS:

On Saturday, there is amateur boxing at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington. The card is sponsored by All Heart and Lights Out gym. We hope to have results and perhaps photos to share on the blog.

Also on Saturday is Fierce Fighting Championship MMA card in Price. Of particular interest is the Jordan Chandler versus Cy Nelson fight. It's likely the last fight for Ogden's Chandler as he moves with his wife to Arizona to continue his education.

June 9 there is a pro/am boxing card at The Complex in SLC. Undefeated local pros Ignacio Chairez and Larry Gomez are in separate bouts and Utahns Tim Carroll and Christian Aguirre fight for the state middleweight title. Chairez, by the way, was noted as one of the top 12 prospects in boxing by Inside Boxing.

Next week we'll have interviews with Carroll and One Hit MMA's LJ Schulz as he prepares for his main-bout fight at SteelFist on June 23.

Finally, remember that Utahn Jose Haro is fighting for a national featherweight title on June 10 in Sloan, Iowa, against Daniel Franco, and the fight will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.

Read our interviews with amateurs Ben Guymon and Kaden Weston, who are fighting on the SteelFist card,

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.

---

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.

---

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.

Results from South Valley Slam, more boxing, MMA news

Some MMA results from Saturday night in Hurricane, at the South Valley Slam. These are courtesy of Jeffrey "Dutch" Dutcher from Fighting Out of MMA Net.

Pro bouts:

155: David Jordan defeated Dustin Jenkins, 5th round TKO. "Jordan was losing the whole fight until he landed the punches to finish it," Dutcher wrote.

145: James Russell Francis defeated Daniel Stratton via 1st round straight ankle lock.

145-pounder John Valentine, fighting a heavier weight against Michael Dillard, won via a first round TKO (strikes).

135: Jerold Shapiro defeated Florin Moraru via tap to strikes.

155: Brian Thomson defeated Mitch Shapiro via slit decision.

Amateur bouts:

145 pounds: Bryce Edminister (The Garage MMA) defeated Nick Estrada via armbar in round one.

170: Aldyn Ashcraft decisioned Anthony Turchetta.

105: women: Magaly Sanchez decisioned Michelle Daley.

135: Scott Nelson defeated Luis Camacho via split decision.

125: Justus Minardi defeated Daniel Arellano via split decision.

--

MMA News: Some fighters with local presence, including One Hit MMA's Rowdy Akers, will be fighting in a King of the Cage promoted event on June 17. Others participating include Kerry Lattimer, Gabe Pelayo and Andrew Crusz.

Boxing News: Undefeated Salt Lake City boxer Ignacio Chairez will also be on the June 9 boxing card at The Complex in SLC, joining another undefeated Utah, Larry Gomez.

We'll update some of this with our next blog post.

Photos from SLC boxing card on April 1

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

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

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

CHRISTIAN AGUIRRE (white trunks) DEFEATS LAURENTINO ENRIQUEZ, PRO

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

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

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

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

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

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

The card as of Thursday is below.

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