SteelFist MMA results, Foley's boxing results

Just a quick recap of the SteelFist MMA card Friday in SLC and the amateur boxing card at Foley's gym in Ogden Saturday night. (Above, Foley's amateur Joe Gibson sits between rounds with trainer Dave Foley).

At SteelFist, One Hit MMA's LJ Schulz captured the SteelFist 135-pound belt with a first round stoppage over The Garage MMA's Anthony Miller via rear naked choke tap out. After the fight, Schulz, who will be missed in the cage, announced his retirement.

In the co-main, a battle between two good prospects ended with The Garage's Miles Welk scoring an armbar stoppage in round one over Victory MMA's Steve Chan. Another amateur had One Hit MMA's Kaden Weston catching Foley's/The Pack's Ben Guymon with a hard shot early and ending the bout.

Also, in a promotional light heavyweight amateur title bout, Zac Cavender stopped Cole Shafer in round 3 and Lehi Dominguez stopped Preston Black in round 2.

There were 12 bouts. For all results, go to Fighting Out of Utah MMA News 's Facebook page.

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At Foley's there were only 7 amateur bouts as some local amateurs were competing in Las Vegas. But it was a great night of fights, and Brad Davidson did his excellent job announcing.  (Above shows Foley's Carson Matthews (in red) boxing Lehi Pena of Louie's gym). Here are the results:

65 pounds: Elias Rivad (Sergeant) decisioned Adriano Gamino (Fractured)
168: Alexander Ponce (Factum) decisioned Kenny Cruz (Foley's)
107: Lehi Pena (Louie's) decisioned Carson Matthews (Foley's)
102: Yahier Estrada (City Center) decisioned Emilio Lopez (Sergeant)
85: Roberto Sanchez (Sergeant) decisioned Joe Gibson (Foley's)
85: Saul Gamino (Fractured) decisioned Vinnie Apodaca (Foley's)
100: Tanner Gurule (Fullmer's) decisioned Adrian Lopez (Louie's)

Finally, here are some locals' results from amateur boxing in Las Vegas:

Kayden Robinette from Fracture lost a close decision; Adrianno Benn from All Heart lost; Mekhi Benn from All Heart won. Jesse Brown from All Heart is scheduled to fight Sunday afternoon. Also, Colin from Orem lost and Aaron Olmeda lost a very close fight.

Schulz, Miller headline SteelFist card on Friday

The big MMA news this week is SteelFist promotions 50th card Friday night at River Bend Sports and Event Center (1085 Winding Rive Cove) in Salt Lake City. The scheduled fights are here. Doors open at 5; bouts start at 6 p.m. It's an all-ages event.

As noted above, the main event is a title bout between One Hit MMA's LJ Shulz and The Garage's Anthony Miller. It's five rounds for these 135 pounders. Although we unfortunately did not get an interview with Miller, here is a link to a chat we had with Schulz.

We interviewed both fighters in the co-main event. It's between two young pros at about 135 pounds, Steve Chan, of Victory MMA, making his pro debut, and Miles Welk, 1-0, of The Garage. It's three rounds.

We also interviewed both fighters of an amateur contest that intrigues us, Kaden Weston, of One Hit MMA, 2-0, versus Ben Guymon, 3-3, of Foley's Gym and The Pack.

We'll publish results by early Saturday morning. Good luck to all the competitors.
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Some well-known fighters locally competed at a King of the Cage promotion last weekend in Fort Hall, Idaho. Rowdy Akers, of One Hit MMA, was stopped by Vince Morales via arm triangle in round one. Veteran Kerry Lattimer, in his final bout was stopped in round 2 by Scotty Thometz via an armbar, and Andrew Cruz lost a split decision to Vinnie Fricilone. (Thanks to Jordan Chandler for the results).

BOXING:

Saturday night in Ogden at Foley's gym there is an amateur boxing card. Tickets are $12 for 12 and over and $6 for 6 to 11 ages.

The gym is at 375 31st Street in Ogden and the bouts start at 7 p.m. We'll be there and provide results.

Finally, featherweight pro boxer Daniel Franco, badly injured earlier this month after being by KO'd by West Jordan's Jose Haro, who earned the USBA Featherweight championship, is making some progress on his road to recovery, according to his dad, Al Franco, who has provided updates on a Go Fund Me page for Daniel, who is in our prayers. Please help if you can.

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,

MMA amateurs Kaden Weston and Ben Guymon matched at SteelFist

Today we start previewing some bouts at the SteelFist MMA card on June 23 in Salt Lake City. Two amateur prospects, Ben Guymon, of Foley's gym and The Pack MMA, (seen at top/behind working out with Pack teammate Eric Munoz) will meet Kaden Weston of One Hit MMA (seen at right sparring at the gym). Here are interviews with both, and we'll have other interviews with members of the card through June.

1) What got you interested in MMA? Who are some of the fighters you admire?

Guymon: I saw a couple UFC DVDs as a teenager, and thought it looked like fun. GSP is my favorite fighter, but I also like watching Connor McGregor, Jose Aldo, Fedor, and others.

Weston: What first got me into MMA was my cousin Gavin. I was always a fan, but never really considered doing it myself. He started training a few years back before he left on his mission. I decided to try a few classes with him, and I really liked it. I never really got into it until after he returned home though. We decided to check out One Hit MMA and we loved it, so we've been there ever since. There are many MMA athletes whom I admire. I have always been a big Belfort fan. I've always loved his style and heart he brings into fighting. Some of the athletes who have inspired me the most are those whom I train with, though. 

2) Where are you training? Who are your coaches? With whom are you training?

Weston: I am training at One Hit MMA with my coaches Aldo Oreggia, Bruno Antunes, and Jordan and Crystal Smith. Me, my cousin Gavin, LJ Shultz, and Cory Rose all fight June 23. Jordan Chandler fights June 3 and Rowdy Akers fights on June 17 so we have all been pushing each other and training daily together. There are many other teammates who aren't fighting those days so they are sparring with us and helping us prepare.

Guymon: (At Foley's and The Pack) Pat Reeves, Justin Roberts and Billy Zumbrun are my coaches. My training partners are Geovanni Gavilanez, Eric Munoz, AJ Garcia and Dom Gero.

3) What are your strengths? What are your opponents strengths and how do you plan to neutralize that?

Guymon: I'm getting much more comfortable inside the cage. My cardio and fitness are some of my best strengths. I work very hard on being the best I can be, and do not quit.

Weston: I have always felt that I am strongest on the ground, but over the past couple of months and with the help of my stand up coaches I feel my stand-up has improved greatly. I am comfortable taking the fight anywhere. I haven't seen all of my opponents fights, but he fought one of my teammates in his last bout and during the fight I noticed he was a really durable guy. He took some early shots but was able to come back for the win. My strategy is to come out strong and keep him under pressure for the whole fight.

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

Weston: A year from now I hope to be able to fight for the belt and go pro eventually!

Guymon: In a year I plan to be on a several fight win streak, and preparing for my pro debut.

We wish the best for both of these competitors and thank them for taking the time to speak with Utah Fight Game blog. Next we'll chat with young pros Steve Chan and Miles Welk, who are fighting each other on the card.

JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS ... In MMA, local pro Jordan Chandler is moving to Mesa, Arizona to start his doctorate in physical therapy. He's been a credit to the sport for years and we wish him well. His final MMA bout will be June 3 in Price against Cy Nelson at Fierce Fighting Championship. ... On The Ultimate Fight show last night, Ramsey Nijem, who has a history with the Utah MMA scene, returned after two years off with a win over Julian Lane. ... In amateur boxing, some locals will be competing in Junior Olympics nationals. We'll be looking to see how they do.

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.