Montoya takes on Collard in SteelFist MMA bout in March

Here are some news briefs involving the Utah Fight Game:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chats with James Francis, Kelsey Skillman and Destiny McCubbin

This week includes a couple of chats with MMA fighters competing at the Friday June 29 SteelFist MMA card at the Union Event Center in Salt Lake City (Doors open at 6 p.m.). James Russell Francis takes on returning LJ Schulz in the co-main three round event. They’re featherweights. Francis, in his career, holds a pair of wins over Daniel Stratton and fought Steven Siler earlier in his career.

Here’s our chat with Francis:

JAMES RUSSELL FRANCIS

Utah Fight Game: What got you interested in MMA, who are some MMA athletes you admire? Where are you training for the bout. Who are your coaches? What other fighters are training, or sparring with you? What are your strengths, what are your opponent’s strengths and what’s your strategy to come out on top? Where do you hope to be in your career a year from now?

FRANCIS: I’ve been in the fight game for quite a while and I can definitely say why I took my first fight and why I decided to stay fighting are not the same. My next opponent LJ and I go way back. He is a very dangerous and talented opponent, so I look forward to the challenge that he brings to this fight. There is no doubt in my mind we will be fight of the night. Regardless if it ends in round one or round 3, I guarantee it will be the best fight. 

As far as my future, I’m climbing up the hill in age and my goals are to put focus on coaching and improving my coaching skills, along with other skills. I look to open my own MMA school in the next 5-8 years if possible. Nothing is set in stone for my future goals though as far as time frame... except that LJ is going to get a beating on Friday June 29th ha ha ha!! We both come from very high-quality gyms, but I will come out on top for this fight.

Also fighting on the card is Kelsey Skillman, (below) an amateur from KOA Kingdom gym in Davis County. Kelsey is fighting Shandra Sisneros. The bout’s at 135 pounds. Utah Fight Gamde  asked her the same questions.

KELSEY SKILLMAN

Skillman: I am 27, a single mom of two little girls and I own Salon Vibe in West Jordan. I started out just kickboxing to lose weight after dropping 50 pounds and being in the MMA gym consistently I decided I wanted to take a fight and fell in love with MMA and the MMA community. My biggest influences in MMA are my coaches David Castillo and Miles Welk. On an UFC level I like Thug Rose and Holly Holm. 

I train out of KOA Kingdom in Layton. My coaches are David Castillo, Miles Welk, Bobby King, and Anthony Lobato. We have a super strong team right now, I train with- Miles Welk, Bobby King, Bryce Edminster, Hector Lopez, Brandon Rease, Tyler Trantham, Bryce Scanlon, Edgar Sorto, Alonzo Salas, and Sammy Conners. 

 I'm known as a striker but I feel good standing or going to the ground. I don't know much about my opponent besides she's only had one fight. Strategy for the fight is just to stay focused and take it where ever I want it to go. 

This time next year we want to have a couple titles and just keep progressing in the sport.

MCCUBBIN FIGHTS IN LAS VEGAS

Destiny McCubbin, (below training on top) a Top of native who now lives in Las Vegas, is fighting for a Tuff N Uff amateur title in Las Vegas on June 30. Destiny is a popular fighter here who recently won on a Fitcon card. She fights Nadine Mandiau. We asked Destiny the same questions as the others.

DESTINY MCCUBBIN

McCubbin: I started my MMA Journey in 2014. I fought a lot growing up and once I turned 18 I got mixed up with the wrong crowd and was just going down a really ugly path. Once I hit rock bottom I woke up and realized I was not here to live this life I was living and decided to step into a MMA gym. That was summer of 2014 and since that day fighting has been my life. My dad and I would watch a lot of Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture when I was younger. Fighters I admire would be Rose Namajunas, Lomachenko, Triple GGG, Connor McGregor(for his work ethic) All of the fighters I train with are amazing. I admire anybody who works their ass off for a dream nobody can see but them.

I am training in Las Vegas at Xtreme Couture. My Head coach is Dennis Davis. He runs all of my practices and he as amazing fight IQ he can break down any opponent I face. Danny Davis is my strength and conditioning coach as well as my overall coach he is very good at his craft and always coaching me in every aspect of camp. I've been working with Max Rohskopf on my wrestling, He's a very high level wrestler/grappler, also a professional fighter. We just started working together but I plan keeping it going in and out of camp. My main partners for this camp have been a little bit of everybody honestly! Our team is always there for whatever I need. Cheyanne Vlismas is always there for sparring and drilling. Tai Emery has been working a lot of wrestling with me , she's been a huge help. She also is really great at sports massage so she keeps my body healthy! Josh Morales holds pads for me as well. mostly at night for the late night sweats after road work, we also work a lot of hand/eye coordination drills.

My strengths have grown a lot over the last few months. I am a striker but that isn’t all the tricks I have up my sleeve! I am confident wherever this fight goes, My teammates make sure I see every situation in the gym so nothing is unfamiliar in the cage. Nadine is a gritty striker with a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu so I expect a tough fight. The strategy is to just go out there and fight my fight. It can be a first round finish or a 3 round war. Either way I'm ready to play.

A year from now I'd like us to be ready to start taking things to the next level and preparing for the pros.Going to keep grinding In and Out of camp, the future is bright!

We wish all three of these fighters the best of luck, as well as to their opponents and all competitors on the SLC and Las Vegas cards.  ... A COUPLE OF NOTES: It's Pat Reeves Fight Night with Mountain Force MMA in Logan Saturday night. If you can't make it the card will be streamed on the FITE APP. It will cost $14.99 but the App is available free for download. I've used it on my Android often. ... Also, a couple of MMA pros with Utah ties are fighting tonight on national TV as part of a Professional Fighters League tournament. Sean Connell and Ramsey Nijam meet opponents on the card, with is aired on NBCSports (Xfinity 34) starting at 7 p.m.

An interview with MMA pro Miles Welk

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

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

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

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

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

How do you match strongly against your opponent?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Talking with MMA pro Eric Iman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


MMA RESULTS LAST WEEKEND OF AREA NOTE

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

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

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

AMATEUR BOXING IN SLC

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