Interview with MMA pro Joe Rodriguez, LFA MMA card Friday

It's a big night tomorrow for Utah MMA. Legacy Fighting Alliance is in West Valley City at The Maverik Center. The AXS TV card headlines Jon Neal, of Ogden, against Tyler Diamond. Also fighting in bouts are Josh Burkman, LJ Schulz, Westin Wilson, Kaytlin Neil, Zac Cavender, and Marco Sanchez. Also, Bobby King meets Fabio Serrao.

Also on the card is veteran 185 pounder Joe Rodriguez, who trains out of One Hit MMA and University of Grappling. He meets Emilio Trevino. We've followed Joe's successful career for years and appreciate him granting Utah Fight Game a pre-fight interview.

What does it mean for you to return to an LFA fight card, particularly one in Northern Utah?

Rodriguez:  I wasn't expecting to fight on a big show. After Glory kickboxing, an injury put me out for a year then I couldn't find any fights a year later for 185 lbs. (After) two years of not fighting I was about to call it quits. Beginning of 2018 I moved up to 205 lbs to fight a guy from Colorado, then I had another one after that and now LFA will be my 3rd fight at 205. I'm honored to fight for LFA given the fact that I am 41 years of age so maybe I do have some fight left in me.

What do you know about your opponent?

Rodriguez: I know my opponent has a karate background, fights southpaw and orthodox. Doesn't matter to me, I've trained with the best southpaw in Utah (Jordan Smith) for years. He hasn't fought the level of guys I have fought so I'm sure I'll be a challenge for him but I will not underestimate him.

How has training gone? It's at One Hit MMA and University of Grappling.

Rodriguez: Training has been good, One Hit MMA (Aldo Oreggia) and University Of Grappling (Marc Brewer). I train and spar with all my guys, big and small with experience from both gyms. It's good to have a variety of styles and people always making the movement different.

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

Rodriguez: I am 41 years old. I didn't imagine fighting this long so where I'll be in a year, I really can't say. I've accomplished something that I never would have imagined doing, Fighting Bellator twice, RFA, Glory Kickboxing and now LFA. Not many people can say they've done what I have starting at 34 years old with absolutely no fight experience, not knowing a thing about MMA.

Good luck Joe, tomorrow night, as well as the others on the card. 

A couple of extra notes. As we mentioned last week, Utah MMA amateur Hayden Brown fights for a Tuff-N-Uff title Saturday in Las Vegas. Also, last week, MMA fighter Rowdy Akers scored a first round stoppage in his debut as a professional kickboxer, winning a Bare Knuckle Combat League title. And last weekend in Georgia, Kaecy Raddon, formerly of Utah now living in Colorado, who is a Mountain Force Kickboxing champion, scored a kickboxing win over Mexico's Luis Espinosa in international competition sanctioned by the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO).

Hughes, Raddon, Edminister have fights scheduled

A quick Utah Fight News report this week.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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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.

Weekend results, O'Connell fights on PFL tonight

Above are several photos, courtesy of fight photographer Justin Hughes, of local boxer Christian Aguirre's bout in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday against undefeated Sagadat Rakhmankul. Christian is in the red trunks. The bout was streamed on ESPN Plus. It was a spirited with the more aggressive Aguirre, 7-3, dropping a decision to counterpunching Rakhmankul (3-0).

In Las Vegas, local MMA amateur Joe Flores (4-1), suffered his first loss to Billy Elekana (4-0-1) via RSC Round 2, in a 205-pound Sparta Combat League amateur title bout on Saturday.

And Kaecy Raddon this past weekend scored an amateur kickboxing win in Augusta, Ga., in a WAKO international event. (Pictures of the bout are here). Raddon, along with Ogden's Jarrett Kelton, will be competing in a WAKO even in October in Mexico.

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Tonight Utah MMA pro Sean O'Connell fights on national TV (NBCSports) against Bazigit Ataev in round 2 of the tournament's light heavyweight division. O'Connell has already qualified to move on in the $1 million tourney but can improve his seed with another win.

Utah amateur Brittany Guillemin, of One Hit MMA, will fight on a Tuff N Uff MMA card in Las Vegas on Nov. 16.

Finally, former UFC fighter Clay Collard of Utah, who has recently picked up a couple of SteelFist title belts, has signed with Final Fight Championships. He will fight for a FFC belt in Las Vegas on Oct. 5.

... One more thing: Louie's Boxing gym tells us that  Deserree Shines Jamison, Maryquen V and Stephanie Clausen will be going to California to fight in Beautiful Brawlers tournament. Coach Manuel Soto will be in their corner. The bouts are on Sept. 1 and title belts go to winners.

Moa to fight on Bellator, Aguirre boxes on Top Rank card

Former football player Ben Moa, who trains out of One Hit MMA in Layton and is 4-0 as a pro, including a SteelFist heavyweight title, has received a big break. He fights on Bellator 205 in Boise in a bout that will be streamed.

But it's a tough assignment. Ben will meet another 4-0 heavyweight, Steve Mowry, who is 6 foot 8 inches tall and considered a top prospect. Here's a story. We wish Ben the best success with this opportunity.

Also on the Bellator card is pro Bryce Edminister, who trains at KOA Kingdom in Layton. He fights  Leon Taylot. And Sean Powers of Sunset, owner and head coach at Power MMA, fights Jared Trice. All will be streamed as part of Bellator 205 preliminary card, There's a lot of local fighters to cheer for that night.

AGUIRRE ON TOP RANK BOXING

As we have mentioned, pro boxer Christian Aguirre has a big fight Saturday in Glendale, Arizona. He meets undefeated Sagadat Rakhmankulov in an 8 round bout.

... Also, undefeated amateur MMA heavyweight Joe Flores, of Brigham City, fights in Las Vegas Satutrday for the Sparta Combat League belt. He meets Billy Elekana. Card is here. (Photo of both competitors is shown above)

... And Kaecy Raddon, who is a world-class amateur kickboxer, fights in a WAKO tournament in Augusta, Ga., Saturday against an Australian team. You can purchase a stream of the card here.

Update on local MMA, boxing action

A short post today from the blog, after returning from vacation. One June 23, Mountain Force MMA had its Pat Reeves Fight Night MMA card in Logan. In a pro bout, Ogden's Dominic Gero scored a win. Another Ogden fighter, Joe Flores, won an amateur title fight and Ogden's Eric Munoz lost via decision in another amateur title bout. Full results are here.

In a SteelFist MMA card in Salt Lake City on June 29, Ben Moa, of One Hit MMA, successfully defended his SteelFist heavyweight professional title, In the co-main pro bout, returning LJ Schulz, of One Hit MMA, scored a win over veteran James Russell Francis, who announced his retirement after the bout. Amateur winners included Hayden Brown and Jordan Marshall. Full results are here.

At a Tuff N Uff card in Las Vegas on June 30, Destiny McCubbin came up short in a strawweight title bout, losing via third-round stoppage to undefeated Mandiau. This was an exciting that can be viewed on TuffNUff's Facebook page. After being rocked in the first round, McCubbin rallied in round 2. The third round was being fought on even term until McCubbin was floored by a shot from Mandiau. The fight was stopped shortly afterward, a decision many fans disagreed with.

Also, Steven Siler's next bout in the Professional Fighters League tournament is set. The pro MMA featherweight will meet Alexandre de Almeida July 19 in Long Island, NY. Card is here.

AMATEUR BOXING:

There was a 28-bout amateur card at Clearfield Aquatic Center on June 30. It was organized by Lights Out Gym's Julian Stevens. Channel 13 did a great story on it that is available here. Winners included Jon Bryant of Lights Out, Shakeem Barnwell and Jay Wright, Foley's gym, and Mateo Holt, of Louie's gym. Speaking of Louie's, the gym is having a fundraiser/car show this Saturday. Details are here.

SteelFist results, Raddon, Kelton fight this weekend

Although the poster says April 7 in Everett, Wash., an amateur title bout between Nasona Johnson and former Utahn Kaecy Rraddon for the Sparta Combat League 155-pound title is actually this Saturday in Denver. Several fighters with Utah ties are on the card (MMA bouts here). Besides Raddon and Nasona, Hayden Brown, an amateur who fights out of One Hit MMA, battles Joshua Cordova, and Allie kane fights Megan Winick.

Also competing in a kickboxing bout against Brandon Taylor is Top of Utahn Jarrett Kelton. Besides having compiled a career in MMA, Kelton is a highly regarded kickboxer, as is Raddon, who compete in WAKO-sanctioned bouts. I chatted with Jarrett recently about his career and the upcoming Sparta card.

KELTON: "I'm just training at ONEHITMMA, teaching Bangmuaythai two days a week. I have a pretty busy (schedule), working full time (at) Juvenile Justice at Mill Creek Youth Center, teaching, training and raising my 17-year-old son, Rhett Kelton . We travel out to LUDWIG Martial Arts (in Colorado) every other month to dial in skill sets With Duane Ludwig, Bangmuaythai drills. I am the Bangmuaythai affiliate coach for Utah. Aldo Oreggia Owner/Head Coach At ONEHITMMA, has been great to work with over past years . He is great coach and friend. Myself, Allie Kane , Hayden Brown and KC Raddon will be fighting This Saturday in Denver for Spartan Combat League."

The Sparta card starts at 1 p.m. and should be livestreamed at their site. The Facebook page is here.

STEELFIST: Results from last week's SteelFist card is at Fighting Out of Utah MMA News Facebook page. In the main pro bout, former UFCer Clay Collard handed Carson Gregory his first loss via a second-round stoppage. That was for the 170-pound belt. In another pro bout, 145 pounds, Bryce Edminister stopped Karl Grace in round one. Winning in amateur title belts were Lehi Dominguez and Bryce Scanlon.

-- A couple of pro boxing notes: Bladimir Estrada plans to return to the ring in June and Francisco "Cisco" Alcantara, who is also a pro MMA fighter, plans to box on May 26 in SLC.

SteelFist results; a chat with returning Rowdy Akers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BOXING

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

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..

An interview with amateur MMA fighter Kaecy Raddon

Kaecy (Caveman) Raddon, of Westminster, Colo., seen above at left training with MMA fighter Alix Fisher at Ludwig Martial Arts, is one of the top amateurs in mixed martial arts with a record of 9-1. Kaecy, who has relocated to Colorado to train at Ludwig's gym in Broomfield, fought out of the Top of Utah at Layton's One Hit MMA gym for the past few years. He's also a top amateur in kick boxing, with WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) experience.

On Saturday night, Kaecy climbs into the cage in Mesquite, Nevada, to fight Rocky Cantu, of Las Vegas, for the Tuff N Uff 155-pound MMA belt. He recently scored a quick MMA win in October. I had the opportunity to chat with Kaecy. The following is his words:

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RADDON: I fight in the Tuff n Uff card Dec 2nd in Mesquite Nevada versus an opponent named Rocky Cantu. He trains at Xtreme Couture out of Las Vegas. 

This fight is for the 155 championship belt. (The) fight actually came to be from a friend tagging me on a Facebook post from the promoter ... his name is Hayden Brown (and) he trains at One-Hit MMA in Layton ... 

Three short months ago I actually permanently relocated to Westminster, Colorado to train under Duane Ludwig and TJ Dillashaw at Ludwig Martial Arts. They are my main coaches and influences but everybody in the gym is my coach because we are all constantly teaching each other and taking care of each other ... this academy is different than your average gym; it is a martial arts gym, not a fight gym. 

We have the the most respect for everyone. I spar with people like Nicholi Navarro Josh Wick, Paul Lucero, Alix Fisher (and) Sam Couts! ...

My strengths range from across the board. I started in Kung Fu when I was 6, from there into taekwondo and junior wrestling, then high school wrestling. ... I was ranked top three in state. ... (Kaecy has an impressive list of wrestling accomplishments)  ... I have many jiu jitsu tournaments: 5-0 Impact BJJ tournament; 2016, two gold medals, 11-3 Northwestern Submission Challenge, Boise, Idaho, one gold one silver, 2016 (and) many more. ...

(I was the) North America. WAKO champ, (and) competed in Mexico. (I'm) 2-2 in amateur boxing, 2-2 (in) amateur kickboxing. (I'm) 9-1 MMA, 8 finishes by way of stoppage in the first round.

 I think he (Cantu) is a wrestler so I'm going ... to defend the take down and use my striking to take his soul and make him not want to fight anymore (hopefully). (When asked about where he wants to be in a year) I  hope to be in the UFC a year from now.

We wish Kaecy the best of luck this weekend, as well as a couple of other local amateurs, Kelsey Skillman and Hector Lopez, who are competing on the card. Both train at KOA Kingdom in Layton.

BOXING:

I want to mention that Race Sawyer, a boxer who trains out of Factum gym in Sandy, fought in Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York City last weekend. Race lost a decision to debuting Ismael Villarreal, an amateur star who is handled by Main Events boxing. Sawyer's record in boxing is 0-5 but that's deceiving. He's only been stopped once and his opponents have never lost a bout. In fact, Sawyer has fought two closely contested bouts with Utah prospect Christian Aguirre, losing majority decisions. You can watch Villarreal versus Sawyer here.

... Next week we'll have information on the Dec. 9 SteelFist card at The Complex in SLC>

Akers motivated by family as he makes final journey in cage

This Saturday night SteelFist promotions will have an MMA fight card at Riverbend Sport Complex. The co-main matches John Valentine, 47, versus Rowdy Akers, 42. It's the final MMA bout for both. We interviewed John last week and today we follow with a chat with Rowdy, who trains at One Hit MMA in Layton. (Above, he's seen (on top) fighting in a SteelFist bout against Jeff Carson. Credit for the photo goes to SteelFist Fight Night's Amanda Lynn, sports photographer.)
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UFG: What's on your mind as you decide to step into the cage for the final time? What's your motivation?

AKERS: My motivation is my son and my new son; I just found out recently that I have a 23-year-old son. I (also) have custody of my ten-year-old son. It's time for me to move on and to create a career for myself and my family. My motivation to step into the cage is to prove to everybody that all my hard work was worth something in our lives. Fighting has taught me the lessons that are supposed to be learned. I have a lot on my mind satisfying the fans, making my coaches proud, my children proud and (finally) walking away from something that I've been doing for a decade.

UFG: What are the best things about being an MMA fighter? What were some of the lows or challenges? What advice would you give to youngsters starting out?

AKERS: It has been a journey, a hell of a learning experience. I have learned a lot and made a lot of great friends. One of the the best things about being an MMA fighter is keeping my body in tip-top shape. Another is making lifelong memories with friends. A key challenge is always pushing yourself. I have been injured quite a bit in training. That's got to be one of the lows in the sport. To youngsters starting out, first, find a gym; make it a home, put in the work, get involved in the classes and market yourself. Your amateur career is important. You have to get everybody to look at you and to notice you so when you're ready for sponsorship, you are marketable. One more piece of advice for all youngsters that are starting out: work hard, forget about the image. People honor hard work a lot more than they honor image.

UFC: Who in the gym, trainers, gym-mates, sponsors, have had a big impact on your career? Who is helping you for this bout?

AKERS: I train out of One Hit MMA in Layton. Aldo, Bruno, LJ, Crystal and Jordan Smith, Gustavo Rodriguez and so many more. All my teammates are so important. They have been there for me; they have sacrificed their time, their bodies, everything to push each other.

UFG: What do you know about John Valentine? How are you training for him? What are your strengths and weaknesses against him?

AKERS: I know John as part of the promotion for SteelFist. He conducted interviews and he did interviews with me for previous fights. I know that he has a very good ground game and he is very fit. I am training like I would train for any fight, definitely working more on defense because I don't really want to go to the ground with him. My strengths are probably my cardio and pressure. A weakness is probably going to be getting away from him on the ground.

UFG: What are your plans after MMA? Will you stay active in gyms, training, help with promotions, work with fighters?
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AKERS: I plan to go to work full time and to be a father. I will stay active in the gym and help my teammates when they need it. I plan to pursue Jiu-Jitsu and not stop training. I will help with the promotion of SteelFist fight night and continue to be the production foreman. I am in charge of the cage, the lights, the sound, the fighters' entrance. I build and fight for the promotion and I tear it down when I'm done. I've had a lot of sponsorships throughout my career. My current sponsors include Vapor Mania, Breaking Bad Bail Bonds, the Spider Web tattoo, Rockwell watches, Trammell Construction, Black Label MMA apparel, Those are the people that are walking with me into the fight. I thank every sponsor that has ever sponsored me and every teammate that has ever been there for me. It has been an ongoing learning experience for a decade and I have came a long ways from a guy that had two left feet when he started. 

Thanks for chatting with us, Rowdy, and good luck on Saturday in Salt Lake City.

(Below, in a photo from SteelFist Fight Night's Amanda Lynn, sports photographer, Akers fights MMA pro Kyle Herrera (in green trunks).

A few more things: A couple of weeks ago we interviewed MMA amateur Destiny McCubbin, who was scheduled to fight in Mesquite on Sept. 16. Unfortunately, Destiny's opponent pulled out of the bout. Destiny is training daily in Las Vegas and we're sure she'll be ion the cage soon.

Also, Ogden's Steven Siler, who most most recently fought on an MMA card with the World Series of Fighting, announced he's fighting on Nov. 2 with the Professional Fighters League, which is the name of the revamped WSOF. 

Interview with MMA professional Thomas Hughes

Thomas Hughes (at left with teammate Jarrett Kelton) is making his professional MMA debut Friday, Sept. 12 in Ogden as part of the Jeremy Horn's Elite Fight Night card during the Weber County Fair. Although Hughes has a 3-0 amateur MMA record, he's better known as a kick, who, along with Kelton, is a member of the U.S. kickboxing team. He's a national champ and has fought internationally.

I had the opportunity to chat with Thomas:

1) What was the motivator to turn pro? And while it's an MMA fight is your primary goal to compete in kickboxing?

Hughes: I've been trying to get a fight since January with SteelFist and they've not been able so get me an opponent and when Jen (of Horn's Elite) called me -- she had two people pull out from fighting me as well -- ... I knew I had to turn pro or else I wouldn't get a fight! 

2) What do you know about your opponent, Marcel McCain (6-0 amateur). Is there any specific training for him?

Hughes: All I know is he holds a few belts and is undefeated! That doesn't intimidate me at all. My game plan and training is pretty simple; work hard and go for the finish! 

3) Where are you training and with whom? I assume Jarrett and others are helping? What's the daily routine?

Hughes: I've been working at One Hit MMA for striking, Blackout (gym) with Lucus Montoya and a lot of phenomenal grapplers, and also down at Mori Training Center (in Ogden) with guys like Ryder Campo.

4) After this bout, what's on tap long-term?

Hughes: I'm making my run to the UFC. Within 2018 I'll have a contract in the UFC. I'm actually looking to transition and move down to Vegas in the coming weeks with my family after the fight!

5) So you are moving toward UFC rather than Glory or Bellator Kickboxing? Where will you train in Las Vegas? 

Hughes: I've got a few connection at Xtreme Couture and syndicate so I'm going to pray about it to know for sure! Yes I'm going full toward UFC and leaving the kickboxing behind.

Hughes certainly has the talent to move up in MMA and he swish him well in his pro debut and future. 

NEXT WEEK we will be interviewing some fighters from The Pack at Foley's gym in Ogden who will be competing in amateur bouts at the Horn's Elite card, including veteran Eric Munoz.

ALSO, just a reminder that The Garage's amateur Bryce Edminister is fighting in Boise, Idaho, at the Front Street Fights MMA card at the Century Link Arena. His opponent will be Kellen VanCamp. We'll try to chat with Bryce in a couple of weeks.

SOME AMATEUR BOXING: Last weekend there was a Legends amateur boxing card in SLC. Some All Heart gym fighters competed. Kam Santiago of All Heart defeated Jose Hernandez of Louie's gym. Edgar Taracena of All Heart was defeated, do not have his opponent's name.

Valentine meets Akers in a farewell pro MMA bout

Yesterday evening SteelFist made an early announcement on a Sept. 16 Salt Lake City pro MMA bout. Undefeated John Valentine meets another veteran, Rowdy Akers. Valentine, 46, now lives in Las Vegas but used to reside locally and is the female matchmaker for SteelFist. Akers, 42, trains out of One Hit MMA in Layton. Both fighters plan this to be their final pro MMA bout.. It is being advertised as a "Dual Retirement Fight."

I plan to interview both as fight date draws near but I did chat with Valentine earlier this week and he offered reasons for ending his pro career. He said this, which was also published earlier on social media):

Recently I sat on the mats and I watched my children who at a young age have accomplished so much such as judo and Grappling state titles and recently securing National Ju Jitsu titles.  I asked myself how far they would be with even more coaching, more effort from me their father and coach.  Answer: a lot 

As a result I made the easiest decision in my life.  I wanted to let you know that while I feel I have another 10 years of fighting in me that for my family I decided to take one last fight (I will still do my Ju Jitsu superfights and tourneys) bit I have nothing more to prove. My goal is to retire undefeated and I am working towards that.

Valentine has high praise for Akers, calling him a strong competitor (the bout will be at 150 pounds). He says he will be at his best and expects his opponent will also be at his best. 

He's grateful for all the support SteelFist has provided him over the years, calling it a fitting location for a final bout. Pat, Kevin, Brady, Troy and the crew have been like family and I am grateful for this opportunity, he said.

Akers, as mentioned, represents One Hit MMA. Valentine represents Team Zenith and Robert Drysdale. We will have original interviews with both competitors as the date draws near. We're big fans of both these competitors and will miss seeing them in the pro cage. They have condusted themselves as strong professionals with integrity and are worthy of the respect this final bout provides. Here is SteelFist's website.

Garcia and Denniston to be interviewed

Next week we will be interviewing MMA pros AJ Garcia and Troy Dennison, who will be facing off in a pro bout July 28 at the SteelFist card in SLC.

Edminister to fight in Idaho

Another note: Bryce Edminister, an amateur MMA fighter with The Garage gym, has signed to fight Aug. 18 in Boise, Idaho, as part of the Front Street Fights card that night. According to his Facebook page, Bryce will fight Kellen VanCamp, of Kentucky.

Finally, next week we'll keep an eye on Junior National Golden Gloves in Mesquite, Nevada and let you know how locals do.

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.

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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.