A chat with MMA pro Carson Gregory, Aguirre to box in March

Saturday night in Salt Lake City, SteelFist has an MMA card at The Union Event Center, 7 p.m., 235 N. 500 West, that headlines pro welterweights Carson Gregory against Craig Grove. The co-main matches Eric Iman against Joshua Brown. In other pro bouts, both middleweight fights, Trever Bradshaw fights Joe Maama and Tracy Hardy meets Marco Sanchez. In a 265 pound amateur promotional title fight, Dakota Witkopf meets Kent Mafileo. Card is here.

We chatted with Gregory, 6-1, as he prepares to meet Grove:

UFG: Carson, I want to get a little personal here. You suffered your first professional loss, then you took on a tough, spoiler fighter in Kerry Lattimer and you got the win. How is it coming back from a loss? Do you have a pragmatic attitude, or do you have to deal with the subsequent feelings of setback, and get right in your fighter's mind, as much as learning new ways to improve?

Gregory: It was tough losing to Clay in the fact that I didn't fight at my best. It's one thing to lose when you go out there and do the best you can, but it's humiliating losing because you choked and looked like a fool in doing so. Leading into the Lattimer fight I had the thought of having another mental breakdown and choking mid-fight. I was constantly pushing thoughts of self doubt out of my head, even during the match. It wasn't until weeks after I won the Lattimer fight (that) I regained my confidence back. I learned that the key to moving past a loss like that, is to not obsess over it and focus on what you can change.

UFG: What do you know about Groves? How is training going?

Gregory: Groves is a gamer and I definitely understand why he gets the fight name of "Caveman." He fights violently and he definitely has strength behind his punches. But that being said he also has the fight IQ of a caveman. He's done great at capitalizing on mistakes and pulling out the win, anyone can do that. I respect him for those wins but I think he will soon find out that I'm on a whole other level than his past opponents.

Training has been great. We have focused on getting back to our roots. Reconnecting so to speak. We have learned that less is more, and technique will always triumph over physical strength. I feel confident in my physical abilities as well as my skills as a martial artist.

UFG: Where do you want to be in a year?

Gregory: I would love to be fighting full time in a year in a higher level promotion, such as Bellator or UFC! Supporting my family and living the dream, being one of the world's greatest fighters is all that I want in life!

Thanks Carson, and good luck this weekend. We extend those same wishes to all the fighters on Saturday night.

BOXING UPDATE: Utah super-welterweight Christian Aguirre will be back in the ring next week. He fights Thomas Hill on March 16 in Dallas, Texas. ... Saturday there is an amateur card at the South Salt Lake Police Athletic League.

BACK TO MMA: Speaking of Lattimer, he fights in Hawaii on Saturday against Robby Ostovich for Trinity Kings promotion's title. Card is here.

Two weekends ago some local fighters competed in Idaho at Front Street Fights 18. Bryce Edminister, 145 pounds, lost a very competitive pro bout against Cody Sattler via majority decision. Carl Dieckmann of Utah retired after round one due to injury to his ribs against Emilio Trevino, 205 pounds, and Andrew Cruz won a promotional pro belt, 145 pounds, stopping Drew Brokenshire in round 3. Card results are here.

SteelFist card Friday, interview with Brandon Rease

Tomorrow night SteelFist MMA has a pro/am card in Salt Lake City at the Union Event Center. Interesting pro main event matches Joe Rodriguez, of One Hit MMA, and University of Grappling,, on a comeback, fighting Leo Pla, 205 pounds. Also fighting in a pro bout is AJ Garcia, of One Hit MMA, who meets (I think Karl Grace). Garcia had an opponent pull out recently so this is a late substitute. He recently had an opponent pull out at the Mountain Force MMA Pat Reeves Fight Night.

An intriguing amateur title bout matches Brandon Rease, (seen above at right in a previous bout) who fights at 125 pounds, against Robby Miner. It will be the second bout for the pair. Rease won the first via a stoppage due to strikes. Card starts at 7 p.m. More info on tickets at the SteelFist website. Next week we'll look at the upcoming MMA card at the Weber County Fairgrounds from Jeremy Horn's Elite Fight Night.

Here's an interview Utah Fight News had with Rease as he prepares for the SteelFist title bout with Miner.

Utah Fight Game: Brandon, you just won an amateur belt. How does it feel to go after another?

Rease: Yes I’m very excited to get a chance to win another belt I never thought I would be able to do that in my Ammy career. Utah Fight Game: How has your game improved recently?

Rease: I’ve change a lot I’ve been working on a lot on my kick boxing and strength and conditioning

Utah Fight Game: Tell us how training is going? Rease: I’ve been training with a lot of (fighters) at KOA Kingdom like Bobby King, Bryce Edminister, Bryce Scanlon, Miles Welk, Edgar Soto, Alonzo Salas and Hector Lopez.

Utah Fight Game: What's up for the future?

Rease: After this fight I plan on defending one of my belts and going pro.

Good luck to Rease, Miner and all the competitors at the card on Friday night. It'll be a great night of fights.

If you are in Pocatello, Idaho, on Saturday night Mountain Force MMA has a card there. One bout matches Kerry Lattimer against Billy Carothers. Here is the promotion's Facebook page.

SOME BOXING

This weekend, Friday and Saturday, there is amateur boxing at South Salt Lake PAL. Here is the Facebook Page for the 2018 Pete Suazo Invitational. ... Both Larry Gomez and Christian Aguirre may have pro bouts soon. Gomez may fight in Washington and Aguirre is slated to fight on a Top Rank card in Arizona. Hopefully both bouts, or others, will develop.

SteelFist results, upcoming bouts

A quick Utah Fight Game blog post this week: Last Saturday SteelFist had its MMA pro/am card in Salt Lake City. In the main event Fabio Serrao defeated Cody Bunderson in round three and in another pro bout, Trever Bradshaw stopped Daniel Benjamin Grass is the opening stanza. Amateur winners included Jordan Matrshall, Jayden Marshall and Hayden Brown. ALL THE RESULTS are at the Facebook page Fighting Out of Utah MMA News here.

There was an amateur card Saturday at the South Salt Lake PAL. I don't have all the results but here is what I have:

Austin Garcia dec. Diego Cabrera, 50 pounds (both Team Unbreakable)

Alyssa Mendoza (Alpha Boxing Club) dec. Soledad Rodriguez (Louie's Boxing Club) 114 pounds

Shane Saunders (SSL PAL) dec. Corbin Lloyd (Team Unbreakable) 65 pounds

Erik Castenada (Fullmer Bro. Boxing Club) dec. Joe Gibson (Foley's gym) 95 pounds

Fernando Quintanilla (SSL PAL) dec. Guillermo Martinez (Louie's Boxing Club) 85 pounds

John Ortiz (Reyes Boxing) dec. Robert Chaiarez (Salt Lake City)

Jay Wright (Foley's gym) dec. Abuch Jones (Team Unbreakable) 141 pounds

Nicole Sontag (Logan, UT) dec. Bethanny Wurster (Cache Valley Boxing Club) 141 pounds

Heneli Paea (Salt Lake City) defeated Tyson Haddon (Cache Valley Boxing Club) 165 pounds

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Back to MMA: SteelFist has a great main event on April 13, Clay Collard versus undefeated Carson Gregory. An amateur 185-pound bout will match Eric Munoz, who trains at Foley's, against Cole Shafer. ... Next week is the Fierce Fighting Championships card. A great amateur title bout matches Thomas Prestriedge against Brandon Rease. We should have interview with both on the blog next week.

Here is a list of upcoming events in Utah courtesy of the state athletic commission website. Mountain Force MMA and Invicta are in Logan and Salt Lake City March 17 and March 24. Rumor has it a boxing card is on tap in March kin SLC but it's not listed as of yet. Mountain Force MMA plans an Ogden card in June, and Jeremy Horn's will be in Ogden in August.

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.

Talking with MMA fighters Eric Munoz and Tyler Conway

Eric Munoz (at left) is seen sparring at Foley's gym in Ogden against MMA pro Dom Gero. Munoz, a three-year amateur, is concluding his career with a bout this Friday night at the Weber County Fairgrounds against against Alonzo Salas, who fights out of The Garage MMA. Munoz fights with The Pack MMA, which was started by former pro Pat Reeves. Munoz, 125-pounder Tyler Conway, and 145-pounder Jacob Robbins, (both of whom train at Foley's) are also on the card, promoted by Jeremy Horn's Elite Fight Night. Conway fights Jeffrey Pardo Morales; Robbins fights Jerome Loto.

And also competing Friday night is another MMA amateur from The Pack at Foley's, 135 pounder Geovanni Gavilanez of Ogden, who meets Nate Cook

Last week we interviewed MMA fighter Thomas Hughes, who makes his pro debut as the co-main event Friday night. Today we spend time chatting with Munoz, and  Conway, who along with Robbins, is making his amateur debut.

ERIC MUNOZ:

Utah Fight Game: Why is this your final bout?

MUNOZ: My first fight was 3 years ago, and Jennifer and Jeremy Horne gave me my first shot. When I started contemplating whether I should be done with fighting, I wanted to finish where I started; I hit up Jen and she made this fight happen. 

 This is going to be my last fight because for me to train and be able to keep up with these younger fighters, it takes a lot of time and effort. I still plan on working out and coaching, but I would like to start focusing on other things that are going on in my life right now. After I injured the discs in my neck and had to have surgery, I thought I was done, but I still had a fire inside me to do a few more fights.

Utah Fight Game: Eric's original opponent for this bout had to pull out due to injury, and Alonzo Salas of The Garage MMA has stepped in. The pair fought earlier for a SteelFist regional belt, with Eric winning. 

Utah Fight Game: How is training going?

MUNOZ:  I train 3 to 4 hours each day and then put in time on Saturdays and Sundays when I can. I will train the same I have trained for all my fights and train hard. I have great teammates that push me hard, and we make each other better each and every day.

Utah Fight Game: What are some of the positives and challenges of MMA? What advice would you give to those entering the sport?

MUNOZ: The positives of fighting MMA is that it gives personal goals, helps to keep someone fight ready, in shape and healthy. I've wrestled and coached many sports for many years and it is something that I enjoy and will continue to keep doing. Struggles from MMA (include) dealing with injuries, juggling work and training and still have enough time left over to spend with loved ones. Advice to those wanting to step in the cage, train hard train often and surround yourself with talented teammates that can get you fight ready.

Utah Fight Game: Who have you looked up to in the sport?

MUNOZ: Pat Reeves is my coach, my mentor, and my best friend without him there would be no pack and I wouldn't have had the success I have had.

Good luck to Eric Munoz on Friday and we wish Salas well too, who is a tough competitor.

TYLER CONWAY

Now we chat with 18-year-old Tyler Conway. (Above at right seen with Robbins (center) and Peter Reznik, at Foley's gym) Here is our conversation with Tyler:

Utah Fight Game: What got you interested in MMA? What brought you to Utah and Foley's gym and The Pack? What's your fighting style and has training gone? Whom do you admire in MMA and what are some long term goals?

CONWAY: I have always been interested in MMA and I grew up in some tough streets in California and always wanted to learn how to protect myself. I guess you can say it; I moved to Utah for a new start, and I came to Foley's MMA because I finally had the money and time to train, and I've heard a lot about Dave Foley and wanted to be trained by him. 

I also came to Foley's gym because I am enlisted in the army and ship out next June and wanted to be in shape. My main fighting style is wrestling and boxing, I took 8th in the state for wrestling this year at Bonneville High School. My main idols in MMA are Conor McGregor, Cody Garbrandt, and Dan Henderson. My long-term goals are to eventually to go pro and maybe open up my own gym.

We wish the best for all the fighters on the card Friday and appreciate Hughes, Munoz and Conway speaking with the fight blog. The main event matches Bobby King and David Jordan. Amateur Nathan Owens, who fights out of the Garage MMA, is also scheduled to fight Kevin Torres.

You can learn more about the card here and here.

AMATEUR BOXING RESULTS:

Last weekend in South Salt Lake, the Police Athletic League had its Pete Suazo Invitational cards. There were a packed house of fans both nights. Local gyms also participated. From Clearfield, Julian Stevens of Lights Out gym said: Giovani Gonzales beat a kid from Wyoming Ozmanny Sanchez beat Justin hubley from Fullmers and Christian Pasiallas beat a kid from St. George. Jon Bryant, Utah and Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves champ, lost a decision to noted amateur Aaron Olmedo. The pair will fight again this weekend in St. George.

From All Heart Boxing in West Haven, Jason DeCarlo said Santana DeCarlo defeated Absolom Flores from Tucson, Ariz., and Jesus Saldana defeated Patrick Muhindu fron South Salt Lake PAL.

From Foley's gym in Ogden, Dave Foley said that Luis Cornejo won both fights on Friday and Saturday, Kenny Cruze was defeated both nights, and on Friday night, Joe Gibson defeated Jesus Guzman of South Salt Lake PAL.