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“Down & Dirty” official results from Melrose, Massachusetts
Jeovanis Barraza (R) was too much for Jorge Martin Garcia
(pictures by Emily Harney/Fightography)
SALEM, Mass. (October 30, 2021) – Colombian Welterweight Champion Jeovanis “Meque” Barraza (22-1, 15 KOs) defeated Argentinian southpaw Jorge “Tomatito” Martin Garcia (13-7-1, 6 KOs) by way of an 8-round unanimous decision to capture the vacant ABF Continental Americas super welterweight title in the headliner on last night’s “Down & Dirty” card, presented by Reyes Boxing Club at Melrose Memorial Hall in Melrose, Massachusetts.
“Down & Dirty,” New England’s only ongoing pro boxing series, streamed live and exclusively on throwdownsports.com.
“A effort by all the fighters, B delivery by the promotional team, because we started an hour late,” promoter Michael Reyes commented. “The main event was wonderful, 8 hard fought rounds for a title. Garcia has one helluva heart. He’s a champion. ‘Meque’ did his job. He saw some things he needs to work on that we’ve talked about in the gym. Overall, it was a great experience.”
Colombia and Argentina are bitter archrivals in sports like a South American version, albeit in boxing, of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
Both main event fighters made their United States debuts. The more skilled Barraza was tested by the tough, determined Garcia, but Barraza’s blistering body shots consistently set up his powerful head shots.
In the sixth round, Barraza’s constant pressure and effective combinations eventually wore down a tiring Garcia, who landed on the canvas twice, but he wouldn’t stay down. The seventh round was batting practice for Barraza, who hit Garcia with everything but the kitchen sink. Despite a vicious body assault that brought Garcia to his knees, he rose once again and somehow survived until the very end.
“It was a really good fight,” Barraza said after his fight. “He (Garcia) was tougher than I thought he would be. The big news is that I’m fighting here in the United States for the first time and leaving with a title belt.”
Barraza, who pitched a near shutout (80-69, 80-69, 79-70), collected another title belt and, more importantly, came out of the fight unscathed and sharp for his Nov. 13th showdown in Anaheim (CA) with Alexis Rocha (17-1, 11 KOs) in the co-feature on a DAZN show, presented by Golden Boy Promotions, and headlined by Jamie Munguia vs. Gabriel Rosato.
“I don’t have to change a thing,” Barraza noted. “I can continue my training for this fight, especially sparring, because I can continue with the same guys I sparred for this fight.”
In the co-featured event, ABF Atlantic Middleweight Champion Anthony “Big Daddy” Hines (7-0, 4 KOs) successfully made his first defense of the title he captured this past June, against Fidel Monterrosa Munoz (39-26-1, 31 KOs), the former Colombian Light Heavyweight Champion.
Fighting out of the Boston district of Dorchester, Hines came out jabbing and moving laterally during the first two rounds against the Colombian knockout artist, picking up the pace in the third, in which Hines floored Munoz with a strong right. Munoz claimed he was illegally hit behind his head in the fourth and the fight was temporarily halted for the doctor to check him out. The action continued after a couple of minutes. The fight was delayed in the fifth round due to an accidental head butt that sent Munoz to the deck and Hines suffering the most damage in what was a chippy fight.
Anthony Hines remained undefeated and retained his ABF Atlantic title belt
Also fighting out of Dorchester, lightweight Jonathan DePina (5-1, 4 KOs) wore down a gutsy Stacey Anderson (0-8), eventually putting him away in the third round, DePina cracked his opponent with a counter right for the initial knockdown. Moments later it was all she wrote for Anderson, who was trapped in a neutral corner, and battered until he went down for good.
Popular Lowell (MA) fighter Gabriel “Menace” Morales (3-0, 2 KOs), a carpenter by trade, displayed everything in his toolbox to the delight of his loud, enthusiastic fanbase, stopping journeyman Pablo DeSouza (0-24) in the second round. A natural lightweight, Morales cutdown welterweight DeSouza, first with a left hook in the second, soon followed by a right sending him to the mat once again. DeSouza stood before the referee’s count hit 10, but he was clearly unable to continue.
Undefeated Dominican Republic lightweight prospect Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (4-0, 4 KOs), fighting out of New London (CT), outclassed a much more experienced fighter in Italy native Christian “El Ninja” Danilo Guido (8-20, 6 KOs). Paulino floored Guido at the end of round one and closed the show in the second, decking Guido three more times, the last with a perfectly executed uppercut with time running out for a technical knockout.
Dallas heavyweight Vercell Webster (2-4-1, 2 KOs) upset previously Dennis Ventura (4-1, 3 KOs) by way of a 4th-round technical knockout. Webster dropped Ventura with a straight right to the temple in the first round and a game Ventura never really recovered. The same shot to the head, landed in the same (red) corner, decked Ventura again. He beat the count, but referee Melissa Kelly didn’t like the way Ventura responded, and she stopped the fight.
Opening the action, Providence heavyweight Sean Bey improved to 3-0 (3 KOs) when pro-debuting Brandon Grundy was severely handicapped by right hand injury suffered midway through the opening round. After the ring doctor examined him, the fight continued briefly as Bey unloaded a series of unanswered punches on a trapped on the ropes Grundy, until referee Kevin Hope waved off the fight at the 2:24 mark of round one.
Official results below:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
MAIN EVENT – ABF CONTINENTAL AMERICAS SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the RFA is heading to Texas at the end of July. The main event of RFA 41 will feature an explosive showdown between two of the sport’s top middleweight prospects. “Capo” Joe Gigliotti and Trevin Giles have finished every man they have faced in MMA and will now take aim at each other. RFA 41 – Gigliotti vs. Giles will take place Friday, July 29th at Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio, Texas. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I am thrilled to be bringing the RFA to Texas,” stated Soares. “The main event of RFA 41 features two of MMA’s top young talents. Joe Gigliotti and Trevin Giles are both undefeated and have stopped all of their opponents. This is an epic battle that Texas fight fans deserve.”
Tickets for RFA 41 – Gigliotti vs. Giles are available for purchase NOW at Cowboys.ApexTicketing.comor you can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com/RFA.
Gigliotti (7-0) has quickly gained the reputation as one of MMA’s most feared fighters. The 22-year-old Ohio native has finished all seven of his opponents. That includes the 58-second destruction of former RFA title challenger John Poppie at RFA 37 in April. That fight took place with UFC President Dana White sitting cageside. The UFC boss had very positive things to say to Gigliotti after the bout, which he used as added motivation heading into his next fight that was scheduled as the featured fight of RFA 39 this past Friday in Chicagoland. That fight, however, fell apart when his opponent Daniel Vizcaya backed out of the fight after badly missing weight. The Bellator and The Ultimate Fighter vet Vizcaya showed up to the RFA 39 weigh-in a whopping 7-pounds over the contracted weight. Gigliotti said he would fight Vizcaya anyway without even taking a percentage of his purse. The hometown veteran fighter Vizcaya backed out of the fight regardless.
Giles (6-0) is cut from the same cloth as Gigliotti. Not only is he a top undefeated middleweight prospect who has showcased his talents on AXS TV, but the 23-year-old Texan has also finished every man put in front of him. More importantly, Giles is down to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime and happily accepted the invitation to fight “Capo Joe” in his hometown of San Antonio. On Friday, July 29th, RFA 41 – Gigliotti vs. Giles in “Alamo City” will bring a new meaning to the Battle of the Alamo.
The co-main event of RFA 41 will feature a high-stakes featherweight war between a former RFA lightweight title challenger and a seasoned MMA vet from the Amazon region of northern Brazil. Jamall Emmers (9-3), who fights out of Pinnacle MMA in southern California, is coming off an action-packed lightweight title challenge in the main event of RFA 38 earlier this month. Emmers stepped up on a week’s notice and took RFA lightweight champion Thiago Moisés into the fifth round. The fight impressed UFC President Dana White, who was sitting cageside for the event.
Emmers will return to his former residence of San Antonio to face Rivaldo Junior (15-5-2), who is a native of Manaus, Brazil that now calls San Antonio home. The longtime Brazilian veteran of MMA has fought professionally for over 10 years. He has fought for prestigious Brazilian promotions Jungle Fight and Shooto Brazil and at one point had a fight scheduled with Raoni Barcelos, who is currently the reigning RFA featherweight champion. Junior looks to make his long-awaited international MMA debut in a bout he hopes will take him one step closer to finally challenging his fellow countryman Barcelos.
The full RFA 41 fight card and further information regarding this event will be announced soon. RFA 41 will be the promotion’s first event to take place in “The Lone Star State” of Texas and it will be the sixteenth state that the RFA has visited. The entire main card of RFA 41 – Gigliotti vs. Giles will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, July 29th.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that there has been a change at the top of next week’s RFA 38 event set to take place in southern California. E.J. Chavez was forced to withdraw from his lightweight title fight in the main event of RFA 38 due to illness. RFA lightweight champion Thiago Moisés (7-1) will now defend his title against collegiate wrestler turned MMA prospect Jamall “Pretty Boy” Emmers (9-2) in the evening’s main event. RFA 38 – Moisés vs. Emmers takes place Friday, June 3rd at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.
“Thiago Moisés vs. Jamall Emmers is the new lightweight title fight in the main event of RFA 38 on June 3rd,” stated Soares. “Moisés took full advantage of a similar situation in February due to a last-minute injury to a fighter in the main event of RFA 35. He got elevated to the main event and won the RFA lightweight title. Jamall Emmers is now looking to do the same thing. This will be a great title fight between two young, hungry, and talented prospects.”
Tickets for RFA 38 – Moisés vs. Emmers are available for purchase NOW. You can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com
RFA 38 – Moisés vs. Emmers takes place this Friday, June 3rd at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. This will be the RFA’s seventh event to take place in “The Golden State” of California and it will be the fifth RFA event of 2016. The entire main card of RFA 38 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, June 3rd.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the RFA will be making its first trip to Chicagoland in June with a championship headliner. The main event of RFA 39 features the first title defense of RFA featherweight champion Raoni Barcelos. He will put his title on the line against top prospect and local favorite Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett. RFA 39 – Barcelos vs. Moffett takes place Friday, June 17th at the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana. The main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited about bringing a world title fight to Hammond” stated Soares. “Our Featherweight champion Raoni Barcelos will defend his title for the first time against number one contender Bobby Moffett. These are two of the top featherweight prospects in the world and it’s the perfect way to show fight fans in the Chicago area what the RFA is all about.”
Tickets for RFA 39 – Barcelos vs. Moffett are now available for purchase. You can support your favorite fighter buy purchasing your tickets through CAGETIX.com
Barcelos (9-1) will defend his RFA featherweight title for the first time after enjoying a dominant 2015, which many MMA pundits saw coming several years ago. Barcelos was pegged for greatness in MMA before ever stepping foot inside a steel cage. The son of Jiu-Jitsu coral (red-and-black) belt Laerte Barcelos, he began learning “The Gentle Art” at age two. Then, unlike many Jiu-Jitsu black belts, Barcelos found success in Freestyle Wrestling where he competed as a member of the Brazilian National Wrestling Team. However, his rare blend of high-level grappling disciplines isn’t what makes him special among top MMA prospects. It is the fact he possesses ample striking power that can also get the job done. This is evident in the fact that more than half of his victories have come via KO or TKO, which includes the first round KO of previously undefeated NCAA Division I All-American wrestler Jamal Parks at RFA 23. Barcelos is now looking to do the same to another top prospect as he prepares for his first RFA title defense.
“I am very happy to defend my RFA world title at RFA 39,” stated Barcelos. “RFA shows the best new MMA talent in the world and it is now televised live here in Brazil. My friends, family, and teammates now have the opportunity to watch me fight live on Esporte Interativo. It’s a dream come true and an honor to be a champion of a great event like the RFA. This belt is coming back home to Brazil with me in June.”
Moffett (8-1) is coming into this fight with a lot of momentum. He is riding a four-fight win streak, which includes a victory over longtime RFA vet Dan Moret at RFA 24. Moffett was born and raised 10 miles from the venue just across the state border in Homewood, Illinois. The task of defending home turf and capturing the RFA featherweight title has only increased the hunger of this exciting young prospect. This is a hunger “The Wolfman” will need as he faces the most dangerous opponent in his career. To quote the classic 2010 film that shares his nickname, “I didn’t know you hunted monsters? Sometimes monsters hunt you.” Moffett is now eager to channel his inner lycanthrope at RFA 39.
“I am just very grateful that the biggest fight of my career will be at home in front of my family and friends,” Moffett explained. “I feel that everything I’ve been working for has now come to fruition. Barcelos is a tough. He’s a very good fighter and the champion. I’m honored that he wants to fight me. I’m looking forward to taking the next step in my career by winning the RFA title on June 17th.”
The full fight card for RFA 39 – Barcelos vs. Moffett will be announced soon. This will be the RFA’s first event to take place in “The Hoosier State” of Indiana and it will be the fifteenth state that the RFA has visited. The entire main card of RFA 39 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT this Friday, June 17th.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the RFA will be returning to South Dakota in April and is set to crown its first light-heavyweight champion and a new bantamweight champion. In the main event, Devin “Brown Bear” Clark will fight for a world title in his hometown against top Brazilian prospect Rafael “Gaucho” Viana. In the co-main event, Joey “The Beast” Miolla and Leandro “Pitbull” Higo will battle for the vacant bantamweight crown.
RFA 37 – Viana vs. Clark takes place Friday, April 15th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to announce that the RFA will be bringing two world title fights to South Dakota in April,” stated Soares. “Rafael Viana and Devin Clark are undefeated and two of the top 205-pound prospects in the world. They will compete for the inaugural RFA light-heavyweight title in the main event of RFA 37. In the co-headliner, Joey Miolla and Leandro Higo will both return to the Sanford Pentagon to fight for the vacant RFA bantamweight title.”
Tickets for RFA 37 – Viana vs Clark are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com. You can also support your favorite fighter buy purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com/RFA.
Clark (5-0) is the most successful 205-pound fighter in RFA history and is looking to become the promotion’s first light-heavyweight champion in front of his hometown crowd. Clark is an NJCAA wrestling champion and a Golden Gloves boxing champion that has quickly seen his name rise to the top of several MMA light-heavyweight prospect rankings. The Lincoln High School graduate has earned over half of his career wins inside the RFA Octagon and will be looking for the biggest win of his career in the main event of RFA 37.
“It’s an honor to fight for the inaugural RFA light-heavyweight title in front of my hometown crowd in Sioux Falls,” stated Clark. “Becoming the first RFA light-heavyweight champion will mean even more to me since I get to do it against such a talented and tough opponent.”
Viana (6-0) is the older brother of Bellator star Guilherme Viana and he also trains alongside UFC star Glover Teixeira. He is a BJJ black belt and the reigning Shooto Brasil light-heavyweight champion. Viana, like Clark, has proven to be clinical with his finishing ability and is eager to fight outside of his native Brazil for the first time. His international debut will also be his first fight televised worldwide and Viana is looking to take full advantage of it.
“I am very honored to be given this opportunity,” stated Viana. “This will be my first international fight and it is a great honor to fight for the inaugural RFA light-heavyweight title. I will put on a great show for the fans at RFA 37.”
The co-main event of RFA 37 will culminate in crowning the third bantamweight champion in RFA history. The first two champions, Pedro Munhoz and Luke Sanders, went 4-0 in the RFA before signing with the UFC. The vacant RFA bantamweight title will be up for grabs between two men who made their RFA debut on the same card last summer in back-to-back bouts. Joey Miolla (8-1) and Leandro Higo (15-2) represented their home countries on the historic “USA vs. BRAZIL” event that took place last August at RFA 29. Both men were victorious that night and showed why they are two of the most highly-regarded 135-pound prospects in the sport. On Friday, April 15th, Miolla and Higo will face off inside the same building that they made their RFA debut last summer, but this time the winner will be walking away with RFA gold strapped around their waist.
RFA 37 will also feature one of South Dakota’s favorite sons as Jordon Larson (6-2) is set to return in the welterweight feature fight. Larson will be making his fourth appearance for the RFA in his hometown of Sioux Falls against Colorado native Brian Camozzi (5-2). Larson, who has been the recipient of three of the loudest ovations in RFA history, will once again make the walk to the RFA Octagon in front of his adoring hometown fans. He will face Camozzi, who is the younger brother of UFC star Chris Camozzi. The younger Camozzi brother made a huge statement in his RFA debut in January. He showcased his dynamic skill set by becoming the first person to finish Tyler Milner and he did it in less than one round.
RFA 37 – Viana vs Clark takes place Friday, April 15th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Additional bouts on the main card and preliminary card of RFA 37 will be announced soon. This will be the promotion’s fourth event to take place in “The Mount Rushmore State” of South Dakota and it will be the fourth RFA event of 2016. The entire main card of RFA 37 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT thisFriday, April 15th.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that there has been a last-minute shuffle at the top of this Friday night’s RFA 35 event set to take place in Utah. Zach Juusola has pulled out of his lightweight title fight in the main event of RFA 35 due to injury. This has elevated RFA 35 co-headliner Thiago Moisés (6-1) to the evening’s main event against David Castillo (19-7). Moisés and Castillo will compete for the vacant RFA lightweight title
RFA vet and BJJ black belt Thiago Alves (9-3) has also stepped up to take Moisés’ place in the RFA 35 co-main event against David Putvin (7-1). This is the second time that Alves has stepped up on short notice after a Juusola withdrawal. Alves replaced Juusola last June in the co-main event of RFA 26 in Colorado. Alves and Putvin will meet at a catchweight of 160-pounds.
“Thiago Moisés vs. David Castillo is the new lightweight title fight in the main event of RFA 35 on Friday, stated Soares. “Moisés has been elevated from co-main event after Zach Juusola withdrew due to injury. Thiago Alves is also stepping up on short notice once again. He will fight David Putvin in the co-main event.”
Tickets for RFA 35 – Moisés vs. Castillo are available for purchase now on SmithsTix.com. You can also support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com/RFA.
RFA 35 – Moisés vs. Castillo takes place this Friday, February 19th at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah. This will be the promotion’s first event to take place in the state of Utah and it will be the second RFA event of 2016. The entire main card of RFA 35 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT this Friday, February 19th.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced earlier this month that the promotion will return to Colorado with RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith in January to kick off 2016. Now the main card has been announced. The event will be headlined by a welterweight title fight between Serbian sensation Bojan “Serbian Steel” Velickovic (12-3) and former RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith (15-3). The co-main event will see Colorado native Adam Stroup (10-2) and former RFA title challenger John Poppie (6-2) meet in a middleweight showdown. RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith will take place Friday, January 15th inside the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Tickets for RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith are available for purchase NOW through AltitudeTickets.com or you can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com. Tickets to RFA 34 start at just $30.
The main card of RFA 34 will also include a pair of RFA and Colorado fan favorites in the light-heavyweight division. Cody Mumma (8-2) is currently riding the momentum of three consecutive KO victories. That streak started with a scintillating 11-second KO of Colton Vaughn at RFA 20. The KO is tied for the second-fastest KO in RFA history.
Mumma will face fellow RFA vet Jeremy Kimball (11-5), who will be entering this contest fresh off a lightning fast KO victory of his own. That win came over Jason Clayton in just 22 seconds last summer. However, Kimball’s most high-profile win to date came in the co-main event of RFA 7, when he submitted Chidi Njokuani via Rear Naked Choke.
In the bantamweight division, six-time UFC vet Hugo “Wolverine” Viana (8-3) and two-time RFA vet Zac “The Anointed Warrior” Riley (3-3) will share the RFA Octagon together. Viana burst on to the global MMA scene in 2012 as a semi-finalist on the first season of the UFC reality show TUF – Brazil. He then won his first two UFC bouts before losing to current UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, who is now one of his teammates.
Riley will be entering this bout with a large amount of praise and fanfare in his own right. This past October at RFA 31, Riley made headlines after accepting a bout in Las Vegas with undefeated Hawaiian prospect Shai Lindsey on just 48 hours’ notice. The highly-touted Lindsey, who had finished all of his opponents, was blitzed at the opening bell by southern Colorado’s newest star. Riley ended up finishing the fight in just 59 seconds with an airtight Triangle Choke.
At welterweight, Brian Camozzi (4-2) will make his long-awaited RFA debut. Camozzi is the younger brother of UFC star Chris Camozzi and fights out of Factory X Muay Thai in the greater Denver, Colorado area. He will face Tyler Milner (7-2) who is a longtime standout in the Alaska FC promotion. Milner now trains at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will be fighting for the first time in his career outside of Alaska.
The main card of RFA 34 will get started in the featherweight division with a pair of featherweight prospects eager to make their national television debut. Cory Sandhagen (1-0) will be making his promotional debut after enjoying a decorated amateur career. He is a main training partner of UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw at Elevation Fight Team in Denver, Colorado. Sandhagen will face undefeated Jackson-Wink MMA standout Andrew Tenneson (3-0) in a bout that is sure to get RFA commentators Pat Miletich and Michael Schiavello excited from the start. Tennesson, like his opponent Sandhagen, is a finisher as both men have finished all of their opponents before the final bell.
The full RFA 34 preliminary card and further information regarding this event will be announced soon. RFA 34 will be the promotion’s seventh event to take place in the state of Colorado. The entire main card of RFA 34 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, January 15th, 2016.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network.“The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will return to Colorado with RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith in January to kick off the new year. The main event will feature a welterweight title fight between two of the division’s most accomplished fighters as Bojan “Serbian Steel” Velickovic battles former RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith for the vacant title. RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith will take place Friday, January 15th inside the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“RFA has a busy 2016 schedule and I’m excited about starting it back in Colorado,” stated Soares. “Bojan Velickovic and Benjamin Smith will headline RFA 34 for the vacant welterweight title. They are two of the most accomplished 170-pound fighters in RFA history and it’s a great way to kick off the new year.”
Tickets for RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith are available for purchase NOW through AltitudeTickets.com or you can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com. Tickets to RFA 34 start at just $30. VIP tables are available by calling 303-521-0966.
Velickovic (12-3) earned his title shot after going a perfect 3-0 in 2015. In March, the Serbian destroyer earned a quick first round TKO victory over the seasoned MMA vet Chris Hugh at RFA 24. Velickovic then participated as a member of Team RFA at the historic RFA vs. LEGACY event in May. His bout was the first match of the promotion vs. promotion competition and Velickovic picked up the pivotal lead-off win against Charles Byrd. He then closed out the year with a victory over decorated Armenian-Ukrainian wrestler Vardan Sholinian at RFA 31. Velickovic’s win over Sholinian in Las Vegas was accomplished with only 5 days’ notice. Now the surging “Serbian Steel” looks to start the new year exactly how 2015 went down — with his hand getting raised.
“When I found out that I would be getting an RFA title shot, I was vey happy,” stated Velickovic. “I feel that I deserve this opportunity and it didn’t matter who I would be facing. I will fight anyone who’s put in front of me. I am also excited to be fighting in Colorado. I moved here 3 months ago and it already feels like home. This will be the first time in 5 years that I get to fight in the place I live. Ben Smith and I fought on the same card twice for RFA and he’s a really tough dude. He comes to fight and I look forward to our title fight onJanuary 15th.”
Smith (15-3) also ended the year on a high note with a unanimous decision victory over the previously undefeated Craig Eckelberg at RFA 32 last month. The win came on the heels of two consecutive RFA title fights that Smith had for the RFA in 2015. Now the second-ever RFA welterweight champion will look to reclaim his RFA crown in what he sees as his last ride towards UFC glory. That ride continues in the main event of RFA 34 against a man he shared cards with at both RFA 20 and RFA 24.
“This is the last hurrah for ole Ben Smith,” Smith explained. “I’d been feeling that way before my last fight, but I also wanted to put an exclamation point on my career by reclaiming my RFA title and earning my shot in the UFC. I got the win at RFA 32, but I felt like I could do more, which is what I will show in this next fight. Colorado has always treated me well and I enjoy competing there. Bojan is a good fighter, he’s a marketable guy, and a very worthy opponent. When I was offered this fight, there was no way I could say no. I love to compete and I’m looking forward to this title fight with Bojan.”
The full RFA 34 fight card and further information regarding this event will be announced soon. RFA 34 will be the promotion’s seventh event to take place in the state of Colorado. The entire main card of RFA 34 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, January 15th, 2016.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognizedFriday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC everyFriday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
The 80’s had Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco crushing baseballs out of stadiums and the 90’s had Fulton Reed and Dean Portman in The Mighty Ducks movie series. However, it wasn’t until the new millennium that the nickname the “Bash Brothers” was attached to a pair of twins just north of the “Twin Cities” that finally brought out its true meaning.
That was when Minneapolis’ daily newspaper the Star Tribune dubbed Marvin and Melvin Blumer the “Bash Brothers” after they both won amateur MMA titles on the same night. The Blumers are identical twin brothers from Lindstrom, Minnesota that have been making a name for themselves in the Upper Midwest since they began training MMA in 2008. They have since made their pro MMA debut on the same card, have fought in Japan on the same card, and are now set to fight on national television together for the second time on Friday night.
Marvin is looking to pick up a second impressive win in the RFA, when he meets fellow RFA vet Bill Kamery in the bout two fights before his brother’s fight. Melvin is set to face one of Brazil’s top prospects in the main event of RFA 24. He will be fighting Leandro “Pitbull” Higo, who is a jiu-jitsu balck belt and trains alongside the world famous Pitbull Brothers, Patricio and Patricky Freire.
In the interview below, the “Bash Brothers” discuss everything from their big fights on Friday to what it was like growing up in the same house with an equally tough mirror image of each other.
They also reveal some fun facts about each other and how they have used a typical sibling rivalry to help push each other to greatness.
Name: Melvin Blumer
Nickname: Career Killer
Born: February 18, 1982
Nationality: American
Ht: 5’9″
Wt: 135 lbs.
Reach: 70.5″
Division: Bantamweight
Hometown: Lindstrom, Minnesota
Team: Minnesota Militia at the Minnesota School of Martial Arts
RFA 32 will be the promotion’s third event to take place in the state of Minnesota. The entire main card of RFA 32 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, November 6th.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
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