VISALIA, Calif. – When 559 Fights first opened it’s cage doors to amateur mixed martial artist in 2012 the vision was simple – grow and develop local talent.
On Friday, September2 at the Visalia Convention Center the locally-grown and operated MMA promotion will host it’s 50th event.
“When Joey (Perez), Mots (Jon Motsenbocker) and I sat down and started the idea of 559 Fights, we knew that this day would come,” said 559 Fights president Jeremy Luchau. “Our goal from the beginning was not to have the biggest, brightest, fanciest, but rather to be the most consistent and give more opportunities for young, local amateurs to compete.”
Since 2012 559 Fights has hosted the California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization State Championships, Northern California Regional Championships twice and had hundreds of competitors step foot in their cage.
“559 Fights has become the most consistent MMA platform in the country which is demonstrated by the vast number of rising professional stars that developed their talent in the 559 cage,” CAMO President JT Steele said.
559 Fights has produced events in 18 different venues over the past three years and in cities all across the Central Valley from Bakersfield to Fresno.
Tickets for the 50th event can be purchased at the Visalia Convention Center box office and start at just $25. For more information visit www.559fights.com
“Often times we’ve done things against the grain. We charge a much smaller ticket price than other shows throughout the country and we put together sometimes triple the events,” Luchau said. “We try our best to give these fighters and fans the best possible experience. We’ve fought in venues all over the Valley trying to promote mixed martial arts and our fighters to a variety of different communities.”
Long-time 559 Fights staple Visalia’s Jonathan DeLeon will headline the event in a Featherweight Title bout against Bakersfield’s David Mendoza. In the co-main event, Visalia’s Steven Robinson takes on Ridgecrest’s Jacobo Longoria for the Welterweight Championship.
“There’s so many great amateurs throughout the Valley that it’s been really easy to showcase these fighters, get them the exposure that they need and have them move on to the professional level,” Luchau said. “We’ve had a large number of fighters essentially graduate from amateur ranks at 559 Fights and into the pro ranks.”
559 Fights 50 will have over 10-action packed bouts.