Don’t underestimate fan support.
Local fighters went 5-2 at a U.S. Amateur Mixed Martial Arts event Saturday night at the Yard Birds Mall, bringing about 600 fans to watch cage fighting and benefit the Relay for Life charity organization.
The bill featured 11 mixed martial arts fights and two kick-boxing contests.
The 170 lb. A-Class MMA main event, however, was the shortest contest of the evening. Chehalis’ Travis Schliesser defeated Dave White of Pendleton, Ore. with a guillotine choke hold submission 23 seconds into the first round.
“I don’t even really remember it,” said Schliesser, who, coincidentally, celebrated the victory on his 23rd birthday. “It took me longer to walk out (of the cage) than it did to win the fight.”
The 145-lb. B-Class MMA contest featured a pair of first-time fighters. Centralia’s Luke Ward entered the ring to a standing ovation, knocked his opponent to floor with his first punch and followed it up with several more head shots. But just when Ward seemed to be in complete control Olympia’s Noah Mosburger was able to flip position and forced Ward to tap out with a guillotine choke hold 2:11 into the first round.
“I dropped and I thought it was over,” Mosburger said. “But he went for the takedown and left his head up and I was able to get (the choke).”
Mike Cravens of Centralia beat Chris Santon, from Fort Lewis, in the Heavyweight B-Class MMA fight. Cravens said fighting for charity in front of a local crowd helped his performance.
“The crowd got me all pumped up,” he said. “I was glad to fight for a cause. If I had cancer I hope somebody would be out here fighting for me, too.”
Kenny Beach (Centralia) and Wally Crase (Chehalis) were both victorious in B-Class MMA action. Beach defeated Mike Gatewood of Bend, Ore. by technical knockout in the first round, and it took Crase just two minutes to force opponent Johnny Walker of Bend, Ore. to tap out.
Anthony Hugo of Winlock knocked out Tom Kropenici of Lacey four seconds before the end of the third round in the Heavyweight B-Class Kickboxing fight. In the 170-lb. A-Class Kickboxing matchup, Vitali Krometes of Lacey defeated Centralia’s Darrel Pacansky Centralia by a 2-1 split decision.
The event generated more than $4,000 for the Relay for Life charity. U.S. AMMA donated all proceeds from ticket and food vendor sales, and Centralia-based Hooligan Inc. promoted the fight and donated a share of their merchandise sales. Professional MMA promoter Tad Bremer donated the cage, ring announcer Shanon Klink volunteered his time and the Yard Birds Mall donated the venue for the event.
Dennis Hallman, U.S. AMMA president, called the event a success.
“The crowd was good, the fights were good and the local guys pulled off the victories,” Hallman said.
U.S. AMMA had not been to the Twin Cities for more than two years but, Hallman said, due to the positive response from the fans, he wants to bring fights back to the area three to four times per year, with one of the events being an annual Relay for Life benefit.
