Professional Fighting Association”pride & Fury” Eventset For Idaho Debut
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Professional Fighting Association "Pride & Fury" Event Set for Idaho Debut By Loretta Hunt Some faces may have changed along the way, but the goal remains the same: to raise the bar on professional MMA events in Idaho. Surviving the loss of its main match-up and a slew of card changes that followed even up till late today, the Professional Fighting Association kicked off its official weigh-ins this evening from the Coeur D’Alene Hotel & Casino in Worley, Idaho. Twenty athletes, from a host of fight schools and teams representing primarily the Northwest, hit the scales to qualify for tonight’s "Pride & Fury" card, the second professional MMA event in Idaho to be sanctioned by the Idaho Athletic Commission before permanent legislation of the sport goes into effect in July. (The IFC held the first back in November in Boise.) According to Deputy Commissioner Larry Beddes, the regulations officially adopted will mirror the same currently utilized by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, in addition to some added statutes of their own– particularly ones that that will define amateur events in their jurisdiction. Promoted by UFC 48-bound fighter Trevor Prangley, along with longtime Team Idaho/Lion’s Den coach Derek Cleveland, familiar faces from ringside will include Matt Lindland, Dan Henderson, and Dennis Hallman. UFC lightweight standout Josh Thomson will serve as head referee. In the main event, welterweight wrecking ball Sean Sherk is fresh back from Japan’s PRIDE Bushido event with a new nickname in tow. He’ll face Idaho State Division 1 wrestler Eric Heinz.
In bout order, here’s how the weights stacked up tonight: Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs. limit) Del "the Filipino Delight" Hawkins (Team Thunder, AZ- 134.5 lbs.) vs. Brandon "Big Dawg" Shuey (Team Hardcore, ID- 135.5 lbs.) Lightweight Bouts Steve Granieri (Grapplers Edge, CO-153 lbs.) vs. Chad Nelson (Dog Pound, OR- 152 lbs.) Middleweight Bouts Cory Devela (Team Underground, WA- 183 lbs.) vs. Ed "Short Fuse" Herman (Team Quest, OR- 187 lbs.)*** Lightweight Bout Paul "The Jaw" Weseman (Lion’s Den, ID- 153 lbs.) vs. Joe Vigil (Team Thunder, AZ- 154 lbs.) Middleweight Bout Erik Wray (AKA, CA- 184 lbs.) vs. Steve Gomm (Walt Bayless Jiu-Jitsu, UT- 180 lbs.)) Semi Main Event: Light-Heavyweight Bout Mikko Rupponen (Espoon Kehahait, Finland- 205 lbs.) vs. Matt "Suave" Horwich (Team Quest, OR- 203 lbs.) Main Event: Welterweight Bout ** Due to the last minute addition of Gunderson as a replacement, both fighters have agreed to meet at 162 lbs and will re-weigh in the morning.
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 Heating up for MECA 11: Back in Action! Tony de Souza Finally Returns to MMA. By Eduardo Alonso After an impressive career start, including even two wins in the UFC, the first top quality MMA fighter Peru ever produced suddenly got away from the game and enjoyed sidelines for about three years. However, time has come for Tony de Souza to get back in action as a interesting challenge lies ahead this coming Saturday, June 5th at MECA 11 in Brazil. When Tony enters the ring in a few days, Shooto veteran Luis Azeredo will be waiting for him on the opposite corner, in a fight that has the tools to be the best fight of the event. Azeredo will be doing his Chute Boxe debut, and he is already a proven veteran with his only loss coming to Hayato Sakurai by decision, and having beaten Anderson Silva already in his early days as a fighter. However, when Tony de Souza fights, he is not only doing it for his career, or his ego, he is doing it for the love of it and for Peru, a country where he is trying to build some MMA tradition. As we start to heat things up for MECA 11 and it’s intriguing and interesting card, FCF had the chance to catch up for some quick words with the Peruvian fighter! FCF: You have been away from the game for quite a time already, as your last known fight was in 2001. What caused your absence from the MMA game? FCF: I know you recently did a pretty long trip getting all the way down to Brazil! Tell us a bit about the trip, and what interesting things did you see on your way to Rio de Janeiro? Click here to continue the article |
