MMA to compete with Boxing at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel
Epic Fighting 3, Friday, October 29th at Four Points by Sheraton in San Diego
Understatement of the year: The popularity of MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, is growing. With more and more MMA bouts being shown on YouTube and the proliferation of shows on Cable and Satellite TV, your local Network TV is now considering airing similar programming plus a MMA Realty TV show.
On October 22nd at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in San Diego, boxer Mercito Gesta is going after his 2oth victory. The heir apparent to Manny Pacquiao has a very large following of supporters and should have no problem filling the hotel’s Grand Ball Room.
Then on the 29th, just one week later, San Diegans get a chance to see a Mixed Martial Arts event at the same venue. The event called Epic Fighting 3 will feature many of the area’s top MMA fighters doing battle with the dreaded outsiders.
I’m certain the attendance at these two shows will be closely monitored to see which way the sails are leaning and which of the fighting organizations needs to shape up in order to compete better.
Since everyone talks about the headliners, I thought it would be interesting to write an article about the unknown fighters, those who are either making their debut or have only a couple of fights under their belt.
As a representative of the Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista, the pressure is going to be on Ty Holder to maintain the gym's supremacy in the sport.
Ty Holder, who is now 2-0 in MMA, will be competing on October 29th. He has been working out at the Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista for almost three years, ever since the doors opened. The 27 year-old is 5’ 10”, an ex-football player and wrestler who weighs 205 pounds but plans to get down to 185. He trains six days a week, intensely.
Holder has nothing but good things to say about his home gym; a gym that recently earned the distinction as the eighth best MMA gym in the world. “People who come in here leave half the size and three times as happy.”
Holder’s first coach was Dean Lister. His present coach is Eric Delfierro, the same Delfierro who trains Junior Dos Santos, the present top contender for the World Heavyweight Title in MMA. The same Delfierro who trains Dominic Cruz, the current WEC Lightweight Champion.
Alliance has an elite team of 20 MMA fighters with all sorts of credentials, belts and championships. To name just a few: Brandon Vera, Travis Browne, Joey Beltran, etc., etc.
Before Holder appears in the Epic Fighting 3 Show, he’s scheduled to face a gentleman known as Mohammad Ali from Old School Boxing at Fight Lab on October 16th in Temecula, Ca. on a fight card dubbed “the Amateur Experience.” After getting past Mr. Ali, he’ll face Xavier Anderson from The Arena MMA Gym in Point Loma at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. By Halloween he plans to be 4-0. “My credo,” says Holder, “is to always keep stepping forward.”
At the age of 31, Ken Sells of The Proving Ground in Santee is making his debut in the cage.
Ken Sells, who lives in Ramona, Ca., is on the same fight card. He’s married and has three children. His day job is that of a general contractor. He also has his own fight wear clothing line: 1 on 1 fightwear. The 31 year-old is what some people might call slender. He stands six-foot tall and weighs 155 lbs. On average, he trains four hours a day mostly at The Proving Grounds at 9740 Cuyamaca Street in Santee.
While his peers grew up playing baseball, football and basketball, Sells was always heading off to the gym to learn Karate, Judo/Aikido mixed, JuJitsu, Grappling, Boxing, and Muay Thai. Even though this will be his first MMA bout, he’s been a devotee of the sport off and on for 18 years. His strengths include quickness, striking ability, grappling techniques and high kicks. The coaches who have helped him along the way include Al Holtman, Dave Lawrence, Mick O‘Leary, Chris Ashby and Mark Allan.
Sells’ opponent on October 29th is Francisco Castro, a U.S. Marine who is stationed at MCAS Miramar. Castro has one victory against no defeats.
