The New Year is here and it is amazing how much can
happen and get done in a full trip around the sun. Especially in the combat
sports world, we here in the Central Valley are privileged to some top notch
promotions and fighters at all levels. Congratulations first and foremost to all the fighters and
competitors that stepped in that cage, ring, or on the mats this year. Win or
lose, thank you for keeping this sport alive at whatever level you may be at in
your MMA journey. We're proud of how you all represented your team, town, and
most importantly yourselves. Huge shout out to the Central Valley fighters,
grapplers, coaches, gyms, and promotions for doing what it takes day in and day
out to keep the Central Valley known as something to take seriously when it
comes to MMA!
The Central Valley is full of some of the best MMA gyms with
coaches ready to share their knowledge in all areas of expertise that mixed
martial arts has to offer. Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Karate, Boxing, you
name it, we have it. Valley Fight News honors the following gyms for 2024.
*Tulare Athletic Boxing Club in Tulare California, which is owned
and operated by Richard Torrez Sr. Father of undefeated heavyweight prospect
(12-0) Richard Torrez Jr. The Club also holds amateur boxing events at the City’s
high schools. Giving the youth in the community a chance to learn and compete here in the Central Valley. Congratulations to the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club.
*Tri City MMA in Coalinga California led by coach Pat White and
his team had two fighters earn CAMO State and 559 Fights Championships in 2024.
Tri City MMA is also home to Enoch McCottrell who is 2-1 as a pro. Congratulations
to Tri City MMA.
*Dethrone MMA in Fresno California led by Sensei Mike Moreno and
the team had a fighter or grappler competing on almost every event in the
Valley and more. Dethrone MMA is the home to many champions including the current
A1 Combat Lightweight Champion Christian Avalos. Congratulations to Dethrone
MMA.
*Madera MMA in Madera California led by Chris Arias has
amateur fighters competing consistently at 559 Fights. Madera MMA houses many
up and coming fighters who compete in MMA and Muay Thai. Madera MMA is also
home to former 559 Fights and CAMO State Lightweight Champion Abraham Del Toro
who will be going pro in 2025. Congratulations to Madera MMA.
*The Chute MMA in Bakersfield California led by Bryan Travers
has become one of the best gyms in the South Valley. The Chute has established
a group of tough fighters who are always ready to compete and even step in last
minute to fight if need be. The Chute MMA is also home to former 559 Fights and
CAMO State Bantamweight Champion Juilio Larrave, who makes his pro debut in
January. Congratulations to The Chute MMA.
As far as MMA promotions go in the Central Valley, we have
the very best when it comes to the amateurs. The organizations that host
professional fights have also done a great job. Some even go as far as getting their
product featured on the UFC Fight Pass platform, that gets seen worldwide. There
is news that the Central Valley will have some new competition in the new year,
with a few more professional promotions on the way to the area. For 2024, Valley
Fight News honors the following promotions:
*Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat owned and operated by Tom Anderson
and his crew. A1 Combat made a home in the Central Valley, doing shows at the
Tachi Palace Casino Resort and the Visalia Convention Center in 2024. Based in
Sacramento, A1 Combat is streamed live on UFC Fight Pass and has produced a handful
of fighters that have gone on to the UFC. One of the better regional promotions
on the west coast, A1 Combat has also produced many champions who have turned
heads in their divisions. Leaving only a matter of time before they get the
call up to the big show. A1 Combat is scheduled to return to Central Valley
next year in May. Congratulations to Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat.
*559 Fights owned by Jeremy Luchau continues to be the
premier MMA promotion for amateur MMA, not only in California but also in the
states. Averaging 8-9 events a year, 559 Fights has become home to what gets referred
to as the “tougher amateur fights”, according to Southern California or Bay
Area amateur fighters. 559 Fights has big plans in 2025 and will get things
started in January with 559 Fights 111. Congratulations to 559 Fights.
It was another huge year for amateur MMA in the Valley with
a crop of amateur fighters that have put in some major work in preparation for
their eventual pro debuts. Valley Fight News honors the following amateur MMA
fighters for 2024:
*Juanita Perez out of Halo BJJ in Fresno went 2-0 in 2024,
winning and defending her VFS strawweight title while moving her amateur record
to 3-0. Perez will be competing for another amateur title in the bay area early
next year. Congratulations to Juanita Perez.
* Bakersfield's Kirsten Banales out of the Pinnacle went 3-0 in 2024 to get her amateur MMA career started. Banales picked up two first round finishes under the Bakersfield Combat banner and looks to have a bright future ahead in the women's amateur flyweight division. Congratulations to Kirsten Banales.
*Visalia’s Brianna Stephens out of Crisp Kickboxing Muay
Thai MMA jump started her amateur MMA career in 2024 by going 2-0 under the 559
Fights banner. Stephens looks comfortable in all areas of the fight game early
in her amateur MMA run and has a bright future ahead of her. Congratulations to
Brianna Stephens
*Fresno’s Emy Perez started the year off rough by losing her
VFS strawweight title in February. Perez would re-focus and return in the
atomweight division where she picked up an impressive win in September. Perez
would finish the year off by winning the VFS Atomweight title in November,
moving her record 4-3 as an amateur. Congratulations to Emy Perez.
*Honorable mention for Dethrone MMA’s Jalene Delsid who
competed four times in 2024 and went 2-2. Delsid started her amateur MMA career
at 559 Fights in January, then traveled across the states to compete in a kick
boxing bout in New York. Before returning to the Valley where she won the VFS
atomweight title in June. Congratulations to Jalene Delsid.
On the Men’s side of things in amateur MMA for 2024, Valley
Fight News would like to honor:
*Madera’s Abraham Del Toro out of Madera California went 3-0
in the amateur lightweight division in 2024. Del Toro started the year off by
winning the 559 Fights lightweight title in January. He then went on to add the
CAMO State Lightweight title while defending his 559 Fights title as well in
May. Del Toro finished off the year and his amateur career defending both
titles successfully in July at 559 Fights 106. Del Toro has since been signed
by Iridium Sports Agency and is set to make his professional debut at the Tachi
Palace Casino Resort in early 2025. Congratulations to Abraham Del Toro.
*Kerman’s Anthony “Taco” Montalvo out of Dethrone MMA in
Fresno turned everyone’s heads, along with his opponents when he competed in
the first ever combat jiu jitsu match in January at 559 Fights 103. “Taco” would
then follow that up with two first round finishes in the amateur middleweight
division that would earn him a opportunity at the 559 Fights and CAMO State
Middleweight titles in December. Montalvo would win both titles impressively
leaving him at 4-0 in his amateur run so far. Congratulations to Anthony
Montalvo.
*Bakersfield’s Julio Larrave out of The Chute went 3-0 in
2024. Larrave started the year by winning the 559 Fights and CAMO State
Bantamweight titles in January. Larrave would then defend his titles twice
stopping both opponents in impressive fashion to finish his amateur MMA run
with a 7-3 record. Larrave will move on to the pro’s as well in 2025, already
scheduled to compete at LFA 199 in Lemore in January. Congratulations to Julio
Larrave.
*Honorable mention for newcomer Sajin Zacarias out of Fresno
and RDC who went 3-0 within a 5 month period in the flyweight division.
Zacarias has earned himself a title opportunity at 559 Fights in January.
Congratulations to Sajin Zacarias.
The local professional MMA scene in the Central Valley is
alive and well with events taking place in the area’s favorite Casinos. Tachi
Palace Casino Resort and the Table Mountain Casino, have hosted some great pro MMA
fights this year with promotions A1 Combat and VFS. Valley Fight News honors the following pro
fighters for 2024:
*Tyler “Blood Thirsty” Miller went 2-0 as a pro in 2024,
picking up wins in February and June. Miller will now compete for the VFS bantamweight
title in 2025. Congratulations to Tyler “Blood Thirsty” Miller.
*Tri City MMA’s Enoch McCottrell went 2-0 in 2024, picking
up wins at the Tachi Palace and the Visalia Convention Center under the A1
Combat banner. McCottrell finished both opponents moving his record to 2-1 as a
professional in the bantamweight division. Congratulations to Enoch McCottrell.
*Parlier’s Christian “LandShark” Avalos, who is the current A1 Combat Lightweight Champion went 3-0 in 2024. Avalos out of Dethrone MMA, won the A1 Combat Lightweight title in February and then defended it twice. Moving his record to 6-1 as a pro. Currently on a five fight win streak, Avalos is a phone call away from a UFC debut at this point. The “LandShark” has vowed to keep chomping away at any competition looking to come for his A1 Combat title in the meantime. Or even challenge any another regional champ in the lightweight division before heading to the big show. Congratulations to Christian “LandShark” Avalos.
The Valley’s batch of Professional Boxers never disappoints when
it comes to representing our area, in and out of the squared circle. This year Valley Fight News Honors the following pro boxers:
*Visalia’s Jenna “The Gem” Creason made her professional
debut in August of 2024, competing for Golden Boy Promotions in her first pro
outing. Creason would then head to Stockton in October where she picked up
another decision win leaving her at 2-0 as a pro heading into 2025.
Congratulations to Jennah “The Gem” Creason.
*Selma’s Jordan Fuentes went 2-0 to start off his professional
boxing career. Fuentes competed for Golden Boy twice in 2024 and has a bright
future in the super bantamweight division. Congratulations to Jordan Fuentes
*Tulare’s Richard “Keke” Torrez Jr. went 4-0 in 2024, stopping all his opponents while winning the WBC NABF Junior heavyweight title in May. Torrez finished the year off with a tko win in December, defending his title for the second time. While moving his pro record to 12-0. Look for big things for Torrez Jr. and Top Rank Boxing in 2025. Congratulations to Richard “Keke” Torrez Jr.
Congrats to everyone mentioned in the 2024 Valley Fights
News Honors. We look forward to a great year of combat sports in the Central
Valley. We are excited to keep the ball rolling in 2025 with all your latest
local MMA news and coverage. Thank you to everyone for the continued love and
support, see you at the fights!
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