MMA TO FIGHT ON AT TACHI PALACE

‘Tachi Palace Fights’ is the new name for mixed martial arts in Lemoore.

By James Gilliland
VSP MMA Columnist:

Lemoore, Calif. – The Tachi Palace announced their plan to continue having Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events in Lemoore.

The new promotion Tachi Palace Fights (TPF) was unveiled during a recent press conference.

“The Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino has had a long storied history with the sport of MMA. It established two great promotions while producing some of the biggest fights in the Central Valley,” said interim entertainment manager, Joey Perez.

TPF will be in association with Gladiator Challenge (GC) and the fights will be held in a 20×20 foot cage instead a ring like the previous promotion, the Palace Fighting Championship (PFC).

This is the third MMA company to come to the Tachi Palace. The first promotion, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), began at the Tachi Palace in 2001 until it was bought out by Zuffa (Owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship) in 2006.

The PFC filled the void left by the WEC. But, when entertainment coordinator and PFC President Christian Printup left the Tachi Palace, the PFC promotion went with him.

TPF is hoping to produce top name fighters and build on what the other two promotions have helped establish in the local MMA scene.

“Our goal is to find the talent of tomorrow,” said Tedd Williams, GC and TPF promoter. “It’s a great opportunity for the fighters, to help grow them. If you become somebody here, you are the real deal.”

One of the fighters on the card is Merced native, Phil “The Pain” Collins. He is coming off a long break and training with the new American Kickboxing Academy team in Fresno.

Phil is eager to fight again and in the new promotion.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in a cage, it doesn’t matter where it would happen if it was in the street, in a ring,” said Collins. “This is what I do for a living; I can do it tomorrow if I had to.”

Another fighter on the card is Bellator Fighting Championship featherweight champion and Porterville native, Joe Soto.

“I’m really excited to be back home,” said Soto. “It feels coming back; I have a lot of friends around here so they can see me fight.”

The first TPF show will feature local fighters Chad Mendes, Poppies Martinez, and Rolando Torres.

Tachi Palace Fights: Most Wanted is set for Thursday, October 8. For more information on the event go to www.tickets.com.

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