By Evan Jacobs

Fight Club OC returned on August 29th to melt the dome off the Hangar at the OC Fair & Events Center in auspicious Costa Mesa, CA. It was a night filled with thrills, chills and spills as the fans were treated to a show that was sold out weeks before it happened! With 6 bouts showcasing multiple fighters, disciplines and styles, this hybrid boxing/MMA card did not disappoint.

Opening the show was Santa Ana’s Uriel Villanueva (3-1 1KO) vs. Ventura’s Noel Cavazos (2-3) in a 4 round, super welterweight boxing match. These 140 pounders came in the ring with bad intentions and they engaged in a brutally tactical bout. Each fighter took turns teeing off on the other, with both Villanueva and Cavazos having their moments. In the end, it was Villanueva doing just a bit more to garner the decision.

After that, we stayed in the discipline of boxing as Flyweight Diego Aviles (1-0 1KO) from Anaheim made his pro debut vs. Carlon Johnson (0-1-1) from Vista in a four round scrap. With both fighters looking to get their first pro “W”, these two engaged in highly competitive matchup. They both came out throwing with bad intentions. At times, in this short contest, it looked like either fighter could be KO’d. However, Aviles got there first. He dropped Johnson and then, after Johnson got up, battered him to the canvas for a first round KO.

MMA came to the fore in our third bout with 2 warriors making their pro debut. We were privileged to see David Rivera (1-0 1KO) from San Bernardino take on Alan Alvarez (0-1) in a 4 round lightweight bout. These two fighters were all action from the moment the ref waved them forward! It was a back and forth affair with takedowns, striking, and just about everything in between. Ultimately, Rivera proved to be too much for Alvarez and the bout was waved off after that hellacious action in the 1st round!

The big boys took us back to boxing in a heavyweight bout when Chino Hills’ Jack May (10-0 8KOs) fought John Shipman (5-7 2KOs) from Dallas, TX. These bruisers wasted no time going toe to toe. This resulted in the 3rd, first round KO (in a row) of the night, as May simple overpowered and outgunned Shipman. He knocked him down with a barrage of shots, and then when Shipman rose it was just a matter of time until May finished him. It was quick, it was brutal, and not long before May had his hand raised in another KO victory.

We stayed with boxing for our co-main event in which streaking Jaime Cerna (6-0-2 4KOs) from Rancho Cucamonga took on the tough Terrel Glynn (2-0-2) from Sacramento. With both guys not wanting to see their “0” go, they knew they were going to have to fight mighty hard to keep it. Cerna and Glynn literally fought this bout in a phone booth. There was a lot of back and forth action, with each fighter having their moments. Ultimately, it was too close to call and that’s how this bout was ultimately ruled a draw.

Our sixth and final bout of the night was also a Tequila Mandala Young Champions Bout! Moving back into MMA we were treated to Kohl Laren (3-2) from Huntington Beach vs. Jeremy Fattorusso (2-3) from Las Vegas in a 3 round lightweight matchup. Closing the show with MMA is always pleasing to the crowd, and they let their excitement be known all during the bout. Laren was patient, cautious, and let Fattorusso do just enough to hang himself. Fattorusso rushed in one too many times and Laren used a mix of punches, kicks, and knees to stop Fattorusso in 1.