HOUSTON TX, June 3, 2011 – Earlier today, Legacy matchmaker Collin Cantrell released the preliminary card for the July edition of the Legacy Amateur Series, scheduled for July 29, 2011.
With the upcoming event coming on the heels of the televised debut for the promotion’s professional arm, the Legacy Fighting Championship, many fighters from in and around the Houston area and beyond wanted a place on this card in order to showcase themselves.
That fact is evident by the fact that there is currently a record twenty-six bouts currently scheduled on this initial card!
Yes, we know that number is daunting but fear not folks, we likely will not be at the arena until deep into Saturday morning because it is this card will continue to morph until it takes final shape.
For now though, let us highlight some of the up-and-coming names that are scheduled to fight at the Legacy Amateur Series on July 29th:
Top 10 Fighters to Watch Out for in July’s Legacy Amateur Series (in no particular order)
1 – Angelus McFarlane
Working in the banking industry, this gentleman fighter is as much of a physical specimen as any other fighter competing at middleweight. Under the tutelage of Brett Boyce and his instructors at Bam Bam Martial Arts, look for this Brooklyn, NY native to be equally dangerous on his feet as he is on the ground.
2 – Ricky Turcious
Making his debut at Legacy’s last Houston amateur event, the half El-Salvadorian / half Filipino was touted by his Gracie Barra Woodlands teammates as one of their most exciting prospects and he showed it by winning a tough test against Hugo De La Fuente and finishing his night off with a shoryuken to boot. With a win at this event, Ricky will cement his status as a bantamweight to watch out for.
3 – Chris Kelly
As a paramedic-turned-owner of Fight Medics, you may have seen Chris Kelly at MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu events for almost two years now. Yet for all his skill at mending bones, Chris is
actually equally adept at trying to break them. As an Elite MMA blue belt out of Baytown, this Fight Medic has been preparing for his MMA debut under the watchful eyes of BJJ Black Belts Jordan Rivas and Frost Murphy.
4 – Eric Garcia
Another businessman fighter in the Houston MMA Scene, Eric is better known as the name behind Garcia Promotions, which has held its own amateur events in the Humble area with his Caged Combat events. He last made his own MMA appearance in January of 2010, submitting Brett Landriault. With his own business rounding into form, the Team Tooke product looks to test his own combative skills and will look to test them at the Legacy Amateur Series.
5 – Tony Orozco Jr
How do you top off winning a fight over a man more than twice your age and then going to your senior prom afterwards? That’s a rhetorical question I have no answer.
Maybe Orozco can provide one on July 29th. The 2-0 amateur has been training for most of his life under coach and father Tony Orozco of Silverback Fight Club and is on the fast track to professional success based on his performances thus far.
6 – Jeremy Hunter
Currently 1-1, Jeremy Hunter actually started training in mixed martial arts somewhere north of the 220 pound mark before making the commitment to drop down and try his hand at the a more manageable weight class. Now at welterweight and with a world of preparation with Tom McCusker at Kingwood MMA, Jeremy is coming off a TKO win in his last bout and is looking to make noise with his second win in a row.
7 – Tucker Dierksheide
I do not know what it was about this kid but something about his demeanor greatly impressed those at ringside at the last Legacy amateur event. The young Death Row MMA fighter debuted by submitting his much-taller opponent without ever changing expressions. Something in this guy will makes one feel
uneasy and I’m willing to bet his opponents in the future will feel the same way.
8 – Corey Allmand
Long thought of as one the area’s top young talents, Team Hoger fighter Corey Allmand debuted in January of last year by defeating SBA’s Brandon Farris with a devastating armbar in under a minute. A year later, his only loss is to an immensely impressive Evert Gutierrez and he is still only nineteen years old.
9 – Colin Wright
The 22-year-old Colin Wright has arguably been one of the top-three most impressive amateurs of 2011, collecting no less than two title belts while notching a 3-0 record. If everything goes according to plan, this Paradigm Training Center fighter will be going for his third amateur title as a bantamweight on July 29th.
10 – Levi West
Much can be made about Team Tooke prospect Levi West. As a loud-talking nineteen-year-old prospect, the 3-0 former/current boxer has polarized his way up the amateur rankings. One person he can certainly count on the side of not being his best pal right is Kevin Thomas, who he’ll be taking on for the Legacy Amateur 155 title.
100 – Femme Fatale Foursome
FOUR top amateur females on this card and two of them fighting for the Legacy 125 female title. I hate to lump them all in one batch but the truth is that I could write a book on what makes each one impressive but I’m too lazy to do that right now. What I can say is that Kristy Kester (the devastating striker) and Monica Earnshaw (the GNP/submission specialist) are guaranteed to put on a show in their title bout. Likewise, at 115, Corrine Zepeda and Jordan Gaza will be displaying a similar battle fans can sure look forward to!
Legacy Amateur Series – Current Fight Card for July 29, 2011 (as of today)
- 155 – Tien Nguyen Metro Fight Club vs. Abraham Lerma Sons of Mayhem MMA
- 125 – Dominque Pittman Team Bailout vs. Ricky Turcious Gracie Barra The Woodlands
- 135 – Chris Tornero vs. Servando Almarez Gracie Barra Katy
- 145 – Antonio Martinez Paradigm vs. Robert Lopez Urban Jungle
- 155 – Luis Lara Metro Fight Club vs. Kamel Saleh In2War
- 135 – Angel Zamora Bushi Ban vs. Alex Stephens Elite MMA
- 155 – TBD vs. Juan Gonzales Urban Jungle
- 185 – Angelus MacFarlane Bam Bam vs. Chris Sutton Gracie Barra Katy
- 135 – Casey Jones vs. Roberto Sanchez Gracie Barra
- 205 – Christian Sutton Hogar MMA vs. Matt Steward BVMMA
- 125 – Rafael Breton Sugarland MMA vs. TBD
- 170 – TBD vs. Chris Kelly Elite MMA
- 125 – Eduan Espaillat Metro Fight Club vs. Hugo De La Fuente Bushi Ban
- 155 – Raul Rodriguez Sugarland MMA vs. Eric Garcia Team Tooke
- 135 – Tony Orozco Jr Silverback MMA vs. Vincent Serrano Elite MMA
- 170 – Jeremy Hunter Kingwood MMA vs. Charlie Ontiveros Hard Head Hitters
- 155 – Jorge Jiminez Metro Fight Club vs. Ryan Rivera Team Bailout
- 205 – Micah Williams Gold Team vs. Jabari Shakur Tx Fighting Syndicate
- 155 – Eric Valdez Metro Fight Club vs. Brandon McKenna RSKA
- 125 – Jacob Silva Silverback MMA vs. Mike Beltran Gracie Barra Katy
- 145 – Tucker Dierksheide Death Row MMA vs. Mike Smith RSKA
- 170 – Corey Allmand Hogar MMA vs. James Powell Gracie Barra Katy
- 115 – Corrine Zepeda Kingwood MMA vs. Jordan Gaza Weapons at Hand
- 125 – Kristy Kester 4oz Fight Team vs. Monica Earnshaw Bushi Ban (TITLE)
- 135 – Colin Wright Paradigm vs. Ramiro Cortina RSKA (TITLE)
- 170 – Kevin Thomas 4oz Fight Team / DeLaRosa Submission Wrestling vs. Levi West Team Tooke (TITLE)