On Saturday, Sept. 9, Annihilation 17 comes to the ipayOne Center with a vengeance. A steel cage is all that separates the spectators from the action as mixed martial arts warriors from San Diego, Palm Springs and Arizona clash in flurry of kicks, punches, chokes and submission holds. The event will be Combat’s 17th in the area in the company’s 3-year history, underlining the popularity of the no-holds-barred sport.
The rules for these fights are simple: no bazookas. Aside from that, just about anything goes. According to fight promoter Diana Ocamco, cage fighting using mixed martial arts is the contact sport of the millennium.
“We had San Diego supporters before the sport was in its infancy and hardly anyone knew about us,” Ocamco said. “Now we’ve grown to a point where we can draw people to an event, and our numbers continue to expand.”
Mixed martial arts contests combine kickboxing, wrestling, judo, jujitsu and boxing. This unique sport slammed onto the national scene nearly a decade ago when it debuted on Pay-Per-View, bringing in one of the biggest paydays in the history of cable television.
Fight Clubs and gyms specializing in mixed martial arts training are springing up all over the place; from North County to south of the border, men and women of all ages have embraced a form of sport combat that is just one crowbar shy of being a street fight.
Many mixed martial arts “ground and pound” fighters are seeking fame and fortune as professional cage fighters; however, before they can take center stage on national television, they have to pay their dues by fighting in smokers (local fights usually held in a gym) and cage matches.
The featured fighters in this weekend’s “beat-down” are Erik “Bad” Apple, who will take on the infamous hype machine, “Magical” Ray Elbe. Also on the bill is Kevin “the club” Swanson and Dominik Cruz, plus Brodie Farber and Toby Imada.
Apple and Elbe are getting a lot of buzz in the mixed martial arts community as fighters to watch. As they grow in popularity, so does their chance of snagging the brass ring that could someday lead to national television exposure and the potential of a seven-figure payday.
Despite the implications of fighting inside a cage, there won’t be any Mike Tyson ear chomping tactics allowed at the event. In fact, one of the most vicious weapons in mixed martial arts fighting is the elbow, and it’s not permitted at this venue. Knee strikes, however, are standard practice, as are kicks to the leg, body and head. Chokes and joint locking submission holds are also legal.
“You can win by knockout or submission, or you may choke your opponent out,” Ocamco said. “Fighters can grapple, use karate or kickboxing and jujitsu to win a fight.”
Eric Delfierro is the man responsible for pairing the fighters. As matchmaker, he likes to select fighters based on their experience.
“Styles make fights,” Delfierro said. “Most of the guys on this card have the potential to become ‘A-level’ fighters. This is a great opportunity for local fans of mixed martial arts to see some of the future stars of the sport in action. There is no doubt in my mind that a few of the local fighters you’ll see at the Sports Arena have the ability to become mixed martial arts stars.”
In addition to bone crunching, punching, non-stop body slams, arm bars and choke holds, this fist-of-fury event is fueled by the live music of Bare Knuckle Conflict.
“Our production value is very high and that I think sets us apart from other mixed martial arts companies,” Ocamco said. “We spend a lot of money to make sure our audience is entertained.”
“Annihilation” includes performances between fights by the Combat Dolls cheerleading dance team and a light show.
“Our show is non-stop and that sets us apart from everybody else,” Ocamco added.
Ticket prices range from $35 to $125, but according to Ocamco, every seat in the house is a good one. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the fight starts at 7:30 p.m. For ticket information, call (619) 392-4660.