Spotlight29 Casino
Coachella, California
Friday, February 6, 2009
Story by Allen Lawrence
Photos by John Garber
To see John Garber’s Photo Slide Show of Apocalypse III, click here.
 Mixed martial arts fans and devotes from all across the Southwest, even Mexico, came out to see Apocalypse III. One man was going to leave as the Welter Weight Champion of the World. Along with the color and ceremony were 14 bouts each with two men in the cage fighting to show their stuff. Warriors were locked in combat. I personally enjoyed it all. Well trained and fit fighters, beautiful ring girls, lots of muscles, testosterone and, of course, skill and daring. ApocalyspeFights.Com and Spotlight 29 sponsored the event along with a host of other sponsors. Fighters represented local training centers and a few, represented themselves.
The first two bouts were new and upcoming amateurs.
Bout Number One: Philly Baton vs Chris Nergad
Baton opened hard and immediately took the fight to Nergad. By the mid first round, Nergad took over taking Baton down to the mat and holding him down to the end of the round. The second round opened with an aggressive attack by Nergad who hammered Baton over and over again. After taking Baton to the mat he repeatedly pound Baton until the referee called the fight for Nergad. one minute and four seconds into the second round. Nergad was the winner.
Bout Number Two: Jason Walraven vs David Brewer
Representing Joe Stephenson Cobra Kai and Camp Pendlelton Fight Team.
Brewer opened aggressively and in attack mode as he came out from his corner with a vengeance flipping and then taking Walraven to the mat almost immediately. Walraven turned the tables quickly and flipped Brewer taking him down to the mat where he pounded him mercilessly. Finally, Walraven wrapped his arms around Brewers head and punished him until he finally gave in. Brewer tapped out two minutes into the second round. Walraven was declared the winner.
Next came the professional bouts there were to be 12 great fights before the evening was over.
Bout Number Three: Jeff Holmes vs Josh Mejia
Holmes, representing Tru MMA, weighed in at 152 lbs. 5'8" tall. Mejia from Chino Hills, representing CMS, weighed in at 150 lbs. 5'8" tall.
Holmes opened hard and mauled Mejia from the start. Mejia took everything Holmes had to give him and came back again and again for more. Holmes took Mejia to the wall and brought him down with an ankle grab. Holmes hit Mejia so hard that he knocked Mejia mouthpiece out of his mouth, and then Holmes once again brought Mejia to the mat where he attacked again and again, opening a cut above Mejia left eye. Holmes relentless attack toppled Mejia after two minutes and 21 seconds of the first round a TKO. Mejia put up a great resistance but Holmes celebrated his birthday with a clear win over Mejia.
Bout Number Four: Gilbert Vielmas vs Matt Saller
Vielmas, representing Coachella Valley Brazilian Ju Jitsu and Adrenaline, weighed in at 145 lbs at 5'7". Matt “the Ant” Saller, representing the Camp Pendlelton Marine Fight Team, weighed in at 143.5- at 5'8'’.
Round One. Saller looked tentative at first but came to life gradually, and the action became furious and aggressive. Saller tried and was successful in bringing Vielmas to the mat again and again, but he could not clearly pin the wily Vielmas, who suddenly again and again turned the tables on Saller.
Round Two. Vielmas came out hot and aggressive, hitting and kicking hard and relentlessly. Vielmas brought Saller to the mat and pounded him. Saller flipped Vielmas and climbed on top of him holding him down, but Vielmas took everything Saller had to give and then took Saller into a headlock with his legs pounding him with shots to the face and head again and again and again. Saller would not give up and took everything Vielmas had to give blocking punch after punch with his hands and arms. By the end of the round, Saller looked tired but not shaken or defeated.
Round Three. Vielmas came out strong, took Saller to the mat, climbed on top of him and pounded him again and again. Saller took it until Vielmas caught him in a scissor hold and Saller finally had enough and tapped out. Saller looked hurt and needed help to make it to his corner. The audience applauded his valiant effort. Vielmas won 50 seconds into the third round by submission tap out.
Bout Number Five: Jonathan “Native” Brandon vs Eric McDonald
Brandon, representing Pinnacle Fight Team, weighed in at 185 lbs. McDonald, representing Camp Pendleton Marine Fight Team, weighed in at 184.5 at 5'8".
Round One. McDonald came out kicking and punching, but Brandon turned the tables bringing McDonald to the mat and straddled him throwing elbow and fist to Mc Donald’s shoulder and head again and again greatly punishing him. McDonald, however, could not be kept down and he flipped Brandon aggressively. Brandon tripped and McDonald took advantage but Brandon did not stay down for long. The action continued nonstop to the end of the round.
Round Two. Within 30 seconds, Brandon took McDonald to the mat pounding him relentlessly. Elbows to the mid section, blows to the face, McDonald struggled and fought but would not give up or give in. Finally, Brandon took McDonald into a chokehold and McDonald was forced to tap out with Brandon winning in the second round.
Bout Number Six: Ricardo Gallardo vs Damon Ginart
Gallardo from Cathedral City, representing Joe Diaz Boxing Club, weighed in at 150 lbs at 6' tall. Ginart, representing White Dragon Martial Arts, weighed in at 150 lbs at 5' 10".
Round One. Gallardo was tentative at first but soon mixed it up with Ginart. Ginart took Gallardo to the mat and held him there for a second before Gallardo took Ginart into a scissor hold. Ginart broke the hold and went on the attack, took the lead and pounded Gallardo relentlessly, crashing him to the mat with forearm after forearm. Gallardo flipped Ginart and held the lead until the end of the round.
Round Two. Ginart came out swinging and Gallardo took it for a bit then gave back equally. Ginart took Gallardo to the mat and the two grappled, the two moved slowly from one end of the ring to the other each trying to gain advantage. Gallardo relentlessly pounded Ginart in the head and upper body again and again until the referee stopped the fight two minutes and 45 seconds into the second round, Gallardo the winner.
Bout Number Seven: Sami Saunders vs Octavio “The Worm” Morales
Saunders, representing Combined Martial Science, weighed in at 140 lbs. Morales, representing Millennium Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, comes from Pomona California and weighed in at 140 lbs at 5'6".
Round One. Morales came out swinging and took Sanders to the mat. Morales pummeled Saunders relentlessly to the head and body while sitting on and straddling him. Saunders did not give up and tried to break Morales’s grip but he just could not as Morales stayed on top, pounding him until the horn finally sounded, ending the round.
Round Two. Saunders pressed Morales charging and attacking, but Morales took Saunders down., Saunders pulled away and once again brought the fight to Morales. Again back to the mat with Morales on top Saunders punishing him, Morales punching Saunders then the fearless Saunders took the lead away and turned on Morales with staggering blows to the face and head, and suddenly the fight was all over in the blink of an eye as the referee stopped the fight Morales the winner.
Bout Number Eight: Eric Brown vs Kris Millner
Brown, representing Combat Submission West, weighed in at 160 lbs at 5'9". Millner of Marino Valley, representing Techniques United Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, weighed in at 160 lbs at 5'10".
Brown came out kicking and swinging, which brought Millner down quickly to the mat. While Brown relentlessly punished Millner, the two scrapped furiously. Millner opened a large cut on Brown’s face after dropping Brown on his head twice. Brown did not give up, although the bleeding was heavy. Brown’s face was covered in blood, and the doctor called the fight one minute and 52 seconds into the first round. Millner was declared the winner by TKO.
Bout Number Nine: Aaron Arena vs John McCawley
Arena from Redlands, representing Pinnacle Ju-Jitsu, weighed in at 140 lb at 5'7". McCawley, representing Camp Pendleton Marine Fight Team, weighed in at 139 lb. 5'6".
Arena came out swinging McCawley took it and gave it back. The action was fast and furious arms, fists, knees and feet flying each pummeled the other. Arena took McCawley to the mat and hammered him unforgivingly. McCawley took it all scrapping until the referee called the fight one minute and 54 seconds into the first round. Arena was declared the winner by TKO.
Bout Number 10: Steve Swanson vs Jose Cabrajal
Swanson, representing Tru MMA, weighed in at 135 lbs at 5'5". Cabrajal from Yuma, Ariz., representing Arizona Athletics, weighed in at 135 lbs and 5'6".
For many, this was the fight of the evening, as Swanson is very popular locally and his fans were out in force.
Round One. Swanson came to the center of the ring aggressively kicking, challenging and throwing body blows. He clearly was trying to take Cabrajal down, and when he did, Cabrajal would not stay down no matter what Swanson threw at him. Cabrajal took several hard hits to his face before going down to the mat pulling Swanson along with him to the wall. Swanson got a neck lock on Cabrajal and Cabrajal, no matter what he did, could not get away. Swanson kept at Cabrajal relentlessly until the end of the round.
Round Two. Swanson again came out aggressively and the two mixed it up. Cabrajal pinned Swanson to the wall. The two traded blows furiously. Cabrajal appeared hurt with swelling over his right forehead but with no bleeding. Cabrajal once again pinned Swanson to the wall, throwing knee after knee blows to Swanson’s gut. Neither backed down; neither gave up. Both were clearly tired, but they continued to trade blows until the end of the round.
Round Three. Tired but dauntless, the two met in the center of the cage this time a bit more cautiously, then both opened up trading blow for blow. Both looked tired from their great effort, but neither gave up. Fists flew, legs struck out, but neither gave up. Both kept on going on shear guts and desire to win, giving it their all, taking and giving as warriors in a battle to the death. They were giving it their all and their best and the crowd knew it, cheering them both on. Suddenly Swanson reached deep into himself and threw blow after blow first staggering, and then dropping Cabrajal like a sack of potatoes. The fight was over, but neither had given up. The referee called the fight for Swanson by TKO one minute and 52 seconds into the third round.
Bout Number 11: Dion Ramirez vs Chris Bien
Ramirez from Indio, representing Techniques Training Center, weighed in at 170 lbs. Bien from San Diego, representing himself, weighed in at 168 lbs.
Round One. Ramirez took the fight to Bien aggressively. Bien brought Ramirez to the wall first. Legs and knees flew as the two scrapped for position. They struck each other repeatedly, aiming for the gut, head and body. Ramirez threw devastating blows, right upper cuts to the head and then to the belly, finally dropping Bien to the mat where he took several minutes to get up. While Bien got his breath back and finally managed to get to his feet, the referee talked with him standing ready to call the fight but Bien did not give up, and when he came out, he went at Ramirez fast and furiously, but Ramirez was ready and quickly turned the tables on Bien.
Round Two. Ramirez came out kicking and slashing. The two traded blow for blow, again and again, until Ramirez took Bien into a headlock. Bien dropped Ramirez to the mat, climbed up on top of him and took control. Ramirez tried everything to break out and get up, he pounded Bien to no avail. Bien just pounded him back. The two rolled and traded position, but Bien once again took the lead keeping Ramirez under his control to the end of the round.
Round Three. As both came to the center of the cage, their warrior spirit surfaced as they scrapped and traded blows. The crowd was going wild, and this seemed to spur them on even more. They punched and peppered each other with blow after blow. Bien took Ramirez to the mat ,and Ramirez pounded Bien from underneath landing blows to Bien’s flank, body, shoulders and head. Neither gave up. Again and again they attacked and countered, relentlessly trading blows, kicking and using their knees. Finally the horn sounded and the two both were left standing tall and proud. In a unanimous decision, the referees declared Ramirez the winner.
Bout Number 12: Craig Wilkerson vs Roscoe “Sweet and Low” Jackson
Wilkerson of Fullerton, representing Combat Submission Fullerton, weighed in at 170 lbs. Jackson from Yuma, Ariz., representing Torture Athletics, weighed in at 169.
The two bounced around for a while jockeying for position and feeling the other out. Suddenly Wilkerson took the offensive and attacked bringing Jackson to the wall and then to the mat. Wilkerson climbed on top held Jackson down and pounded him severely, again and again opening a cut on Jackson’s face. The referee jumped in and stopped the fight early in the first round.
Wilkerson was declared the winner by a TKO in the first round.
Bout Number 13: Ruben “The Kid” Salazar vs Chris Gomez
Salazar El Centro weighed in at 153 lbs. Gomez, representing himself, weighed in at 153 lbs.
The two attacked each other with fist, legs, knees and elbows. Salazar brought Gomez to the mat, and the two traded blows relentlessly until the referee stepped in and stopped the fight one minute and seven seconds into the first round
Salazar was declared the winner with a TKO.
Bout Number 14: Rigo Oropeza vs Vince Guzman
Oropeza from Indio, representing Indio Techniques Training Center, weighed in 180 lbs at 6'. Guzman of Rancho Cucamonga, representing Millennium MMA, weighed in at 170 lbs 6'1" This was a maximum five-round fight for the Welter Weight Champion Belt.
Round One. Oropeza went on the attack from the start first trading blows with Guzman until he took Guzman to the mat. Guzman quickly turned the tables and with fist flying, climbed on top of Oropeza. Oropeza threw Guzman off, and the two got up. The fight continued with the two standing trading blows. Both staged aggressive, challenging attacks defending from the other and testing the other’s mettle. The first round ended as the two combatants scrapped on the mat with both fighters jockeying for position and supremacy.
Round Two. In the opening of the second round, both tested the other, then almost in unison they attacked. The action built as they two kicked, punched and ultimately took each other to the mat. After jockeying for position and dominance, Oropeza caught Guzman in a scissor headlock. Guzman battered Oropeza with his knees and fists in the head and back. Guzman got Oropeza on his back and Guzman now pummeled and pounded Oropeza again and again. Oropeza tried but could not break loose from Guzman’s grasp and control. The round ended with the two locked in mortal combat.
Round Three. Obviously tired, the two met and once again tested each other with quick furious attacks throwing fists and legs. Oropeza was kicked in the groin, which stopped the fight for a while. Oropeza came out scrapping with feet flying and then he moved back, slipped and Guzman made his move jumping on him and taking him down. Oropeza grabbed Guzman in a scissors grip and it was all over for the night, except for the screams and cheers of the audience, as Guzman tapped out one minute and 26 seconds into the third round, Oropeza the winner by submission.
It was a great night with great fights everyone did their best. There were winners but in my view, no losers as all of the fighter did their best and gave their all.
 Before the night’s events we had the opportunity to talk with a number of the spectators and get their opinions. Danny and Melony Gutierrez, both from Redlands, were there to support Aaron Arenas and Pinnacle Ju-Jitsu.
“This is Aaron’s first professional fight. We are so excited to be here. Aaron has not lost a major fight and we are really proud of him,” they said
 From left to right: Darren O’Brien, Steve Butler and Chris Barnes were at the event to support the fighters from Indio, Techniques Ju-Jitsu. All three are local residents.
O’Brien told us, “We especially want to support Rigo Oropeza, he’s the best and we want him to win tonight.” Oropeza did win, so the boys must have been really happy after the fight.
 We also had a delightful interview with Whitney Pedersen, a beautiful young ring girl. This is Whitney’s first event and she was excited and possibly a bit nervous, although she looked great. Whitney is make-up artist and model and very pretty.
Special thanks to the referees: Larry Landless and Mike Bertrum, announcer: Jace Edwards and the judges and the official and unofficial sponsors for making this evening possible. Also special Thanks to Spotlight 29 who at each and every event does their very best to put on a great show. Their staff clearly gave their all and the event went off seamlessly. Thank you again.
To see John Garber’s Photo Slide Show of Apocalypse III, click here.
For more information on up coming events at Spotlight 29, click here.
For information regarding the next Apocalypse event, Apocalypse IV, coming in May of 2009, click here.
For information on Jace Edwards, click here
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