Pete Trevino Jr. started his entertainment career as a professional disc jockey in 1987. He has performed at hundreds of weddings and private events in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Texas.
XCC makes History in Michigan
By Pete Trevino Jr.
Mixed Martial Arts Fans in Michigan have to be ecstatic. The Xtreme Cagefighting Championship (XCC) hit The Royal Oak Music Theatre with a combination of strikes that left MMA fans knocked out.
History was made on Saturday - January 16, 2010. The XCC in association with Cage Combat MMA and Clip Boxing put together a two day event that featured the first ever (Official State Sanctioned) professional mixed martial arts event.
The event started with a press conference on Wednesday, attended by most of the news writers and radio personalities in the Detroit Metro Area. Including a short segment with Katrina Hancock of WDIV on the six o'clock news. The stage, or should I say "Cage" was then set for two nights of fights.
Friday night would feature the amateur fighters with two championship matchups and the weigh ins for Saturday night's professional card. All being broadcast for FREE "LIVE" on the internet @ www.cagefightinglive.com .Saturday's card could also be watched "LIVE" online via Pay Per View for only $5.99 with re-broadcasts after the event for only $1.99 (still available). The state officials weighed in all the pro fighters on the stage, for all to see, before the amateur matchups took place.
All the amateurs on the card put on a good show. Watch it for yourself, you can still watch it for FREE. The only one I will comment on is the XCC Bantamweight Championship fight. WOW! ...what a great fight. Brandon Sturgis and Michael Hernandez had the best fight I have ever seen sitting cage side. Knock downs, big kicks, submission attempts and even some blood. This fast paced fight went all three rounds and in my opinion was the best fight all weekend...including the pros.
These two fighters left everything in the cage. I could have swore I was watching a pro matchup. In the end, the unanimous decision went to Hernandez, crowning him the new XCC Bantamweight Champion.
Saturday night featured nine professional fights. Most of the fighters were from Michigan and very happy to be able to finally fight in their own home state. The night was over 4 years in the making. The newly formed "Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission" sanctioned the first ever professional mixed martial arts event in the history of the state. Many commission members and State Officials were in attendance for this historic event, including Barrington Carr, Linda Douglas, Dr. James West and Inspector in Charge Bob Howe.
The Royal Oak Music Theatre was sold out for this event. News cameras, photographers, sports writers, vip guests, sponsors, vendors, celebrities and over sixteen hundred fans packed The ROMT to be part of history.
The pros started the evening with a TKO, had lots of blood in the middle, and had a shocking upset for the end. Michigan fighter and fan favorite "Big" Don Richard suffered a bloody, broken nose in the first minute of his matchup against Ray Lopez, but then he turned it up a notch, to come out with a submission victory. Don if you are reading this..."You Da Man" a true warrior. The night ended with a shocker. to me anyway. "King of the Cage" (KOTC) Middleweight World Champion. "Bad" Brad Burrick from Roseville, MI, he was submitted in the first round by Caleb Grummet. This was Caleb's professional debut. He vacated his XCC amateur title to take this fight. Caleb if you are reading this..."Wow! Congrats" what a debut fight! I can't wait to see you fight again. Go for it Bro.
All in all, the entire week was fun, exciting and historic for everyone involved. During the second intermission, Matt Flynn (XCC President) and Greg Ahrens (Cage Combat MMA President) thanked everyone in attendance for being loyal fans of this still growing sport. They also promised to keep on bringing Michigan fans the very best amateur AND professional fights.
Thank You to Matt Flynn, Greg Ahrens and Carlos Llinas. Thanks for making me a small footnote in the history of Michigan MMA. Thanks for all the gigs. Thanks for everything you've all done to finally bring MMA to the State of Michigan and Thanks in advance, on behalf of all the next promoters to follow in your footsteps.
XCC in 2010...."Here we go....enjoy the show."
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