Let the hammering in the hexagon begin.
The Comox Valley Boxing Club is presenting "Full Throttle Fight Night 3-Redemption" on Saturday, July 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.
The club's two previous Full Throttle Fight Nights were held outdoors (Village Park in Cumberland and Saratoga Speedway), and their first indoor promotion will feature a hexagon cage borrowed from Battlefield Fight League.
Local fitness guru Marc St. Jules will MC the evening, and he says the Ovarian Cancer Society and The Boys and Girls Club are benefactors of the event. The CVBC says FTFN3-Redemption "is going to be the biggest, baddest and most exciting event in North Island MMA history.
"This amateur card will host the brightest rising stars from across Vancouver Island and British Columbia," the CVBC states. The main event will pit Fraser Jordan (Pure Self Defense) against Brett Deacon (South Island BJJ) in a 195-pound tilt. The co-main will feature the CVBC's own James "Haiitian Devastation" Pratt (4-3-1) going up against Blake McVittie (0-0-2) of MET in a clash of 135-pounders. Other scheduled bouts include:
• Garth Nasadyk (CVBC, 0-1) vs. Dillion Brown (Island Warriors, 0-1) at 160 pounds
• Kent "The Furnace" Fourneau (CVBC, 0-0) vs. Dwayne Ganderson (Pure Self Defense, 0-1) at 185 pounds
• Andrew Payne (CVBC, 0-0) vs. Jean Allard (Phoenix Rising, 0-1) at 185 pounds
• Stuart Corkery (CVBC, 0-0) vs. Derek Grant (Champion, 0-1) at 135 pounds
• Damian McGuery (CVBC, 0-0) vs. Matt Lockard (Pure Self Defense, 0-0) at 170 pounds, and
• Tyler Thomassen (Crusher, 0-1) vs. Cam Bailey (CVBC, 0-0) at 122.5 pounds.
Also scheduled are two female kickboxing matches with Tiffany Wiebe (CVBC) vs. Charlotte Hoffart (Knockout Martial Arts) and Stephanie Schneider (CVBC) vs. Brittany Leigh (Salt Spring).
The card is subject to change prior to fight night.
Meanwhile, there will be beauty as well as brawn on display next Saturday as card girls will keep spectators informed of which round the fight is in. On July 16, a card girl search is being held at the Avalanche Bar & Grill. The fun starts at 9 p.m. with a $10 cover charge.
At the Sports Centre there will be floor seating on all six sides of the cage, and tickets are available at the Sid Williams Theatre and Fitness ETC.
"Comox Valley Boxing and MMA are in a constant state of evolution," notes St. Jules, "whether it be expanding and renovating the facility, bringing in the best instructors from around the world or showcasing their third Full Throttle Fight Night promoting more local talent and businesses and raising funds and awareness for a great cause."
With MMA being the fastest growing sport in the world, it only makes sense to keep up and roll with the punches, St. Jules noted. "CV Boxing and MMA owner Jonny Mac has been travelling the world taking courses, classes, clinics and workshops from judging, refereeing, to BJJ ( Brazillian Jujitsu) to Thai kickboxing to keep up with the pace and offer his students the best services possible within his capacity," St. Jules added.
"The Comox Valley club has been turning heads and producing local talent that has been turning pro within a few short years. The Full Throttle cards have earned the club the best amateur production with its promotion, ring card girls, hospitality, ethics and fair match-ups in the Pacific Northwest," said St. Jules.
"Battlefield Fight League recognizes the local club as a serious farm team or feeder system to the pro league (which is televised) and loaned the club its cage as a token to their professionalism and representation of the sport.
"Many of the local islanders on the card are well-educated, well-spoken, family oriented and community driven individuals who appreciate the sport for what it is and are very thankfull to get a chance to display their skills in their hometown," St. Jules said.
"It takes a lot of time and effort to put a card together and it's a community affair when you look at what goes into it. Jmac would like to thank the tireless effort the people in the background have done to bring the event to fruition," St. Jules added.
For more on FTFN3-Redemption, check out www.cvboxingclub.com or call Mac at 250-898-7444.