For Las Animas native Teo Alvidrez, a Dec. 6 fight card titled “Warriors Collide 7 - “In the City of Lost Souls”, is an event two years in the making, and one that came about initially by accident.
Having been a fighter since 2003, Alvidrez gained local interest in part to a 2006 newspaper article praising him for a championship fight in Denver, which in turn drew the attention of Las Animas local Santana Martinez, who approached Alvidrez with aspirations of becoming a mixed martial arts fighter.
Martinez, who initially inspired Alvidrez to create Alvidrez Combat Grappling, has been the group's elite fighter from the start and currently represents the group's lone professional fighter.
Martinez will headline the Dec. 6 card to be held at the old Las Animas Middle School Gym beginning at 6 p.m.
“He (Martinez) was mainly a boxer at first”, said Alvidrez of his longest tenured grappler. “I had to retrain him to be an all around MMA fighter”, he said before recalling Martinez' first win which came by submission rather than knock out.
“He's solid. He's won championships all over the country. He's a lot of fun”, he added.
Martinez currently sits at 0-4 as a professional said Alvidrez, who added that the professional ranks are a big step up from the ametuer level.
Martinez will fight Mark Korzenowsi who won a fight in August at the Arkansas Valley Fair in Rocky Ford.
Fighting on the under card Dec. 6 are three other Alvidrez Combat Grappling fighters including Leo Quintero of La Junta, Gabe Gonzales of Las Animas and Richie Romero of Fowler.
All three fighters represented ACG at the Arkansas Valley Fair in August.
Quintero has been with ACG for one year to which Alvidrez said, “He has improved since day one.” Mainly a kickboxer when committing to ACG, Alvidrez says Quintero's hands are solid and he should compete well when taking on Kacey Bonin in December.
With ACG for seven months, Gonzales comes from a boxing background as his father was once an ametuer boxer. Said Alvidres, “He's solid; a well rounded fighter.” Gonzales will fight Ben Alexander at Warriors Collide 7.
Having made his MMA debut at the Arkansas Valley Fair, Romero may very well have met one of the rising stars in MMA competition in the Fight Factory's Jeff Rusher, who KO'd the newcomer early in the first round.
The loss however, represented the beginning of a hopeful future to follow as Romero will enter the ring against Guy Knight come December.
“The first time that I met him was in Rocky Ford”, said Alvidrez of Romero. “He didn't have a corner then, so they asked if I would help him out. He's come a long way in the three months since.”
Also fighting at Warriors Collide 7 will be local fighters Jeff Rusher of Ordway, Roy Elliott of Cheraw, and Ryan Ehrlich of Cheraw.
According to Alvidrez, tickets for the event are currently available for $25 in advance, while tickets at the door are $20.
Being as seating is based on a first buyer option, Alvidrez urges fans to purchase tickets in advance.
Tickets are available by calling Alvidrez Combat Grappling at (719)468-9557 or by visiting www.ticketswest.com.
Following is the Dec. 6 fight card as of press time. Cards are subject to change as fights are still being added:
Santana-Sol Martinez (Las Animas) vs. Mark Korzenowski
Jeff Rusher (Ordway) vs. Brett Jones
Dominic Montoya vs. Joe Kadderial
Leo Quintero (La Junta) vs. Kacey Bonin
Roy Elliott (Cheraw) vs. Anthony Warner
Gabe Gonzales (Las Animas) vs. Ben Alexander
Richie Romero (Fowler) vs. Guy Knight
Ryan Ehrlich (Cheraw) vs. Travis Surcula
Kevin Carter vs. TBA
Cory Ortiz (La Junta) vs. TBA
