Finally, It Is On
Most mixed martial arts fans thought it would never happen.
Honestly, it didn’t make too much sense either.
But after months and months of lobbying for a fight with Hanford’s Kenny Ento “The Dragon”, Roy “Hitboy” Arriola will get his dream matchup.
“I’m excited about this and it’s been a long time coming,” said Arriola of his bout with Ento at the Palace fighting Championships “King of the Ring” on Jan 18th at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.
“I’m really anxious to get in there and get this over with,” the Tulare fighter said. “I know that the real hardcore MMA fans are also excited about this fight. I’m from Tulare and he trains there in the Hanford/Lemoore area and we both have fans that want to shut each other up. I feel like it’s also become a bit of a cross-town rivalry.”
Ento has had a largely different view on the fight that was built on the fingers of internet users on MMA forums all over the net.
“I really have mixed emotions about this fight,” Ento said. “He’s really been running his mouth for a while. I guess this is the fight the fans want to see, too.”
Since late May Arriola has pleaded via internet message boards and text messages to promoters for a fight with Ento, a rising star at 185 pounds with a 5-1 record.
“A lot of people ask me why I chose Ento,” Arriola said. “It’s nothing personal with Ento really. I just felt like back in May they offered me a fight with him and at the time I couldn’t make weight to take the fight. I feel like they knew that I couldn’t make weight in a healthy manner and that they were just trying to feed me to Ento for an easy win.”
Stockton’s Phil Collins took the fight on May 5th and lost via armbar.
“Then after the Collins fight that I saw, I thought to myself there is no way that Ento can beat me,” Arriola said. “I feel like they wanted me in May, why not now? Why don’t they want me to fight him now in the (World Extreme Cagefighting)?”
Literally about once a week Arriola begging and pleading for a fight started a new topic in forums all over the internet.
“Roy really petitioned hard for this fight. He used just about every available means to hype himself and this potential fight as much as possible.” Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino Entertainment Director Christian Printup said. “We felt like it would generate a lot of interest for this show. I approached Kenny about it first and as he always does he just said he’d fight anyone and now Roy gets what he has always wanted… a shot at the Dragon”
But Ento admits that he has been annoyed by the constant “calling out”.
“I have no idea why he really wants this so bad. Maybe he is just trying to make a name for himself,” Ento said. “I don’t really know how losing to me is going to do that for him, though. It’s really been irritating, but in the end we are both fighters and this is business and we are here to put on a show.”
Ento is a favorite at the Tachi Palace Hotel. He’s won all five of his bouts there fighting in the WEC. All five wins have come by armbar.
“Kenny has begun to generate a big following here in the Valley, he was stationed here in the Navy, so there are a lot of service members that like to come support a fellow sailor and we like having him showcased here. He’s a humble, appreciative guy who works hard and has put on some exciting fights.” Printup said. “He is very talented and an up-and-coming prospect at 185 pounds.”
This bout is expected to be one of the more exciting bouts on the 10-bout card that also features Erik “Butterbean” Esch in a super heavyweight bout and Lemoore’s very popular, Poppies “Tachi Kid” Martinez.
“Kenny is really a hard guy to read sometimes, maybe because he always seems so happy and is usually laughing! I really never know what he is thinking, but I do believe that Roy has got under his skin a little,” Printup said. “I know that he feels like Roy is just trying to make a name for himself. I also know that Kenny is eager to fight him now and has been training hard and wants to end this once and for all.”
Still, Arriola has other ideas.
“I’m not nervous about this fight like I normally am,” Arriola said. “I’ve got a few surprises for Kenny in my magic hat. He’s going to be expecting me to fight a certain way and he’s not going to really be prepared for me. I really think that’s what’s going to do him in.”
Arriola is 1-1 and lost by armbar of all things in his last fight to Palika Drummondo in November at Gladiator Challenge. He won by guillotine choke in his debut against Mike Chu in March 2006.
“There’s a lot of people out there that think that I have no business being in the there with Kenny,” Arriola said.
Printup seems to disagree.
“Looking at their records this fight really doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it’s an intriguing fight because Roy is a pretty good boxer. He has quick hands and can hit pretty hard. I know Kenny always ends up finding an armbar submission for the win, but he is a former Toughman winner and he is tall and long. Kenny has underrated stand up in my opinion. This is two guys with points to prove for very different reasons. I think no matter what happens in the ring the fans will win on this one, because they’re going to get a dramatic, intense fight”
Ento has won three straight bouts and will be fighting for the first time since he defeated Coalinga’s Mario Rivera at WEC 23.
“I really don’t have a point to prove other than winning. What other point is there really,” Ento said, with his trademark laugh. “I think that we will stand and I will get the better end of that. He won’t be able to take me down. I’m putting an end to anyone taking me down. I’m taller than he is and I’m really hoping for a stand-up battle.”
That’s something that Ento has yet to really engage in.
“I’ve done the armbar thing,” Ento said. “I’d really prefer a stand-up fight. I know that I have those skills and I want to display them. I’ve been training hard with Rafael Del Real, who is also on the card, and we both want knockouts. I’m hoping Roy will be looking for the same thing.”
In other bouts:
— Esch (7-3-1) of Alabama takes on Professional boxer Sal Farnetti of Ensenada, Mexico who will be making his Mixed Martial Arts debut.
— In the co-main, Martinez (9-2) will battle Bakersfield’s Josh Gardner in a lightweight bout.
— Oroville’s Shawn Bias (8-3) is pitted against Oakland’s Brandon Jinnies (1-0) in a lightweight fight.
— Del Real (3-4) of Tulare takes on Madera’s Rolando Torres (2-2) in a light heavyweight bout.
— In featherweight action, Clovis’ Ralph Lopez (1-0) tangles with Fresno’s Shahob Nasbaradi (0-1).
— Parlier’s Mike Moreno (0-1) will take on Visalia’s Francisco Magallon (2-3) in a welterweight bout.
— In a welterweight showdown, Hanford’s Chris Botelho (2-2) takes on Bakersfield’s Josh McCartney (1-0).
— Lemoore’s Mickey Martinez (1-2-1) fights Taft’s Billy Terry (1-0) in the welterweight class.
— Hanford’s Brian Huerta makes his pro debut in a heavyweight showdown with Taft’s Tommy Contreras (0-0).
— Sacramento’s Dave Espinosa (1-0) takes on Sacramento’s Nelson Ocampo in a bantamweight bout.
Weighins are slated for 3 p.m. at The Den sports bar located on the second floor of the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino on Jan. 17th.
Doors will open for the fights on the 18th at 5:30 p.m. with fights slated to get under way at 6 p.m. All fights are scheduled for three 3-minute rounds.
Tickets are still available and are priced at $20, $30 and $40. You can purchase tickets at the Tachi Palace gift shop or by calling 1-866-4-PALACE. Tickets are also available in Fresno at New Era Martial Arts and Pacific Martial Arts and in Hanford at the Valley Fight Club.
VIP Seats are available to members of the Tachi Palace’s Premier Club, a free, rewards based Player Club system. Interested parties are encouraged to see a Guest Service Representative at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino for more information.
The Palace also features the only 4-diamond rated hotel between The Bay and LA. And offers special mid-week rates that allow for guests to not only enjoy a great night of mixed martial arts action, but stay in a luxurious hotel room, enjoy a wonderful dinner at one of three restaurants and make a total night of it. The Hotel features 255 rooms, a full service spa and health club, complimentary valet service, a beautiful heated pool, a new Wet bar and beautiful original pieces of art.
Jan / 16 / 2007 03:20
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