The Valley Strong Ballpark got to play host to the 559 Fights #90 this past Saturday, September 24, with a packed crowd of mixed martial arts fans coming to watch the 18 fight card. The fight card included four submission-only grappling matches, with age groups varying from children to adults. Ticket prices for the event ranged from $35 for general admission tickets to $600 on field VIP packages.

This was my first time attending a 559 Fights event, and I am most definitely looking forward to attending another one. The atmosphere is unmatched compared to other sports events in the valley. Even then, their idea of having “no intermissions and just fighting” is definitely an idea many MMA fans can get behind, one that keeps fans in their seats through a good amount of the night as well.

The 559 Fights, other than being considered an amateur MMA organization, are a little different from the regular MMA platforms that many are used to such as the UFC or Bellator. Unlike those promotions, the fights are three rounds at two minutes a piece for non-championship bouts. Championship fights in the 559 Fights promotion are fought at three rounds also, but instead of a two-minute duration, there is a minute added to each round to make the fight a total of nine minutes.

There were two fighters that were fighting in front of a hometown crowd: Dorian Hale and Tyler Miller, who both won their respective bouts against their opponents. Another fighter to note is new 559 Fights Lightweight Champion David Mariscal, who hails from Farmersville.

MMA/Grappling Bouts (In Order):

• Welterweight matchup: Kenneth Clark (Long Beach) def. Park Cleveland (Tulare) via technical decision (accidental eye poke in third round ended the fight early)
• Lightweight matchup: Pedro Lopez (Kerman) def. Eric Derington (Taft) via corner stoppage.
• Andy Valencia def. Andrew Perez via Armbar Submission (children’s grappling)
• Welterweight matchup: Gianni Garcia (Fresno) def. Trae Garton (Fresno) via TKO in round 1
• Bantamweight matchup: Richard Holguin (Bakersfield) Def. Christian de La Cruz (Bakersfield) via First Round TKO
• Lightweight matchup: Dorian Hale (Visalia) def. Amiradeen Arafi (Fresno) in split decision
  Isaiah Acosta def. Tony Swearingen (teens grappling)
• Middleweight matchup: Jose Estrada (Clovis) def. Nahum Ponce (Clovis) via Knockout in First Round
• Bantamweight matchup: Tyler Miller (Visalia) def. Julio Larrave (Bakersfield) via split decision
• Welterweight matchup: Roman Guillen (Madera) def. Daniel Bradly (Fresno) via Armbar in First Round
  JJ Mendoza def. Erin Kato (Unanimous decision) (Adult Grappling)
• Bantamweight: Devin Guerrero (Bakersfield) def. Anthony Cipe (Unanimous decision)
• Bantamweight: Johnny Maldonado (Anaheim) def. Fernando Carreno (Bakersfield) via Split decision
• Flyweight: Javier Torres (Fresno) def. David Plascencia (Morgan Hill) via unanimous decision
  Marc Bibarro def. Jeremy Titsworth via Kimura Armbar (adult grappling)

Championship Bouts

• David Mariscal (Farmersville) def. Enrique Carreno (Bakersfield) via TKO in the first minute of the first Round (559 Lightweight Championship)
• Julia Alonso (Fresno) def. Debbie Syvong (Fresno) via TKO twelve seconds into round three (Welterweight Camo California State Championship)
• Lazarus Maldonado (Fresno) def. George Burgos (Parlier) via TKO with 30 seconds left to go in round three. (Retained the 559 Flyweight Championship

For any other information on the 559 Fights 90 Card, head to the Camo MMA Amateur website to take a look at fighters’ profiles or to also look at past events!

If you are interested in attending the next 559 Fight Card, you are indeed in luck! The next 559 Fights #91 will occur at the Visalia Convention Center on October 21st. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and the fights will start at 7 p.m., but I highly recommend getting there early if you would like good seats in front of the action. As always, tickets will be able to be bought from fighters but if you do not know any fighters on the card, tickets are also available on the 559 Fights Eventbrite page. The lowest ticket price for a ticket is $35, with there being other packages for tickets as well listed on the site.
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