PATHOSPHOTO | Conner Jay

Photo stories: Cage Fighting Breaks Free

The often brutal sport of mixed martial arts makes it's debut in Monterey County with its first fully sanctioned cage fights.

Jonathan Williams waits in his corner to hear the judges decision in his at the Central Coast Throwdown cage fights.
  
Excited fans stand to their feet and scream for the main event.
  
Paradise Vaovasa waits backstage for his fight at the Central Coast Throwdown cage fights. The popularity of mixed martial arts has hit Salinas with the first legal amateur cage fights being sanctioned in California in 2010.
     
  
Fatai Bailala of East Palo Alto warms up in the Palma High School's locker room before his fight at the Central Coast Throwdown in Salinas.“The progress of our sport requires us to maintain a higher level of regulation than most other sports,” said J.T. Steele, president of Los Angeles-based California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization. Along with insurance that includes accident and health coverage, each fighter must undergo a physical and medical screening for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis before being licensed by the California State Athletic Commission to compete.
  
Eric Prado, right, prays with family before his fight in the Central Coast Throwdown at Palma High School.
  
Nikko Jackson and Eric Prado exchange punches during their fight in the Central Coast Throwdown cage fights.
     
  
Eddie Morales gets caught in a rear naked choke by Fernando Lopez, and momentarily loses consciousness as the referee steps in to stop the fight. Before legal amateur MMA fights were held in Monterey County, two other types of events occurred: underground fights and “smokers.” Local promoter MacNeill described underground fights as spontaneous events that were much more like street brawls. These events often did not incorporate a ring or cage, but simply pitted two fighters against one another.
   
Blood splatters across the mat.
   
Local fans of Richard Fennel scream as he makes his entrance in the Central Coast Throwdown at Palma High School. The private high school was the site of the first three MMA events in Salinas, but recently withdrew its offer to host the fights. David Sullivan, Palma principal and a professed MMA fan, said he received enough complaints about the events to reconsider the money they were bringing in from the sold out events.
     
  
Michael Ellis screams in excitement after leaving the cage with a win over Evan Rodriguez.
  
Matt Painter gets a group hug of support before entering the cage for his fight against Steve Dickie.
   
Andre Olivas, 4, center, mimics his father Adrian Olivas' shadowing boxing during a training sessaion at the Kugtar MMA Academy in Salinas. Owner of the Kugtar MMA Academy, Vince Vanderlipe, better known as “Master V," has operated several MMA gyms in Salinas for the past 15 years, but the options for his young fighters were limited without sanctioned fights. Those who wanted to start competing would either have to leave the state or participate in illegal fights.
     
  
Jonathon Gaxiola kisses his younger brother after winning his debut cage fight at the Central Coast Throwdown's "Winter Brawl" in Salinas. Gaxiola said training as a fighter gives him potentially dangerous tools, but that training has also helped him develop discipline and responsibility. “This sport is a really good way to get away from [the gang] lifestyle,” said Gaxiola, who was exposed to gangs growing up in the area. “This teaches you the mental game. It shows you how to have that mental toughness to overcome those pressures.”
   
Nikko Jackson and Fatai Bailala of East Palo Alto anxiously wait for their debut fights in the Palma High School locker-room's showers.
  
The referee holds the fighters in their corners.
     
  
Marco Orozco lifts his fists after pounding a technical knockout win over Matt Lovato during the Central Coast Throwdown at Palma High School. The fear many MMA promoters face is the chance of a major injury to a competitor, or even death. Because the sport is so young, especially with its recent sanctioning in California, many fear that a serious incident could end amateur fights in the state permanently.
   
Local promoter Michael MacNeill consoles Dustin Moore of Santa Cruz after Moore suffered a loss to Jose Marin of Salinas in the Central Coast Throwdown in Salinas. "You fought your ass off and just gave these people a hell of a show," said MacNeill.
  
Marco Orozco waits for his oppenent Benji Silva in the Central Coast Throwdown's "Winter Brawl" cage fights. While cage fighting has met some controversy in Salinas, the popularity of the sport continues to grow.