Cagey fighters mark the return of ring sports to Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

Scott Csernyik

4/13/2006 12:00:00 AM

Ring sports made a return to the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort after a three-year hiatus, making fight fans like Frank Hammond of Lansing ecstatic over the King of the Cage event on March 18.

"I have missed watching fights at the casino," he explained during an afternoon photo session the day of the event. "I'm a big boxing fan, but the sport seems to be struggling to stir genuine excitement. The last thing I want to see is two guys dance and paw at each other for 30 minutes. At least with fights like King of the Cage, there's going be some guaranteed ass kicking going on."

King of the Cage markets itself as "the evolution of combat" involving mixed martial arts competition. The event pits warrior against warrior combing various styles of fighting including boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling. The entertainment-sporting event began in 1998 and the promotion is based out of Fontana, Calif.

Undercard matches consist of two to three, five-minute rounds; while title and super fight contests consist of three to five, five-minute rounds. Eleven fights-including three title defenses-composed the Soaring Eagle card.

Winners (listed first) included: Brian Harper vs. Kevin Bennett; Tony Forgione vs. Count Blackula; Rob Kerwin vs. Jeremiah Combs; Don Richards vs. Allan Weikart; Josh Taibil vs. Josh Martin; Jason Dent vs. Joe Voisin; Matt Shaw vs. Derrick Keesley; Brendad Seguin vs. Thomas Russell; Buddy Clinton vs. Krazy Horse; James Lee vs. Brian Hawkins; and Mac Danzing vs. Jason Ireleand.

King of the Cage action is slated for April 2 at the Chukchansi Gold Resort in Coarsegold, Calif. The fight card features 20 full-contact bouts. In the main event, former King of the Cage World Heavyweight Champion Bobby "The Truth" Hoffman takes on the Gladiator Challenge Native American Heavyweight World Champion Rubin "Warpath" Villareal in a rematch. Hoffman won their first encounter at King of the Cage: Hitmaster in August of 2004 with an armbar during the first round.