| |
 |
|
Ruben "Warpath"
Villareal new Heavyweight Champion Article
By Roy "Hit Boy" Arriola
 They
say that anything can happen in mixed martial arts. Well, in
Gladiator Challenge, anything can…and usually does happen.
“The winner of this fight…and NEW Gladiator Challenge Heavyweight
Champion of the world, Ruben “Warpath” Villareal!!” Those words must
have sounded like music to the ears of the Native American, as
“Warpath” had reached the pinnacle of his career. Also the holder of
the GC Native American Heavyweight title, Villareal snatched the
vacant GC Heavyweight strap after a battle with UFC veteran Wes “The
Soldier” Combs. (HOW DID VILLAREAL WIN?) “Warpath” has faced
big-name MMA fighters such as UFC/Strikeforce veterans Paul
Buentello and Mike Whitehead, former PRIDE fighters Dan Bobish and
Travis Wiuff, UFC veteran Justin McCully, former UFC Heavyweight
Champion Ricco Rodriguez, current Strikeforce star Antonio Silva,
and fight legends Dan “The Beast” Severn, Don “The Predator” Frye,
and Bas Rutten, but winning the GC Heavyweight Championship has to
be at the top of his list of accomplishments.
Most felt that the fight of night was the bout between former
Sacramento City College football star Sione Umufuke, as he locked
horns with Phil Torres Team member, Stockton’s own Panama. This
battle was a war from start to finish, going the distance, with
Sione winning via split-decision. “I lost the first round, and I
knew I needed to suck it up,” said Umufuke. “The adrenaline took
over and I wanted to finish strong.” After the fight, Sione seemed
to have come away with more than his share of the bumps and bruises,
but was happy to gain the victory. Also, Mike Gonzalez defended his
GC Light Heavyweight Championship versus the always tough Richard
Blake. This tilt was a chess match, as both jabbed for most of the
first round while looking for the opportunity to commit to their
striking. Eventually, Gonzalez took Blake down and
ground-and-pounded his way to the victory. Next up for Gonzalez is a
championship defense against former Native American champion “Little
Bear.” In addition, this special night saw Jaime Jara inducted into
the Gladiator Challenge Hall of Fame. A longtime veteran of the
promotion, Jara showed he deserved the honor he received as he won
his fight on this night via first round TKO.
In other exciting news, GC Owner Tedd Williams and Red Hawk Casino
announced that due to the success of their partnership, their
agreement has been extended an additional two years. As a result,
ten more incredible fight events have been scheduled. What does this
mean for local fight fans? More amazing fights, more world class
champions, and more of the GC brand of MMA action!
The full results of “Undisputed” are coming soon
|
