The mixed martial arts event will feature 12 fights, including professional and amateur fighters. (Ryan Smith, RN-T.com)
This Saturday the Rome community will get a chance to see the sport up close, as The Forum will host the Battle of Rome VIII.
“The Rome fans love to see guys who come to fight,” said promoter Tony Metcalf. “I always try to match guys up that will put on a good show for the fans for these events, and I can say that this is the best card we’ve ever had in Rome.”
The card will feature 12 fights consisting of five professional and seven amateur bouts. The co-main events include a 190-pound fight between Aaron “Tex” Johnson and Bernard “Ruffneck” Rutherford as well as Byron Bloodworth and John Queiroz at 145 pounds.
The fight card will also feature Blake Bowman, who competed on season six of the UFC’s reality series, The Ultimate Fighter.
The Bloodworth versus Queiroz fight will feature two undefeated young fighters who Metcalf said have next level talent.
“These two guys are two of the best fighters at 145 that aren’t with a big company like WEC or Strikeforce,” said Metcalf. “It’s a match-up of two unstoppable, unbeaten fighters, and it’s going to come down to which one can impose their will on the other.”
Bloodworth said he knows this is a very important fight for his career.
“To get to where I want to go, I know this is a fight I need to win,” said Bloodworth. “I know Queiroz has great wrestling so I’ve been really working hard on my wrestling as well as my boxing and jiu-jitsu.
“I can almost guarantee that it will be the fight of the night. The people better not blink because we’re both explosive fighters.”
Johnson is 4-2 and said that this fight should be a test of where he’s at in his career.
“Rutherford has fought some tough guys, and he’s a good fighter,” said Johnson. “He wants to stand up and brawl with me. He doesn’t want this one to go to the ground.
“I’m a guy who’s never been out of the first round so this one could end quick.”
Local fans will also get the chance to see Kimbo Slice, a fighter from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, who will be the featured guest. Slice first made his name as a brawler and street fighter on the Internet.
Slice’s popularity has grown even more within the last year after he competed on the UFC’s reality series, The Ultimate Fighter, and then defeated veteran fighter Houston Alexander by unanimous decision in his UFC debut in December.
It was announced earlier in the week that HDNet, a channel that is available only through special cable packages, will broadcast four of the fights from the event. Fight Magazine will also be in attendance for the event.
Tickets are still available at The Forum Box Office or online at www.forumevents.org. Ticket prices vary depending on section.
Doors will open at 7 p.m. with fights starting at 8 p.m.
Sponsors for the event include Miller Lite, the Rome Braves, Jefferson’s and Sponsored Fan Sport and Event Marketing.
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