Results from Saturday’s WCK Muay Thai Show at the Sheraton
On Saturday evening, September 23rd, 2017, Dennis Warner & In Sync Productions was back at the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel in San Diego to entertain another packed house of Muay Thai fans. The show named, “The Proving Ground” featured quite a few upstarts feeling it was their time to shine which in turn meant the veterans knew full well they would be tested. 
Bout #1: an IKF Amateur Modified Muaythai 140 lbs. match had 38-year-old Amber Sarkissian from Moreno Valley, Calif. (0-1, 5’6″ tall) going up against 31-year-old Melissa Sifuentes (5’4″ tall, 0-0) from The Boxing Zone, Imperial Beach, Calif. who was making her WCK debut. In round one, Sarkissian may have been the busier of the two, but she was sure getting the worst of it. Sifuentes made certain to land the more powerful, often head-snapping counters, plus her kicks appeared to be much harder. Round two was a mixed bag with neither fighter dominating. With the scoring being so close, winning the third round became critical. That’s when Sarkissian came out like a house-on-fire to impress the judges and win the match by a narrow margin to win a split decision.
Bout #2 was an IKF Amateur Modified Muaythai 145 lbs. bout featuring 32-year-old Edward “Eddie” Perez III from Vista, Calif. (0-2) taking on 30-year-old Jonathan Venetia from San Diego, Calif. (0-1), coached by Jhanex Alviz at the UFC Gym in Mission Valley. On this night, no one was going to deny Perez the victory. He made this fight a one-sided beatdown. In round one, Venetia took a seat twice from headshots set up by hard kicks. It was more of the same in Round 2 and one kick completely turned Venetia completely around so that his back faced his opponent. Between rounds, the fight doctor checked on Venetia who by this time did have a bloody nose. Insisting that he was fine, the bout continued. This onesided affair continued right up until a sweeping kick at the 1:53 mark of round 3. That’s when the RSB (referee stops the bout) ruling came from veteran referee Vichai Supkitpol who feared Venetia may have taken far too many of these hard shots to the head. Still, you have to applaud Venetia’s amazing courage.
Bout #3 was an IKF Amateur Muaythai 170 lbs. clash between 31-year-old James Ewton from San Diego, Calif. who is coached by Charles Martinez at The Arena Gym, Point Loma, San Diego, Calif. and 23-year-old Rezekial Dulaney (4-0, 6 foot tall) who is coached by Joey Pagliuso from the USKO Family Training Center in Riverside, Calif. USKO, which stands for United States Karate Organization currently has more than a few professional Muay Thai fighters on staff.
This was another back and forth struggle which at first had Dulaney ahead and then back came Ewton. Both men were so accomplished, that every eye in the place was riveted to this match. As a result, the show’s promoter, Dennis Warner, was one of the first to climb up into the ring for the decision. Sure enough, the judges declared the match a Draw. That was the cue for Mr. Warner to grab the microphone and announce to the crowd that he had just asked both young men about a possible rematch to be held at the next show on November 11th. Warner also added that their upcoming match would indeed be for the WCK Light Heavyweight Title. The back and forth action was that good, that exciting.
Bout #4, an IKF Amateur Muaythai 147 lbs. bout had 20-year-old Brandon Kurosawa from San Diego, Calif. (2-0-1, 5’9” tall, ) coached by Jesse Magusen at The Boxing Club in UTC, La Jolla taking on 28-year-old Ryan Rahimpour from San Diego, Calif. (2-1, 6’1” tall) coached by Steve Frye at Victory MMA in Point Loma, San Diego, Calif. In round one, the feeling out round, Kurosawa must have wanted to establish who was the boss because he actually picked Rahimpour up off his feet and turned him upside down as if he were tossing him into a dumpster. The unusual maneuver drew a warning from the ref.
In round 2, it was plain to see Kurosawa’s punches and kicks were landing with more authority as he maintained his point lead. In the final round, Rahimpour made a stab at pulling out the victory but as they say, it was too little, too late and the decision for Kurosawa was never in doubt.
Bout #5, an IKF Amateur Muaythai 150+ lbs. bout has Sweet Baby James Gregory from El Cajon, Calif. who trains at the Art of Eight Training Center, Kearny Mesa, San Diego, Calif. going up against Miguel Anthony “Tony” Marrufo (2-0, 5’10” tall) from San Diego. At the outset, Marrufo looked unbeatable and then Gregory, the wily veteran, slowly but surely mounted-up the points to eventually make this match almost too close to call. In the end, the judges liked Gregory’s hit, kick and knee strategy over Marrufo’s almost stifled attack and awarded Gregory the victory.
Amateur Bout #6
IKF Amateur Modified Muaythai 150+1 lbs.
James Gregory from El Cajon, Calif. (4-13-1, 5’7” tall, 37-years-old), coached by Mike Lemaire from the Art of Eight Training Center, Kearney Mesa, San Diego, Calif. vs Tony Marrufo from San Diego, Calif. (2-0, 5’10” tall, 27-years-old), coached by Adam Pryde
Amateur Bout #7
IKF Amateur Muaythai 118 lbs.
Stephanie Tanguay from San Diego, Calif. (3-0, 5’4” tall, 29-years-old) coached by Jesse Magusen from The Boxing Club, UTC in La Jolla, Calif. vs Ruth McDonald from Riverside, Calif. (2-1, 5’6” tall, 7-14-91 coached by Joey Pagliuso from USKO (United States Karate Organization – Family Training Center in Riverside, Calif.
Amateur Bout #8
IKF Amateur Muaythai 135.1 lbs. (Promotional Title) 5 rounds
Bruno Borges from Chula Vista, California (10-2, 5’6″ tall, 27-years-old), coached by Juan Luis Miranda from The Alliance Training Center, East Lake, Chula Vista, Calif. will be defending his title vs Ismail Iziz from San Diego, Calif. (2-2, 5’7” tall, 28-years-old), coached by Jhanix Alviz from the UFC Gym in Mission Valley, San Diego, Calif.
Amateur Bout #9
IKF Amateur Muaythai 160 lbs. (Promotional Title) 5 rounds with Roman Lysenko (San Diego, Calif.) 5-1, 6-foot-tall, 22-years-old), coached by Jesse Magusen of The Boxing Club, UTC in La Jolla, Calif. going up against Cameron Thomson from the California Mixed Martial Arts of Los Angeles, Calif. (1-1 IKF & 2-3 CAMO, 5’10” tall, 28-years-old), who is coached by Chad George of Bellator fame.
Amateur Bout #10
IKF Amateur Muaythai 118 lbs. (Promotional Title) 5 rounds between Selina Flores from Vista, Calif. (9-1, 5’6” tall, 06-04-98), coached by John Schultes from The Compound MMA gym in Oceanside, Calif. vs Madelynn Mae Geurkink from Phoenix, Arizona (6-5, 5’5” tall, 19-years-old), coached by Travis Clay
Amateur Bout #11
IKF Amateur Muaythai 126 (Promotional Title) 5 rounds between Jair Rocha from San Diego, Calif. (5-2, 5’4” tall, 25-years-old), who is coached by Carl Gebhardt from Steel MMA in Tierrasanta, San Diego, Calif. vs Jordan Huber from San Diego, Calif. (9-2, 5’6” tall, 18-years-old), coached by Jhanex Alviz of the UFC Gym in Mission Valley, San Diego, Calif.
Amateur Bout #12
IKF Amateur Modified Muaythai 145 lbs. featuring Carleigh Karen from San Diego, Calif. (2-0, 5’9” tall, 18-years-old), coached by Jesse Magusen from the Boxing Club in UTC, LaJolla, Calif. vs Victoria Beltran from Imperial Beach, Calif. (1-1, 5’6” tall, 24-years-old, coach by her father Victor Beltran of the Boxing Club in Imperial Beach, Calif.
The final 2017 WCK Full Rules Muaythai show in San Diego, Muaythai Mayhem! will be held November 11th at the same venue, the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel. That event will feature the return of three top professionals Francisco Garcia, Alex Higley and Alyssa Madison who will be facing Paola Ramirez plus the newly announced five round Light Heavyweight title fight between James Ewton from The Arena Gym and Rezekial Dulaney from USKO.
Tickets for this November 11th show, co-sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, will be available in the first week of October at your local gym or online at WCK Muaythai.
