Former champ steps in to take on phenom Mendes
Mar 30, 2009
(PRESS RELEASE) -- In a recent Sherdog.com feature story, manager
Mike
Roberts said that Chad Mendes
didn’t want to fight “chumps.”
And when Mendes’ original opponent, Exeter, Calif.’s Joe Morales (4-0), had to pull out of April 23’s “Best of Both Worlds II” show at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif., Palace Fighting Championship matchmaker Richard Goodman found an even tougher test.
Former PFC World Featherweight champion Art
Arciniega of Fresno, Calif. will step in to take on the
wrestling phenom from Uriajh Faber’s Ultimate Fitness gym.
“Hey man the one thing I can say with 100 percent certainty is that Chad Mendes has not been given any easy fights. The kid has come out the gate fighting quality guys and finishing them in impressive fashion,” Palace Fighting Championship founder and President Christian Printup said. “I’m really excited for this fight because Art’s a former PFC Featherweight Champion and he is without a doubt the biggest test of Mendes’ young career. This fight is going to answer a lot of questions about both guys and you can’t help but love those types of fights.”
“Obviously, I had wrestling before. I’ve made huge gains in my stand up. I feel real comfortable standing up and throwing and stuff,” Mendes said. “My jiu-jitsu is improving, too. I did Grapplers Quest and won that even going up in weight. I feel comfortable in all aspects in fight game, but not my best.”
Mendes is currently 2-0 and hails from near by Hanford, Calif. where he is a high school wrestling legend. Mendes later went on to compete at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he was a runner up in the NCAA Wrestling Championship his senior season.
“I like to bang. I like to strike and I’m not afraid to strike and Chad has some one who is willing to trade if he chooses,” Arciniega said. “I don’t doubt he goes to war in his gym. He has tough guys to strike with in his gym, but to go out there, into the ring and do it live. I’m going to be aggressive and I’ve faced wrestlers before. But he does have some things that I’m going to have to deal with other than his wrestling, he has great cardio and I only have nine minutes to finish him. I’m ready to go, though, and I’m excited.”
Arciniega (7-3) will be the stiffest test to date for Mendes. He poses a big threat standing and has shown versatility on the ground, like when he finished former PFC World Featherweight champ Oroville, Calif.’s Shawn Bias (13-7) with a triangle choke at PFC 6 in January of 2008.
“I feel like I’ve been here before a year ago, fought Bias, fighting the event favorite just like Chad is this time. I was the guy that was supposed to come in to give Bias a good fight, not to win, but I came in on top. It adds more motivation for me to come out on top. There’s a lot of people that are coming to see me get my butt kicked.”
Mendes is one of the most sought after newcomers in mixed martial arts. He will get to put some of his newly acquired skills to the test against the seasoned Arciniega.
“He has a lot of finishes… triangles and guillotines well off his back and likes to stand and bang. I just found out I’m fighting him so I don’t know a whole lot,” Mendes said. “I know he is a scrapper and I’ve seen a couple of his fights. He likes to stand and bang or pull guard. I think it’ll most likely go to the ground and finish there. I’d like to stand up and throw some.”
Mendes and Arciniega will headline the MMA portion of another action-packed hybrid MMA/Boxing card at the Palace.
The night will kickoff with championship boxing, as WBC Caribbean Heavyweight champ Manuel Quezada of Wasco, Calif. puts his 26-4 record on the line against an opponent to be announced.
Also, one of the women’s top pound-for-pound fighters in the world returns to action, as Las Vegas, Nev.’s Jessica Rakoczy (29-3) fights for the first time in over a year.
A pair of 2008 US Olympians will also be featured on the card, as Hanford, Calif.’s Shawn Estrada (2-0) makes his highly anticipated Palace debut in a supper middleweight bout and Javier Molina also makes his debut at super middleweight.
Visalia, Calif.’s Aaron Alafa (2-0) will return to action in the bantamweight class and unbeaten junior welterweight John Molina Jr. of Covina, Calif. will put his 15-0 record on the line.
On the under card of the MMA portion of the night, Beaverton, Ore. featherweight Enoch Wilson (11-4-1) takes on Oakland, Calif.’s Jimmy Jarquin (2-1); Los Angeles, Calif. welterweight Kengo Ura (5-4) battles Taft, Calif.’s Doug Hunt (4-2); Lemoore, Calif.’s Sergio Quinones (3-4) meets rival Huron, Calif.’s Sergio Cortes; and in a women’s MMA special feature undefeated knock out artist Sarah Kaufman of Victoria, Canada will take on an opponent to be announced.
Doors open on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and fights start at 6. On Wednesday, fans are encouraged to come out to the Palace and attend the official weighins, which take place on the third floor at The Den Sports Bar. Weighins are slated to begin at 4 p.m.
For breaking PFC news go to www.palacefightingchampionship.com. You can also find other PFC and Palace information at http://www.tachipalace.com.
And when Mendes’ original opponent, Exeter, Calif.’s Joe Morales (4-0), had to pull out of April 23’s “Best of Both Worlds II” show at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif., Palace Fighting Championship matchmaker Richard Goodman found an even tougher test.
Advertisement
“Hey man the one thing I can say with 100 percent certainty is that Chad Mendes has not been given any easy fights. The kid has come out the gate fighting quality guys and finishing them in impressive fashion,” Palace Fighting Championship founder and President Christian Printup said. “I’m really excited for this fight because Art’s a former PFC Featherweight Champion and he is without a doubt the biggest test of Mendes’ young career. This fight is going to answer a lot of questions about both guys and you can’t help but love those types of fights.”
Tickets can be purchased at tickets.com or charge by phone
1-800-225-2277 and at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino gift
shop.
“Obviously, I had wrestling before. I’ve made huge gains in my stand up. I feel real comfortable standing up and throwing and stuff,” Mendes said. “My jiu-jitsu is improving, too. I did Grapplers Quest and won that even going up in weight. I feel comfortable in all aspects in fight game, but not my best.”
Mendes is currently 2-0 and hails from near by Hanford, Calif. where he is a high school wrestling legend. Mendes later went on to compete at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he was a runner up in the NCAA Wrestling Championship his senior season.
“I like to bang. I like to strike and I’m not afraid to strike and Chad has some one who is willing to trade if he chooses,” Arciniega said. “I don’t doubt he goes to war in his gym. He has tough guys to strike with in his gym, but to go out there, into the ring and do it live. I’m going to be aggressive and I’ve faced wrestlers before. But he does have some things that I’m going to have to deal with other than his wrestling, he has great cardio and I only have nine minutes to finish him. I’m ready to go, though, and I’m excited.”
Arciniega (7-3) will be the stiffest test to date for Mendes. He poses a big threat standing and has shown versatility on the ground, like when he finished former PFC World Featherweight champ Oroville, Calif.’s Shawn Bias (13-7) with a triangle choke at PFC 6 in January of 2008.
“I feel like I’ve been here before a year ago, fought Bias, fighting the event favorite just like Chad is this time. I was the guy that was supposed to come in to give Bias a good fight, not to win, but I came in on top. It adds more motivation for me to come out on top. There’s a lot of people that are coming to see me get my butt kicked.”
Mendes is one of the most sought after newcomers in mixed martial arts. He will get to put some of his newly acquired skills to the test against the seasoned Arciniega.
“He has a lot of finishes… triangles and guillotines well off his back and likes to stand and bang. I just found out I’m fighting him so I don’t know a whole lot,” Mendes said. “I know he is a scrapper and I’ve seen a couple of his fights. He likes to stand and bang or pull guard. I think it’ll most likely go to the ground and finish there. I’d like to stand up and throw some.”
Mendes and Arciniega will headline the MMA portion of another action-packed hybrid MMA/Boxing card at the Palace.
The night will kickoff with championship boxing, as WBC Caribbean Heavyweight champ Manuel Quezada of Wasco, Calif. puts his 26-4 record on the line against an opponent to be announced.
Also, one of the women’s top pound-for-pound fighters in the world returns to action, as Las Vegas, Nev.’s Jessica Rakoczy (29-3) fights for the first time in over a year.
A pair of 2008 US Olympians will also be featured on the card, as Hanford, Calif.’s Shawn Estrada (2-0) makes his highly anticipated Palace debut in a supper middleweight bout and Javier Molina also makes his debut at super middleweight.
Visalia, Calif.’s Aaron Alafa (2-0) will return to action in the bantamweight class and unbeaten junior welterweight John Molina Jr. of Covina, Calif. will put his 15-0 record on the line.
On the under card of the MMA portion of the night, Beaverton, Ore. featherweight Enoch Wilson (11-4-1) takes on Oakland, Calif.’s Jimmy Jarquin (2-1); Los Angeles, Calif. welterweight Kengo Ura (5-4) battles Taft, Calif.’s Doug Hunt (4-2); Lemoore, Calif.’s Sergio Quinones (3-4) meets rival Huron, Calif.’s Sergio Cortes; and in a women’s MMA special feature undefeated knock out artist Sarah Kaufman of Victoria, Canada will take on an opponent to be announced.
Doors open on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and fights start at 6. On Wednesday, fans are encouraged to come out to the Palace and attend the official weighins, which take place on the third floor at The Den Sports Bar. Weighins are slated to begin at 4 p.m.
For breaking PFC news go to www.palacefightingchampionship.com. You can also find other PFC and Palace information at http://www.tachipalace.com.
Related Articles
