Minister of Sports of Youth Affairs Darryl Smith has agreed to be the patron when the T&T Sambo and Combat Sambo Federation host an International Mixed Martial Arts ‘Ruff N Tuff’ Championship at the Jean Pierre Complex on Saturday from 7 pm.
The event will be used to promote sports tourism as well as initiative the process of diversification, which has become a necessity in the midst of the current economic recession.
A release yesterday confirmed that athletes and dignitaries from 14 countries have been confirmed for the tournament, including Jamaica, United States, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Venezuela, Barbados, United Kingdom, Russia, Aruba and Curacao.
Joash Walkins, who only recently received his title for winning the King’s Land MMA Championship in Curacao last year and was second at the World Championship for the same period, will lead the charge for the local contingent. He will face a number of international opponents such as Sky ‘El Chivo Loco’ Moiseichik of the United States in the bantamweight division.
Martin Joseph, another T&T fighter will be in action on the night as well as Terron Diaz, who will come up against Jesus Guaido of Venezuela in the welterweight division, Keron Bourne, Jeremy Rudolpho, Earland Maloney, Leyland Gomez, Rudo Colthrust, Adrian Navarro, Andre Preddie, Anthony Joseph, Kwashawn Mc Lean and Micah Espinet.
The bouts will be among 15 on the night of action and will include a clash between Matthew Colquhoun of Jamaica and Barbados’ Reynold Smart in the welterweight division and another between Josue Cordoba of Venezuela and T&T’s Jeremy Rudolpho in the heavyweight division. Two Ruff N Tuff title will also be up for grabs.
Event organiser Jason Fraser told the Guardian the event will cost T&T approximately $940, 000 which will include airfare and accommodation, prize monies, marketing and promotion, cost for equipment, venue operations and sanctioning fees among others. Apart from the Ministry of Sports, First Citizens, Toyota, Aria Launch and Kyle Graphics have also agreed to support the event.
Fraser is calling on corporate T&T to come on board and partner with him for the event as he claimed there is still a short-fall of $300,000. He praised Minister Smith for his interest towards sambo and mixed martial arts. According to Fraser “It is the first sports minister to have shown an interest in all sports in the past five years, and for this I am grateful.”
Meanwhile, a number of top dignitaries will be here such as Kerrith Brown, president of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, James Lee—a renown international coach and official and Herb Dean—the well-known referee who has officiated at many international events.
Organisers of the event will hold the weigh-in process during a press conference at the Aria Lounge on Ariapita Avenue on Friday at 2 pm.
