Fans of mixed martial arts are in for a treat this month, as several local fighters enter highly anticipated bouts, including a stacked card in Stockton.
Elk Grove's Scott Smith and Stockton's Nick Diaz are scheduled to fight with EliteXC on July 26 at 10,000-seat Stockton Arena. EliteXC is partnered with CBS, which will showcase the sport a second time after hitting a ratings jackpot May 31.
"We wanted to keep the momentum going," said Douglas DeLuca, chief executive officer of Pro Elite.
The previous show, which featured Kimbo Slice's win over James Thompson at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., averaged 4.7 million viewers and peaked at 6.5 million. DeLuca said Arco Arena was unavailable for this month's fight because of a Monarchs game.
"It was one of the first places we looked at," DeLuca said. "But Stockton is a great mixed martial arts town. They have a great, brand new arena, and we have three semi-local boys who can draw lots of people."
Those fighters include Smith, Diaz and San Francisco's Jake Shields, who hope to sell out Stockton Arena. Meanwhile, another local fighter, James Irvin of Citrus Heights, will headline Saturday in Las Vegas.
"That's a big fight," Smith said of Irvin's upcoming bout. "We have a couple big fights coming out of this area."
A look at the fighters:
James Irvin
Hometown: Citrus Heights
Nickname: The Sandman
Record: 14-4-0, 1 no contest
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Local connection: He played football for regional powerhouse Del Oro High School, Sierra College and Azusa Pacific. Irvin worked in construction in Lincoln before entering mixed martial arts. He is a co-owner of Ultimate Training Center in Roseville.
Next fight: Irvin faces Anderson Silva on Saturday in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bout at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Silva is the UFC's middleweight champion and arguably the world's best pound-for-pound mixed martial arts fighter. Silva moves up a weight class to take on Irvin.
TV: Live at 6 p.m., Spike TV.
Scott Smith
Hometown: Elk Grove
Nickname: Hands of Steel
Record: 13-4-0, 1 no contest
Weight class: Middleweight
Local connection: Smith wrestled and played football at Elk Grove High School and wrestled one season at Sacramento City College. He gained notoriety for his appearance on the popular Spike TV reality show "The Ultimate Fighter 4," which included a memorable knockout of Pete Sell in the finale. He earned his nickname working at the family's local steel business. Smith is a co-owner of Ultimate Training Center in Roseville.
Next fight: Smith faces EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler on July 26 at Stockton Arena. This is a rematch of their controversial May 31 bout that ended in a no contest. Lawler inadvertently poked Smith in the eye, resulting in the fight being called despite Smith's protests.
TV: Tape-delayed beginning at 8 p.m., sH. Also at 8, 1.
To attend: Tickets start at $35 and can be bought at the Stockton Arena box office, by telephone at (209) 373-1700 or at www.stocktontickets.com. Doors open at 2:30 p.m., and the first fight is at 3:15.
Nick Diaz
Hometown: Stockton
Record: 17-7, 1 no contest
Weight class: Lightweight
Local connection: Diaz, who attended Tokay High School, grew up in Stockton and still trains there. He has an extensive career that includes a win over Lawler. His brother, Nate Diaz, won "The Ultimate Fighter 5."
Next fight: He will face Thomas "Wildman" Denny at Stockton Arena as part of the July 26 EliteXC broadcast.
Jake Shields
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 20-4-1
Weight class: Welterweight
Local connection: Raised in the Sierra Nevada, near Mountain Ranch.
Next fight: Shields faces Nick "The Goat" Thompson for EliteXC on July 26 in Stockton.
Joseph Benavidez
Hometown: Sacramento (previously lived in New Mexico)
Record: 7-0
Weight class: Bantamweight
Local connection: Benavidez, who is affiliated with Japan-based DREAM, trains with local favorite Urijah Faber at Ultimate Fitness in midtown. Before heading west, Benavidez won a state wrestling championship at Las Cruces (N.M.) High School in 2000.
Next fight: Benavidez will face Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto on July 21 in Japan.
Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521.
