LIHU‘E — Island boy Eben Kaneshiro tonight will challenge X-1 world featherweight title holder Ricky Wallace in Champions III, a mixed-martial arts event at O‘ahu’s Blaisdell Arena. “I think I’ve got a pretty good chance,” Kaneshiro said. “This guy is
LIHU‘E — Island boy Eben Kaneshiro tonight will challenge X-1 world featherweight title holder Ricky Wallace in Champions III, a mixed-martial arts event at O‘ahu’s Blaisdell Arena.
“I think I’ve got a pretty good chance,” Kaneshiro said. “This guy is young, though, hungry guy, but I’ve seen some holes in his game I think I can expose, so I’m pretty confident.”
It will be the first time a Kaua‘i boy will fight for the top title in an event promoted by X-1 World Events, an O‘ahu-based mixed martial arts company which promotes arena-based entertainment fighting events all over Hawai‘i.
Kaneshiro said he has been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for about 14 years, and for the last nine years he has been fighting professionally in MMA bouts.
He now lives in Portland, Ore., where he runs New Breed Jiu-Jitsu, but said whenever he visits Kaua‘i he helps Kaeo Lopez and Kaleo Lopez run their jiu-jitsu gym here.
Besides Kaneshiro’s bout, tonight’s event will feature an additional three world-title fights, plus six state-title fights — including a women’s bout — and one amateur bout.
The event may be on O‘ahu, but Kaua‘i residents will be able to watch it live on pay-per-view through Oceanic Time Warner Cable. It will also be streamed online for a fee at www.x1events.com.
The night’s main event will feature defending world-middleweight champion Falaniko Vitale (28-9), from Hawai‘i, against world-welterweight champion Dylan Clay (8-2).
“What an incredible fight card Champions III is shaping up to be,” said X-1 founder and owner Mike Miller in a press release. “With fighters like Niko Vitale, Dylan Clay, Harris Sarmiento, and everyone else, the fans are sure to get their money’s worth.”
Some of the fighters who have fought in X-1 events include former UFC champions Dan “The Beast” Severn and Ricco Rodriguez, UFC veterans Jeff Monson, Kimo Leopoldo, Chad “The Grinder” Reiner, “Sugar” Shane Nelson, Brandon Wolff, Wes “The Project” Sims, Ronald “The Machine Gun” Juhn, Wesley “Cabbage” Correira, and Falaniko Vitale, as well as Pride veterans Chris Brennan and Ron “H2O-Man” Waterman.
Doors at Blaisdell Arena will open at 6 p.m., and the first fight is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Blaisdell Box Office, at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Go to www.x1events.com for more information.
Champions III fight card
X-1 World Middleweight Title: (Champion) X1 Middleweight Champion Falaniko Vitale vs. X-1 World Welterweight Champion Dylan Clay
X-1 World Lightweight Title: (Champion) Harris Sarmiento vs. Max Holloway
X-1 World Featherweight Title: (Champion) Ricky Wallace vs. Eben Kaneshiro (Kaua‘i)
X-1 World Bantamweight Title: (Champion) Russell Doane vs. Van Oscar Penovaroff (Kona)
X-1 State Middleweight Title: Sale Sproat (Molokai) vs. Collin Mansanas
X-1 State Featherweight Title: Kurrent Cockett (Maui) vs. Dustin Kimura
X-1 State Welterweight Title: Jordan Kekino (Maui) vs. Zane Kamaka
X-1 State Women’s Bantamweight Title: Nicole Johnson (California) vs. Raquel Pa‘aluhi
X-1 State Heavyweight Title: Puka Bell (Hilo) vs. Lolohea Mahe (Maui)
X-1 State Lightweight Title: Will Shutt (Iowa) vs. Steven Saito
X-1 Amateur Heavyweight Title: Kala Koa (Maui) vs. Paea Paogo
