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GLENDALE FIGHTERS READY TO MIX IT UP
By Grant Gordon
Glendale News Press
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/20 09/01/28/sports/gnp-spfighters28.txt
Jan 28 2009
CA
A quartet of Jewel City-trained MMA fighters will fight Thursday on
same card.
GLENDALE -- To say Thursday evening's California Xtreme Fighting
event will have a local feel could be an understatement.
Glendale will be well-represented in the ring and in the stands when
the CXF emanates from the El Monte Expo Center.
Headlining the 10-fight event will be Glendale's own Roman "The
Emperor" Mitichyan, who is one of four Glendale-trained fighters that
will compete in the event.
"It's gonna be a really good event," said George Bastrmajyan, who
manages the four Glendale-trained fighters on the card and will also
likely corner them. "We're gonna have a great, great card."
And a healthy Armenian faithful is predicted to turn out and support
its fighting brethren.
"Not only Glendale, it's gonna be a big Armenian community going
[from everywhere], Van Nuys, Burbank, Hollywood and Glendale," said
Ando Dermenjyan, who will make his pro debut at the card.
Dermenjyan, Mitichyan, Sako Chivitchyan and Sevak Magakian are all
set to fight in three-round contests throughout the night
"We are proud to showcase a card full of some of the highly talented
Armenian fighters in Southern California," said Craig Zimmerman,
the co-owner and promoter of CXF. The event will kick off a huge
three-day span for a group of Armenian mixed martial artists whose
training is centered around Glendale's Main Event Gym and Glendale
Fighting Club, as well as Hayastan Grappling in North Hollywood and
Golden Boys Wrestling Club in Van Nuys.
On Saturday, as part of the blockbuster UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn
2 card, both Karo Parisyan and Manny Gamburyan will fight.
And, of course, on Thursday, the aformentioned foursome will take to
the ring.
"We have all seven guys working together, it's helping everyone,"
said Bastrmajyan, including Georgi Karakhanyan, who was slated to
fight on the CXF card, but was sidelined due to an injury.
A former "The Ultimate Fighter" cast member, the 30-year-old Mitichyan
(9-2) is a two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran. He will
make his MMA return after nearly 10 months since his last fight.
He'll do so in a 160-pound bout against Jason Meaders (4-7), after
previously fighting at the 170-pound welterweight mark.
"If it goes to the ground, I'll submit him, if it stays up top, I'm
gonna try and knock him out," Mitichyan said. "I don't think he's as
skilled as I am."
Mitichyan hopes to begin a string of victories on Thursday that will
eventually culminate with him returning to the UFC in the 155-pound
lightweight class.
As for competing in the main event in front of a throng of supporters,
he doesn't feel any added pressure.
"Extra pressure? No," Mitichyan said. "[I fought in the] UFC, it
can't get bigger than that. No pressure."
Mitichyan added that the hardest part about being the main event is
the waiting.
For the fighters he's trained with, it won't be nearly as long.
Chivitchyan (1-0) is slated to fight second on the card, as he faces
off with Noe Rodriguez in a welterweight bout.
"I've been out of the fighting game for a while, but I'm really
excited," Chivichyan, 24, said. "I'm just anxious to get out there
in front of my people and to do good."
Chivichyan, like most of the fighters he trains with, comes from a
grappling background.
As for Rodriguez, Chivichyan doesn't know a whole lot about him,
but that hardly changes the Glendale resident's outlook or approach.
"I don't underestimate any opponents, I'm ready for any situation,"
Chivichyan said. "My main goal is to get him on the ground, do a
little ground and pound, and once I see an opening, go for the finish."
Dermenjyan is scheduled to be in the fifth bout of the evening,
making his debut against Miles Howard (0-1).
Despite this being his first pro fight, the 24-year-old who trains
primarily out of Main Event Gym, said he's far from nervous, but,
in contrast, can't wait for Thursday to come.
"I've been training so hard," he said. "I've been looking forward to
it, I'm so excited."
"Most likely, I'm going to submit him."
In another 160-pound bout, Magakian (4-2) will take on Darryl Moore
(2-3).
Magakian, who last fought in October of 2008 and won via first-round
submission, said, with a smile, that his gameplan is a secret.
With all four of his wins coming by way of tapout, though, it could
be a safe bet that he's looking for the submission.
Nevertheless, for Magakian, 23, the most important aspect for him is
that, along with his fellow countrymen, his hand is raised in victory.
"There's going to be a lot of Armenians there," he said. "We have to
all win these fights."
By Grant Gordon
Glendale News Press
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/20 09/01/28/sports/gnp-spfighters28.txt
Jan 28 2009
CA
A quartet of Jewel City-trained MMA fighters will fight Thursday on
same card.
GLENDALE -- To say Thursday evening's California Xtreme Fighting
event will have a local feel could be an understatement.
Glendale will be well-represented in the ring and in the stands when
the CXF emanates from the El Monte Expo Center.
Headlining the 10-fight event will be Glendale's own Roman "The
Emperor" Mitichyan, who is one of four Glendale-trained fighters that
will compete in the event.
"It's gonna be a really good event," said George Bastrmajyan, who
manages the four Glendale-trained fighters on the card and will also
likely corner them. "We're gonna have a great, great card."
And a healthy Armenian faithful is predicted to turn out and support
its fighting brethren.
"Not only Glendale, it's gonna be a big Armenian community going
[from everywhere], Van Nuys, Burbank, Hollywood and Glendale," said
Ando Dermenjyan, who will make his pro debut at the card.
Dermenjyan, Mitichyan, Sako Chivitchyan and Sevak Magakian are all
set to fight in three-round contests throughout the night
"We are proud to showcase a card full of some of the highly talented
Armenian fighters in Southern California," said Craig Zimmerman,
the co-owner and promoter of CXF. The event will kick off a huge
three-day span for a group of Armenian mixed martial artists whose
training is centered around Glendale's Main Event Gym and Glendale
Fighting Club, as well as Hayastan Grappling in North Hollywood and
Golden Boys Wrestling Club in Van Nuys.
On Saturday, as part of the blockbuster UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn
2 card, both Karo Parisyan and Manny Gamburyan will fight.
And, of course, on Thursday, the aformentioned foursome will take to
the ring.
"We have all seven guys working together, it's helping everyone,"
said Bastrmajyan, including Georgi Karakhanyan, who was slated to
fight on the CXF card, but was sidelined due to an injury.
A former "The Ultimate Fighter" cast member, the 30-year-old Mitichyan
(9-2) is a two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran. He will
make his MMA return after nearly 10 months since his last fight.
He'll do so in a 160-pound bout against Jason Meaders (4-7), after
previously fighting at the 170-pound welterweight mark.
"If it goes to the ground, I'll submit him, if it stays up top, I'm
gonna try and knock him out," Mitichyan said. "I don't think he's as
skilled as I am."
Mitichyan hopes to begin a string of victories on Thursday that will
eventually culminate with him returning to the UFC in the 155-pound
lightweight class.
As for competing in the main event in front of a throng of supporters,
he doesn't feel any added pressure.
"Extra pressure? No," Mitichyan said. "[I fought in the] UFC, it
can't get bigger than that. No pressure."
Mitichyan added that the hardest part about being the main event is
the waiting.
For the fighters he's trained with, it won't be nearly as long.
Chivitchyan (1-0) is slated to fight second on the card, as he faces
off with Noe Rodriguez in a welterweight bout.
"I've been out of the fighting game for a while, but I'm really
excited," Chivichyan, 24, said. "I'm just anxious to get out there
in front of my people and to do good."
Chivichyan, like most of the fighters he trains with, comes from a
grappling background.
As for Rodriguez, Chivichyan doesn't know a whole lot about him,
but that hardly changes the Glendale resident's outlook or approach.
"I don't underestimate any opponents, I'm ready for any situation,"
Chivichyan said. "My main goal is to get him on the ground, do a
little ground and pound, and once I see an opening, go for the finish."
Dermenjyan is scheduled to be in the fifth bout of the evening,
making his debut against Miles Howard (0-1).
Despite this being his first pro fight, the 24-year-old who trains
primarily out of Main Event Gym, said he's far from nervous, but,
in contrast, can't wait for Thursday to come.
"I've been training so hard," he said. "I've been looking forward to
it, I'm so excited."
"Most likely, I'm going to submit him."
In another 160-pound bout, Magakian (4-2) will take on Darryl Moore
(2-3).
Magakian, who last fought in October of 2008 and won via first-round
submission, said, with a smile, that his gameplan is a secret.
With all four of his wins coming by way of tapout, though, it could
be a safe bet that he's looking for the submission.
Nevertheless, for Magakian, 23, the most important aspect for him is
that, along with his fellow countrymen, his hand is raised in victory.
"There's going to be a lot of Armenians there," he said. "We have to
all win these fights."