Local MMA talent is Called Out- The lost article

Local MMA talent is Called Out
By Breanna Armstrong

**This fight has been postponed until January 9, 2010 & this article was intended for print in the Press Enterprise Newspaper right before the show was postponed**

Called Out MMA is putting on its second show at the Ontario Citizens Bank Arena on Saturday, Nov. 14. Two of the Inland Empire’s professional Mixed Martial Artists will be featured on the fight card along with MMA superstar, Hector "Sick Dog" Ramirez, the Ultimate Fighter Coach from season ten, who will be going against Lodune Sincaid.



Riverside’s Georgi Karakhanyan (12-1-1) is going against Vince Ortiz (9-2) in the main 155-pound bout on the card. Karakhanyan, who was originally matched up against MMA vet, Bao Quach, was thrown for a loop when Quach fractured his hand four weeks before the fight resulting in a two month recovery. Karakhanyan eagerly prepared himself for the fight against Quach. “Bao is a really good stand up fighter, so I was doing a lot of Muay Thai training and wrestling to prepare for this fight. After he was injured, Vince Ortiz stepped in to take his place,” said Karakhanyan.



Ortiz, fighting out of Body Shop Fitness in Bellflower rightfully earned his nickname as “The Sergeant” for his five years of service in the Marines. “I started training MMA while I was serving in the military,” Ortiz said. “ I'm feeling really good about this fight, I've been training hard. He is a credible opponent and this is a great opportunity for me.”



Karakhanyan, who fights out of Millennia in Rancho Cucamonga and USKO in Riverside, is not taking this fight lightly. “This fight is different for me because I look at it as a big fight. I do not underestimate my opponent, I am ready,” Karakhanyan said.



Also on the card in the 135-pound division is Greg Guzman (7-3), who trains out of Pinnacle Jiu-Jitsu in Redlands. Guzman, who is from San Jacinto, Calif., was inspired to fight professionally after being a top competitor on the San Jacinto High School’s wrestling team. “I started fighting professionally three years ago, with my wrestling coach, Stan Holmes as my only source of training. I trained out of my garage,” Guzman said. “I didn’t have a team or a gym to train out of until I started at Pinnacle. It’s really great over here, it’s nice gym and has tough guys.”



Guzman fought against his now teammate Reuben Duran in the King of the Cage Superstars fight for a unanimous decision defeat, in August. After the fight, Jake Benhey, Duran’s trainer and the owner of Pinnacle Jiu Jitsu, invited Guzman to join their fight team. He has been training with the Pinnacle team ever since.



“Greg has a positive attitude and great work ethic, he never complains and he puts everything he has into training. He is a very well-rounded fighter and is a pleasure to work with.” Benhey said.



Guzman is fighting against Chad George (10-4), who has won his last five fights straight. “Pinnacle has been pushing me with my training and I know what to expect from my opponent. He is a big 135 pounder, and I am looking forward to beating him,” Guzman said.

Making his name in the MMA community has been top priority for Guzman, who according to Behney, has already made huge improvements in his skills with just the few months of training on a fight team. From his high school wrestling mat, to the professional MMA ring, Guzman is representing what the sport is all about.