AMERICAN FIGHT LEAGUE BRINGING MIXED MARTIAL ARTS TO COLUMBUS CIVIC CENTER
Fight Night to Honor Troops, Features 3 Local U.S. Army Fighters
The American Fight League (AFL), a national Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) league is hosting a fight night at the Columbus, Georgia Civic Center at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26, 2008. The event, entitled “A Salute to the Troops,” will feature three U.S. Army fighters stationed at Ft. Benning, along with nationally known professional fighters.
“We are incredibly excited to bring MMA to the Columbus Civic Center for the first time,” said AFL CEO, BJ Santiago. “We chose this location because there are a lot of MMA fans in this area, especially at Ft. Benning where soldiers are trained in combative techniques. The audience will have the opportunity to watch the AFL debut of three outstanding Army warriors and other bouts featuring top ranked fighters. This is going to be an exceptional fight night that honors the troops and entertains fans of every age.”
The September 26 event marks the debut of three instructors from the U.S. Army Combatives School at Ft. Benning that recently signed with the AFL. Representing the U.S. Army gold and black are middleweight SSG Damien “The Omen” Stelly (Columbus, GA, 10-2), lightweight Sgt. Andrew Chappelle (Columbus, GA, 8-5), and bantamweight SSG Nate “The Flamingo Kid” Ford (Phenix City, AL, 1-1). Opponents for the U.S. Army warriors, as well as additional names for the fight card, will be announced over the next several weeks.
The decision by AFL to host an event in Columbus, near Ft. Benning, was an easy one. With three former military members on its core leadership team, CEO BJ Santiago (U.S. Army Captain, Desert Storm veteran), Marketing Director Sean McClure (U.S. Marine Corps), and National Promotions Director Andrew Kloster (U.S. Army), the AFL has a strong and very personal commitment to American troops. The league frequently arranges special visits to military bases and hospitals and recently donated $1,000 to support the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Ft. Benning.
“The AFL has a huge heart for American soldiers,” added Santiago. “We appreciate the tremendous commitment and sacrifice of our troops and look forward to honoring them in Columbus.”
Tickets for “A Salute to the Troops” go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 1, 2008. Tickets will be available through all Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com) locations or through the Columbus Civic Center box office (706.494.8330). Discounted tickets for military personnel will be available exclusively through the Omega Travel Office at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
About American Fight League
The American Fight League (AFL) is a rapidly growing sports and entertainment marketing company dedicated to the development, promotion and delivery of the fastest growing sport in the world – Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). AFL was co-founded in 2006 by CEO BJ Santiago and Chief Production Officer, Jon Hatton. The league was created with two primary goals in mind: to promote MMA as a legitimate, mainstream sport and to positively impact local communities through charitable work. For more information, please visit www.americanfightleague.com.
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