CANYONVILLE, Ore. – CageSport MMA will hold its inaugural show in Oregon on Saturday when Brian Halquist Productions presents CageSport 51 at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville.
Highlighting the card will be a 5-round main event for the vacant CageSport Bantamweight Championship between undefeated Christopher San Jose and Casey Johnson.
Also on the card will be a semi-main event between Bryan Nuro and veteran Charon Spain, while the undercard will feature undefeated Clayton York taking on Matt Howell and undefeated Rudy Schaffroth facing former CageSport heavyweight champion Kyle Keeney.
Tickets are available online at sevenfeathers.com, in person at the Seven Feathers Gift Gallery, or by calling 800-514-3849.
Preliminary bouts start at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
“We have put on 50 shows over 10 years in Washington and we couldn’t imagine a better card to introduce CageSport to Oregon fans than the one we will have on Saturday,” promoter Brian Halquist said.
San Jose, who fights out of Eugene, will look to keep his perfect 4-0 record intact when he challenges for his first championship.
“I am humbled to be a part of this event,” San Jose said. “I know in my first fight with CageSport that this was the promotion I saw myself growing in. Being the main event and fighting for the title is a bonus for me.”
Johnson brings a 6-2 record into the championship bout, with one of his victories coming in 2016 against Brendon Raftery at Bellator 155.
“I’m excited for that opportunity to get in there and do battle,” said Johnson, who trains at Freak Jiu Jitsu MMA, a privately-owned facility located in Eagle, Idaho ran by former UFC fighter Tony Fryklund. “The belt is just a cherry on top for doing my job when the door closes.”
Nuro, a resident of Beaverton, is 7-2, having fought three times for the promotion, including a win over Bobby McIntyre on Dec. 17, 2016 for the CageSport Interim Lightweight championship.
“These last two years since my first loss fighting for the CageSport belt I have put in a big emphasis on my Maui Thai by training over at Burke camp,” said Nuro, who went 10-1 during his amateur MMA career before turning pro three years ago. “Training camp has been great. I’ve had a solid 10-week camp free of injuries and have had the opportunity to compete twice in Jiu Jitsu at Sub league and SUG7.”
York, a former Oregon State University football player, brings a spotless 3-0 record into his light heavyweight bout against Howell.
York’s biggest win to date occurred last September when he handed Justus Faaiu his first career setback after winning by unanimous decision.
“The talent in Oregon is as good as anywhere else in the world and I’m happy to be a part of it,” said York, who got into Jiu Jitsu after football. “I’ve matured as a fighter every fight. My striking is always improving, but stands out the most since turning pro.”
Also looking to stay undefeated will be heavyweight Rudy Schaffroth, who is 3-0 during his pro career.
Weigh in for CageSport 51 will take place at the Seven Feathers Casino’s Element Lounge. Weigh in will be free and open to the public. Fighters will arrive starting at 5:30 PM and will hit the scales around 7 PM. A press conference is scheduled immediately after the conclusion of weigh in.
CageSport 51 – Saturday, May 5, 2018
Main Event – 5 Rounds
CageSport Bantamweight Championship
Christopher San Jose (4-0) vs. Casey Johnson (6-2)
Semi Main Event – 3 Rounds
156-pounds: Bryan Nuro (7-2) vs. Charon Spain (15-26)
Undercard – 3 Round Bouts
206-pounds: Clayton York (3-0) vs. Matt Howell (2-8)
265-pounds: Rudy Schaffroth (3-0) vs. Kyle Keeney (19-23)
171-pounds: Adam Fugitt (3-1) vs. Travis Lebrun (2-2)
145-pounds: Jesus Lara (0-1) vs. Elijah Ross (2-2)
146-pounds: Travis Cavalli (6-4) vs. Kevin Boehm (3-2)
146-pounds: Luis Iniguez (debut) vs. Chris Evans (1-5)
