CANYONVILLE, Ore. – CageSport, a Northwest mixed martial arts promotion, is returning to the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville on May 11 with CageSport 57.
The main event will see Christopher San Jose defending his CageSport bantamweight championship belt against Benjamin Vinson.
Tickets for the nine-bout card are $25, $35, $50 and $75 and can be purchased online here, in person at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort Gift Gallery, or by calling 1-800-514-3849.
“Seven Feathers Casino Resort is very pleased to have Brian Halquist Productions’ CageSport return on Saturday, May 11,” Seven Feathers Casino Resort General Manager Shawn McDaniel said. “Ever since the first show last year we have had many guests ask about when we will be hosting CageSport MMA again. So we are thrilled to have this date locked up and look forward to another great night of fights.”
This marks the second CageSport event at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort. The promotion held its inaugural show at the venue on May 5, 2018, with CageSport 51.
“We had such an incredible experience last year that the moment the show was over we immediately started to put plans into motion on when we could come back,” said promoter Brian Halquist, CEO of CageSport. “Oregon has turned into a hotbed for MMA athletes and has such a great fanbase for the sport it made perfect sense to continue our relationship with the Seven Feathers Casino Resort. We’re excited to once again bring the very best live MMA action to the fans in Oregon.”
San Jose brings a record of 6-1-0 into the title fight, while Vinson is 10-5-1.
“We wanted to put together the best main event possible for the Oregon fans and we really believe San Jose defending his title against Vinson succeeds in doing that,” Halquist said. “This will be a night MMA fans will not want to miss.”
In addition to the championship main event, the card will also have a semi-main event between heavyweights D.J. Linderman and Anthony McDonald.
“I believe you have two top prospects not only in the Pacific Northwest, but in the United States who are going to scrap for this belt,” San Jose said. “We aren’t after easy fights. We are after tough opponents that want to go to war. Fight fans won’t want to miss this fight.”
San Jose, who trains at Eugene’s Art of War, captured the CageSport bantamweight championship by defeating Casey Johnson by unanimous decision at CageSport 51.
“I’m stronger, faster, and more experienced than I was last May. Everything has been improved from top to bottom,” San Jose said. “My nutrition and recovery has become next level which just lets me push that much harder in training. I want to give the fans something they will remember.”
The matchup is nearly a year in the making as Vinson was originally slated to be San Jose’s opponent last May for the vacant bantamweight title, but suffered an injury and was unable to participate.
Vinson last fought on CageSport 48 on Dec. 16, 2017, defeating Eric Higaonna by second-round Guillotine Choke to improve his all-time CageSport record to 3-0-1.
In the semi-main event, the 6-foot-7 McDonald, who fights out Eugene, brings a record of 3-3-0 into the contest, while Linderman, a veteran of 36 professional fights, will attempt to notch career win No. 22.
CageSport MMA will hold its 56th show at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. on April 27. Throughout its history CageSport has featured numerous Oregon-based fighters with two of its former champions in Beaverton’s Journey Newson (bantamweight) and Medford’s Austin Vanderford (welterweight).
(posted 4/2/19)
