Fitial moves up to main event

The main event of Trench Warz IX: Annihilation will now be a Saipan-Guam affair with Marianas Elite’s Kelvin “The Big Hit” Fitial squaring off against Spike 22 Fight Academy’s Rueben “The Booben” Quinata.

Fitial and Quinata will see action in the heavyweight category with the former tipping the scales at 230 lbs. and coming into the fight with a 12-5-2 win-loss-draw record. The latter, meanwhile, brings his immaculate 3-0 win-loss slate to Saipan. Quinata will also be 5 lbs. lighter than his opponent at 225 lbs.

Fitial originally was to take on Ton “Xcalibur” Nekaifes in the semi main event of the Dec. 12 show at the Royal Taga Hall of Saipan World Resort, but Trench Tech president Cuki Alvarez said the two later requested that they not be pitted against one another.

“Kelvin is related to Ton Nekaifes and according to the two of them, their families do not want them to fight,” Alvarez said in an email to the Saipan Tribune. “Rueben Quinata ultimately will be a better match up for Kelvin, not to mention it will be a ‘Saipan vs. Guam’ main event which will be more enticing for all in attendance.”

With Fitial moving up to the main event, the semi main event will now feature Marianas Elite’s Myron “The Natural” San Nicolas against Team Predators’ “Brutal” Bryson Sablan.

“Myron San Nicolas is too light for Ton Nekaifes—so we had to find him an opponent, hence ‘Brutal’ Bryson Sablan,” said Alvarez.

The 215-lb. San Nicolas and his 6-1 win-loss record is the slight favorite against the 205-lb. Sablan, which is 3-1 in four fights.

Nekaifes, meanwhile, will be featured in the Big Brawl match opposite “Kill” Bill Saures.

“Bill is the only fighter willing on taking on a very heavyweight such as Tony so we matched them up in the ‘Big Brawl’ match,” said Alvarez.

The 210-lb. Saures of Team X-Treme will be giving up more than 50 lbs. to the Team Zalaka heavyweight, who easily is The Annihilation’s heaviest fighter at 270 lbs.

What he lacks in bulk, he easily makes up for experience however as Saures comes into the fight with six wins in 10 fights, while Nekaifes lost his first and only fight so far.

Aside from the changes in the last three events of the fight card, Alvarez said Trench Tech is also scrapping the 145-lb. match between Chris “No Love” Laayug of Trench Tech and Leeroy Sablan of Marianas Elite.

“Chris Laayug vs. Leeroy Sablan has been cancelled due to an injury to both fighters. Chris popped his knee during training at Trench Tech and Leeroy hyper-extended his right arm while sparring at his camp,” he said.

The rest of the fight card for Trench Warz IX: The Annihilation is as follows:

• Team Pwang’s Eddie Paulis vs. Trench Tech’s Shane “Pikaboo” Alvarez (4-0) in the 130-lb. division;

• Team Pwang’s J.J. “The Mauler” Mality (1-3) vs. Trench Tech’s Alverick “Pretty Boy” Alvarez (2-0) in the 140-lb. division;

• Marianas Elite’s Derick “Pinchi” Rangamar (3-3) vs. Trench Tech’s “Badd” Brad Palacios (5-2) in the 140-lb. division;

• Predator Combat’s Nate “The Terrible” Guam United Fight Team’s Leo “The Assassin” Cing (5-4) in the 150-lb. division;

• D.A.T. Gym’s Joe Cabrera (0-1) vs. Trench Tech’s Fasi “Quikdraw” Jesse (2-0) in the 155-lb. division;

• Malesso Home Grown Fighters’ Brian “The Shotgun” Howard (6-5) vs. Trench Tech’s Giovanni “Palaxi” Sablan (12-4) in the 150-lb. division;

• Predator Combat’s John “The Jackhammer” Borja (2-3) vs. Marianas Elite’s Syl “The Deal” Teregeyo (3-2-1) in the 185-lb. division;and

• Team SSS Robert “Pitbull” Palacios (0-5) vs. Trench Tech’s Jason “Rush” Tarkong (8-2) in the 175-lb. division.

Trench Warz IX: The Annihilation will also make history with the first ever female MMA fight in the CNMI as Jen “Salbahe” Sambile makes her debut against boxer-turned-MMA fighter Tara “Tarantula” Namauleg.

Tickets for Trench Warz IX: The Annihilation are on sale at Boarderline, 6-7-Zero Rocksteady Shop, Hannam Market, and Trench Tech Gym. General admission costs $25, while VIP is $40. Gates open at 6pm.