Cage Fighting

Cage fighting show tonight at Pan American Center
By Felix Chavez
Sun-News Reporter
LAS CRUCES — Sal Lentini hopes tonight’s Extreme Cage Fighting show at the Pan American Center is a sign of things to come.
Next year, Lentini hopes to begin putting on shows on a frequent basis in Las Cruces.
“We want to have an alternative to the UFC and we want to be active in the area and we want to draw from different areas,” said Lentini, who is helping promote tonight’s show. “We want to put on other types of shows as well, including boxing.”
Tonight’s show at the Pan American Center will have 15 amateur fights between fighters from New Mexico and Texas. There will be a handful of championship fights.
“It’s great to have these types of shows here,” said Las Cruces fighter Joe Torrez, a former wrestler at Mayfield High School. “These shows keep us busy and helps us learn the ropes of the sports.”
Torrez, who has won a pair of championships in his young career, hopes to make the sport a career.
“I just want to keep improving and it’s a daily grind, but I want to do well and make a name for myself,” Torrez said.
The participants in tonight’s fights will perform a variety of mixed martial arts, ranging from boxing to karate.
Lentini is hoping for a crowd of about 2,000 at the Pan American Center. Tickets are $21.50 and the first bout is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Felix Chavez can be reached at fchavez@lcsun-news.com