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By Amiliano Fragosi
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – This time last year, life was different. COVID-19 was in full swing as athletes and businesses struggled to recover from the unforeseen circumstances that came with the pandemic. One of these businesses, Ringside Unified Fighting, better known as RUF Nation, struggled as Arizona’s Boxing & MMA Commission wouldn’t allow competitive fighting to resume in the state.

This time last year, Dr. Joel Lopez, president and founder of RUF, described COVID-19’s impact on local fighters and the way back to the cage in Arizona. He spoke about RUF’s protocols for combating the virus and a double standard occurring as the UFC had been allowed to continue its practice in Las Vegas.

Fast forward to the present day and the future has a much brighter outlook for RUF Nation.

“Never better,” Lopez said

RUF Nation has partnered with ONE Championship, a Singapore-based MMA organization, leading to Lopez and his team putting on five MMA events in the last six months, and local and former UFC fighters getting more exposure than ever before in the promotion.

And with the possibility of joining ONE, thanks to the ongoing Road to ONE tournament in place for RUF heavyweights, their chance on the biggest MMA stages in the world may be coming sooner rather than later. With that in mind, here are the four fights to watch Sunday night at Celebrity Theatre.

Jordan Powell (12-8-0) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (1-0-0)

Coming off a first-round submission in his MMA debut in July, Arizonan fighter Cortes-Acosta is looking to make another statement against MMA veteran and the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in California, Powell. Powell is on a two-fight win streak, having defeated Brandon Cash at RUF MMA 40 in April and is looking to continue his run in the Road to ONE tournament. Powell’s most notable fight was against UFC light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes in 2017, when Powell was defeated in the first round. Look for the veteran to utilize both his striking and submission game against newcomer Cortes-Acosta, who will be facing his toughest test yet after taking the fight on short notice.

Sherrard Blackledge (5-1-0) vs. Drew Fickett (42-21-0)

After taking extensive time off from the sport and having a previous bout canceled in 2020, these two fighters are finally ready to get in the cage with one another. Fickett, a veteran fighter out of Tucson, is ready to show that he still has something left in the tank after a seven-year layoff from professional fighting and multiple bouts being canceled in the process. For Blackledge, the time away from the cage is much less than his opponent as he last fought in Dana White’s Contender Series, losing in a unanimous decision at the end of 2020. The fighter known as “The Thriller” will look to recapture his form of a year ago where he was undefeated going into his most recent bout.

Jesus Navarrete (7-0-0) vs. Ellery Tarazon (0-1-0)

Possibly the fight to watch and Tarazon’s second fight of the evening, he’ll meet an undefeated fighter and former heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Warrior Challenge in Mexico in “El Tanque” Navarrete. Navarrete makes his U.S. debut this weekend, after defeating Victor de Paula via first-round submission in February, as he can finish a fight both on the ground, and in the standup. For Tarazon, an Arizona State alum, he’ll look to improve on his only professional fight in 2014, where he was defeated via TKO and will need to be wary of that once again, given the knockout potential of “El Tanque.”

Yimaz Wildman (3-1-0) vs. Richard Hale (23-7-1)

Finishing off the night is another battle in the Road to ONE quarterfinals with MMA veteran “Rare Breed” Hale facing off against Wildman. Hale, fighting out of Tempe, is coming off a main event victory at RUF MMA 39 where he defeated Eric Lunsford by first-round TKO, showing the organization and his opponents that he’s as hungry as ever. Wildman, better known as Tra’Von Butler, is coming off his own first round victory at RUF MMA 39, defeating Corey Mullis and earning his first main event in the promotion. These two share very similar fighting styles so expect them to start swinging earlier and often, with a TKO finish most likely in the cards.

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