The Ducks and Beavers meet on the gridiron on Saturday. But for some, that date is too far off. There’s a more violent, equally athletic clash of the rival schools this Thursday in Corvallis.
At Gill Coliseum, a 19-bout mixed martial arts (MMA) Saturday card with the tag line “Ducks vs. Beavs” will take place starting at 7 p.m. Fighters are members of either the Ducks or Beavers team, with the UFC’s number one contender at middleweight Chael Sonnen acting as honorary coach of the Ducks, and Randy “The Natural” Couture coaching the Beavers.
As an added bonus, the event co-promotes the Oregon State wrestling program and the “Save Oregon Wrestling” organization. The latter began after the demolition of Oregon’s Division-I wrestling program following the 2007-08 season. Event organizer Kevin Keeney talked about the overarching goal he hopes to achieve in Corvallis.
“Probably about 12 of the fighters are current OSU students,” Keeney said. “What we are doing is ground-breaking.”
Many of the undercard fights pit two Beavers against each other. These student-versus-student bouts are held under the banner of the Intercollegiate Fighting Federation; once again the brainchild of Keeney. Sonnen, a reputable name in the UFC and close friend of Keeney, thinks the event is a positive development for MMA.
“I used to love wrestling at Gill Coliseum,” Sonnen said. “Keeney is also a great guy and he makes things happen.”
Event organizers succeeded in getting the event sanctioned by the Oregon State Athletic Commission, after all, it was Sonnen who took the initial steps toward getting MMA sanctioned in Oregon back in the 1990s. The expectation is between 3,000 and 5,000 spectators, with more than just Oregon State students in the crowd.
“One of the fighters is from Redmond, and we’ve heard he’s bringing the entire town,” Keeney said. “And the Oregon State Athletic Commission is very happy to oversee this event.”
Fighters will battle in a cage over the duration of three three-minute rounds, using four- or five-ounce gloves. Elbows are disallowed, as are knee strikes on the mat, and no complex leg locks are allowed. Organizers believe the cage is much better equipped to serve fighters’ safety than a traditional boxing ring.
Thursday evening’s headliner pits two accomplished lightweights against each other. Tommy Leisman graduated from the University of Oregon and holds a record of 6-1 as well as the championship belt, while his opponent, Corvallis native Shamseddeen Moussaoui, is a perfect 3-0.
“The world of MMA is constantly evolving,” Oregon Jiu Jitsu coach and MMA fighter Gerald Strebendt said. “So people are better now than they were last year than even last quarter.”
Full Contact Fighting Federation’s promotion will be the first installment of what it hopes becomes an annual event. Keeney elaborated on the organization’s vision.
“We want to make it an annual thing.” Keeney said. “Next year have the fights in Eugene and donate all the proceeds to UO’s wrestling fund.”
Wrestling and MMA are kindred spirits as the new wave of mixed martial artists today started their careers building on a wrestling base. Couture wrestled at Oregon State, while Sonnen attended the University of Oregon, and both are now top-level fighters who headline fight cards in the UFC.
Keeney and the Full Contact Fighting Federation have the same goal: promote a growing sport and give students another opportunity in athletics.
The event will be a preliminary indication of the sport’s future in the state.
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