Debut RITC fighters look for ultimate rush

Just after 8 p.m. at the Desert Diamond Casino last night, over two dozen teachers, students, fathers and businessmen gathered for an evening of friendly male bonding.

However, their version of male bonding stood in stark contrast of the traditional definition.

Instead of fishing, camping or gathering around a television set to root for their favorite sports teams, these 26 men elected to use arm-bars, headlocks, midsection kicks and submission holds to blow off some steam.

At Rage in the Cage 99, controlled violence and strategic grappling techniques served as the foundation for these individuals to find an outlet to let those competitive juices flow.

"I wrestled in high school, and I haven't found anything that matched the excitement of winning a wrestling match until I found this," said first-time combatant Ken Davis.

Davis was one of 12 of the 26 combatants to make their first appearance in a mixed-martial-arts event.

Most individuals in search of a competitive outlet tend to take up golf, fantasy football, softball, or any number of activities that don't involve getting hit in the face.

But these 13 men were in search of the ultimate athletic challenge.

"I've been watching Ultimate Fighting for the past few years, and it looked like the sport for me," said heavyweight jiu-jitzu specialist Manuel Flores.

While most of the fighters fell in love with the technical aspects of the sport, others turned to mixed martial arts to help give their lives some direction.

"I never followed UFC or anything like that, but I was a troubled kid in high school," said Catalina Foothills graduate Kaywan Sepassi. "The instructors at DeBrazil took me in, showed me the sport and it really helped me out."

Sepassi's inaugural appearance in the octagon featured a familiar face—long-time friend and fellow first-time fighter Paul Grijalva.

Grijalva, who studies law at St. Thomas University in Miami, said he had a dozen different emotions running through his mind prior to taking on his friend, a University of Arizona communications major.

"We're both going in there to compete and get better, but it's tough to throw punches against a guy who's your friend," Grijalva said.

Sepassi ended up winning their bout by submission arm-bar in the first round.

RITC middleweight titlist Jeff Horlacher is a seasoned veteran inside the octagon, and he vividly remembers his first bout seven years ago.

"I stepped in there against a giant my first time and I was really nervous," Horlacher said. "He couldn't knock me out, so I knew I could stand in there against anybody."

Horlacher told novice competitors to remember their training, stay focused and, above all, breathe.

"It's a rush unlike anything you can imagine," Horlacher said.

So how does one debut fighter rate his first appearance in the octagon?

"It was awesome," Davis said. "I can't wait to do it again."

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