Combat Sports & Fitness Fighters Look Ahead to Weekend MMA Event

Jeff Hougland is no stranger to the Rumble on the Ridge fight series held at Snoqualmie Casino. He was, after all, victorious in against previously undefeated Omar Avelar in the 135-pound bantamweight pro division.

Hougland returns to the cage this Saturday to take on Craig 'The Boss' Ross of Salt Lake City, Utah in the main event of the evening, again in the same bantamweight pro division.

And he brings with him Tyson Cunningham, a 2005 graduate of Enumclaw High School who is making his amateur fighting debut in the 170-pound division.

A fan of mixed martial arts (MMA), Cunningham boasts a background in martial arts as well as wrestling for Enumclaw's famed Hornets wrestling team. Upon finishing a stint in the Marine Corps, Cunningham said working out at Hougland's was a natural fit and has led him to begin exploring fights that Hougland steers him towards.

Want to cheer on the local guys this weekend? Click here for more information about how to get tickets for Rumble on the Ridge. Prices range from $45 general admission to $110 ringside. Doors open at 7 p.m.; fights start at 8 p.m.

Catching Up from Last Week:

While Patch was checking out how Hougland and Cunningham were preparing for Saturday, we ran across Paul DeVeglio, also a regular at Combat Sports & Fitness, who last weekend at the event at Green River Community College took home the belt as featherweight champion.

The five-round fight against opponent Paul Njoku was impressive, Hougland said. "It was a great fight. The opponent was super tough -- the guy's no slouch, but Paul (DeVeglio) fought a smarter fight."

DeVeglio, a 2007 graduation of Enumclaw High School, said it was fulfilling to have won the bout in front of friends and family even if the caliber of the fight event was smaller. (DeVeglio also claimed his own victory at the January Rumble on the Ridge event in the 145-pound amateur featherweight class.) "It means more if you have to really work for something," he said.

Hougland explained, "In this sport, the reward for doing good is a harder fight next time. At the amateur level, you're not paid anyway, so it's about the quality of the opponent; that's what's going to help you up your stock when you win."

Hougland looks out for the fighters he trains with and seeks out fights that will help to showcase their talents. "I make sure the guys are in good shape," he said. "I don't want my guys to be fighting crazy hard fights for free."

DeVeglio said he appreciates Hougland for that discriminating eye. "I just trust Jeff and it's great to have a coach like Jeff. What he described, I see how often that is the case."