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Writer's pictureJeff Whitworth

Solorzano defends 559 Fights title, makes last amateur appearance

SELMA, Calif. – Kat Solorzano started her mixed martial arts journey in 2013 with a

unanimous decision victory over Cynthia Banuelos-Hernandez.


The Bakersfield strawweight went on to compete four times that year, including a decision loss to now UFC star Cynthia Calvillo. Solorzano then took a four-year break and came back in 2017 to compete and most recently defeated Meggan Thamondong for the 559 Fights Strawweight Title.


This Saturday she makes her last amateur appearance in the 559 Fights cage. “Solorzano has been competing with us for as long as I can remember and when she wasn’t competing, she was attending events with her teammates and still being very active within the community and supporting 559 Fights,” said 559 Fights president Jeremy Luchau, who noted this would be Solorzano’s last amateur fight this Saturday at 559 Fights 73 in Visalia at the Visalia Convention Center.


Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for the 12-bout MMA card which also features three grappling super

fights and a wrestling match. Tickets are still available for purchase at the Convention Center

Box Office, starting at just $25.


“She’s come a really long way. She fought girls in several different weight classes and competed over the last six or seven years. Kat is one of those people that you really love to see go on and do great things,” Luchau added.


Solorzano (6-3) defends her title against another veteran in Los Angeles’ Jasmine Pouncy (4-

6). Pouncy won a state title in 2016 and has been one of the most consistent competitors in the women’s division in the state since the inception of amateur MMA.


In the co-main event, Bakersfield’s Vince Gomez moves back up to the 155-pound weight

class to compete for the 559 Fights title against Fresno’s Severiano Perez. “This is another exciting fight and we are looking forward to filling another vacant title,” Luchau said. “Vince just recently fought for the 145 title and decided to move back up in weight and Severiano is a guy that’s been really showing promise the last few fights. We really wanted to push for a title for one of the Perez brothers, and this is a fight that made a lot of sense for us right now.”


559 Fights also features a special wrestling attraction between two local wrestling coaches that are competing to help raise money for their respective programs. Selma Wrestling’s Ricky Morales faces off with Red Wave’s Ricky Martinez. “We are continuing with the theme of Growing Valley MMA and this goes right along with that. We’ve featured several grappling matches throughout the year and now we get to feature a wrestling match and it’s a fundraiser for two local programs,” Luchau said.


In other bouts; Arroyo Grande middleweight Isaiah Hughes (5-1) makes his return against

Ridgecrest’s Joseph Gaceta (3-6), Hanford lightweight Sterling Ingrim (2-0) takes on Visalia’s

Mark Hernandez (1-1), Parlier bantamweight Sebastian Gomez (0-0) makes his debut against

Bakersfield’s Johnny Maldonado (1-0), Bakersfield welterweight Mike Stevens (2-4) takes on

Irvine’s Chris Cross (1-3), Fresno lightweight Ricky Gomez (0-0) makes his debut against Porterville’s Brendan Ward (1-2), Arroyo Grande featherweight Marvin Garcia (1-0) takes on

Porterville’s Liovardo Garfias (1-1), Bakersfield welterweight David Longoria (0-0) makes his debut against Fresno’s Kiel Brown (0-0), Fresno bantamweight Joshua Dillon (0-1) fights Irvine’s Rob Perez (0-0), Fresno heavyweight Larry Gonzales (0-0) makes his debut against

Oakland’s Mark Ata (1-0) and Merced featherweight Caleb Moran (0-0) makes his debut against Fresno’s Cameron McKinney (0-0).


In grappling special attractions, Fresno’s Paul Elizondo takes on Porterville’s Aaron Cohea,

Tulare’s Krystal Padilla takes on Jacklynn Austin and Jose Hernandez takes on Andrew

Carrasco.

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