If you're a fan of mixed martial arts, also known as MMA, or even if you're not, you've probably heard of Kelvin Gastelum.
He wrestled at Cibola High School in Yuma and is one of a few local wrestlers who have gone on to the big leagues in MMA in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
Gastelum visited the KAWC studios as he gets ready for the Yuma Fight League, an organization he helped start. It has an event Saturday night at the Yuma County Fairgrounds. A meet and greet is scheduled for Friday night.
Yuma County and specifically Somerton has become a fertile ground for amateur wrestlers. For about three decades wrestlers have been coming out of Somerton- Pepe Moreno, the Anaya brothers and now their children are succeeding at the high school level and have gone on to wrestle in college including at Arizona State.
And if there's a UFC fight on any given Saturday night, you can bet sports bars in Yuma will be busy with UFC fans.
Gastelum said it's the amateur wrestling (not WWE) background that leads some into college and even MMA.
Events like the Yuma Fight League and a recent MMA night at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma show MMA is here to stay with fighters at all levels from Yuma and throughout Arizona.
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Stay tuned to KAWC to hear from UFC Hall of Famer Kelvin Gastelum.
