Oh, It’s ON!
VFC 32 is bringing the heat, thanks to a growing rivalry set as its main event
7 p.m. Friday, July 30
Mid-America Center, One Arena Way, Council Bluffs
Tickets: $23 in advance, $28 day of show
Ticketmaster: 800-745-3000
Yeah, it’s a grudge match.
Victory Fighting Championship’s VFC 32 main event match between Drew Dober and Jimmy Seipel features two fighters that aren’t about to fill the pre-fight atmosphere with good feelings, said Victory’s director of operations Ryan Stoddard.
“They genuinely don’t like each other,” Stoddard said.
The two headline the night of mixed-martial arts bouts scheduled for Friday, July 30 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs. A weigh-in is scheduled the night before at the Fox and Hound. Both events start at 7 p.m.
The 155-pound weight class bout is a rematch of a February 2009 fight the two had at a Victory event when both were still amateur fighters. The lead-up to the fight contained a lot of heated talk, mostly from Seipel, Stoddard said.
“There was just an electricity in the air that night,” Stoddard said.
Dober, who was considered one of the nation’s best amateur MMA fighters at the time, won the contest with an arm bar in the second round. Revenge could very well be just the motivator to change the outcome this time around.
Both have since stepped up to the professional MMA ranks, where both have had success. But the perception around town is that Dober is given more attention as a fighter.
That under card is highlighted by another rematch, Eric Marriott versus Ryan Roberts in the 150-pound catch weight division. Stoddard said VFC organizers try to make sure the whole event has the best match-ups possible. The rest of the card includes four more professional bouts and four amateur bouts.
It’s one of the reasons why Victory has become a stepping stone to the elite national MMA circuit, headlined by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Victory’s big winners end up moving on.
“It’s very rare that we keep a champion,” Stoddard said.
He said he recognizes Victory’s role as an important stop for fighters who are destined for success on the MMA mats. He’s proud to list Victory alumni who have reached UFC and other top promotions, including Jake Ellenberger, Abe Wagner, Chris Camozzi, Travis Browne, and Nick Mamalis.
“That’s why one of our slogans is ‘Come watch the stars of tomorrow today,’” he said.
Meanwhile, its success has made it one of the largest MMA shows in the Midwest. Stoddard said the quality of fighters, coupled with the event’s top-flight production values has helped grow its popularity, both among fans and aspiring fighters.
In eight years of existence, Victory has hosted its most recent half VFC-branded events at the Mid-America Center. Attendance averages between 2,500 to 3,000 per VFC event.
Stoddard said the area has really embraced mixed-martial arts, even more than some other areas of the country.
“Omaha’s a great fight city,” he said.
He said there’s tons of support in the community for Victory contestants, even among those in the amateur ranks.
Part of that stems from a continually growing acceptance of the sport. Many of the fighters train anywhere from four to six hours daily. MMA is more than just a chance to compete for Victory’s best professional fighters, it’s a career. The training the fighters put in to compete is making their work easier to recognize, he said.
“They’re not just fighters,” Stoddard said. “They are precision athletes.”