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The Powerhouse Matijacic Brothers of

Straight Blast Gym in Portland go for 2 Championship Belts

Press Release from The Full Contact Fighting Federation


Portland OR - On Saturday, December 6th Tom and Kress Matijacic of Straight Blast Gym will enter the 25-foot steel cage, known to fight fans as "The Slammer" at Rumble @ The Roseland 40. Tom Matijacic will take on Pro Escobedo for the Light Heavyweight Championship belt, and Brother Kress Matijacic will take on Crae Bassett for the 185-pound Title. The Rumble event, hosted by Portland's Full Contact Fighting Federation, has been described as the premier amateur mixed martial arts (MMA) event in the Nation. The event is co-owned by the world-renowned WEC Middleweight fighter, Chael Sonnen and Kevin Keeney, the FCFF fight matchmaker. The Rumble 40 event will be a high-octane night of caged MMA fights, with three Title Bouts, long awaited match-ups, and two female fights on the card!

 

Tom (L) and Kress (R) Matijacic

 

Tom and Kress Matijacic both train at Straight Blast Gym in Portland, under Matt Thornton. Thornton, a fixture in the mixed martial arts scene in Portland is revered as one of the most versatile and professional coaches in the area. There is a laundry list of professionals and amateur fighters that have trained under him, but being a humble professional, you wouldn't hear it from him. At Straight Blast Gym the philosophy is to get to know each fighter individually, and determine his/her strengths and weaknesses and built a regiment from there.

 

Tom Matijacic formerly held the FCFF Light Heavyweight title belt, but relinquished it to turn professional. However, after 12 months of searching for fights, he has decided to compete in the FCFF (to rattle the rust off), before he makes the permanent transition to the pros. Matijacic, who is built like a common days Hercules, is a former Lake Oswego High School State Football Player of the Year, and a former PSU and University of Washington football player. His current MMA regiment includes working out with the PSU wrestling team, boxing with Brian Walsh and Jiu-Jitsu training with Matt Thornton at Straight Blast Gym. "Tom is a striker, who likes to fight on his feet, but he can take it to the ground, if he wants. He is aggressive and can control the pace of a fight" says SBG matchmaker Travis Davison.

 

"When Tom Matijacic faces off against Pro Escobedo, the Rumble crowd is going to go wild. This Light Heavyweight Championship is the most anticipated Main Event we've had since Chris Leban fought Pat Healy back at Rumble @ The Roseland 8" says FCFF matchmaker Kevin Keeney

Kress Matijacic, who has been part of the MMA community of the Northwest for the better part of a decade, is a skilled and thorough competitor. While this will be his first fight in the FCFF organization, he is a highly respected fighter and has trained besides legends like Dan Henderson. "Kress was one of Matt Thornton's first students... consistent training was the challenge for him" said Davison. Kress, a gifted athlete like his brother Tom, will take on Crae Bassett, a FCFF veteran from the well-respected Real World Fight Team. The brothers share a definite sense of camaraderie, as they train and spar together to prepare to bring two Championship belts back home to Straight Blast Gym. 

For more information on the Matijacic brothers contact Travis Davison at 406-250-2380


Additional FCFF Organization History (www.TheFCFF.com):
The "Full Contact Fighting Federation" is the nation's premier amateur, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event. Established in November of 2001 the FCFF has held more than 230 bouts and has crowned Champions in five different weight classes. If you want excitement, and are looking for the fiercest one-on-one competition anywhere -to see a competitor truly test his mind, body, and soul- then you have come to the right place. With fighters trained by Team Quest and UFC legends Randy "The Natural" Couture and Matt "The Law" Lindland you're always in for a great show. Plus this is the place where relatively new UFC fighters like Chris "The Crippler" Leben (The Ultimate Fighter - 1), Nathan "The Rock" Quarry (The Ultimate Fighter - 1), Ed "Short Fuse" Herman (The Ultimate Fighter -3), Josh "Bring the Pain" Haynes (The Ultimate Fighter -3) and Chael Sonnen (Team Quest, WEC and UFC Fighter) got their professional careers started; so don't miss the MMA action in the SLAMMER!



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