Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) will be returning to very place where the sport of MMA was born 20 years ago with RFA 11 – Manzanares vs. Makovsky live from Denver, Colorado. Featuring a high-stakes flyweight title fight between the red-hot fan favorite Matt Manzanares (7-1) and former world champion Zach ‘Fun Size’ Makovsky (15-4), RFA 11 not only present yet another stacked card between the best new talent in the business, but it will serve as a celebration of the sport’s 20th anniversary. On Friday, November 22nd, RFA 11 will take place from the 1stBank Center and live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
There was no better place to hold RFA 11 than Denver, Colorado, the city where MMA as we know it was launched 20 years ago,” said Soares. “Not only are we bringing fans in Denver an event where they can gather to celebrate this anniversary, but we are also presenting a completely stacked card topped by a championship headliner between two of the most complete and exciting flyweight fighters in the sport: Matt Manzanares, a dynamic fan favorite vs. Zach Makovsky, a former world champion. On November 22nd at RFA 11, the RFA will crown another great champion and salute the rise of MMA live from the 1stBank Center.”
Tickets for RFA 11 – Manzanares vs. Makovsky are on sale NOW and available throughwww.TicketHorse.com or by calling 866.461.6556. Colorado customers can dial locally at 303-53HORSE.
Tickets start at just $25. For VIP status, eight-seat catered cage-side VIP tables are available by calling 303-521-0966. Doors for RFA 11 – Manzanares vs. Makovsky open at 5:30 p.m. MT; first bout starts at 6:00 p.m. MT and the main card goes live on AXS TV at 8:00 p.m. MT / 10:00 p.m. ET.
Manzanares is coming off a crowd pleasing affair this summer with highly touted-flyweight prospect Steve Swanson, who is the older brother of UFC star Cub Swanson. They engaged in a nonstop war at RFA 9, both standing and on the ground, before Manzanares locked in a fight-ending armbar from the guard at 3:37 of Round 2. The Cheyenne, Wyoming native is a former Junior Olympian boxer, who fought future boxing world champions Victor Ortiz and Devon Alexander during his time fighting in the squared circle. Prior to his scheduled fight with former RFA flyweight champion and current UFC star Sergio Pettis in March, that was scrapped due to an injury, Pettis stated: Matt and I are the two best flyweight strikers in all of MMA. Manzanares has since added to his knowledge of the sweet science with a well-rounded attack making him one of the most dangerous flyweight MMA fighters in the world today.
Manzanares is excited about fighting for his first world title just short ride from his home down the I-25.
To fight for a world title has been my goal since I started training when I was 8-years-old, stated Manzanares. To fight a former world champion in my backyard makes me hungry to prove that I’m one of the best flyweights in the world. I’m looking forward to putting on a show for the fans and taking that title back to Wyoming.
Former bantamweight world champion Zach Fun Size Makovsky will be looking to play the foil in front of the local fans, as he travels from his native Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, looking to establish himself as one of the premier flyweight fighters in the world. He will be doing this after already proving to be one of the best bantamweight fighters in the sport. Makovsky is a former NCAA Division I wrestler at Drexel University and was the captain of the Dragons during his senior season. He went on to fight for various top MMA promotions around the world, including the EliteXC, DEEP, and Bellator where he won the Season 3 bantamweight 8-man tournament to become the first-ever bantamweight champion for the promotion. After compiling a 6-2 record for the promotion, he decided he was better suited to compete as a flyweight once the division began receiving its long-overdue attention. Makovsky won his flyweight debut in May and will now look to add flyweight gold to his already impressive trophy case.
Makovsky spoke about the opportunity to fight Manzanares for the RFA flyweight title.
Manzanares is athletic, has good speed, and a very good boxing background. He’s no joke, Makovsky explained. That’s the kind of fighter I want to fight to prove I’m among the best flyweights in the world. Any time you get to fight for a world title it’s a pretty special thing. Fighting for a title in the RFA is even sweeter, since it has a great reputation among fighters and they always get fighters to the next level.
The next level that Manzanares and Makovsky will be looking to get to is the UFC, which is where former RFA flyweight stars Tim Elliott and Sergio Pettis currently ply their trade. In fact, the fighters who won the first three RFA main events of 2013 are now signed by the UFC. In total, all six RFA alum who are currently affiliated with the UFC (Tim Elliott, James Krause, Brandon Thatch, Sergio Pettis, Chris Holdsworth, and Jessamyn Duke) will be active for the promotion in November either in the UFC or on their hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. On November 22nd, Manzanares and Makovsky will look to join that group by winning RFA gold.
RFA 11 will also feature another familiar names facing a blue chip prospect. The co-main event will see four-time UFC veteran Alvin Robinson (14-7) fight in front of his home crowd two months after winning a local lightweight title with a 42-second armbar. The Denver native, who is a black belt in jiu-jitsu under UFC Hall of Fame member Royce Gracie, will now be facing one of the top featherweight prospects in the sport.
The RFA is the gateway to the UFC. If I can go into the cage, perform on November 22nd, and get a dominant win, I’ll be knocking on the door to the UFC, stated Robinson. 145 is my weight class and I’m ready to prove that one fight at a time. I know it’s another tough fight, another tough opponent, but I’m confident I will come out with my hand raised.
Waiting for Robinson on November 22nd will be fellow BJJ black belt Raoni Barcelos (7-0), who is a highly-decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner (multiple-time IBJJF world champion) and freestyle wrestler (member of the Brazilian national wrestling team). Barcelos is the son of 7th degree BJJ coral belt Laerte Barcelos. He has won the Shooto – Brazil featherweight title and currently trains alongside current UFC champions Jose Aldo and Renan Barão and will be making his American-soil MMA debut.
I am excited and honored to fight for the RFA. This will be my first fight in the United States and I look forward to showing the world what I can do, Barcelos proclaimed. I train with the best in the world and my hard work will pay off at RFA 11. The fans will see a great fight on November 22nd!
The entire main card of RFA 11 – Manzanares vs. Makovsky will be televised live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, November 22nd. RFA 11 will be the promotion’s second event in the state of Colorado this year. More fights for RFA 11 will be announced soon.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook atFacebook.com/RFAfighting and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
