
Helster- Ultimate Cage Fighters returns to action on Saturday, May 12, at the Starland Ballroom located at 570 Jernee Mill Road in Sayreville, New Jersey.
This is the second outing for the Helster promotion, which is quickly gaining recognition as one of the East Coast's top amateur fight leagues. In creating Helster MMA Fight League, promoter Carl Knapp felt he could take the local MMA scene to the next level.
"I've been involved in martial arts and mixed martial arts for awhile," Knapp explained, "and my partner Karen has been involved in mixed martial arts and for a long time. We went to some amateur shows and after watching some of these shows, we thought that this is something that we would be interested in doing, and something we could improve upon. We kind of had a vision to do the amateur shows bigger and better. That's not a knock on anybody out there. We just thought we could do a good show, a good promotion that would give amateur fighters a chance to fight in a professional atmosphere, and really give them a shot to showcase their talents. That's the way it got started."
Their first show, held last October, was a smashing success. This one should be even better.
"I think the promotion is growing well," Carl said. "This is our second show and it's significantly bigger than the first show was. In terms of the quality of the fighters and the schools we've been drawing for this second event, we're really happy with the way that's come along. We have another show scheduled for October, and the goal is that that show will be even bigger than this one. "
The card for the May 12 event is stacked with fighters from some of the best camps in the area. And titles will be on the line.
"We've got a full card, sixteen fights," Carl said. "We have four title fights, and the guys fighting for the titles are all experienced and well rounded. Some of these guys have six fights plus, so we're excited about that. It's hard to find amateurs with that kind of record. We have been actively seeking out the highest caliber fighters in the area. We've got some of the top schools competing; schools from all over the area, New York, New Jersey, a couple of PA schools will be represented. We have fighters from Renzo Gracie PA, Renzo Gracie Holmdel NJ, Renzo Gracie/Silver Fox, Ocean County Jiu-Jitsu, AMA Fight Club, Nick Cattone's school, Fusion MMA. We're really happy with the turnout on this one."
The participation of so many top schools is telling. Helster – Ultimate Cage Fighters is all about creating a high level experience for the fighters, and the fans at their shows.
"What we're really trying to do is to make each show bigger and better," Carl explained. "We want these fighters to get a first class experience when they fight for us. We don't spare any expense on these shows. We spend a lot of money, but it's really all about promoting the fighters and giving them the chance to get out there and get in front of a big crowd with the lights and the cameras and the ring girls, and really have a first class experience. For fighters looking to work their way up the ladder and turn pro, we think this is a great spot for them to start and get a feel for what it's like under the big lights."
Not only do the fighters have a great time at Helster MMA events, the fans do too. And for this event, they are coming back in droves.
"We're gonna have a packed house," Carl said. "At this point it looks like we've got a thousand-plus coming. There's going to be a lot of energy in the building, a lot of action. And it's going to be a good time for everyone. "
For more information about Helster MMA Fight League, visit their website at helstermma.com or for tickets visit www.StarlandBallroom.com or call Karen 215-527-9712.