Porterville High's Shawn Klarcyk in MMA action

[jluchau]

Time for talk almost over for Bowen and Klarcyk

Lemoore, Calif. – A rivalry has been brewing in the bantamweight division for many years in Central California and on December 3 it will finally boil over, as Porterville, Calif.’s Shawn Klarcyk and Merced, Calif.’s Jesse Bowen meet in the Tachi Palace Fights cage.

Klarcyk (9-4) and Bowen (6-3) will be one of the more hotly contested bouts on the Tachi Palace Fights “Brawl In The Hall” mixed martial arts card, which features 11 bouts at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

“I know everything about him. We started fighting at about the same time. He’s fought a lot of the same people that I have. He’s lost to guys that I’ve beat,” Klarcyk said.

“No disrespect to him, it’s not like I hate him or whatever, but we do have some history. After I lost a fight to his teammate, he went around talking like he beat me. He’s been following around in my footsteps and in my shadow. It really seems like he has a chip on his shoulder.”

Tickets can be purchased at www.tickets.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop and start at a low price of just $30 for general admission seating.

Klarcyk is looking to break a 2-fight losing streak. Meanwhile, Bowen has won five straight fights and is one of the hottest prospects in Central California.

“During a recent interview on Cage Radio is when I first heard of this rivalry,” Bowen said. “He said I was a B-Level fighter and following in his footsteps. I guess we are going to handle it now on December 3.”

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and fights start at 6:30 p.m.

The weighins will take place at the Den Sports Bar located on the third floor of the Palace. Weighins are slated to begin at 5 p.m. and fans are encouraged to come mingle with the fighters.

“I think you can expect to see a lot of sprawl and brawl. I have decent wrestling and if it goes to the ground I think I can submit him. If we stay standing I know I can finish him there,” Bowen said.

Klarcyk is expecting a different type of fight.

“I see me being a bully, beating him up all over there place. I can control the fight where ever I want. I’m a tough wrestler and I know I have better boxing than he does,” Klarcyk said. “I see me stopping him with a TKO. I don’t want to submit him, I just want to beat him up and prove a point.”

In the main event, Parlier, Calif. middleweight Mike Moreno (5-2) takes on Parris, France’s Xavier Foupa-Pokam (20-11) and in the co-main event Las Vegas, Nev. featherweight Eddie Yagin (13-3-1) clashes Atlanta, Ga.’s Diego Saraiva (13-8-1).

In a pair of feature bouts, Parris, France’s Cyrille Diabate (14-6-1), who is a former coach on Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter” battles veteran light heavyweight Milwaukee, Wis.’s Rob Smith (20-13-1) and the up-and-coming flyweight sensation from Las Vegas, Nev.’s Ulysses Gomez (4-1) takes on Sioux Falls, S.D.’s Ben Nguyen (4-2).

In other bouts:

Santa Rosa, Calif. welterweight Kyle Pimentel (7-0) vs. Sacramento, Calif.’s Marcus Gains (6-7).

Clovis, Calif. featherweight John Reedy (8-3) vs. Seattle, Wash.’s Shad Lierely (5-2).

Lemoore, Calif. heavyweight Dashi Salas (1-0) vs. Fresno, Calif.’s Mike Guirdy (1-0).

Fresno, Calif. welterweight Luis Santos (35-4-1) vs. Salt Lake City, Utah’s Jake Paul (15-13).

Visalia, Calif. featherweight Cody Gibson (2-0) vs. Bakersfield, Calif.’s Justin Cummings (2-3).

Oakland, Calif. lightweight Romulo Melo (2-0) vs. TBA