In a sport in which fight promotions constantly seek ways to stand
out from the pack, a Mexico-based startup has set its sights very
high indeed.
In comparison to many other sports, mixed martial arts is still in
its infancy, but ever since the
Ultimate Fighting Championship established its dominance three
decades ago with its iconic name, trademark eight-sided cage and
catchphrases like “As Real As It Gets,” would-be rivals across the
globe have looked for innovative alternatives. Those efforts have
ranged from interesting experiments like YAMMA Pit Fighting, the brainchild of UFC co-creator
Bob Meyrowitz which took place in a concave bowl-shaped enclosure,
all the way to bizarre spectacles like M-1 Global
presenting medieval knight fights in Russia where combatants faced
off in full medieval armor with swords and shields in a ring.
On May 30, a new innovation will be introduced to the sport, as
Aeternum Fight League will host its inaugural event at the World Trade Center
in Mexico City. The tag line of Aeternum 1, “The Highest MMA Fight
Ever,” refers to elevation, as Mexico City is the one of the
highest capital cities in the world at roughly 7200 feet above sea
level.
Speaking specifically of mixed martial arts, Mexico City is the
highest city where organized MMA takes place on any regular basis
and easily the highest the UFC has ever visited. However,
Aeternum’s organizers plan to outdo even those events: Aeternum 1
will take place at the Mirador, a tourist destination on the 46th
floor of Mexico City’s World Trade Center. That location promises a
breathtaking view of the city’s skyline—and will add another 803
feet to the elevation, enough to secure a place in the Guinness
Book of World Records.
In speaking about his upcoming event, Aeternum CEO Dylan Marino
acknowledged that the “highest” catchphrase for the debut show is
about branding and attention. However, his comments made it clear
that the promotion itself is no gimmick, but a well-planned effort
at improving combat sports in Latin America.
“During a conversation with a friend named Misael, we were
brainstorming for innovative ideas on how we could come in with a
new approach,” Marino said. “He mentioned hosting an event at the
Mirador in the World Trade Center as it could be a record-breaking,
innovative event due to the height of the building. We did our
research and confirmed it would, indeed, be the highest event in
mixed martial arts history. I give him all credit for the idea. We
will have a full production team on hand as our event will air on
Hi Sports TV and will also be streamed live on our official YouTube
channel. Due to the setup, we will only have capacity for an
attendance of approximately 300 people. However, for future events
we will look to expand the capacity.
“Our goal is to make a new alternative in Mexican mixed martial
arts,” he added. “We want to give fighters more opportunities to
compete and showcase their talents on a new high-level platform.
Now we are focused on making an impact and marking a difference in
Mexican mixed martial arts. Once we accomplish that, we will be
looking to expand to across Latin America.”
The first edition of Aeternum Fight League takes place on May 30 at
the World Trade Center in Mexico City. The seven-fight card, which
will stream in its entirely on the Aeternum Fight
League YouTube channel, features Mexican as well as
international talent and will be headlined by bantamweights
Diego
Gomez Manzur (Chile) and Jhon Tacha
(Colombia.)
Bantamweight: Diego
Gomez Manzur (12-1) vs. Jhon Tacha
(13-3)
Flyweight: Fernanda
Munoz (9-3) vs. Fernanda
Larios (6-3)
Flyweight: Einar
Gonzalez (7-1) vs. Osvaldo
Segura (8-2)
Featherweight: Luis Ceron
(12-14) vs. Isaac
Ruelas (7-8)
Welterweight: Luis
Marquez (6-5) vs. Kevin
Arreola (4-3)
Strawweight: Nadia Vera
(6-5-1) vs. Ariadne
Uriega (3-1)
Flyweight: Carlos
Jimenez (0-0) vs. Cesar
Bourjac (1-2)