CADILLAC \u2014 Zach Howe hopes he is helping fill a need for fans of combat sports and those looking for something to do.<\/p>\n
Howe is part of 2 Piece Promotions, which has been offering live mixed martial arts events around the state over the past few years. The promotion showcases both amateur and professional fighters and on March 7 will host another event at The Wex, titled \u201cWar at the Wex.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be our fifth show at the venue in Cadillac. There used to be fights before the state had sanctions,\u201d Howe said. \u201cMany of the promotions fell off because they have to be legal and have insurance. The MMA industry in Michigan took a dive and now we have about five promotions.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the state, and in particular northern Michigan, has a lot of good fighting talent, so 2 Piece Promotions decided to help fill the void. One of the up-and-comers is the promotion\u2019s heavyweight champion, Lucas Armand, who will defend his title at the upcoming show against Cameron Graham.<\/p>\n
Currently, Howe said there are 17 fights scheduled on the card, though not all may take place. He said fighters must weigh in, make weight and meet bloodwork requirements. Of the 17 matches, five will be title fights. Those include Armand defending his professional heavyweight title, as well as bouts for the professional flyweight title and the amateur bantamweight, flyweight and featherweight titles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is a big thing for the area to have live entertainment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n