All the general public sees are the punches and kicks at Kaua‘i Mixed Martial Arts events. But there’s much more to the actual ring time and Kaua‘i fight promoter Vance Pascua can attest to that very notion. “I’m a travel
All the general public sees are the punches and kicks at Kaua‘i Mixed Martial Arts events.
But there’s much more to the actual ring time and Kaua‘i fight promoter Vance Pascua can attest to that very notion.
“I’m a travel agent, fight coordinator, psychologist, promoter, negotiator and more when it comes to setting up an event,” Pascua said.
Pascua, owner of the popular Ainofea clothing line and Ainofea.com, picked up a huge following for his Garden Isle MMA Cage Matches, which begins its fourth round on Aug. 5 at Hanapepe Stadium.
“There’s so much involved,” Pascua said. “It’s getting so big, we actually built up a staff of about 10 people, like a technical director, security personnel, a staff person, a travel agent and the list goes on and on. They take a lot off my back, but I’m really grateful for them.”
Pascua’s first two MMA events were indoors at Kapa‘a High School’s Bernice Hundley Gymnasium, but the last competition was held outdoors, as the upcoming edition will be.
“As the third show came up, we decided to try Hanapepe Stadium for security reasons and other issues and sure enough, it filled up,” Pascua said. “If we had a Blaisdell-type of arena on the island, we could accommodate more people.”
Pascua said the last show was a near-sellout with around 3,000 individuals in attendance.
“A lot of the people have to trust your show to bring people down,” he said. “They know they’ll be safe and taken care of. We’ve got that good reputation where people statewide and in the Mainland respect us.”
Just like a movie sequel, Pascua tries to make better of each fight as the months go by.
“We’re constantly trying to make it better than the last show,” Pascua said. “Everyone’s expectations are so high. Luckily we got a tight community on Kaua‘i. That’s the advantage and we really stress trying to bring some Kaua‘i kids to UFC level.”
In past cage matches, Kaua‘i fighters have fared extremely well against Mainland competition.
Koloa’s Eben Kaneshiro, who trounced Team Miletich’s Joe Pearson in the first round of the main bout on March 25, is one of many Garden Isle fighters making it big.
“I bring in the fighters who are good up there and Kaua‘i boys are beating them,” Pascua said.
But in any event, there’s always huge challenges to deal with.
“Holding the fight card together is the toughest part,” Pascua said. “Sometimes fighters can’t make the weight or they drop out. The card is always changing up until the last minute. We also have to deal with the personalities of every fighter. They’ve got certain demands, but you take everything with a grain of salt for the most part and you gotta love it.”
The event also pumps money back into the local economy.
“Everybody benefits,” Pascua said. “The whole island gets involved.”
Although bringing fighters down from all over the country may seem hard to do, Pascua said to lure of coming to one of the most beautiful places in the world makes it much simpler.
“It’s so demanding, but all the fighters love to come to Kaua‘i. They’d rather fight here than in Oklahoma. To them it’s a vacation as well.”
For Pascua, the ultimate question is how long is he willing to continue to bring MMA events to the island?
“It’s something I love and for a part-time job I love to do it,” he said. “So long there’s a need for it. That’s my gauge. If there’s a demand for it, we’ll continue to do it. People come up to me daily and ask about it. The driving factor is the public.”
Just watching the local fighters grow with each event makes Pascua hungry to keep it going.
“A lot of these boys were trouble makers, but this keeps them out of trouble, plus we’re bringing some entertainment to the island,” he said.
But despite the rising popularity of the sport, there still remains a host of individuals against MMA events.
“We still get people who oppose it,” Pascua said. “But I’d tell them to learn first before you judge. I don’t think I’ll change everyone’s mind. If you don’t like it, come out and just try and watch it. It’s a sport with rules and judges. We’re always going to face the opposition, but at least with the community coming out and supporting us it’s a good thing.”
Tickets for the event are now for sale at Hair Razors (Lihu‘e), Meyvn Skate Shop (Lihu‘e), Tropical Tantrun (Kapa‘a), Dynamic Tinting (Puhi), Progressive Expressions (Koloa), Sweet and Sassy (‘Ele‘ele), Quicksilva’s Gym (Hanama‘ulu), Wong’s Restaurant (Hanapepe), Tutu’s Cafe (Kalaheo) and M&H Repair (Waimea).
General admission tickets are $25 and $30 at the door. Ringside seats are $35. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m.
On Aug. 4, there will be a special weigh-in ceremony at Kuku‘i Grove Center, beginning around 5:30 p.m.
• Duane Shimogawa Jr., sports editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or kauaisports@kauaipubco.com.
