New Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Venture Features Hardened Ex-Cons Against War Heroes, Police Officers And Other Heroes

Cage vs. Cons 1 scheduled for May 21 at the Los Angeles Sport Arena, along with 7-hour underground hip-hop festival

LOS ANGELES, March 28, 2011 -- A new mixed-martial arts venture will debut May 21 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena featuring nothing-to-lose ex-convicts against hard-hitting police officers, war veterans, firefighters, and other heroes.

Cage vs. Cons 1 will provide fans with instant rivalries, mouth-dropping storylines, and identifiable heroes and villains—all combining to create fights that overflow with a savage energy unmatched in the MMA world.

Cage vs. Cons is steeped in street credibility. Its co-founder, Michael Lynch, is an ex-con who spent five years in California Youth Authority and six years in prison before reinventing himself as the entrepreneurial force behind Felony Fights and Cage vs. Cons.

The major event on the 10-fight May card features Los Angeles Police Department Officer Ismael Gonzalez (9-8-2) against "Notorious" Rick Slaton (10-2-1). Slaton, a heavily tattooed ex-con known for his aggressive style and hard punching, jumped at the chance to fight a police officer.

Among the heroes fighting are Gonzo, a former Marine squad leader and machine gunner who fought in Iraq. He was a high school football star and 31-0 as a wrestler in his senior year, but passed up many college scholarships to join the Marines after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The San Clemente resident served eight years in the Marines and was selected to be one of the pallbearers at President Ronald Reagan's funeral.

Another ex-con on the card is Ralph "The Pelican Bay Bomber" Aau, a 28-year-old who served six years in notorious Pelican Bay State Prison for attempted murder and carjacking. There, he joined a prison gang and fought for his life many times, including one battle that left his opponent with an estimated 60 stab wounds.

A world-class hip-hop music festival kicks off the day-long entertainment, featuring such cutting-edge artists as Too Short, the Dogg Pound, E40, Psycho Realm, Killah Priest from Wu Tang Clan, Shabazz the Disciple and Big Twins from Mobb Deep.

Source: Cage vs. Cons