Devastation Fight Night features 17 matches on tonight's card

~ The promoter has two more bouts scheduled for Cape Girardeau this year.

Paul Farwig believes those who attend tonight's Devastation Fight Night event at the A.C. Brase Arena Building will like what they see.

In fact, Farwig is banking on it so much he already has two more events on his calendar for Cape Girardeau this year -- one for March 31 and another for Sept. 22.

"We've got a good evening planned so far, and everyone down there has been really good to deal with," Farwig said Friday while on his way to a weigh-in event at Buffalo Wild Wings. "I think everyone who sees it is going to tell other people about it and we're going to get a lot of interest."

The mixed martial arts card is tentatively set for 17 bouts, with three championships for the St. Louis-based Devastation Fight Club. The championship fights, which will be scattered throughout the night, will be for the welterweight, featherweight and light heavyweight titles. In addition, the night is expected to end with a match in the heavyweight division, which is 265 pounds.

Tickets are available today at A.C. Brase Arena with packages ranging from $20 bleacher seating to $70 for seats with drinks and food.

Mixed martial arts returned to the Cape Girardeau area for the first time in years last week with a card sponsored by the Eagles Aerie 3775 at the Eagles club. That event featured some boxing as well as mixed martial arts in a ring.

Tonight's event is in a cage, which Farwig said makes a difference to some.

"We have people call and ask us if these are in a cage or a ring," Farwig said.

The night's card is sanctioned by St. Louis-based Kick International.

Farwig said the MMA features athletes with backgrounds in many forms of fighting. The light heavyweight bout, for instance, features Kris Coffin, who has been a personal trainer for body builders, and Ste. Genevieve resident Booker DeRousse, who was a high school wrestler.

"Both are trained in jiu-jitsu; Muay Thai, which is a form of kickboxing; boxing and wrestling," Farwig said.