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Empire Championship Series: Rise of the Champions – Weigh-In Recap & Full Fight Card
Get ready for an explosive night of fights as Empire Championship Series returns with their second event featuring three title bouts and rising stars from across the Southwest.
Event Overview
📍 Las Cruces, New Mexico
📸 Weigh-ins: Friday, June 20, 2025
🥊 Fight Night: Saturday, June 21, 2025 | Doors open at 3:00 PM | First fight at 4:00 PM
MMA Stalker is officially on the scene at Empire Championship Series: Rise of the Champions, making our debut coverage of this fast-rising promotion. This is Empire's second event, and from what we saw at weigh-ins, the energy is anything but amateur.
Fighters from across the Southwest hit the scale today, including a few familiar faces from Arizona we've covered before. And with three title fights on the main card, the stage is set for an explosive night at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces.
Stay tuned for full fight galleries, results, and highlight recaps — but first, here's a look at today's weigh-in action.
Title Fights
The main card features three exciting championship bouts:
Flyweight Title (125 lbs)
Christopher Tavares vs. Samuel Ortiz
Two of the division's most explosive athletes battle for the inaugural flyweight championship.
Heavyweight Title (265 lbs)
Brandon Yandell vs. Dylan Matthews
These heavyweight titans bring knockout power to this championship showdown.
Lightweight Title (155 lbs)
Devon Pepin vs. Mike Mikesell
The lightweight division's top contenders clash for gold in what promises to be a technical masterclass.
Full Fight Card
Amateur Title Fights
  • Heavyweight: Matthews (240.4) vs Yandell (225.2)
  • Lightweight: Pepin (153.2) vs Mikesell (154)
  • Flyweight: Tavares (126) vs Ortiz (124.8)
Professional Bouts
  • 175 lbs: Tovar (176.4) vs Sanders (175)
  • 155 lbs: Maynez (155.2) vs Rodriguez (155)
  • 135 lbs: Chavez (134.8) vs Gutierrez (135.4)
Amateur Prelims
  • 155 lbs: King (153.2) vs Arzate (154)
  • 155 lbs: Garcia-Marquez (153.2) vs Morales (155.4)
  • 135 lbs: Peinado (134.8) vs Valdez (135.5)
  • 125 lbs: Soto (125.8) vs Willard (123)
Ten electrifying matchups await fans at Empire Championship Series. The card features three amateur title fights and three professional bouts.
Event Details
Date & Time
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Doors: 3:00 PM
First Fight: 4:00 PM
Venue
Pan American Center
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM
Coverage
Follow MMA Stalker for live updates, results, and post-fight coverage throughout the weekend. We don't just cover the fight — we track the journey.