Sean Lujan - Feel Like a Rock Star

By John Fullilove, Jackson's MMA Series

Jackson’s MMA Series: What is your role here at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel Albuquerque?

Sean Lujan:  I’m the special events manager for the Hard Rock Casino Hotel Albuquerque and I put together all the Mixed Martial Arts, Boxing, Concerts, and Entertainment events.  I put together all the special events.

Jackson’s MMA Series: What is the purpose of special events here at the Hard Rock Casino Hotel Albuquerque?

Sean Lujan:  The Hard Rock name is legendary for music entertainment.  We’ve gone beyond that here with the new Hard Rock here in Albuquerque to put together events that are not only strategic but also a little out of the box with a rock star type atmosphere.  We try to create that atmosphere for our guests and for those who are part of the entertainment.

Ray Robinson - Go Big or Go Home!

By John Fullilove, Jackson's MMA Series

Jackson’s MMA Series:   Where are you from?

Ray Robinson:  I was born and raised in Tempe, Arizona.

Jackson’s MMA Series:   What kind of sports did you participate in?

Ray Robinson:   I wrestled and did jiu-jitsu with my cousins, pretty much all my life.

Jackson’s MMA Series:   Does your family have a background in jiu-jitsu?

Ray Robinson:   No, they just studied different martial arts when I was little, little kid.  My cousins were Brue Lee fans and my dad studied martial arts so I would just screw around with them up until I was able to compete.  I started to get further into wrestling.

Matt Madrid - "Gotta do it to feel it!"

By John Fullilove, Jackson's MMA Series

Jackson’s MMA Series:   Where are you from?

Matt Madrid:   Silver City, New Mexico.

Jackson’s MMA Series:   What sports have you participated in?

Matt Madrid:   I was a high school wrestler.

Jackson’s MMA Series:   What did you do after high school?

Matt Madrid:   I went straight into training for MMA.

Jackson’s MMA Series:   What got you interested in MMA?

Matt Madrid:   That one on one mentality.  It’s you and the other man and that’s it.  I used to watch a lot of the Thai fighting and that’s where it started.  Then the UFC’s took over after I started watching them.

Joe Torrez - Ready to Put on a Show

By John Fullilove,  Jackson's MMA Series

Jackson’s MMA Series:  Where are you from?

Joe Torrez: I was born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico

Jackson’s MMA Series:   What kind of sports did you participate in while growing up?

Joe Torrez:   In high school I wrestled a year and half.  I took wrestling seriously in my senior year and took 5th at state. 

Jackson’s MMA Series:   In high school were you interested in MMA?

Joe Torrez:   We used to watch it because when I was younger my family owned a mini-mart, and we used to have videos of the fights for sale there and we used to watch them.  It really didn’t interest me until I got out of high school when I was done competing in wrestling.  I thought it was real interesting and I had never seen anything like it. 

Sarah D'Alelio - Fighter From Washington

By John Fullilove, Jackson's MMA Series

Jackson’s   MMA Series:   Where are you from?
Sarah D'Alelio:   I’ve lived in Olympia, Washington for 14 years but I was born in Belfast, Maine.  I went from one side of the country to the other when I was 14 years old.  My parents moved because of the weather.  They moved from cold and snowy in the winters to cold and rainy in the winter.
 
Jackson’s MMA Series:   What are fight records, amateur and professional?
Sarah D'Alelio:   My professional record is 3-0.  My amateur record was 6-1.  They have all been MMA fights.
 
Jackson’s MMA Series:   Have you done any submission or grappling tournaments?
Sarah D'Alelio:   Up here we have the Revolution Tournament.  I did compete in that 6 or 7 times but it’s always the same people so I don't participate anymore.  I competed at the Sub League tournament in Oregon and won the absolute division for women.