 Knoxville, TN — Xtreme Fighting Alliance made history with its first-ever Pro/Am event, XFA 02, held in front of a packed house in Knoxville, Tennessee. The night was filled with high-level action and breakout performances, none more memorable than the inaugural Amateur Flyweight Championship bout between Kam Lawson (2-1) of Grunt Kickboxing in Nebraska and Caleb Nelson (debut) of Victory Martial Arts in Kentucky.
From the opening bell, both men came out firing, immediately setting a blistering pace. The clear height difference between Nelson and Lawson was apparent, but Lawson showed no hesitation in pressing forward and closing the gap. Throughout the first round, Lawson’s constant forward pressure and sharp combinations dictated the action, while Nelson remained composed and showed impressive poise for a debuting fighter. Still, Round 1 was a clear win for Lawson, whose aggression and control set the tone for the fight.
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 Knoxville, TN - XFA 02 marked a milestone event as the first-ever Pro/Am card in Xtreme Fighting Alliance history, and one of the evening’s most anticipated amateur bouts came in the lightweight division as Blackeye Athletics’ Brock Ellison made his MMA debut against Temple Underground’s Dante Singh.
On paper, it was the classic striker versus grappler matchup. Ellison entered the cage with a perfect 3–0 kickboxing record, bringing confidence and sharp stand-up skills. Across from him stood Singh, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt with an extensive grappling competition background, eager to test his ground game against a proven striker.  Knoxville, TN - The Xtreme Fighting Alliance returned to Knoxville for XFA 02, marking the promotion’s first-ever Pro/Am event — a major milestone in XFA’s rapid rise across Tennessee’s mixed martial arts scene. Among the evening’s early highlights was an exciting amateur matchup at 130 pounds between two debuting fighters: Torch MMA and Fitness’s Muhammed Karim and independent competitor Anakin Moreland.
When the opening bell sounded, Moreland came out fast and aggressive, launching wild combinations in an attempt to overwhelm his opponent. Karim remained composed under pressure and capitalized on the chaos with a perfectly timed takedown, bringing the action to the mat early in the first round.  Knoxville, TN - XFA made history in Knoxville, Tennessee, hosting its very first Pro/Am event on August 15th at the iconic World’s Fair Park. Among the action-packed lineup was a thrilling amateur featherweight kickboxing bout between Titus Humbert (1-0) of Grunt Kickboxing and Brantley Henard (Debut) of Bristol Jiu-Jitsu.
From the opening bell, the energy inside the venue was electric. Both fighters came out sharp, displaying crisp technique and composure. The first round was tightly contested, with Humbert appearing to be the more accurate striker, but Henard matching his intensity and landing several clean shots of his own.  Knoxville, TN – History was made at the Knoxville World’s Fair Park as XFA 02 became the first-ever Pro/Am event under the Xtreme Fighting Alliance banner. Among the night’s standout contests was a thrilling amateur kickboxing bout between two promising young athletes: Steven Pannell (Shield Systems, 1-0) and Jonathan Shipp (Victory Martial Arts, 0-0-1).
Round 1: Tactical Start with Fireworks Both fighters wasted no time setting a blistering pace. Pannell pushed forward with intensity, throwing volume and forcing exchanges, while Shipp relied on his length, karate background, and sharp kicking arsenal to maintain range. Using his height and reach, Shipp was able to dictate much of the opening frame with well-timed kicks and control of distance. Judges likely leaned the first round in his favor.  Knoxville, TN – Xtreme Fighting Alliance (XFA) made history with its first-ever Pro/Am event at the Knoxville World’s Fair, showcasing a night of explosive action and memorable debuts. Among the standout moments was a colossal amateur super heavyweight clash between Kuzushi Club Dalton’s Tyler Cooper and independent fighter from Rockwood, TN, Adam Moreland.
Both athletes were making their amateur MMA debuts, but they carried impressive credentials into the cage. Cooper entered with a perfect 6-0 record in boxing, while Moreland brought his size and local pride, weighing in at a massive 369.2 pounds against Cooper’s 346.8 pounds. The stage was set for a true super heavyweight showdown, and the crowd was electric with anticipation.  Knoxville, TN – The first-ever Pro/Am XFA event at the historic Knoxville World’s Fair site delivered on its promise of action, and one of the evening’s most exciting matchups came early in the night when two teenagers made their competitive debuts in an amateur kickboxing bout at 155 pounds.
Victory Martial Arts’ Jaxon Jones squared off against Maverick Training Center’s Kale Kendrick, and from the opening bell the two young fighters put on a show for the Knoxville crowd. The pace was high from start to finish, with both athletes throwing a barrage of wild kicks and aggressive combinations that kept the fans on their feet. |
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November 2025
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