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MMA event coming to St. Lucy on Wednesday
By Greg Gulas
CAMPBELL
A 13-bout MMA card featuring seven undefeated fighters and seven who will be making their cage debuts is set for Wednesday at St. Lucy Palermo Banquet Center, 394 Tenney Avenue, Campbell.
Joe Iorio (2-0) and Dalton Rosta (3-0), both New Castle natives, meet in the main event at 205 pounds while heavyweight Tracy Wiant (7-4) of Clarion is set to take on Cleveland’s James Rankin (6-3) in the co-main of the St. Lucy’s Fight Night 10 show.
“I’m really excited about our two locals, Dalton Rosta and Joe Iorio as they go up against one another,” said Chuck Haskell of Steel Valley Promotions. “Both fighters are undefeated and each wants to remain that way when they exit the ring. This has become such a great hometown rivalry with both fighters looking to continue their rise in the MMA ranks.”
Iorio has been impressive in his two cage matchups, but realizes that he will have to be at his best against Rosta.
“I’m ready and cannot wait as this has been a long time coming,” Iorio said. “I have been preparing daily and am ready to go to war.”
A 2015 Laurel High School graduate, Rosta sports a 4-0 mark as an amateur boxer, has over 100 wrestling matches under his belt and went 23-4 on the mat his freshman year (2015-16) at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa.
He currently attends Youngstown State University where he is majoring in finance.
“It will be over the first minute of the fight. The records don’t mean much because he’s not the same caliber as me,” Rosta said. “I train in everything and he doesn’t train like I do. I feel like I am better than him in every aspect. He doesn’t impress me.”
In the co-main, the 35 year-old Wiant is looking to go out a winner in what is expected to be his last ever cage fight.
“It’s my last time around and I just look forward to a good war,” Wiant said. “I expect this to be a good fight because James and I match up really well. I also expect to have some fun.”
Next to Wiant, Rankin has the most fights under his belt and has a two-match win streak he’s hoping to keep alive.
“I’m just primed to come in and wreck shop,” Rankin said. “It’s unfortunate that this is his last fight because I don’t see him retiring as a winner.”
Advance general admission tickets are $25 ($30 at the door). Limited VIP tables and cage-side seating still available.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight scheduled for 7:30.
More information can be obtained by calling Haskell and Steel Valley Promotions at 724-699-1725, or by visiting www.steelvalleypromotions.com.