For The Sentinel

LEMOORE - Tachi Palace Fights will kick off its inaugural fight card on Thursday with a bang, as local favorite Chad Mendes of Hanford headlines the "Most Wanted" event at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.

Mendes (4-0), a 145-pounder, is a highly rated prospect out of Urijah Faber's Ultimate Fitness Gym and has been talked up as one of the future stars of the sport.

The event was originally schedule to take place in the Palace Bingo Hall, but the high demand for tickets pushed the event outdoors.

Mendes will take on Bend, Ore.'s Mike Joy (7-4), who has fought a who's who of mixed martial arts fighters. His only losses are to John Gunderson (21-6), Rich Crunkilton (16-2), Douglas Evans (8-5) and Enoch Wilson (12-4-1).

"I think that I have the advantage, because I have a lot more fights. I'm going to have the experience on my side," said Joy, who last fought in August, dispatching Joshua Henry (7-3-1) by majority decision.

"I'd like to keep the fight standing. I know that he's been working on his hands, but once I hit him I think he will revert back to what he knows and that's wrestling. If he takes me down, whatever, I'll sub him."

Mendes and Joy are joined on the card by one of the fastest rising MMA stars Porterville's Joe Soto (7-0), who fights in one of the feature bouts of the night against Sacramento's Mike Christenson (4-0).

Soto is the Bellator Fighting Championship featherweight Champion and like Mendes wrestled in the Central Valley before moving on to college and now MMA.

Mendes was originally schedule to face San Diego's Chance Farrar (7-2), but Farrar was forced to pull out of the bout with an injury. Joy took the fight on just four weeks notice.

"I've watched some tape on Joy and he's a scrappy wrestler. He has a good top game and is solid," Mendes said. "He likes to bang on the feet, but he's not too technical. I think that this is definitely my toughest test and I think this is a tougher fight than Farrar was."

Mendes last saw action at the Palace in July when he knocked out Steven Siler (11-7).

"I love fighting at home at the Palace. I get to fight in front of all my friends and family and it's just a great place to fight," Mendes said.

In the co-main event, Las Vegas welterweight War Machine (10-2) takes on Santa Rosa's David Mitchell (7-0).

"This is one of the best fight cards that has been put together in the Central Valley to date," said Tachi Palace Fights matchmaker Richard Goodman. "Mendes vs. Joy could main event several cards across the country. Then you add fighters like War Machine, Ulysses Gomez, David Mitchell and Jessica Rakoczy ... this card is stacked."

In other bouts:

l Porterville featherweight Joe Soto (7-0) vs. Sacramento's Mike Christenson (4-0).

l Lemoore welterweight Poppies Martinez (16-5) vs. Porterville's Tony Llamas (8-10).

l Oakdale bantamweight Michael McDonald (7-1) vs. Huntington Beach's Carlos Garces (3-1).

l Las Vegas flyweight Jessica Rakoczy (0-0) vs. Sacramento's Michelle Ould (3-2)

l Exeter featherweight Chris Tangonan (2-0) vs. Coalinga's Francisco Loredo (3-5).

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and fights start at 6 p.m.

The weighins will take place Wednesday at the Palace's Sunset Lounge located on the first floor of the Palace across from the Coyote Grille. Weigh-ins are slated to begin at 5 p.m. and fans are encourage to come mingle with the fighters.

Tickets can be purchased at www.tickets.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop and start at a low price of just $20 for general admission seating.

(Oct. 5, 2009)