Throughout Arizona, fans have been raving about Eddie ‘Crazy Face’ Arizmendi (14-4), watching him grow and mature as a fighter in the local ranks. Now signed to M-1 Global, the Apex Gym warrior makes his debut at M-1 Challenge: Bennett vs. Garner from The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California, Friday, July 8, live on Showtime starting at 11 p.m. ET (delayed on the West Coast). When the bell rings to start the action Arizmendi will stand opposite Captain ‘G.I’ Jason Norwood (11-2) and aims to break the US Army’s unshakeable will.
The 25 year old Native American of Mexican heritage is Tucson’s middleweight gem; standing a solid 6’ 3”, Arizmendi was a previously top-ranked high school football quarterback and the talented warrior still hits up the field during his training ‘downtime’. But it was a trip to a local fight card with his father that inspired him to dedicate his life completely to mixed martial arts and he hasn’t looked back since.
Training out of Apex Gym with trainer Joey Rivera and under the management and guidance of Sky Andren of Fight Legion Inc., Arizmendi is the former RITC champion and rides a momentous eight-fight streak into Costa ‘Mesa, California; for the first time in his so-far illustrious career as the ‘big fish in the little pond’, ’Crazy Face’ takes his amped-up fighting style head-on into the next level of competition.
Transitioning from the regional to National / International caliber of opposition should come easy for the talented warrior; his game is decorated with a versatile submission arsenal and he packs potent striking backed up with knock-out power. What stands out specifically about his style is the evident controlled anger and rage that is interwoven through all his elements.
His versatility is simply impressive and it seems he’s never at a loss when it comes to transitioning from boxing to wrestling to BJJ. Standing up, he throws combinations with laser-guided precision; wrestling, he can scoop a single or double leg effortlessly and rain heavy G&P bombs; submissions; slick and fluid.
Above all else, Arizmendi is a finisher; of his 14 wins, he’s seen the judges’ scorecards only twice – that’s a finishing average of nearly 86%, a stat intoxicating to the M-1 executive brass and a perfect fit with M-1’s reputation for producing action-packed events.
As the night’s telecast kick-off bout, Arizmendi’s Arizona fan-base will be tuning in intently to watch their hometown boy make the jump to the big league against Norwood, a twisted testament to the saying: ‘hate to see you leave but love to watch you go.’
M-1 Challenge: Bennett vs. Garner airs LIVE on SHOWTIME on Friday, July 8 at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and is headlined by the rematch between the 2010 M-1 Selection Americas Tournament heavyweight finalists Pat Bennett (4-2) and Kenny ‘Deuce’ Garner (6-3).
