The All-American Field House in Monroeville will play host to an evening of mixed martial arts competition on Sept. 14, and Allen Levine, the founder of Pittsburgh-based Coliseum Combat Zone, is excited to host what he feels will be a full evening of intense fight action.
“I love promoting people on my show, and I love helping people,” said Levine, who has hosted the award-winning Pittsburgh Sportsline every Tuesday evening for more than a decade on Bethel Park Public Access TV.
“These fighters are excited to make bigger names for themselves.”
Levine said his goal is to make this event happen for a number of professional and amateur fighters to give them the opportunity to perform in a professionally staged venue.
This is state-sanctioned Coliseum Combat Zone’s inaugural MMA event. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the first fight will start at 7. Levine hopes to have a card of up to 14 fights, including four pro contests.
There is one women’s pro fight and one women’s amateur fight scheduled, and Levine said a third women’s fight could be finalized.
Levine said it is expected to be the largest MMA event held in Pittsburgh since 2017.
MMA is a full-contact sport where fighters use combat techniques such as striking, finishing holds and control to achieve dominance over their opponents.
“This event will be kicking off a slate of MMA fights that will give local fans an up-close and and personal view of one of the world’s fastest-growing sports,” Levine said.
“We are promising an exhilarating experience where fans will be so close to the action that they can almost feel the energy of the punches and kicks.”
A half-dozen fights already are finalized. Cheyenne Hall and Elijah Davis from the Mat Factory in Lower Burrell and Bryan Hess from Stout Fight Promotions in the Strip District are three of the local talents who will put their abilities on display.
Levine said the event will be like what one would see at a UFC card with a concert atmosphere with state-of-the-art lighting and colored lasers spotlighting and highlighting the MMA cage.
Two jumbo screens will show fighter interviews, the fights as they happen and replays.
Smokin’ Jim Frazier, who played football for and graduated from Gateway High School and who is a co-host with Levine on Pittsburgh Sportsline, will serve as the ring announcer.
“He presents himself really well and can pump up a crowd,” Levine said.
Levine said he is looking forward to the 30-second interviews with each of the fighters shown on the big screens before they enter the cage.
“We want to give local MMA fighters the respect they deserve,” he said.
“We want to help fighters get more recognition, improve their fighting conditions and highlight their performance. We want to make it enjoyable for them as well as the audience. This is a unique approach to MMA matches that has not been done in the past locally.”
Levine said several seating options will be available, and he hopes to see more than 1,000 spectators in attendance.
He also hopes to build on momentum from this event and host two MMA cards next year.
The venue for Sept. 14’s card will have 900 general admission seats at $50 each, 500 reserved at $75 apiece, and 100 VIP seats at $125 per seat. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the National Kidney Foundation serving the Allegheny region.
For tickets, visit coliseumcombatzone.com or eventbrite.com.
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.