Monster Promotions Ram At The Fights interview on October 10 card

Monster Promotions Ram At The Fights interview brought promoter Mike Martinez together with Ram At The Fights to discuss the October 10 Tips for Tatas card, its breast cancer awareness fundraiser and the promotion’s plans beyond Flagstaff. Martinez said the show has 17 fights and three titles booked, with all proceeds going to a breast-health program. He also discussed his son Antonio Martinez’s WBC plans.

What did Monster Promotions say about the Tips for Tatas fundraiser?

Monster Promotions is staging Tips for Tatas because breast cancer has affected women in Mike Martinez’s life and family. The October 10 event is the promotion’s second show supporting breast health, and Martinez said all its proceeds will go to the Northern Arizona health breast program. He intends to keep holding the fundraiser.

Martinez said the event gives the Muay Thai community a chance to act together on an issue that reaches beyond the ring. His commitment was direct:

Monster promotions is going to be donating all the proceeds of the show to it.

People who want to contribute without attending will have a direct donation link, Martinez said. He did not give a donation total or set a target. For him, repeating the event matters as much as staging this year’s show: he described this as the second edition and said he hopes the promotion will one day be discussing Tips for Tatas number 27.

Why does Monster Promotions favor fighters who stay ready over eight-week camps?

Monster Promotions’ Mike Martinez believes fighters should be prepared to accept a bout on short notice rather than depend on an eight-week camp. He said long lead times can build anxiety and encourage overtraining. One fighter on the October 10 card accepted a replacement bout eight days before weigh-ins, a decision Martinez welcomed.

The late replacement on the October 10 card

The newly booked fighter had not been preparing specifically for that matchup, Martinez said. His willingness to take it added emotion to the contest for the promoter. Martinez contrasted that response with gyms that ask for eight weeks whenever he contacts them about an upcoming card.

Training habits and late withdrawals

Martinez pointed to Thailand as the model for staying ready: a fighter might hear from a coach on Wednesday that a bout is set for Thursday. In his view, knowing about a fight far in advance can let worry about the result build and can lead an athlete to do too much in training. He believes short-notice fighters often perform well because they have not put themselves through that buildup.

He said Monster Promotions usually has no shortage of interest, estimating that each event draws between 300 and more than 1,000 people who want to fight. He also credited the gyms it works with for avoiding injuries caused by sparring too hard near a fight. Those assessments are Martinez’s; they are not a claim that every short-notice fighter is better prepared.

Where does Monster Promotions plan to hold shows beyond Flagstaff?

Monster Promotions plans to take shows beyond Flagstaff in 2027 and 2028, with Mike Martinez considering Las Vegas, the Phoenix area and New Mexico. Flagstaff remains its home base. Martinez said its elevation of about 7,000 feet is a factor visiting fighters need to prepare for before competing there.

He mentioned Nevada and Las Vegas, events down the hill in the Phoenix area, and possibilities around Albuquerque or on a reservation in New Mexico. These were prospective locations, not announced event dates or confirmed venues. Twin Arrows Casino also came up while Martinez and Ram At The Fights discussed the promotion’s Flagstaff shows.

Elevation gives those home shows a particular demand, Martinez said. He believes spectators can see which visiting fighters have prepared for the conditions and which have not. As the promotion considers traveling, Flagstaff remains the place he identifies as home court.

Why did Mike Martinez start Monster Promotions and Monster Fight Camp?

Mike Martinez said he started Monster Promotions because his gym’s fight team had to travel to find bouts: there were no fights in Flagstaff for them. After years of taking fighters to other events and encountering treatment he considered poor, he wanted to build a local promotion that treated fighters and coaches better.

From an MMA matchup to Muay Thai

Martinez traced his martial arts experience from wrestling at age four through high school, followed by taekwondo, karate and boxing, which he began around age 12 or 13. He started fighting in MMA after turning 18. When an MMA opponent withdrew, his coach found him a Muay Thai bout the following week. Martinez said that opponent stopped him in the first round; the next day, he went to train at the opponent’s gym.

Building a promotion for Flagstaff fighters

Martinez has since traveled to Thailand multiple times and said he has been head Muay Thai coach at his gym, Monster Fight Camp, since 2013. He put its fight team at well over 30 fighters. The need to travel for bouts, rather than simply his love of martial arts, was his stated reason for starting Monster Promotions.

Taking fighters to events for almost 15 years also showed him what he wanted to avoid. Martinez said his aim is to offer strong local events while showing honor to coaches and fighters, respecting fans and maintaining authentic Muay Thai traditions.

How does Monster Promotions balance respect, rivalry and fighter publicity?

Monster Promotions expects fighters and gyms to uphold respect, honor and tradition, Mike Martinez said, but it does not rule out a competitive rivalry. He watches exchanges between fighters on social media and may match people who are calling each other out. He expects respect at weigh-ins and after bouts.

Rivalries before and after a fight

Martinez said he pays attention to social media posts, including exchanges that do not happen on the promotion’s own accounts. A lively matchup can appeal to fans, he said, but a gym or fighter that does not fit the promotion’s core values will not get a match on its show. He distinguished the demands of a fight from how opponents should treat one another before and afterward.

Why fighters need to promote themselves

Later, Martinez thanked MILLIONS for interviewing fighters and giving them a platform. He said American Muay Thai fighters who hope to turn professional or seek sponsorships need to promote themselves, particularly through social media. In his view, greater visibility makes potential sponsors more inclined to support them and can help fighters advance.

What did Monster Promotions say about its October 10 card and Antonio Martinez?

Monster Promotions has booked 17 fights and three title bouts for October 10, Mike Martinez said, with teams coming from Canada and across the United States. He expects Antonio Martinez, his son and a two-time WBC national champion, to attend and coach fighters. Antonio plans to defend his national title on November 14.

The fights and event production

Mike Martinez said he works to make the matchups competitive and expects punches, kicks, knees and elbows under authentic Muay Thai rules. He said USMTA will score the fights. The promotion has also upgraded its event production and has a surprise planned for fighters, coaches and fans attending, though he did not describe it.

Antonio Martinez’s WBC plans

Antonio will coach a couple of fighters at the October 10 event, according to his father. Mike said Antonio is ranked number 14 in the world, although he qualified that ranking as his recollection. He called the WBC prestigious, while noting that Antonio is also interested in ONE Championship and RWS.

Monster Promotions can sanction WBC fights, Mike said, and currently prefers to compete for WBC belts. If Antonio successfully defends his national championship on November 14, he wants to pursue a North American, intercontinental or world championship fight. Martinez presented those as possible next steps, not booked bouts.

Who is Monster Promotions?

Monster Promotions is a Muay Thai promotion focused on traditional techniques and bringing fighters from across its region together to compete. It describes respect, honor and tradition as its core values and offers fans a way to follow its events remotely.