Colosseum Combat announces return to event center
Colosseum Combat returns to the Kokomo Event & Conference Center
It’s been nearly four years since Colosseum Combat held a show at the Kokomo Event & Conference Center. The last show, Colosseum Combat 22, featured a headlining bout between Bellator and UFC veteran Shamar Bailey (16-11) and David Overfield (6-3).
Ivy Tech purchased the building in 2011 to accommodate the expanding enrollment at its Kokomo branch. Soon after the acquisition, the college informed Colosseum Combat owner Mark Slater that his promotion, nor any others, would be welcomed due to the violent nature. Unfortunately, this situation left Slater searching for another proper venue to host his shows.
Twelve shows and for the next four years, Colosseum Combat has called the Kokomo National Guard Armory home. While the armory was a fantastic place to host events it had a few drawbacks that limited the growth of the organization. Those include the lack of air condition during the warmer months and capacity for the large crowds; both of which the event center had.
Good news came about earlier this year when the college decided to take one gentlemen’s offer to purchase the facility for an astounding $900,000. Once the information became public, Slater wasted no time and immediately got on the phone with the future owner to begin talks of bringing his organization back to the event center.
“5/21/16 first show back at the event center,” Slater informed BluegrassMMA.com without any need for explanation. The staff here knew Slater closed the deal to bring the sport of mixed martial arts back to the place the organization once called home.
As of now, there is only one official bout scheduled to take place at Colosseum Combat 35. Daniel Head (12-12) will take on Ryan Gosnell (2-0) in a professional welterweight contest.
This match-up is special to Slater as Daniel Head has been with him since the beginning. Slater purchased Colosseum Combat from it was previous owners in 2010. On his first event after the acquisition, Daniel Head was one of the fighters who competed on that card and still fights to this day.
The two of them have kept in touch of the last six years, and now Head will get the opportunity to fight once again for the organization at the event center.
No other fight announcements are official as of now for the upcoming show. Stay tuned to BluegrassMMA.com for additional information as it becomes available.
