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Epic Fighting aims for epic events every time
A showcase rising for MMA talent in a high-energy atmosphere
Match-maker Castellano: “When I see people one-hundred percent dedicated, that’s when I know.”
On April 9, 2005, fight fans from all-over watched mixed-martial-arts (MMA) come alive in a blossom of blood as Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar put on what was then the most important fight in UFC history. Their battle was the main event of The Ultimate Fighter —a new elimination-based reality show on Spike TV that followed fighters around a house in Las Vegas.
Mixed martial arts had been around for years, but Griffin-Bonnar is when it broke through. What was once considered human cockfighting is now a widely accepted sport, one that continues to grow in popularity. Hell, there are even serious talks of a UFC card being on the White House grass sometime next year.
While most viewers found they were satisfied with watching the fights and wearing the merch, others went on to try the sport for themselves. And one San Diego based real-estate agent, Jason Stewart, went a step further, launching his own amateur MMA promotion and giving it the name Epic Fighting. “I turned my passion into a business,” the entrepreneur says to me as we ride skateboards on the Coronado boardwalk.
Owner Stewart: “I turned my passion into a business.”
Exotic sports cars, ring girls, and about a dozen people getting the Epic “E” tattooed somewhere on their bodies are just a few sights you’ll see at any given Epic Fighting event today. Since 2010, Stewart has been aiming to create a showcase for rising MMA talent, combined with a high-energy, upscale “spectacle” atmosphere. In order to craft a brand and experience that keep fans coming back, Stewart says that “every event is supposedly the biggest one of all time. But they’ve been like that since the beginning. I had a vision for the energy I wanted to create. I wanted it to be a something that people would enjoy and be excited to go to — whether they love the sport or not. It’s safe, it’s exciting, and it’s fun.”
When it comes to curating compelling fight cards, Epic match-maker Harvey Castellano says, “I ask myself what fight is going to look the best to a fan who’s never saw a fight before.” In terms of what he looks for in new athletes coming in, Castellano claims he’s been in the business long enough to know a fighter’s actions will determine whether they’ll make it in the cage or not. “When I see people who are one hundred percent dedicated, that’s when I know,” Castellano says. “The behavior they have from the beginning with their coach shows me if he or she is going to be something. And when they’re perfect with whatever they have to do on their paperwork and bloodwork side, you know that fighter is following a certain pattern that mimics a path to the UFC.”
UFC is the pros. On the amateur fighting level, the focus is more on getting experience and having fun, which seems to be Epic’s overall theme. Castellano’s continues: “Understand that it’s a learning process. The winning and losing really doesn’t matter at all. If you’re really inspired to be a pro fighter and reach the UFC level, nobody cares what happens in your amateur career. You could be 2-12, and if you’re not taking bum fights and you’re learning, you can still be a pro. To see somebody start at the amateur level and reach the pros is an honor. It’s like seeing a family member or child achieve that level.”
Audric De Castro takes home the 135-pound strap at Epic 61.
One notable fighter who began her career under the Epic banner is 10th Planet San Diego product Juliana “Killer” Miller. In 2022, Miller won The Ultimate Fighter 30 championship. She currently holds a 5-3 UFC record. As promotor, Stewart proudly states, “I spent a lot of time with her [Miller] in her dark days and helped her goal set to envision the future life she wanted to have. Her goal was to be a UFC fighter and win, and she did just that.”
It's no secret that San Diego is a hotbed for combat sports training. The fact that the city has its own MMA promotion outfit that consistently holds events at the Sheraton Hotel on Aero Drive is a boon for fighters and fans alike. Meanwhile, Epic’s next event (Epic 62) will be held on August 22 back at the Sheraton Hotel. It’s not the White House, but give me slobber-knockers closer to the sand any day.
And if you can’t make it to a live event, a PPV option is available. Epic also broadcasts fight replays on FOX5 every Saturday and Sunday.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Epic Fighting aims for epic events every time
A showcase rising for MMA talent in a high-energy atmosphere
Epic Fighting aims for epic events every time
A showcase rising for MMA talent in a high-energy atmosphere
Match-maker Castellano: “When I see people one-hundred percent dedicated, that’s when I know.”
On April 9, 2005, fight fans from all-over watched mixed-martial-arts (MMA) come alive in a blossom of blood as Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar put on what was then the most important fight in UFC history. Their battle was the main event of The Ultimate Fighter —a new elimination-based reality show on Spike TV that followed fighters around a house in Las Vegas.
Mixed martial arts had been around for years, but Griffin-Bonnar is when it broke through. What was once considered human cockfighting is now a widely accepted sport, one that continues to grow in popularity. Hell, there are even serious talks of a UFC card being on the White House grass sometime next year.
While most viewers found they were satisfied with watching the fights and wearing the merch, others went on to try the sport for themselves. And one San Diego based real-estate agent, Jason Stewart, went a step further, launching his own amateur MMA promotion and giving it the name Epic Fighting. “I turned my passion into a business,” the entrepreneur says to me as we ride skateboards on the Coronado boardwalk.
Owner Stewart: “I turned my passion into a business.”
Exotic sports cars, ring girls, and about a dozen people getting the Epic “E” tattooed somewhere on their bodies are just a few sights you’ll see at any given Epic Fighting event today. Since 2010, Stewart has been aiming to create a showcase for rising MMA talent, combined with a high-energy, upscale “spectacle” atmosphere. In order to craft a brand and experience that keep fans coming back, Stewart says that “every event is supposedly the biggest one of all time. But they’ve been like that since the beginning. I had a vision for the energy I wanted to create. I wanted it to be a something that people would enjoy and be excited to go to — whether they love the sport or not. It’s safe, it’s exciting, and it’s fun.”
When it comes to curating compelling fight cards, Epic match-maker Harvey Castellano says, “I ask myself what fight is going to look the best to a fan who’s never saw a fight before.” In terms of what he looks for in new athletes coming in, Castellano claims he’s been in the business long enough to know a fighter’s actions will determine whether they’ll make it in the cage or not. “When I see people who are one hundred percent dedicated, that’s when I know,” Castellano says. “The behavior they have from the beginning with their coach shows me if he or she is going to be something. And when they’re perfect with whatever they have to do on their paperwork and bloodwork side, you know that fighter is following a certain pattern that mimics a path to the UFC.”
UFC is the pros. On the amateur fighting level, the focus is more on getting experience and having fun, which seems to be Epic’s overall theme. Castellano’s continues: “Understand that it’s a learning process. The winning and losing really doesn’t matter at all. If you’re really inspired to be a pro fighter and reach the UFC level, nobody cares what happens in your amateur career. You could be 2-12, and if you’re not taking bum fights and you’re learning, you can still be a pro. To see somebody start at the amateur level and reach the pros is an honor. It’s like seeing a family member or child achieve that level.”
Audric De Castro takes home the 135-pound strap at Epic 61.
One notable fighter who began her career under the Epic banner is 10th Planet San Diego product Juliana “Killer” Miller. In 2022, Miller won The Ultimate Fighter 30 championship. She currently holds a 5-3 UFC record. As promotor, Stewart proudly states, “I spent a lot of time with her [Miller] in her dark days and helped her goal set to envision the future life she wanted to have. Her goal was to be a UFC fighter and win, and she did just that.”
It's no secret that San Diego is a hotbed for combat sports training. The fact that the city has its own MMA promotion outfit that consistently holds events at the Sheraton Hotel on Aero Drive is a boon for fighters and fans alike. Meanwhile, Epic’s next event (Epic 62) will be held on August 22 back at the Sheraton Hotel. It’s not the White House, but give me slobber-knockers closer to the sand any day.
And if you can’t make it to a live event, a PPV option is available. Epic also broadcasts fight replays on FOX5 every Saturday and Sunday.