Affliction: "Day of Reckoning"

Antonio “El Tigre” Duarte

Mexican Professional MMA Fighter

October 11, 2008

Thomas & Mack Center

Las Vegas, Nevada

Bio:

Antonio Duarte Diaz, Born March 10^th, 1987.

Originally from Zamora, Michoacan (MX) moved with his family as a youngster in 1997 to  Tijuana, Baja (MX)

to settle making this city his adoptive home town.

Duarte’s place of residence since arriving to Tijuana is right at the heart of Down Town in what is known as

La Zona Norte (The North Zone).  One of the first established and developed areas in the origins of this city

the Zona Norte is famous for producing such great fighters as world boxing champions Erik “El Terrible”

Morales and his brother Diego “Pelucho” Morales, as current world champion Antonio “Tony” Margarito

among others.

Duarte studied elementary and high school before martial arts and the sport of fighting caught his interest. At

age 15 he took up studying Karate in a local academy achieving green belt in short time. The instructor saw

in him such talent that he often left Duarte to teach class to train students his age and younger. It was

while practicing Karate, he learned about the local professional MMA events that were already being

produced in Tijuana, and watching MMA event videos of world class organizations that Antonio’s interest

sparked towards learning more about Mixed Martial Arts.

Looking for the best place to train in town, Duarte arrived at the doors of the then just recently inaugurated

academy Entram Vale Todo Gym. Raul Arvizu, owner and head coach of Entram Academy, is well known

as one of our top middleweight fighters in Mexico.  A Judo black belt turned on to BJJ, he started training the

art of submission under Fabio Santos before picking up interest enough to make a six month trip to Brazil

to train in  some of the best world renowned academies in Rio. Upon returning to Tijuana…Arvizu enrolled

under Dean Lister who saw in Raul enough talent to have him debut as a professional MMA fighter in Reto

Maximo’s first event back in 2002.

More fights followed with great success and development in Raul to the point of being awarded one of the few

current brown belts under Dean Lister.

Antonio Duarte found what he was looking for in Arvizu as mentor and trainer.

Entram Gym’s MMA program included grappling under Raul Arvizu, Muay Thai and Kick Boxing under some

of the best pro fighters in the country, and Boxing under ex-North American Boxing Champion Miguel

“Maikito” Martinez to round out the training program.

Making his MMA pro debut in April of 2006 after only one year of training, Duarte has been active in the last

couple years fighting in virtually all of the organizations currently active in Mexico including Extreme Fighting

Championship (EFC), MMAX Fights, Primal MMA, Ultimate Challenge Mexico (UCM), and Cage Of Fire

(COF / from I - VII an associated production to Reto Maximo). Garnering an impressive record of 10 - 1 to

date, Duarte is the current Lightweight Champion of UCM and was awarded Fighter of the Year 2007 by

Tijuana’s Athletic Commission which is the sole authority officially sanctioning MMA bouts currently in

Mexico.  

Antonio Duarte has faced the best talent in Mexico and the USA available at his weight and class among

which standouts include Jeff Willingham, Seth Dikun, and Shawn Bias.

Affliction signs Duarte for “Day of Reckoning”

Tracy Hess, head coach of Sub Fighter Academy and associate of Antonio McKee, both great and

longtime supporters of MMA in Mexico, recommended Duarte to Affliction’s VP Tom Atencio. Tom offered

to sign Duarte for Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” upcoming October 11^th card in Las Vegas, NV to face

Tracy’s own Albert Rios at 145lbs.

The contract is signed. Atencio and Affliction’s interest in Duarte as Mexico’s best 145 lbs fighter is not only

a dream come true to Antonio Duarte, this represents the opening once again to the major leagues of MMA

to Mexican born and trained fighters after the likes of Dos Caras, Jr. was signed by DEEP and then PRIDE

FC to fight in Japan a few years back.

Since Dos Caras, Jr., a world class pro wrestler and MMA fighter, actually trains for his bouts under Marco

Ruas in California, USA - it could be said that Antonio Duarte is the first Mexican national that is fully trained

in Mexico to step in one of the world’s premier MMA arenas.

For Duarte this represents the biggest fight of his career.

More so, this fight also represents the opportunity to showcase the combative skills and talent of our growing

Mexican MMA fighters, that are sure to very soon claim the level of respect and recognition as  that of our

world class Boxers…. Only this time the sport they are fighting in is Mixed Martial Arts….. and the world

stage is Affliction!

Tony Perez

Reto Maximo/CFC/COF I-VII

- From Reto Maximo with a little editing from us (color, etc...)

Subject to change

(8/29/08)