Fight Club PHX blends boxing and MMA in festival-style debut

PHOENIX –  Isaac Chavez’s nickname, “El Mero Mero,” translates to something close to “big boss,” “head honcho,” “top dog” or “the main man.” But Chavez has a different interpretation.

“To me, (the nickname) truly means the one who brings entertainment and the one who brings new eyes,” Chavez said.

That was a fitting translation for the inaugural Fight Club PHX, held at the Arizona Center on April 18. The event transformed downtown Phoenix into something closer to a festival than a traditional fight card.

That was John Lennon’s intention.

“We’re combining combat sports with live entertainment, music, DJs, luxury brands,” said Lennon, the event promoter and founder of North Star Sports Advocates, who built the concept. “Nobody’s ever tried to do this and it’s going to be like a festival.”

Fight Club PHX blended two worlds and disciplines – professional boxing and MMA – on the same night, surrounded by DJs, food vendors and fans enjoying the action.

Lennon watched with joy as that vision played out in real time. Fans didn’t just sit and watch. They were constantly entertained and engaged, whether it was the action outside of the boxing ring or within the octagon.

“I don’t like to do what everybody else does,” Lennon said. “How do you separate yourself? You try something different.”

While the music and food kept spectators energized and well fed, inside the ring, local fighters ensured the action matched the atmosphere.

Among them was Chavez, a Phoenix native who embraced both the spotlight and the stakes. 

“I’ve never brought a fight that leaves people unimpressed or bored,” Chavez said. “Everybody’s always hyped and my style is winning. I can adapt on the fly. 

“You get people who might not like boxing. They’re there for the music or MMA and then they leave as fans of boxing.” 

Another hometown fighter, Andrew Mendez, known as “Eso,” delivered one of the night’s most electric moments. Mendez knocked out Jeremiah McCoy in just 29 seconds, a sudden finish that captured the crowd’s attention and showed the unpredictability of live combat sports.

Performances like Eso’s, along with other quick finishes on the card, reinforced the event’s core promise: high-level action inside the ropes to match the energy outside of them.

At ringside, former IBF and WBC world champion Shawn Porter served as both ambassador and observer, evaluating how the concept of Fight Club came to be.

“Boxing doesn’t put on events… It’s just fight, talk, fight, talk,” Porter said. “You go to an NBA game and there’s entertainment in between and that’s what boxing needs.”

For Porter, success came down to execution. 

“I want to see everyone hitting their mark,” he said. “The fighters, the vendors, the crowd enjoying the experience. As long as we don’t have huge hiccups, I’m proud.”

Beyond the spectacle, Lennon emphasized a broader mission: building a platform for Arizona fighters in a rapidly growing combat sports market. Fight Club PHX, he hopes, becomes a consistent stage for local talent to develop and gain exposure.

For Chavez, that exposure was felt most keenly via the crowd.

“To fight in Phoenix, it’s a blessing,” he said. “You got all the eyes that have been following you and then there’s new fans and new supporters.”

The broad appeal of Fight Club PHX was echoed by two-time heavyweight UFC champion Stipe Miocic, who also served as an ambassador for the event

“For fans, I think they can come out here and check it out, I think they’ll love it because there’s more than just fights,” Miocic said. “You know you got the fights that are great but also the vending, the music, it’s just – there’s a lot to do here and I think it’s a good first date. I would totally take my wife here.” 

As the final bouts concluded and music echoed through downtown, Fight Club PHX left behind more than simple results. It introduced a new model – one where fighters such as Chavez and Mendez share the spotlight in an environment that blends sport, entertainment and community.

On April 18, the experiment didn’t just take place, it made an impression.

For Lennon, this is just the beginning.

“We’re bringing Vegas to Phoenix, whether it’s combat sports, music or entertainment,” he said. “Our goal is to bring that all in one night and create a great experience.”

Related