NAFC “MEGA BRAWL” At BMO Harris Bradley Center: Eckelberg looks To Stay Perfect Against A Hot Oler

The Brew City will host a local MMA fight card as the promotion North American Fighting Championship will display its fighters on the largest stage in Milwaukee at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on May 31. Roufusport local Craig Eckelberg and Madison’s Fight Prime Darin Oler, will square up inside the cage as one of the many professional fights on the card. Oler enters the fight looking to extend his winning streak to three, while Eckelberg plans to remain undefeated as he enters his second professional bout.

Eckelberg is excited to participate on the largest stage in Wisconsin. He realizes the massive opportunity in front of him and is approaching the fight with a business mentality. The dedicated fighter has a blue-collar work ethic that has translated into his success thus far inside the cage. His strong mental attitude has allowed the former college wrestler to accept the challenge of extra media attention, the largest fight stage, and full-time fight training.

“I’ve been wrestling my whole life, you learn to hear those certain voices from your corner, and you only pick out what your coaches saying,” Eckelberg mentioned in regard to fighting in a larger arena and louder atmosphere. The Roufusport fighter is a strong student of the game and trains in all aspects of the sport.

Oler enters the fighter as two years the elder, whom has three fights of experience more on the professional level. The Fight Prime fighter is coming off two victories by the way of stoppage. The Madison, Wisconsin fighter owns a three-and-a-half-inch reach over Eckelberg.

Oler is a striker and hopes his heavy hands are an advantage in the fight. Eckelberg is a confident fighter as well with a solid wrestling background. He also possesses power in his hands and intelligently uses takedowns to his advantage.

“I need to stay within my framework and use my head,” said Eckelberg. Knowing what he needs to do within the fight to accomplish his goal of being victorious, he’s had a successful training camp leading up to the bout. Eckelberg is confident in his skill set but doesn’t underestimate his opponent Oler. Expect a well-prepared athlete ready for the battle in all possible situations.

Both fighters plan to keep their winning streaks alive and both fighters have large hearts when entering the cage. A wrestler verses a striker is a common matchup fans tend to find intriguing. Eckelberg is a top prospect in the welterweight division and a fighter fans should keep an eye on as he’s on the fast track to main event fights.

Expect an exciting matchup between two athletes and don’t be shocked if the battle is ended by either fighter before the time runs out in the third round.

Pre-Fight Kick Off Party 2-3:30 pm at BMOHBC hosted by UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis features music by Milwaukee’s Dan Nathan and Well-Informed Citizens, plus a few more surprises. Over 20 fights are planned on this mega fight card including women’s MMA! Doors 3:30 pm, undercard 4 pm, main card 7 pm. Tickets ($35-$125) for the May 31st event are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and the BMO Harris Bradley Center Ticket Office. Private VIP Suites are also available for group rental. For more information and Fight Card, please visit NAFC.TV. The BMO Harris Bradley Center Ticket Office is located at 1001 North Fourth Street, Milwaukee, WI 53203, 414-227-0894. NAFC Contact: Scott Joffe, scott@nafc.tv.

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Kyle Carroll
Kyle Carroll is a Long Island, N.Y. native and avid MMA and amateur wrestling fan. He has been a part of the wrestling community for nearly 20 years. Carroll has six years of experience coaching high school wrestling. His father coached high school wrestling over 35 years, passing on his strong knowledge. Carroll has been reporting MMA news since January 2011. The former wrestler’s coverage includes the 2012 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials, 2013 & 2016 NCAA D1 Wrestling Championship, and numerous MMA events (Bellator MMA, King of the Cage, North American Fighting Championship, and Glory).