Tachi Palace Fights (TPF) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion which hosted events at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California. Matchmaker for TPF was former fighter Richard Goodman.
Regarded as a regional promotion, TPF events often included upcoming MMA prospects and veteran fighters who had competed in organizations such as the UFC, WEC, and Strikeforce, as well as other regional MMA promotions. The promotion was discontinued first in December 2012. However, the tribal council reversed their decision in March 2013 and the TPF returned in August of that year. Tachi Palace Fights would cease operations again in late 2018.
History
Tachi Palace Fights began hosting events at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in 2009 after the resort ceased its relationship with Palace Fighting Championship (PFC). Despite the change in promotion, many of the same local California fighters that competed for PFC were on the early TPF cards.
Tachi Palace Fights 1 featured then Bellator featherweight champion Joe Soto, fellow Bellator veteran Ulysses Gomez, and WEC standout Chad Mendes. Also on the card, The Ultimate Fighter 6 alum Jon Koppenhaver lost a split decision to prospect David Mitchell, as well as The Ultimate Fighter 14 veteran Steven Siler.
TPF 2: Brawl in the Hall saw David Mitchell return to defeat King of the Cage and Affliction: Day of Reckoning veteran Bobby Green by submission via toe hold, while UFC veteran Diego Saraiva won against Eddie Yagin via technical knockout. Meanwhile, Anthony Ruiz took a unanimous decision over French UFC veteran Xavier Foupa-Pokam. Cyrille Diabate submitted Rob Smith via rear naked choke in his final fight before beginning his stint with the UFC.
On February 4, 2010, Tachi Palace Fights hosted a thirteen fight event named TPF 3: Champions Collide. WEC and Dream competitor Cole Escovedo won the TPF bantamweight title by defeating Jeff Bedard via triangle choke. TUF 12 alum Nam Phan was knocked out by Isaac DeJesus in a bout for the TPF featherweight title. Bellator female champion Zoila Frausto appeared, submitting boxer Jessica Rakoczy via armbar. Anthony Ruiz scored another impressive victory, defeating UFC veteran Hector Ramirez via split decision.
TPF 4: Cinco de Mayhem occurred on May 5, 2010, and featured a flyweight bout between Ulysses Gomez and Luis Gonzalez. Gomez won the bout via unanimous decision, capturing the promotion's newly introduced flyweight title. In the welterweight class, prospect David Mitchell submitted UFC and WEC veteran Tim McKenzie with a guillotine choke to win the TPF welterweight title.
TPF 5: Stars and Strikes occurred on July 9, 2010, The event was headlined by a 160-pound catchweight fight between WEC veteran Rob McCullough and TPF featherweight champion Isaac DeJesus. McCullough won the bout via technical knockout in the first round. Prospect Michael McDonald knocked out Cole Escovedo to secure the TPF bantamweight title. Veteran fighter John Alessio put War Machine to sleep with a guillotine choke in their welterweight contest, while David Mitchell returned to defeat local journeyman Poppies Martinez with a triangle choke.
TPF 6: High Stakes happened on the night of September 9, 2010. The event featured a middleweight bout between former WEC light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall and TUF 11 alum Kyacey Uscola. Uscola knocked Marshall out with punches during the first round. Also featured was a lightweight bout between Rob McCullough and The Ultimate Fighter 5 alum Corey Hill, which McCullough won via unanimous decision. Leopoldo Serao claimed the TPF middleweight title in a bout against Anthony Ruiz, while veterans Micah Miller and Diego Saraiva squared off in a bout which Miller took by unanimous decision.
TPF 7: Deck the Halls occurred on December 2, 2010. In the main event, Brazilian journeyman Jorge Oliveira defeated UFC veteran James Irvin via triangle choke in a middleweight contest. Micah Miller submitted TPF featherweight champion Isaac DeJesus via neck crank. DeJesus retained his title, however, as Miller came into the bout two pounds over the featherweight limit. John Alessio defeated Phil Collins to win the TPF welterweight title, vacated by prospect David Mitchell when he was signed by the UFC. Flyweight ace Jussier da Silva defeated Danny Martinez via unanimous decision in his first North American bout.
TPF 8: All or Nothing took place on February 18, 2011. In the nights main event former UFC middleweight contender David Loiseau won the TPF middleweight title by defeating Leopoldo Serao by TKO (cut) early in the 5th round. Little action took place in the bout before Loiseau landed the fight ending blow. In other action Darrell Montague put on a sensational performance by out pointing Ulysses Gomez and winning the TPF flyweight title by unanimous. Also on the card the world's No. 1 ranked flyweight in the world was not able to back up that claim as he lost a unanimous decision to recently turned flyweight Ian McCall. Also on the card Dominique Robinson battered John Gunderson to a third round tko victory, Edgar Garcia submitted Mike Moreno in the first round, UFC vet Fabricio Camoes defeated another UFC vet Steve lopez by tko in the first round after he landed a head kick. Doug Hunt defeated local favorite Andrew "Mickey D" Martinez by tko in the first round. Late replacement Andy Miranda beat Ryan Burton by submission due to a triangle choke in the first round, Collin Hart submitted journeyman Mike Arellano in the first round by rear naked choke, Tyler Freeland took a decision over Diego Melendez, and in the opening fight of the night Alan Jouban knocked out Tyson Griffin's brother Kyle Griffin 14 seconds into the very first round.
TPF 9: The Contenders
TPF 10: Let The Chips Fall
TPF 11: Redemption was held on December 2, 2011 Featherweight Championship bout: Georgi Karakhanyan def. Isaac De Jesus (Vacant Title) Bantamweight Championship bout: Ulysses Gomez def. Cody Gibson (Vacant Title) Flyweight bout: Dustin Ortiz def. Josh Rave by TKO (doctor stoppage) Rd 3 (4:38) Welterweight bout: Phil Collins def. Andrew Martinez by submission (guillotine) Rd 1 (0:49) Bantamweight bout: Francisco Rivera def. Brad McDonald by KO (punch) Rd 1 (0:40) Lightweight bout: Savant Young def. Robert Washington by submission (guillotine) Rd 2 (2:41) Lightweight bout: Bubba Jenkins def. Josh Williams by submission (strikes) Rd 1 (2:04) Flyweight bout: Anthony Figueroa def. Paul Ruiz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30–27, 30–27) Featherweight bout: Jesse Bowen def. Sergio Quinones by unanimous decision (30-27, 30–27, 29–28) Flyweight bout: Edgar Diaz def. Alex Perez by submission (guillotine) Rd 1 (0:43) Heavyweight bout: Javier Ayala def. Freddie Aquitania by split decision (29-28, 28–29, 29–28)
TPF 12: Second Coming was held on March 9, 2012 Bantamweight bout: Casey Olson def. Cody Gibson by unanimous decision Lightweight bout: Rob Emerson def. Savant Young by submission (rear naked choke) Rd 3 (4:29) Bantamweight bout: Francisco Rivera def. Antonio Duarte by KO (punches) Rd 1 (1:15) Lightweight bout: Bubba Jenkins def. Chris Gomez by submission (rear naked choke) Rd 1 (2:07) Heavyweight bout: Dave Huckaba def. Liron Wilson by TKO (punches) Rd 2 (1:05) Featherweight bout: Anthony Avila def. Art Becerra by submission (guillotine choke) Rd 1 (4:08) Flyweight bout: Alex Perez def. Edgar Diaz by submission (kimura)Rd 1 (2:33)
TPF 13: Unfinished Business was held on May 10, 2012 Bantamweight bout: Joe Soto def. Chad George by submission (rear naked choke) Rd 2 (2:01) Bantamweight Championship bout: Ian Loveland def. Alexander Crispim by KO (knee) Rd 1 (4:23) (Vacant title) Welterweight bout: Chidi Njokuani def. John Reedy by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (0:55) Welterweight bout: Tony Llamas def. Poppies Martinez by submission (guillotine) Rd 1 (1:00) Lightweight bout: Art Arciniega def. Sergio Cortez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29–28, 30–27) Flyweight bout: Darrell Montague def. Taylor McCorriston by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (2:46) Flyweight bout: Andrew Valladerez def. Martin Sandoval by submission (guillotine) Rd 3 (1:52) Bantamweight bout: Paul Ruiz def. Ruben Trujillo by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:13)
TPF 14: Validation was held on September 7, 2012 Bantamweight Championship bout: Ian Loveland (c) def. Casey Olson by KO (head kick and punches) Rd 1 (0:38) Featherweight Championship bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (c) def. Micah Miller by unanimous decision Featherweight bout: Art Arciniega def. Brad McDonald by split decision (29-28, 28–29, 29–28) Featherweight bout: Andre Fili def. Ricky Wallace by Technical Submission (armbar) Rd 2 (4:08) Lightweight bout: Poppies Martinez def Jason Drake by Submission (heel hook) Rd 1 (1:48) Bantamweight bout: Rolando Velasco def. Antonio Duarte by Technical Submission (guillotine choke) Rd 1 (2:57) Featherweight bout: Anthony Avila def. Sergio Quinones by Submission (guillotine choke) Rd 1 (3:03) Light Heavyweight bout: Angel DeAnda def. Drew Montgomery by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:30) Bantamweight bout: Alex Perez def. Javier Galas by Submission (rear naked choke) Rd 1 (1:37) Welterweight bout: Zeth Martin def. David Bollea by TKO (punches) Rd 2 (0:59) Women's Flyweight bout: Jessica Rakoczy def. Kristen Gatz by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (2:19)
TPF 15: Collision Course was held on November 15, 2012 Bantamweight bout: Rolando Velasco def. Carson Beebe by Unanimous Decision Featherweight bout: Anthony Avila def. Darren Crisp by Submission (guillotine choke) Rd 1 (1:08) Lightweight bout: Poppies Martinez def. Fernando Bernstein by Unanimous Decision Catchweight bout (151 lbs.): Andre Fili def. Enoch Wilson by Unanimous Decision Featherweight bout: Art Arciniega def. Alexander Crispim by Unanimous Decision Heavyweight bout: Freddie Aquitania def. Javy Ayala by Split Decision Bantamweight bout: Alex Perez def. Carlos De Soto by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:52) Lightweight bout: Dominic Clark def. Andy Miranda by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:50)
TPF 16: The Return was held on August 22, 2013 Vacant Lightweight Championship bout: Poppies Martinez def. Christos Giagos by Submission (guillotine choke) Rd 1 (4:27) Vacant Featherweight Championship bout: Art Arciniega def. Marcello Cassero by Decision (split) Rd 5 (5:00) Lightweight bout: Isaac DeJesus def. Darren Crisp by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (2:20) Welterweight bout: Ricky Legere def. Joey Cabezas by Submission (armbar) Rd 1 (3:22) Bantamweight bout: Rolando Velasco def. Alex Rojas by Submission (rear naked choke) Rd 3 (2:51) Featherweight bout: Alexander Crispim def. Sergio Quinones by Submission (armbar) Rd 2 (1:48) Heavyweight bout: Manuel Quezada def. Robert Michael by KO (punch) Rd 1 (0:10) Lightweight bout: Cain Carrizosa def. Cody Orrison by Decision (unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00) Flyweight bout: Anthony Figueroa def. Jimmy Grant by Decision (unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00) Bantamweight bout: Alex Perez def. Jeff Carson by Submission (standing guillotine choke) Rd 1 (0:48)
TPF 17: Fall Brawl was held on November 14, 2013 Interim Bantamweight Championship bout: Russell Doane def. Jared Papazian by KO (elbows) Rd 4 (2:30) Vacant Welterweight Championship bout: Nate Loughran def. Kito Andrews by Decision (unanimous) Rd 5 (5:00) Bantamweight bout: Jeremiah Labiano def. Adam Calderon by Submission (triangle choke) Rd 1 (3:30) Bantamweight bout: Joe Soto def. Cory Vom Baur by Submission (guillotine choke) Rd 1 (4:36) Welterweight bout: Randall Wallace def. Kenny Ento by Decision (unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00) Featherweight bout: Cody Gibson def. Evan Esguerra by Decision (unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00) Heavyweight bout: Manuel Quezada def. Jerod Brown by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:18) Lightweight bout: Darren Crisp def. Ryan Reneau by Submission (triangle choke) Rd 1 (2:18) Women's Featherweight bout: Marion Reneau def. Leslie Rodriguez by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:24)
TPF 18: Martinez vs. Culley was held on February 6, 2014