Feel the Canvas, Hear the Roar – Combat Headquarters Brings “Art of Combat” to Middletown, CT
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Where Every Seat Is Cageside
If you’ve ever wanted the high‑octane thrill of a pay‑per‑view fight night minus the nosebleed prices (or the nosebleed distance), your moment lands Saturday, May 17. Tucked inside an unassuming industrial plaza at 1280 Newfield Street, Middletown, CT, the CHQ Training Center is polishing up its 24‑foot cage for “Art of Combat” —a grassroots showdown that punches well above its weight in production value. Think club‑show intimacy, pro‑show lighting, and the kind of raw fighter hunger you only see on the climb to greatness.
Walk through CHQ’s front doors and you’re ten steps from the cage. House lights drop, walk‑out music flares, and suddenly you’re so close you can see the sweat before it hits the mat. It’s the fight‑fan equivalent of front‑row orchestra seats—only General Admission is $34 and VIP Cageside runs $66 on Eventbrite. With capacity capped at about 250 spectators, it’s first‑come, first‑thrill. (Past CHQ cards have sold out by fight week, so don’t bet on door tickets.)
Five Fights, Two Disciplines, One Adrenaline Rush
CHQ’s match‑makers have built a mixed‑rules sampler that serves both stand‑up strikers and submission junkies:
*this is not an official card, nor is it a representation of the order of matches.
| Division / Ruleset | ||
|---|---|---|
| 180 lb CatchWeight Kickboxing | Dontae Atkins (@dontae_mma) | Dylan Pitt (@dylann718_) |
| 155 lb Lightweight No‑Gi Grappling | Jay Ramos (@tapuoutt) | Carlos Balestier (@carlosbalestier) |
| 165 lb Catchweight No‑Gi Grappling | Justin Graves (@northeastmma_graves) | Enea Avdiaj (@eneaavdiaj) |
| 140 lb No‑Gi Grappling | Akrum Shaham (@ssistant.akrum) | Leo da Silva (@leodasilva_bjj) |
| 195 lb Catchweight No‑Gi Grappling | Dan Persson (@dpersson_8) | Andrew Smikle (@drusev_smykal) |
| 155 lb Lightweight No-Gi Grappling Match | Austin Reid | Anthony Pappa (_apappa) |
| Heavyweight Grappling No-Gi Match | Andrew Clark (@andy_c_bjj) | Mike Clark (@mclarkrsv4) |
The opener sets the tone: Dontae vs. Dylan, three blistering two‑minute rounds of kickboxing where shin‑checks sing like tuning forks. From there it’s pure mat wizardry—sub‑only grappling scraps at 155, 165, 140, and 195 pounds. Each grappling bout is a single five‑minute sprint; if nobody taps, the ref flips the clock for golden‑point overtime. Expect scrambles, heel‑hook threats, and more hand‑fighting than a Black Friday sale.
Mid‑card lull? Not on CHQ’s watch. Between bouts, the house DJ keeps energy spiking while the ref straps on a POV camera—#RefCam highlights hit CHQ’s socials within hours, giving fighters the kind of share‑worthy footage regional shows rarely provide. It’s that polished edge overlaid on a gritty, chest‑thumping atmosphere that makes this card a can’t‑miss.
Why Grass‑Roots Works
CHQ’s secret sauce is simple: pro‑level production without corporate bloat. Owner‑promoter Mike “Coach” Campbell could pack a college gym but chooses an intimate training center instead. Close quarters mean fighters feel every shout from the crowd, and fans feel every thud on the canvas. No plastic beer cups flying, either—CHQ enforces a family‑friendly policy on the floor, so you can bring up‑and‑coming teens from your dojo without worrying about a bar brawl in the stands.
Fighters benefit, too. Each receives professional photography, edited highlight reels, and IG‑ready ref‑cam clips—marketable gold for amateurs hunting sponsorship deals. Win or lose, their brand gets a boost the moment the final horn sounds.
Plan Your Fight Night
Doors: 1:00 PM First Punch: 2:00 PM
Venue: CHQ Training Center, 1280 Newfield St, Middletown, CT
Parking: Free onsite; overflow at adjacent plaza.
Air Travel: 30 min from Bradley Int’l (BDL) if you’re jetting in.
Stay: Inn at Middletown (3 min drive) or any of a dozen chain hotels within 10 miles—ask CHQ for block‑rate codes.
Recommended places to stay near by!
- Southington, Connecticut, Residence Inn By Marriott
- Homewood Suites by Hilton – Stratford, Connecticut
- Waterbury CT, Courtyard Marriott
- Holiday Inn Cheshire/ Southington, CT
Tickets: Head to Eventbrite and search “CHQ Art of Combat.” Snag GA for $34 or treat yourself to VIP Cageside for $66—but don’t blink; fewer than 250 seats exist and the last show hit capacity by Wednesday of fight week.
Hook, Line, and Center‑Cage
Halfway through the card, when the house lights dim and the next combatants stalk across the canvas, you’ll realize you’re witnessing the sport in its purest form: hungry fighters, roaring crowd, and zero distance between ambition and reality. That’s the grass‑roots yet polished magic CHQ delivers.
So lace up those weekend plans, fight fans. May 17—Middletown, Connecticut—Art of Combat. Be close enough to feel the pulse of every strike, but polished enough to say you saw tomorrow’s contenders before the big leagues did.
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