It has been a very eventful seven months for mixed martial arts fighter Jeff Hatton.
The Aberdeen native rebounded from knee surgery to restart his professional MMA career in February and will be in his fifth official fight since August when he takes on Corey Roska, of Portland, Ore., in Cagesport XVIII at the Emerald Queen Casino in Fife on Saturday.
Hatton (5-0) and Roska, in a three 5-minute round bantamweight fight, will be a part of the undercard in a 10-fight event, highlighted by a Cagesport welterweight title main event fight between Strikeforce-veteran “Fast” Eddy Ellis, of Yelm, and David “Hollywood” Hulett.
For Hatton, 25, this is just the continuation of a path he started in 2008 that was interrupted in October, 2009 when he blew out his knee during training. After working and taking care of his family, Hatton had complete anterior cruciate ligament surgery in April, 2010.
Ten months later, Hatton was in the ring against Lupe Hudgens, who handed Hatton his last amateur loss. Hatton won the pro debut by technical knockout in the first round in front of a very partisan crowd at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Oyehut last February.
“I’ve always wanted to fight and I didn’t think anything was going to stop me,” said Hatton, who was heading into the sauna at the YMCA of Grays Harbor. “It was pretty hardcore surgery, but it was very successful. I see myself better than I’ve ever been. I continue to get better. As long as I keep working hard and training, staying patient, I’ll get better.”
Hatton got his first-ever knockout in his third fight against Arjay Murphy in 12 seconds of the second round at the Reign Fighting Championships on Aug. 27, 2011. It was his second fight in the month, the first was a submission victory over Damen Wood in Anacortes on Aug. 13.
His last two fights — another win over Wood in Gresham, Ore., on Oct. 22 and a win over Benny Vinson at the Rumble At The Ridge in Snoqualmie on Dec. 10 that was on regional television — were by first-round submissions.
“I also had an exhibition match in there as well, which doesn’t count; that makes it six fights since August,” Hatton added.
In between fights, Hatton is now working in Satsop and working out at his gym in Aberdeen — Bad Company MMA — with his childhood friend, Jacob Allison, and John “Hanshi” Kraemer, of Morningstar Karate. Allison is a sixth-degree karate black belt, noted Hatton, and he helps the fighter with his standup work.
Hatton also works out with several local amateur fighters, all of them in the 135- to 145-pound class, and takes off to Yelm to add some training at Victory Athletics, a gym run by MMA fighter/trainer Dennis Hallman.
Also, Hatton has hooked up with a management company — First Round Management in Miami, Fla. — that represents current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones’ Jones, UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, UFC lightweight contender Ben Henderson and Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez.
All of this makes Saturday’s fight an important one for Hatton’s career.
“They said they’d get me one or two more local fights, then get me into the UFC or Strikeforce,” Hatton said. “I just need to keep on winning.”
Tickets for Saturday’s fights start at $35 and are available online at EmeraldQueen.com or at the EQC box office in Fife.
