New Houston Promotion Looking to Help At-Risk Youth with MMA; Elite Amateur Combat 1 on December 2nd

HOUSTON, TX, November 8. 2011 – Houston’s MMA Scene is growing and reaching out into the community with the latest entrant onto the amateur promotional scene, CDM Promotions. Scheduled for their maiden event on December 2^nd, Elite Amateur Combat 1, this new event series aims to add to the scene in two ways – by being another venue for up-and-coming fighters to compete in, and also use MMA as a vehicle to promote an even greater cause of helping at-risk youth have a better chance to succeed in life.

With preparations under way for their first event scheduled for the Woodlands’ Legends Sports Complex, we recently spoke to organizer Reynaldo Rueda to get his story on why this cause is so important and what he hopes to bring to our local scene.

Interview with CDM Promotions Promoter Reynaldo Rueda

Congratulations on making your way into the MMA world with CDM Promotions. I understand your events are aimed at helping at-risk youth stay off the streets through the CDM Boxing Youth Center. What can you tell us about that?

I have been working w/ troubled at-risk kids since I lost my father to cancer. Three years ago, myself along with two other good friends, Fred Crow and Mo Darthart, started the center out of our own pockets as a way to keep kids off the streets by teaching them boxing. Then about two years ago I was introduced to Travis Tooke by another fellow fighter that I used to train with when I was younger, Lewis Wood. Travis has helped us start another program here at the center which of course was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Along the way we encountered many obstacles along the way, mainly with funding to keep our doors open. When that happened we’d continue to go out and help our surrounding community because we were just a self-funded youth center but what we really want is to be able to give everyone that walks through our doors a second chance  – whether its training, counseling, or tutoring as needed.

That’s really why we started CDM Promotions. We started as a boxing youth center but we want to be much more than that. What we’re trying to do is get more people involved and we’re not going to take no for an answer. We want to keep pushing forward for the kids at the center and anyone else out there that reaches out for help.

It seems like you’re fairly passionate about this cause. What’s your background?

Man, where do I begin? I guess it will take too much time to tell it all but I will say this – I was that kid that needed help. I think of myself back then as someone with talent but no means to succeed so I chose the streets. As a result, I was labeled stupid and a menace to society by our good old justice system. I was typical – someone that probably wasn’t going to make it past 21 years of age. That was almost right. I hit rock bottom and tried to kill myself on several occasions but for some reason I’d always come out without a scratch.

So where was the turning point? For lack of a better way of putting it, how did you turn your life around?

I lost my younger brother when he was gunned down and took a bullet in the chest. My other younger brother, he was involved in a near-fatal car accident and was never the same again. When I lost my father to cancer… that was when I finally had my breaking point. I remember crying for days. The last conversation I had with him was when he told me that he wanted me to push forward and not give up (on life). He said that God has a plan for me and that’s why he kept me alive all those years. That day I finally started to realize what my purpose was and I made a promise to a dying friend, my father.

I don’t even know what to say to that other than it’s a blessing for you to have found a calling in life. That’s a big deal, that purpose. What are you doing besides MMA to honor your dad’s wish?

We will continue to strive forward with the youth center but we also have several community events scheduled in the near future. Our next event is Nov.19^th of this month. We will be providing and serving thanksgiving lunch at Northvale Village, a retirement housing community.  We’re determined to keep doing stuff like this even if it comes out of our own pockets. We’re also hoping our MMA events will allow us to do more too.

Speaking of which, what can fans expect at Elite Combat 1? What are you guys hoping to bring to the local MMA scene?

We’re hoping to bring fireworks! We wanted to start our events with a great event at the end of the year on December 2^nd. Right now, we have 2 title fights planned – in the 145 division between Aaron Croon and Johnny Rodriguez and at 155 with Eric Garcia taking on Ryan River. If all goes well with this, then of course anything can happen. Another thing you’ll see is that there’s also a lot of debut fighters on the card. We’re doing this to give some of the newer fighters a shot at this sport since there aren’t enough fights to go around otherwise.

Well we certainly wish you well. Any last words for the community before December 2^nd?

I just want invite all the MMA community here in Houston to come out and support our organization. We want to bring great fights and we like to think we’re doing this for all the right reasons, not just the money but for the love of this sport and as a way to continue helping our community. We’re going to try and make December 2^nd a great night with Elite Amateur Combat 1 so we hope you can come out and enjoy yourselves.

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