Sports Briefs: MMA returns to Media City with ‘Burbank Beatdown’
Burbank Beatdown headed to Marriott
Mixed martial arts will return to the Burbank Marriott Convention Center on Saturday night April 21 with California Xtreme Fighting 12’s “Burbank Beatdown.”
Presented by Lights Out Promotions and Bash Boxing, the event has locals Edmen Shahbazian and Brittney Victoria scheduled to compete.
Shahbazian, a former Hoover High standout wrestler who trains at the Glendale Fighting Club, is still just 20 and boasts a 5-0 record with all his wins coming via technical knockout inside the first round.
Victoria, who trains at Main Event Gym in Glendale, made her professional debut at CXF 11 in February with a second-round TKO win following a 3-1 run as an amateur.
Currently scheduled bouts include: Serob Minasyan (8-11) versus Hunter Carlyle (4-0); Arut Pogosjan (3-1) toeing the line with Arian Sharifi (4-0); Mike Jasper (12-4) facing Justin Baesman (18-17); Georgi Garcia (6-3) fighting Chris Beal (10-5); and AJ Bryant Jr. (7-2) squaring off with Brian Del Rosario (3-0).
All bouts are subject to change. Doors are set to open at 6:30 p.m. with first bell at 7:30.
For tickets, call (844) 662-8499 or visit www.MMATIXX.com.
Flaherty debuts for Cardinals, sent to minors
Burbank resident Jack Flaherty pitched well in his season debut Tuesday for the St. Louis Cardinals before being optioned to the triple-A Memphis Redbirds on Thursday.
The right-hander struck out nine, gave up six hits and one run and walked one in five innings against the host Milwaukee Brewers. Flaherty left with a 4-1 lead before Milwaukee scored two runs in the eighth and ninth to earn a 5-4 win.
Flaherty, who has appeared in seven games for the Cardinals since last season, was assigned to Memphis after St. Louis took pitcher Adam Wainright off the disabled list. Flaherty was recalled March 28 from Memphis after Wainwright was placed on the disabled list.
Flaherty went 14-4 with a 2.18 earned-run average last season with Memphis. He was selected as the 2017 Minor League Pitcher of the Year in the organization.
Ex-Burroughs player suspended after arrest
Former Burroughs High boys’ basketball player Amaad Wainright, who played for Kansas State, has been suspended from the team following an arrest, as reported by fox4kc.com.
The 22-year-old junior was arrested Tuesday on felony warrants out of Johnson County, Kan. that were issued on March 28 for fleeing and eluding and felony obstruction, U.S. Marshall Ron Miller told fox4kc.com. The arrest stemmed from an alleged road rage shooting incident on Jan. 17 on a local interstate in Overland Park.
Wainwright has been indefinitely suspended from the Wildcats team, Kansas State Athletics Director Gene Taylor stated in a press release.
“We are aware of Ahmad’s situation, and due to the seriousness of the charges he has been indefinitely suspended from our men’s basketball team per athletic department policy,” Taylor said. “We take matters such as these very seriously and will re-evaluate his status as we learn more information.”
Wainwright, a 6-foot-2 guard, appeared in 39 games and averaged 13.1 minutes during the 2017-18 season for Kansas State, averaging 2.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. The Wildcats advanced to the elite eight of the NCAA Tournament, losing to Loyola of Chicago, 78-62.
Wainwright played one season for Burroughs in 2013-14.
All-City youth track meet set
Some of the finest local youth track and field athletes will be in action in the Burbank All-City Middle Schools Track Meet.
The event will take place at 5 p.m. April 20 at Burroughs High’s Memorial Field. Admission is free.
All three city middle schools, John Muir, Luther Burbank and David Star Jordan, will participate.
The meet has been going strong since 2002, when it was resurrected after not being held for 12 years.