The main event featured Glenn Mascarenas taking on Ricky Byrd of Grand Junction.  Mascarenas had stated at the last Melee card that he would be donating his entire purse to the guests of honor, the 40th Armored Brigade from Ft. Carson. He made the most of the 'paid by the hour' bit as he stopped Byrd in the very first round. Byrd looked stiff and very tight while Mascarenas looked at ease pumping the jab and one-two's into his face. Mysteriously missing from Byrd’s corner was Team Impact. Must have made a switch and not for the better based on this bout. Mascarenas traps Byrd in the ropes and goes to the body, hard. He then catches him with a 45. Not quite a hook or uppercut, somewhere in between and it is the beginning of the end. He follows up and floors Byrd with a left hook. Byrd gets to his feet only to be put down a second time as Mascarenas moves in for the kill. He beats the count a second time but after another swarming by Mascarenas referee Woody Kislowski has seen enough and calls a halt to the bout at 2:35 of the first round.

The best fight of the night was Felix Rios and Danny Almanza.  Almanza has been working with Tito 'T-N-T' Tovar as of late and has shown steady improvement.  He just hasn't been able to get over the hump.  Rios is an action fighter who loves to throw his punches in bunches, he always makes for an exciting bout.  Rios opens the fight a bit cautious, possibly because this is his first scheduled six rounder.  Almanza works behind the jab while Rios fires his patented wide power hooks.  Rios lands a nice combo at the bell and wins a close round on my card.  Rios seems set to take over in the second as he lands hard shots throughout the round.  He hits Almanza with a kidney shot and referee Ed Walsh calls time.  Rios takes another round on my card.  Almanza left eye begins to swell in the third.  Rios lands three nice hooks to the body.  Almanza answers back with a right left combo that stuns Rios.  The heated battle continues after the bell.  Almanza takes the round.  In the fourth Almanza lands a nice left hook out of a clinch that has Rios noticeably rocked.  He fires a double jab right hand and sends Rios to the ropes.  The crowd loves Almanza and the action and they are cheering his name as he wins another round and ties the score on my card.  Both men look tired in the fifth.  It's looking like it could come down to who really wants it the most.    Rios lands a nice 1-2 has Almanza against the ropes.  Almanza returns the favor and Rios gets a warning for holding.  Rios lands a well timed uppercut and starts to swing for the fences with power hooks.  He wins the round and goes up a point.  Rios is getting the business in the corner between rounds.  They touch 'em up to start the sixth round.  Rios lands another good uppercut, one the best punches in his arsenal.  Almanza lands a hard counter right hand followed by an over hand right to wobble Rios.  Almanza wins the round and earns a draw on my card.  The judges saw it 57-57 and 59-52 x 2 for Rios the winner by majority decision.

Alex Trottier was pitted with local trial horse Berry Basler in a four rounder that would go the distance. Basler came out looking to establish the jab while Trottier used movement and angles to catch him with power hooks to the body and head. You can feel and hear the power in every shot Trottier throws, blocked or not. Kislowski gives Trottier a warning at round's end for hitting behind the head. Alex later said, "He would grab my arm and duck his head. It was the only target he gave me and I took it." In the second round Basler uses quick, soft combos to score. Trottier makes his commitment to the body attack and digs hard shots to his mid section and ribs. Basler is the busier fighter and wins the round on my score card.  The third round sees Trottier opening up with more big power punches from every angle. Basler just stays nice and busy with his combos before stunning Trottier, although momentarily, with a nice one-two combo. Alex fires back with hard hooks and a nice over hand right and wins the round.  They 'touch em up' for the final round and go to work. Alex lands a left hook, straight right combo that hurts Basler mid way through the round. Alex continues to fire power shots and wins the round and fight handily 39-37 on my card. The judges see it a shut-out at 40-36.  In talking with Alex after the bout he was quick to give Basler his respect, "He's a real veteran with a lot of tricks in there, gotta give him credit" He went on to speak of the 3-4 fight contract he has with a promoter in South Dakota, "I'll be fighting my next few fights up there including one during the Sturgis Bike Rally, should be a great time!"  Trottier is a very real prospect from Colorado worth watching for. He also has an amateur pedigree to back it up. He has been in with many of the nations best and has been ranked nationally in each of the last two years. In asking him about title shots and the future he was quick to say "Oh, I don't know about that, I just keep coming to the gym, working hard and that stuff will work itself out."  I believe it will work itself out, to an eventual world title shot.