For Immediate Release · October 14, 2026 · Phoenix, AZ
RUF 71 · Amateur Lightweight
Arizona vs. New Mexico: Marcos Gamez Meets Sonny Perez at RUF 71
A Tucson lightweight who knows this cage. A visitor with international amateur experience and a dangerous choke.
PHOENIX, AZ, October 14, 2026. Marcos Gamez of Chris Stanton Sr. MMA in Tucson made his debut on last year's Dia de Los Muertos card. He comes back to the same themed show at RUF 71: Dia de Los Muertos on November 7, this time as a winner, against New Mexico's Sonny Perez at amateur lightweight.
Gamez
Gamez (1-1) debuted at RUF 65 against Jace Jones, who also fights on this card, and was stopped in the second round. He came back at RUF 69 in July and won a unanimous decision over Carlos Moreno. He has shown he can do fifteen hard minutes. Now he gets to show what he learned.
Perez
Perez brings more fights than Gamez and a passport stamp. He competed at the 2024 IMMAF Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi and the Pan American Championships in Monterrey. At home in New Mexico and West Texas he has finished opponents with rear-naked chokes twice in the last two years. He has never been finished. This is his RUF debut.
Tale of the Tape
| Category | Marcos Gamez | Sonny Perez |
|---|---|---|
| Amateur Record | 1-1 | More than five fights |
| Fighting Out Of | Chris Stanton Sr. MMA, Tucson | New Mexico |
| Last Fight | W, decision, RUF 69 | L, decision, Battle in the Basin 2 |
| Finishes | None yet | 2 rear-naked chokes |
Card and matchups subject to change.
Where the Fight Is Won
Perez finishes from the back, so Gamez cannot give it up in the scrambles. If Gamez keeps it standing and drags it long, the later rounds are where he has already proven himself.
Tickets
RUF 71 tickets are on sale now through Etix. General Admission from $45, VIP from $85, Ringside from $125. The Celebrity Theatre is a theater in the round, so every seat faces the cage. Get RUF 71 tickets on Etix
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About RUF Nation MMA
Founded by Joel Lopez, RUF Nation (Ringside Unified Fighting) is Arizona's #1 professional MMA organization with 20+ years of combat sports heritage. 100% Arizona Tribally-owned, RUF has launched the careers of multiple UFC alumni and is the go-to fight night experience at Phoenix's iconic Celebrity Theatre.
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