Rural Rumble back for 6th year

An Olympian, Olympic alternate and a host of Fallon-based amateur mixed-martial arts fighters will grace the 2013 Rural Rumble fight card Aug. 24 at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.

Another twist to the sixth annual event, according to Let’s Get it On Promotions owner Terry Lane, is a possible appearance by perhaps the most decorated boxing referee in history, his father Mills Lane.

“We kind of tinkered with the card,” Terry Lane said. “The amateur MMA card is going to feature four or five Fallon fighters.”

Mills Lane, 76, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June. The past 11 years, though, have been tough for Mills Lane as he suffered a massive stroke in 2002 that left him partially paralyzed and is barely able to speak.

One of Mills Lane’s most famous bouts was the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield fight where Tyson chomped off a part of Holyfield’s ear. Mills Lane also started nearly every bout with his famour “Let’s get it on.”

Terry Lane, though, said his father is feeling better and hopes to visit Fallon and the Rural Rumble.

Terry Lane said the card will feature professional boxing and amateur MMA.

The headliners, though, are 2012 Ecuadorian Olympian heavyweight Ytalo Pera and 2012 U.S. Olympic alternate Santos Vasquez of Reno, who fought at last year’s event.

“He’s a killer and top 10 prospect,” Terry Lane said of Pera. “We’ll have the Vasquez brothers once again and a fighter from Carson City. Once again, that local interest and bring it back outdoors in Fallon. We can’t wait to do it again.”

Vasquez and his brother, Oscar, will once again grace the same card, although battle in different weight classes.

Tickets, meanwhile, go on sale July 19. Prices for ringside seats have been reduced to $25 in advance and $30, according to Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority Executive Director Rick Gray. Last year, ringside tickets cost $50 and $55, respectively.

General admission tickets are reduced for children 6-14 to $5 in advance and $8 gate compared to $7 and $10. Gray said he is also working out a price for table seats for walk-up or advance purchase.

Terry Lane and Gray said they are working on a plan to host a Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame event in conjunction with the fights. Terry Lane said NBHF will host its inaugural ceremony in Las Vegas.

“(It) would be great to get an event in Fallon with the governor, Mills Lane (a recent inductee) and a former boxer of stature,” Gray said. “But so far, these are just ideas for a plan that we hope we can put together.”