Mixed martial arts has come back to Sheboygan for a good cause and with a fun fight card. Headlined by a featherweight showdown between former training partners Morgan Sickinger and Derek Griffin, Saturday’s Sheboygan Showdown “Fight For A Cause” features a heavily amateur card that includes some bright prospects.

Taking place at The Final Approach in Sheboygan, Jason Mills and Highland Fight Systems have put together a quality card sure to attract fight fans from the area. Two veteran fighters from the Fox Valley area, Griffin and Sickinger, will meet in the main event.

For Sickinger, the reports have been the same for his past few fights. After beginning the early part of his career in dominant fashion, the Unified Martial Arts fighter has staggered as of late. Outside of a kickboxing victory over Justin Echols in August, “Captain” has remained winless over the past 16-months.

Sickinger’s downfall started after a tough majority decision loss to Javier Vega in Combat USA’s tournament debut, a defeat that the wrestler has not been able to shake. Most recently, the former Konquer The Kage champion dropped a decision to Mike Richman in Minnesota.

Likewise, Griffin has faced his own form of adversity as of late. The HIT Center competitor has dropped four of his last five fights, with his most recent coming at the hands of Joao Bosco at Sheboygan Showdown 3 in August. Safe to say, both fighters will be in desperate search of a win.

“Both these guys trained together for years and are very good friends and this will answer to both guys who will actually win when we fight each other,” said Sheboygan Showdown’s Mills. “These are the two biggest names and biggest fighters from the Manitowoc-Appleton area and they will finally get to throw down.”

Along with the professional main event, Sheboygan Showdown 4 is set to feature 10 amateur fights. The co-main event of the night will be an amateur title matchup between Highland Fight System’s Billy Paape and James Barber of Waukesha MMA.

Mills told US Combat Sports reporter Paul Fladten that the winner between Barber and Paape will become the organization’s amateur lightweight title and will eventually square off against other promotion’s 155-pound champions in hopes of creating a ranking system and amateur champion of the Wisconsin area.

Other notable amateurs fighting on Saturday include Roufusport’s Elias Garcia, Red Schafer MMA’s Rob Keller and Peter English, and HFS’ Nate Jennerman and Nate Jernovsek. Rising Son MMA, Team Ruff Dawg, and Metz’s Combat Club will also be represented come fight night.

Interestingly, Sheboygan Showdown 4 will be donating part of its proceeds to local charities around the area. Mills said that this is something that the promotion will be doing from now on in order to demonstrate the positivity of mixed martial arts and just how much the sport has progressed over the years.

“As MMA becomes more popular we want to make sure that we banish the negative imagery that came along with the sport when it started out. This event will support an animal shelter in town and the Military Family Connect Charity, which supports local military families. It’s just a way for us to give back.”

Stay tuned to US Combat Sports for coverage from Sheboygan Showdown “Fight For A Cause”. The event will take place at The Final Approach in Sheboygan Falls and the fights are set to begin at 7 p.m. with doors opening two hours earlier.  

Pro MMA
145 – Morgan Sickinger (Unified Martial Arts) vs. Derek Griffin (HIT Center)

Amateur MMA
155 - Billy Paape (Highland Fight Systems) vs. James Barber (Waukesha MMA)
135 – Peter English (Red Schafer MMA) vs. Kevin Shultz (Rising Son MMA)
170 – Micah Fulton (Metz’s Combat Club) vs. Nate Jernovsek (Highland Fight Systems)
265 – Gabe Sayeg vs. Jordan Seufzer
155 – Nate Jennerman (Highland Fight Systems) vs. Matt Eisenzimmer (Serrano’s Combat Gym)
185 – Rob Keller (Red Schafer MMA) vs. Andrew Rivas
140 – Sammy Donner (HIT Center) vs. Dustin Wetor (Highland Fight Systems)
170 – David Ruddy (HIT Center) vs. Charles Hanson (Rising Son MMA)
145 – Sergio Esquivel (Ruff Dawg MMA) vs. Duarn Vue
130 – Elias Garcia (Roufusport) vs. Keith Burks (HIT Center)