The buildup to the main event on the Arena Wars card at the Salem Auditorium was electric. There had been another fight card made up of kick boxers, MMA fighters and Muay Thai fighters that started the event and so when the main event fighters entered the ring late in the evening, the crowd was prepped for action.

Aaron Thompson and Anthony Alvarado came in to this Arena Wars Title fight unbeaten, Granted, they are early in their pro careers, but that does not mean that they lack the desire or skill necessary to be a quality fighter. Alvarado was coming off a tough unanimous decision win against a feisty Billy Wagner in October while Thompson scored a first round knockout against a tough Corey Cook in November. In the ring neither of these fighters back down, and both have the skill necessary to frustrate and bat around an opponent.

As might be expected, the pace of the opening round was fast. Thompson was pumping his jab, not just to create distance, but to catch Alvarado when he stepped in. Alvarado did look to close the distance between the two, and when he did so, he was able to land good combinations. Alvarado's pressure paid dividends in the second round as he was able to close the distance and land a hard right to Thompson's head. Thompson shook that off and went back to the jab, creating some distance, but then taking advantage of that space to step forward and land body shots.

The third round was also close as each fighter took advantage of their most effective weapon; for Thompson it was the jab aimed at Alvarado's chin, for Alvarado it was combinations to the body. At the midpoint of the round Thompson backed Alvarado into the corner and landed a barrage of body shots which slowed Alvarado's ability to throw punches. The fourth round opened with a quick pace, similar to that of the first round, though Alvarado was able to throw some hard body shots, many of which Thompson slipped. Thompson scored a knockdown at the 2:30 mark of the round after pinning Alvarado on the ropes and landing shots to his body and head.

Alvarado had a solid comeback round in the fifth as he worked to pressure Thompson, stepping forward and targeting his body. Thompson's punch output was slowed until the final minute of the round when he again pinned Alvarado on the ropes and landed scoring punches to his body. In the sixth round, sensing he needed something big, Alvarado reached deep and threw a lot of punches. Thompson adjusted, moved away from the power, and countered with his jab and straight right.

After six rounds of good boxing action, two judges scored the fight 59-54, the third saw it 58-55 all in favor of Aaron Thompson who would remain unbeaten and wear the Arena Wars Title Belt.

Thompson's left kept Alvarado from getting close

Thompson loads up his right

Esera's left jab was an effective weapon

Carlos Ortega has been one to the busiest fighters over the course of the last year. He won his last fight by out punching his opponent and landing heavy shots while the opponent was on the ropes. That strategy would not work against Iosefa Esera, making his professional debut and set on making most of this fight happen in the center of the ring to avoid Ortega's strength.

Esera used his jab quite effectively in the opening round, targeting Ortega's head. While Ortega stepped away from some of those punches, he was unable to slip them all. Ortega did shoot punches back, but he threw fewer than Esera, and Esera'a slight reach advantage kept Ortega from getting close. The story of the second round was Esera's jab. He was patient in finding the range and content to simply keep pumping it at Ortega's head.

Most of the third round was fought standing close. That meant each man threw short body shots, hoping to break the other down. The difficulty with these to men is that they each can walk through the body shot. As the round progressed, Esera began to throw a few punches at Ortega's head. The pace of the fourth round slowed as each man tired some. Ortega threw his right at Esera's head; Esera moved well enough to avoid getting caught flush. Esera meanwhile continued to land his left with regularity.

The final round stated again with a slow pace. Esera began to follow his left jab with a straight right that landed to Ortega's body. Late in the round Ortega backed Esera on to the ropes and landed heavy body shots. Esera covered and eventually spun out of trouble.

After five rounds two judges scored the bout 50-45, the third scored it 48-47, all in favor of Iosefa Esera who would claim the unanimous decision in debut as a professional.

Local favorite Marco Cardenas was scheduled to be in the main event, but when his opponent fell out due to a medical issue, he was content to stay on the card in an undercard bout facing always tough Kevin Davila. Here's two things to consider with these two fighters: Cardenas knows no wins come easy and therefore he puts in the work to remain competitive; Davila knows that he will always be in tough fights, and that means he has to prepared for whatever his opponent brings to the ring.

In this fight where each man respected the other's ability to land heavy early, the pace of the opening round was slow. Davila threw his jab and covered to avoid getting hit while Cardenas threw fewer, but the more accurate punches. Early in the second round Cardenas landed a left - right combination to Davila's body to control the action. After that combination, Cardenas moved around the ring, creating angles from which to throw and keeping Davila from landing many punches.

Cardenas had a solid third round behind his right hand to Davila's body. Davila took some heavy shots, but still worked to close the distance and land some body shots of his own. Cardenas continued to land body shots in the fourth round, and while that might have slowed other fighters, Davila continued to step forward, closing the distance while shooting his own shots at Cardenas' body.

After four rounds, all three judges scored the fight 40-36 in favor of Cardenas who would claim the unanimous decision win.

Cardenas lands his left while Davila covers

Herrera lands a right to Diezel's body

Anthony Herrera entered the bout with Rob Diezel unbeaten with an impressive debut win last March. Rob Diezel has been in his share of tough fights and was looking to get back in the win column after dropping a lopsided unanimous decision in September.

Herrera answered the opening bell throwing hard rights at Diezel's body. That set up a right to Diezel's body that dropped Diezel in the first minute of the round. Diezel stood, and was a little more cautious in stepping away from Herrera's power. However, as the round closed, Herrera backed Diezel on to the ropes and landed a flurry of body shots. Herrera controlled the action of the second round landing combinations which kept Diezel moving. Diezel found some success when the two men were in close, but that meant subjecting himself to Herrera's body shots.

Diezel had a good third round as he was able to create a few angles and fire shots at Herrera's body. Herrera was able to land more effective punches, and while Diezel tried to keep the fight in the center of the ring, Herrera was able to make Diezel move off his spot. Diezel threw more punches in the fourth round, but Herrera was able to either block or slip many of them. Herrera also showed that he could land punches while on the move.

The fifth round was close as each man threw shots at the other's body, but it was Herrera who controlled the action as the round ended.

After five rounds all three judges scored the fight 50-44 in favor of Herrera who would remain unbeaten behind the unanimous decision.

Kevin Ochoa has been dominating fighters who are making pro debuts or early in their professional career, so the fight against a veteran Moises Molina would prove a step up in competition. Molina entered this fight after taking a tough and close split decision loss in his last outing.

The story of the opening round was told with the jab. Ochoa controlled the slow pace of the round behind his left, while Molina threw his right. Molina stepped up the pressure in the second round and was able to close the distance between the two men and land with his jab and follow with his left. Ochoa, late in the round, began to follow is left with a straight right.

Ochoa loaded up his right hand and threw it effectively in the third round, often targeting Molina's chin. Molina had to keep on the move to avoid getting caught, and that slowed his punch output. Molina threw more punches in the fourth round, though many of them ended up being wide of his target. Ochoa continued to focus his right on Molina's body to score.

The fifth round was close as Ochoa grabbed control early, then mid round Molina shifted the momentum in his favor as he was able to land combinations.

\After five rounds one judge scored the fight 50-45, the other two scored it 49-46 all in favor of Kevin Ochoa who would claim the unanimous decision and remain unbeaten.

Adding the right enabled Ochoa to gain control

Allen throws his right while Ayala answers with a left

Jose Ayala made his professional debut facing unbeaten Haidon Allen. Though Allen's record is unblemished, he has not been tested as he would be in this four round lightweight bout.

Allen used his quickness to gain the momentum early in the opening round, and that forced Ayala to move to close the distance between the two and bring the fight in close. That also meant there was some holding, and while that negated punches at the end of one's reach, it also lead to short body shots. Ayala was the aggressor in the second round as he came forward throwing his left, forcing Allen to step back or to the side. Allen made the adjustment and countered with his straight left to move Ayala.

Ayala continued to be aggressive in the third round and in so doing he kept Allen moving, and that slowed his punch output. However, Allen's ring experience showed as he began to fire punches while stepping back or moving to the side. The fourth round was close. A lot of the fighting was done with the two men standing toe to toe and throwing body shots. In that situation Allen gained an advantage landing heavier shots.

After four rounds one judge scored the fight even at 38, the second scored it 39-37, and the third scored it 40-36 in favor of Haidon Allen who would claim the majority decision win.

Jose Garcia entered the middleweight bout against Dustin Winter coming off a TKO win in his pro debut. Winter was making his debut as a professional in the bout.

Both men answered the opening bell throwing a lot of punches from a number of angles. Each was looking to land something heavy to slow the other. That lead to stepping toward each other and fighting in close which lead to Garcia gaining an edge as he was able to unleash combinations. Garcia controlled the action of the second round as he backed Winter on to the ropes and worked over his body. As the two minute mark approached, Garcia landed a left to Winter's body that dropped him to the canvas. Winter stood and continued to fight, but another body shot as the round drew to a close staggered Winter.

Garcia scored another knockdown early in the third round with a straight right that landed on Winter's chin. While Winter stood and answered with a few punches, Garcia landed a body - head combination that again dropped Winter. Referee Joel Scobie waved the fight to an end at 2:27 of the third round. Garcia would claim another TKO win.

Garcia (left) and Winter trade lefts

McMillan lands a right to Marin's body

A couple of Super middleweights, each coming off wins in their professional debut, Daniel Marin and Mike McMillan stepped in to face each other in a four round bout.

The pace of the opening round was quite slow. Both men moved just out of range of the other's reach, and though they shot a jab or two at each other few landed that had any effect. Marin threw more jabs, while McMillan fired combinations. The pace picked up some in the second round as Marin continued to throw more punches, but it was McMillan that landed the heavier shots. Marin moved to stay beyond McMillan's reach, but McMillan proved adept at taking the fight in close and landing to Marin's body.

Marin continued to throw more punches, jabs and rights, through the round and that kept McMillan moving and slowed his punch output though what he landed were heavy and hard. The fourth round was fought in close as both men worked the other's body, occasionally trying to land a shot to the head.

After four rounds, one judge scored the fight even at 38, the other two scored it 39-37 in favor of McMillan who would claim the majority decision win.

Juan Rojas and Allen Hernandez fought in March of last year with Rojas taking the Unanimous decision win. That fight was reported as one of the most exciting on that card. This rematch then was set to be a tough and gruelling bout.

As was to be expected, the first round was close and packed with action. Both men threw a lot of punches. Hernandez gained a slight edge in being more accurate while Rojas turned to scoring with counter punches. Rojas had a solid second round and a crisp left opened a cut above Hernandez right eye. The doctor checked it and allowed the fight to continue. Rojas closed the round landing body shots to keep Hernandez from stepping close.

The third round was close as both men returned to the tactic of throwing a lot of punches. Rojas landed some hard body shots while Hernandez began to shoot his right at Rojas' head. And there was no let up to the pace in the closing round as both men threw quick and hard looking to land something to dispatch the other. Rojas continued to fire shots at Hernandez's body while Hernandez kept his target on Rojas' head.

After four rounds one judge scored the fight 40-36, the other two scored it 39-37 all in favor of Juan Rojas who would again claim the unanimous decision win.

Hernandez (left) and Rojas exchange lefts

Sierra's left would drop Humphrey

Jeremiah Sierra entered the four round welterweight fight against Michael Humphrey looking to change his fortune. Sierra had taken two tough KO losses to start his career, though he had moments in each fight in which he displayed the ability to box. Humphrey made the trip from California for his pro debut.

Sierra was much more accurate with his punches in the opening moments of the fight. Humphrey threw punches, but many of them were wide and wild. Sierra landed a hard right to Humphrey's head in the opening minute that dropped Humphrey to the canvas. He rose to continue. With Humphrey's back to the ropes, Sierra landed a combination that dropped Humphrey in the second minute of the round. Again, he stood to continue. Sierra jumped toward Humphrey and landed again to his head and dropped him for the third time forcing referee Joel Scobie to step in and wave the fight to an end.

Jeremiah Sierra would claim the TKO win at 1:41 of the opening round.

Welterweights Margarito Hernandez and Oscar Arriga opened the boxing show in a four round bout. Hernandez had fallen on a streak that he was looking to break, having lost or drawn in a number of his previous bouts. Arriga was also looking to win after dropping his pro debut in a close decision.

Hernandez controlled much of the first round using his jab and following that with his right. Arriga, in the final minute of the round, stepped in close to Hernandez and landed a hard right that staggered Hernandez. The round ended before Arriga could follow up. Hernandez recovered quickly and in the second round he threw more punches and kept Arriga moving to slow is ability to counter.

Hernandez showed some non stop punching prowess in the third round as he kept pressuring Arriga. Arriga tried to close the distance and tie Hernandez up, but Hernandez was slick in moving out of trouble. Hernandez showed that he was in good shape for this fight as he continued to throw more punches, and land effectively in the fourth round. Arriga was able to throw his right at Hernandez body, but he could not match Hernandez' output.

After four rounds one judge scored the fight even at 38, the other two scored it 39-37 in Hernandez favor, and he would get back on the wining track with the majority decision.

Hernandez goes low to land his right to Arriga's body

The Ring Card Girls keep the crowd entertained

Team Thompson celebrates with the Arena Wars Title Belt

Mark your calendar and get your tickets for the next Arena Wars Show