MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
More than three months after his previous bout, the stars have aligned for Torrez Finney’s next match.
Finney, who last fought in April to remain unbeaten, will take on El J Portee on Aug. 4 as part of the Nashville Underground event that’s a joint event between Aries Fight Series and Training Camp Nashville. Tickets are available at FighterTix.com “We went through opponent after opponent, and he was the guy that said yes,” Finney said. “You have to take any opponent sometimes to get somebody to fight you.”
In the level of fighting that Finney, a former two-sport star at JCHS, is in, setting up a bout is much more complex than just an informal conversation. There are other factors involved on both sides, sometimes not even including those stepping in the ring, as Finney explains.
“There’s more to fighting than saying yes or no. It’s also about contacts, timing and the management also has to say yes,” Finney said. “Right now, we just want to take advantage of any opportunity we can get.”
Regardless of how the bout on Aug. 4 got set up, the goal for Finney remains the same.
“I go into the fight to smash, take you out and dominate,” Finney said. “I don’t go in there just to fight.”
With a 7-7 record, Portee does have the advantage of experience against Finney, and this will also be the first match for Finney in which he has faced an opponent of similar height.
“He’s a solid opponent. He’s got a lot more experience, and he has seven wins. That’s more than I have,” Finney said. “Me and him are about the same height, but overall, the gameplan is the same, to go in there and smash.”
If it’s up to Finney, Aug. 4 won’t be the last one of 2023 for him. The goal remains to get the call to fight on a larger stage beyond just regional events.
“The goal is to get at least three fights a year,” Finney said. “Hopefully, the next one will be a big promotion or another regionally. I want to win as many as I can.”
Still, Finney is not looking ahead – at least not past Aug. 4, anyway.
“The next opponent is the biggest one, so I have to stay focused on that,” Finney said.
