Empire Promotions’ “Battle for the Throne” Brings Championship Action to Las Cruces
Empire Promotions is set to bring a night of championship combat sports action to Las Cruces, New Mexico, as “Battle for the Throne” takes over the Pan American Center on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
The event will be headlined by a light heavyweight showdown between AJ “All Day” Hotchkins (3-1) and Tommie “Brick Hands” Britton, a matchup that pits a rising fighter with a unique athletic background against one of the most experienced combat sports competitors on the card.
Hotchkins brings more than just his professional MMA experience into the main event. Before stepping into the fight game, he played linebacker at D-I powerhouse Oregon, giving him a background built around physicality, explosiveness and high-level competition. Now, he’ll look to translate those athletic traits into another major performance inside the cage.
Standing across from him will be Britton, who brings a significant amount of combat sports experience to the matchup. Britton has competed in 22 professional MMA fights while also gaining experience in boxing, bare-knuckle fighting and kickboxing. That diverse résumé could make his experience a major factor when the two light heavyweights meet.
The championship action won’t be limited to the professional main event.
Two amateur title fights are also scheduled for the card, giving some of New Mexico’s emerging talent an opportunity to establish themselves.
In the amateur bantamweight division, Ruben Luna will face Jacob Reed for the amateur bantamweight championship. Meanwhile, Gabe Enriquez and Kaleb Aguilar will battle for the amateur flyweight title.
With professional experience, former Division I athletic pedigree and four fighters competing for championship gold, Empire Promotions’ “Battle for the Throne” has the makings of an important night for the New Mexico combat sports scene.
The road to the throne runs through the Pan American Center on September 19.
Full Card
- Light Heavyweight Main Event: Aj Hotchkins vs. Tommie Britton
- Bantamweight: Chris Tavares vs. Nathan Torres
- Middleweight: Miguel Tovar vs. Chris Crosby
- Bantamweight: Cesar Sandoval vs. Joe Veloz
- Welterweight: Ysidro Portillo Jr. vs. Mario Molina
- Flyweight: Javier Duchene vs. Marquis Johnson
- Featherweight: Devin Peppin vs. Giovanny Meza
Amateur
- Bantamweight title: Ruben Luna vs. Jacob Reed
- Flyweight Title: Gabe Enriquez vs. Kaleb Aguilar
- Lightweight: Devon Arzate vs. Ryan Garcia
- Featherweight: Eddie Gonzales vs. Jr. Camarillo
- Bantamweight: Darmien Garcia vs. Alexandro Rodriguez
- Lightweight: Richard Garcia vs. Juwan Smith
- Strawweight: Jesus Anchondo vs. Jeremiah Sanchez
- Featherweight: Robert Briseno vs. Vuong Nguyen
- Flyweight: Isaac Aguilar vvs. Moses De Alejandro
- Bantamweight: Miles Marshall vs. Charles Johnson
- Flyweight: Nick DeSantiago vs. Adrian Juarez
(Card Subject to Change)
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