A large fight involving about 100 people broke out during the 559 Fights 126: Next Gen 4 MMA event at Visalia Convention Center on Saturday night, prompting a major police response and stopping the card. Fifteen people were arrested, while three Visalia Police Department officers suffered minor injuries and were treated and released.
The incident unfolded on August 22 during the regional MMA promotion’s event in Visalia, California. Officers were already assigned to work the show when fighting started among attendees, according to police. What began as one large disturbance quickly spread, with several separate fights taking place across the facility.
Video: 559 Fights Event Stopped After 100-Person Brawl Breaks Out in California
Video from inside the convention center shows groups converging toward the center of the building as people tried to move through the crowd. Others stood back, filming the scene on their phones, while security personnel attempted to separate those involved. The situation grew beyond the on-site police detail, leading officers to request immediate backup.
Visalia Police sent 26 units to the convention center. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Farmersville Police Department and Exeter Police Department also assisted as authorities worked to regain control, clear the venue and disperse the crowd.
Police said 15 people were arrested and booked into the Tulare County Adult Pre-Trial Detention Facility on various charges. Officials had not publicly identified those arrested or detailed the individual allegations as of Monday afternoon.
Three Visalia officers sustained minor injuries while responding to the disturbance. Police said all three were treated and released, and local reporting indicated they were expected to be okay.
The show had been billed as 559 Fights 126: “Next Gen 4,” a live MMA event scheduled for the Visalia Convention Center on Saturday evening. Promotional material listed a 5 p.m. start, with the event marketed around local and developing fighters.
559 Fights addressed the incident in a statement Sunday, describing it as an isolated event involving a specific group of attendees. The promotion said anyone confirmed by the investigation to have participated in the disturbance will be banned from future 559 Fights events.
The organization also pointed to its history of staging more than 100 events over 15 years, saying the brawl did not reflect its fighters, coaches, staff or the majority of people in attendance. The promotion said safety remains a priority going forward.
No serious injuries to attendees have been reported in the information released so far. Authorities have not detailed what started the initial confrontation, whether those arrested were connected to specific teams or fighters, or whether further arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
