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> By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune September 08. 2014 7:22PM Rogues manager: No more cage fighting events Medford Rogues won't host cage fighting events again after Saturday's brawl. Chuck Heeman, general manager of the Medford Rogues, describes the fight that broke out in the stands toward the end of the Return of the Champions cage fighting event Saturday night at the Harry & David Field. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell The Medford Rogues will never again share its field with cage fighters if the baseball team’s general manager, Chuck Heeman, has anything to say about it. Rogue Fights, a regional Mixed Martial Arts promoter, rented the Medford Rogues’ Harry & David Field on Saturday night for an MMA event, Return of the Champions. Things went smoothly right up until the last five minutes, when about 20 fans began name-calling, pushing and shoving, Heeman said. Two police officers stationed at the event, as well as several CYA Security guards hired by Rogue Fights, tried to break it up, but the brawl resumed in the parking lot, drawing more than 50 people, he said. “The scheduled fights had ended, but these people were still fired up,” Heeman said. Police at the event called for backup around 9:44 p.m., and about 20 officers responded, including Medford police, Central Point police, Phoenix police, Oregon State Police and Jackson County sheriff’s deputies. Medford police Officer Brandon Amaya described the scene as “mass chaos" in his report. Lt. Mike Budreau said people were punching, kicking, stomping, biting and eye-gouging. Police arrested six adults and one juvenile. Two security guards were assaulted, and many others were left nursing their wounds, although no one was transported to the hospital, police said. Heeman said one security guard’s face was bloodied and knee was injured. The guard, whom Heeman identified as Tom Hoefft, also was suffering from memory loss, mostly likely as a result of a concussion, he said. Budreau said another security guard was bleeding from his eye after being gouged by Matthew Chalon Miller, 51, who was arrested along with his son Jacob Jonathan Patrick Miller, 24, both of Cave Junction. Others arrested were John Robert Bowling, 31, and Daniel Lee Bowling, 29, both of Medford; Christina Ricci, 21, of Cave Junction; Derek Scott Mendez, 24, of Selma; and a 17-year-old female. Budreau said officers did not use force or weapons to detain any of the rioters. “There were a lot of other people who deserved to be arrested but who we could logistically not take into custody,” he said. “Alcohol was definitely a factor in the behavior of all the involved parties,” Budreau added. Heeman said his staff was serving alcohol and had put wristbands on everyone age 21 and older. Rogue Fights “theoretically” had someone checking bags at the gate for alcohol, Heeman said. “But we saw people pulling flasks and bottles out of their backpacks and purses,” he said. Calls to Rogue Fights and CYA Security were not returned Sunday and Monday. John Bowling was the first to be arrested after he and the 17-year-old girl allegedly exchanged punches inside the stadium. Bowling said the girl sitting near him “was talking crap the whole time” and had instigated the fight inside the stadium. Later, as he was exiting the stadium, Bowling said the girl recognized him and “popped” him in the eye. While Bowling argues that he never resisted arrest, Heeman, who was watching the incident from the press box, said he saw Bowling throw his hands up as if to block police and try to pull away from them when they tried to handcuff him. Bowling was charged with riot, second-degree disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer. His brother, Daniel Bowling, was arrested following the riot in the parking lot. Daniel Bowling said Monday his injuries included “a red eyeball” from being gouged, as well as bruises on his head and scratches on his back and neck. Both brothers are former MMA fighters. John Bowling said that of the 20-plus MMA events he’s attended, this was the second one that turned violent outside the cage. Heeman said that if the event had gone smoothly, as it did at the beginning, then he would have considered hosting it every year at the Harry & David Field. “But, obviously, it didn't work well, so we are not going to keep doing it,” he said. The Harry & David Field is owned by the city of Medford but managed by the Medford Rogues. “Your initial reaction might be, ‘Well, it’s a bunch of drunks having a fight,’ but it really wasn't that,” Heeman said. “It was more like a couple of idiots who were wanna-be cage fighters and got in a fight and their friends got involved.” Reach reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected]. Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20140908/NEWS/140909714 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->