Ronda Rousey, Vergil Ortiz Jnr host special 'Napa Knockout' event for retired fighters
Jul 6, 2026 • 7:13 PM ET
The ongoing effort to boost retirement pay for fighters has led to the creation of a rare multi-discipline combat sports card in the wine country of Northern California.
Veteran MMA promoter Scott Coker (Strikeforce, Bellator) will stage an intimate July 25 card at Raymond Vineyards in the Napa Valley that will include scheduled appearances by guests Ronda Rousey, Nate Diaz, Vergil Ortiz Jnr, Arnold Barboza Jnr and Gina Carano.
Bouts will be staged in boxing, MMA and kickboxing while attendees can participate in charitable auctions, luxury hospitality, premium wine, entertainment and VIP experiences in St. Helena, California.
Proceeds will be distributed to the national Association of Boxing Commissions’ Retired Fighters Charity and the California State Athletic Commission Fighter Pension Fund.
General admission tickets start at $500, with ringside seats going for $1,000.
The California commission, in a campaign that included Rousey’s heartfelt backing, sought to raise funds for its pension by enlisting advertising on the backs of its referees’ shirts. That effort stalled in legislative purgatory, however, as a new bid to raise money through designer license plates has been launched.
“This is also a good idea, that came from commissioner Ron Fiore… he knew Jean-Charles Boisset (the Raymond Vineyards Proprietor), and he graciously has donated the winery and gone all out for the cause and the fighters,” CSAC Executive Officer Andy Foster said.
“We’re trying to find new ways to generate money for the fighters that need some help.”
The event, Napa Knockout, will feature bouts including a boxing exhibition by San Francisco’s Marley McNealey, 17-2 (5KOs), former Arizona Cardinals linebacker Scooby Wright in a three-round MMA heavyweight fight against Eddy Herrera and kickboxers Matt Baker and Tony Charles going head-to-head.
“Napa Valley has always been a place of innovation, culture, and celebration,” Boisset said in a prepared statement. “Napa Knockout introduces a bold new energy–bringing together world-class sport, entertainment, philanthropy, and wine country hospitality in one unforgettable experience.”
Doors open at 3 p.m. Pacific, and the fights begin at 5 p.m. Pacific. For more information, go to the Napa Knockout event page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-napa-knockout-charity-event-tickets-1987575517878
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
![Jaron Ennis [left] and Vergil Ortiz square up in November 2025](/img/v1/1920?src=https%3A%2F%2Fphoto.boxingscene.com%2Fuploads%2FJaronEnnisVergilOrtiz11082025-05.webp)
