LEMOORE, CA — It should be a clash of styles both fighting and personalities when Fresno’s Casey Olson and Sacramento’s Tito Jones take the ring on July 18 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore for Palace Fighting Championship 9.

The Fresno mixed martial artist brings a 7-2 record to the table and is known for his powerful wrestling background and brutal ground-and-pound.

Meanwhile, Jones (4-1) will probably be the more athletic and energetic fighter in the ring.

Whatever style prevails, PFC President Christian Printup believes it just might be one of the best featherweight fights the PFC has ever put together.

“I think it will be one of the most anticipated featherweight fights we’ve ever had,” Printup said. “I think it’s one of the best match ups we could possibly have made and whoever wins this fight moves up the ladder and one step closer to a title shot.”

Olson has competed in the PFC four times, winning three of his last four fights. He most recently made his 145-pound debut, dropping from 155 to defeat Lemoore’s Sergio Quinones (2-2) on May 8.

“The transition was not as bad as I thought it would be. But I worked very hard to get there. I did everything right, training, diet, resting my body etc… I felt good,” Olson said. “I don’t know anything about Tito. I know he trains with Urijah [Faber], so he has the best in the world at our weight class going with him everyday. His standup seems to be pretty good.”

Pretty good might be an understatement, as Jones delivered one of the best knockouts in PFC history at PFC 7.5 in April, flattening Bakersfield’s Fernando Arreola (3-5-1) with a head kick.

“I know that Casey Olson is a good wrestler, but we will be engaged in much more than a wrestling match and you don’t win a fight by pinning someone. I know he is a hard worker and so am I that makes me look forward to this match. I can’t wait,” Jones said. “No disrespect to Casey, but this is just how I see every fight in my head… annihilation.”

This showdown is sure to shake up the 145-pound division, which also features PFC World Featherweight champ Fresno’s Jorge Evangelista (7-2-1) and former champs Dos Palos’ Art Arciniega (6-2) and game veteran Oroville’s Shawn Bias (12-6).

“I think the division is an awesome division in the PFC, since being here in Cali and knowing about the PFC, the landscape at 145 pounds has changed several times, which means there is stiff and tough competition,” Jones said. “Also now that the PFC is bringing guys in from everywhere you have to always be on your toes, there’s no time to relax or become content because you never know what or who is around the next corner.”

Olson also has a take on the division.

“It’s an awesome division. It just keeps getting tougher and tougher. Every fight now is a war. I’m excited to see what’s going to happen,” Olson said. “You know, I never think about what’s next for me. The title shot will come when it’s supposed to come. Jorge Evangelista is a good friend of mine and a training partner when I’m in Fresno, so I don’t plan on fighting him unless we have to. My title shot will come sooner or later. I’m not worried about it. As long as I can put on a good fight for the fans and keep winning, that’s all I care about for now.”

Two PFC World titles will be on the line at PFC 9, as Brazil’s Jorge Oliveira (3-2-1) defends his light heavyweight title against Arroyo Grande’s Glover Teixeira (6-2).

And Bakersfield’s Bryan Travers (10-1) takes on Porterville’s Morris Aldaco (6-0) for the vacant PFC World Welterweight crown.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday June 7 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at tickets.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets can also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino Gift Shop.

Weighins will be held on Thursday, July 17 at 4 p.m. at the Den Sports Bar located on the third floor of the Palace. Fans are encouraged to attend.

On Friday doors open at 5:30 p.m. and fights start at 6:30. The fights will be held out doors for the first time in PFC history.

Printup also announced the signing of Brazil middleweight Leopoldo Serao (14-7) to a multi-fight contract. Serao, a native of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, is expected to make his PFC debut in September.
“Leopoldo Serao is a significant signing for us. He’s a very dangerous and versatile middleweight. He’s fought Ninja Rua and Assuerio Silva among others. He’s a hard nosed, dynamic, elite level jiu-jitsu player and this signing makes our middleweight division very deep. ”

In other bouts:
—Indiana heavyweight Jake O’Brien (10-1) vs. Sacramento’s Jeromy Freitag (6-6).
— North Highland middleweight Jaime Jara (18-5) vs. Orange Country’s Marcus Gaines (4-4).
—Los Angeles light heavyweight Ricardo Barros (2-1) vs. San Luis Obispo’s “Irish” Abe Baxter (5-2-1).
—Lemoore welterweight Mickey Martinez (5-1-1) vs. Bakersfield’s Jack Morrison (0-2).
—Hanford lightweight Jeremy Luchau (1-0) vs. Bakersfield’s Juan Lopez (1-3).
—Lightweight Dominique Robinson (2-2) vs. Bakersfield’s Chuck Kim (6-6).
—Las Vegas flyweight Ulysses Gomez (1-0) vs. Rancho Cordova’s Andrew Martinez (0-1).
—Visalia lightweight Darren Crisp (4-2) vs. Porterville’s Joe Soto (1-0).
—Lemoore welterweight Paul Gonzales (1-0) vs. TBA.
—Hanford featherweight Javier Cervantes (1-1) vs. Corcoran’s Alex Ortiz (0-0).

For breaking PFC news go to www.palacefightingchampionship.com. You can also find other PFC and Palace information at http://www.tachipalace.com.