ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – New Mexico United is now one day away from their match with El Paso Locomotive FC. The team is currently at the top of the USL Championships Group-C standings and has a five-point lead over El Paso.

This will be the third time that they have played El Paso this season and while that makes this matchup tougher, this team is focused on keeping their momentum. “I think the guys are extremely committed and maybe even a little bit more refocused on saying, there are six matches left. So, it’s a very manageable scope in general for us to go and shift our focus towards a really tough opponent this weekend that we want to go out and try and get three points and keep our lead at the top of the table,” said Head Coach Troy Lesesne.

That Saturday match will start at 7:30 p.m on ESPN+.

Now to MMA, as Jackson and Wink Academy trained Michelle Waterson has been moved up to the main event of the UFC’s ESPN+ 35 fight card. Waterson versus Angela Hill got moved up to the main event after Glover Teixeira tested positive for COVID-19.

So, Waterson’s bout moves up from the co-main event and is now a five-round bout. Stick with KRQE Sports as we will have more on this September 12 fight card.

Sticking with MMA, Waterson’s teammate Chris Brown will be back in action on Friday night. Brown will take on Ignacio Bahamondes in a lightweight bout on the LFA 90 fight card in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Brown saw his last fight called off due to a positive test for COVID-19 but Breezy is now back and hungry for a win over the original opponent he was supposed to face back in July. “I’m really looking forward to it, glad we didn’t have to search for another opponent. The guy was already ready to fight. So, I am ready to put on a show with everybody and I want to say thank you for all the support,” said Brown.

Another Jackson and Wink Academy fighter will take to the octagon before Brown on this LFA Fight Card on Friday night. Dan “The Determined” Argueta is putting his 4-0 professional record to the test against Jackson Filho, who is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“I think my wrestling and my grappling is going to play a big role, because when you can make someone that’s a brown belt, feel like a white belt, that’s very disheartening for them, and once he wants out I am going to make sure he gets out,” said Argueta.

Now to football, Darryl Stonum is a wide receiver for the Duke City Gladiators but while he isn’t on the gridiron this professional athlete has an interesting job in Albuquerque.

“I love playing the game of football. I couldn’t be more [sic] happier playing with the Gladiators. It’s a great opportunity but you know, it is the Arena football League and it is for six months. So, for [sic] during those six months, we’re great but the other six months we have to go out and get a job just like everybody else,” said Stonum.

Stonum has taken up a new profession in the offseason as he now works on the chase crew for the Rainbow Riders. “I never knew anything about these balloons, but being out here and seeing the work that you put into it to get those balloons up in the air; the work that the pilots do. You know, I have a newfound respect for it and appreciation; and at the end of the day it’s pretty awesome,” said Stonum.

Stonum has garnered a new appreciation for the city, the culture, and the state since joining the Gladiators and working with Rainbow Riders. While that is great, it is also a great workout for the wide receiver; that works hard in every aspect of balloon chasing.

“I literally get a full entire workout being out here. You would be surprised a lot of things do translate, pushing these things across the heavier rocks when it gets a little higher and you really have to dig into it, that’s my sled pull. So, that helps with explosion, and then holding that balloon up, that helps core stability and then I go from here to my actual workouts. Come season, I’ll be good to go,” said Stonum.

He hasn’t been up in a balloon yet but he hopes to soon. Stonum also hopes to stay in the Duke City for years to come. “I hope I can be here for years to come and continue to make an impact in the community and bring more championships to the city and the state with the Gladiators,” said Stonum.