AKA Sponsor Mike Tilton and Mike Tilton Quality Plumbing and Heating
Mike Tilton and Mike Tilton Quality Plumbing and Heating are names well known to fans of mixed martial arts in Louisiana. The company represents quality, integrity and delivering a quality product, characteristics which align with American Kombat Alliance’s philosophy of how the promotion should be. It’s not surprising that as a result, AKA considers itself lucky to have Mike and his company as partners supporting the promotion.
Mike Tilton was raised in San Antonio, TX before moving to New Orleans, LA as a teenager, and settling in Shreveport, LA at the age of eighteen. His company is a mid-sized plumbing company that delivers quality residential remodeling and repair, as well as bigger commercial construction repair and remodeling jobs. Whatever your plumbing needs are, Tilton can deliver.
At face value it may seem unusual that a plumbing company and mixed martial arts promotion are in partnership, but for Mike Tilton, MMA is a passion;
“My dad was a big boxing fan, and I would watch it with him. It was back in the 80s and 90s, Mike Tyson was big and it was more of a golden era. I took karate as a kid, and when the UFC started, I loved it. I loved the idea of mixing the arts all together.”
Unlike many sponsors of sports, Mike Tilton doesn’t like to just watch but also enjoys training the sport;
“I train at local gyms here, since before AKA started. I train in a Jiu Jitsu gym, Shreveport Martial Arts and at Elite Combat where I train Muay Thai and kickboxing as well as no-gi Jiu Jitsu. I met Kim Addison before, who had a previous promotion in the area. I went to a local event and loved it. The promotion went by the wayside and when Amber started AKA, my name kept coming up. She came to me and I liked what I heard, so I became the first sponsor.”
As someone who trains, Mike Tilton really recognizes the aspects of the sport he sees demonstrated at the shows;
“Some people prefer the striking or the grappling, and maybe some parts of a fight aren’t as exciting for them. For me, I like the striking and grappling equally.”
Attending all the AKA shows, Mike has an appreciation for local fighters as well as national level fighters;
“One of my favorites is Zach Albritton. I also really think Victoria Leonardo Mason is one of my favorite female fighters. Andrea ‘KGB’ Lee is in the UFC but is a local fighter. There are so many great local fighters on the MMA scene it’s hard to say them all. As for UFC fighters, I like Conor McGregor although I know it’s not one of the most popular opinions. I really like some of the older fighters from the past like Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell.”
Mike and his company are heavily invested in the promotion and MMA scene. Not only do they sponsor the fights but give anybody associated with AKA and the MMA scene a sizable discount on plumbing services, be they AKA employers, fighters or close family;
“We are starting a new thing; I just met with Amber to discuss it. Mike Tilton Plumbing will be giving cash prizes for Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night.”
For services you can contact Mike Tilton Quality Plumbing and Heating at (318) 572-5149 or look them up on their website, www.tiltonplumbing.com