On August 16, Officer Jonathan Rivera, a 13-year veteran of the Lowell Police Department, captured the 155-pound Combat Zone Amateur Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Damien Galotti. Rivera, who now holds a 4-2 record, trains out of Karasu Tengu Academy in Nashua, NH.

Combat Zone, New England’s longest-running MMA promotion, is owned by current UFC featherweight contender Calvin Kattar and hosts events at the Southern New Hampshire University Arena in Manchester. Rivera’s first title defense is already on the calendar for November 1.

This wasn’t Rivera’s only highlight of 2025. On May 3, he stepped into the boxing ring in Fairhaven, MA, for an event organized by the Massachusetts State Police Boxing Team. Rivera earned a split-decision victory over State Trooper C. Loftus, who entered the bout with a 2-1 record. The performance also earned Rivera the Fight of the Night award.