CageSport Heavyweight Championship Kyle Keeney will make his first title defense this Saturday against Daniel Stewart in the at CageSport XVI main event from the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma.

Keeney (12-5) became the CageSport Interim Heavyweight Champion by defeating Josh Bennett at CageSport XV via second-round rear-naked choke. He was originally set to face then champion Nick Braker that night but the champ was unable to compete due to a blood infection. That interim tag was later removed when CageSport stripped Baker’s title due to inactivity.

“Daniel is a very tough opponent out of Team Quest,” said Keeney, who goes on to say “This is going to be a good one.”

Daniel (3-2) has been out of action nearly 15 months and strangely, comes into this title shot reeling from back to back losses suffered in 2010.

Also on the card will be the return the most successful fighter in CageSport history, Chanti Johnson. Makes his long-await return to the Emerald Queen Casino he’ll be facing Tyson Nam in the co-main event. These two are very familiar with each other, having just fought two months ago in a different promotion. The bout was scored a TKO victory for Nam just 45 seconds into the first round, but many believed, including Johnson, the questionable knockdown stemmed from a finger to the eye.

Johnson (7-3) is undefeated in his four previous CageSport appearances with his last victory coming at CageSport XI on July 24, 2010 when he defeated Roy Bradshaw by knockout. He remains the only undefeated fighter in CageSport history with four or more fights and holds one of the quickest KOs in CageSport history, a 16-second knockout of Charon Spain at CageSport IX on Feb. 20, 2010.

Nam (10-4) will be making his CageSport debut and comes in on a two fight-winning streak (including that win over Johnson). Nam will be fighting for the fourth time in 2011 and second time in less than a month.

“CageSport has been Chanti’s home field since he first fought here two years ago,” Halquist said. “He has just done everything right at the Emerald Queen Casino. This is a fantastic rematch. Neither fighter wanted to see the first fight end the way it did. Now we get to find out who is the better fighter at CageSport XVI.

The 10-bout fight card will begin at 7 p.m. from the Emerald Queen Casino.

THE FIGHT CARD

Kyle Keeney vs. Daniel Stewart (Heavyweight Title)

Chanti Johnson vs. Tyson Nam (Co-Main Event)

Eddie Blackburn vs. Darrell Fenner

Byron Sutton vs. Robert Maphrus

Julian Erosa vs. Brad Nordquist

Jorey Taylor vs. Sean Villiavla

Ernesto Toscano vs. Harrison Bevens

Josiah Mitchell vs. Sam Sicillia

Justin Gardner vs. Tyson Johnson

Ryan Mulvahill vs. Brad Prather