Mark Moreno is proof that hard work pays off.

Now, he's looking for more of a payout.

Moreno will be featured in the semi-main event of the X-1 Battlegrounds 4 mixed martial arts card tomorrow at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

Moreno, who is from Kalihi and trains at the Bulls Pen gym, won the X-1 organization's welterweight (170 pounds) championship in March. He won that title bout while fighting with two broken bones in his foot for the final two rounds (he sustained the injury in the first round).

"I'll fight anybody they put in front of me," said Moreno, 26. "And I'll give it my all once I'm in there."

Moreno (8-6-2) will face Johnny Geraghty (3-4-1) of Wisconsin tomorrow in a non-title bout. Moreno missed five weeks of training because of his injury, but said it is now fully healed.

"I'm expecting this to be a tough fight," he said. "I had to take some time off because of my foot, but I'm back in shape. I'm ready."

Moreno defeated Hilo's Ross Ebanez by decision to win the championship in March.

"To be honest, I don't like fighting other local fighters," Moreno said. "We're all after the same thing, so it's hard to have to go against each other. Now that I won this title, hopefully it will get me more fights against other guys, on the Mainland, or where ever."

Like most Hawai'i competitors, Moreno earns a steady paycheck outside the ring. By day, he works as a marine mechanic.

He does most of his training at night, sometimes for as many as four hours in one night.

"It's like I have two jobs," Moreno said. "But that's what you have to do. I dream of the day I can get paid just to fight. I'm hoping these fights lead me to that opportunity because I feel like I'm ready."

Dino Fernandez, head coach of the Bulls Pen gym, said Moreno has become a champion through his dedicated hours of training.

"He came here as a boxer, but his ground game has improved a lot," Fernandez said. "He's there every day, doing what he needs to do to get better."

Moreno was a four-time Golden Gloves champion, and used to train with current world champion boxer Brian Viloria at Waipahu Boxing Gym.

Several other Hawai'i competitors will be on tomorrow's card, including Moreno's younger brother, Marcus, and cousin, Lorenzo.

"It's going to be a big night for our family," Moreno said.

X-1 promoter Mike Miller said: "There's so many good fighters in Hawai'i. We're trying to build champions out of some of them."

One more will be determined tomorrow when Pearl City's Eddie Yagin takes on Hilo's Kana Hyatt for the X-1 organization's vacant super lightweight (145 pounds) championship.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this for so long," said Yagin, 27.

Like Moreno, Yagin works a full-time job during the day and trains at night. To help supplement his mixed martial arts career, he requests his own interviews with potential sponsors.

"I go and see them in person and tell them my story," said Yagin, who is a full-time carpenter. "I feel like if I want to make it, that's the kind of stuff I have to do."

Yagin is also hoping to parlay his X-1 experience into bigger paydays.

"It's hard staying here and fighting against other local guys," he said. "But if that's what I have to do to win a title then I'll do it. After that, you hope it leads to something bigger."

NOTES

Brazil's Marcelo Tigre will take on Trevor Prangley of South Africa in tomorrow's main event. Tigre, an expert in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is 9-3; Prangley, who was once a regular competitor in the elite Ultimate Fighting Championship organization, is 11-4.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.