This weekend, the hoops and hardwood floors of Hilton Coliseum are being replaced with a cage.

Trained fighters are the featured entertainment this Saturday night, when a mixed martial arts show takes over Iowa State’s hallowed sports palace.

Promoter Nick Gamst said the event breaks the norm of local fights.

“Most MMA shows in the Midwest have one common theme,” Gamst said. “It’s local ticket-sellers against guys a step below their skill levels, building their records so that guys can go on and fight in other places.

“Where we differ, I suppose, is the fact this is not — we’re calling this a step-above fight. This is where the guys who have been fighting at their local shows can come. Every single fight we have means something.”

Two featured bouts highlight the night’s festivities.

Former Iowa State wrestling recruit Justin Wren (9-1) will fight for the Brutaal promotions’ heavyweight title.

The 6-foot-3 native Texan will face former Augsburg wrestler Zak Jensen (10-3), who hails from Minneapolis.

Wren trained with the Iowa State wrestling team during the 2006-07 season and was offered a scholarship. He said he dreamt of winning an NCAA title, but decided instead to pursue a career in fighting.

“Man, I would have loved to have been a Cyclone, but this is my passion,” Wren said. “So I truly think I would have looked back and regretted not pursuing a goal of becoming as well-rounded as possible. In the end, you gotta go with what you love most.”

Jensen is listed at 6-foot-5, and is cutting down to the 265-pound heavyweight limit from a walk-around weight from 285. Wren weighed in at 234 pounds at his last fight, which took place on July 26, 2008.

He’s been gaining weight, though, and says he’ll weigh in around 250 pounds.

“Within next six months, one of these guys will be fighting somewhere where the general population will be able to see them,” Gamst. “That’s my guess, to be honest with you. It’s not too often that you can get two big heavyweights to fight on a local show — for a mid-level show — against each other.

“They either want to fight on the big show against someone tough, or they want to fight at a mid-level show against someone below their level.”

In the 135-pound title fight, Des Moines’ Ryan Hass (7-2) will fight Zach Wolff (15-6).

Other fights are as follows:

• 145 pounds — John Wise, Ames vs. Orlando Peace, Ft. Dodge (Records unavailable)

• 145 pounds — Rick Tasler (10-0), Boone vs. Gabe Greenburg (9-2), Red Wing, Minn.

• 155 pounds — Devon Green (12-2), Ft. Dodge vs. Derrick Ripley (15-13), Kansas City, Mo.

• 170 pounds — Matt Delanoit (12-4), Omaha, Neb. vs. Mike Wenzell (8-2), Rochester, Minn.

• 205 pounds — Derrick Mehman (5-1), Cedar Rapids vs. Kyle Davis (4-0), Boone

A team competition will also be held. Amateurs from Minnesota (Troy Koford, Roland Larson, Anthony Cavin and Dustin Anderson) will fight a team of Iowans (Dan Pagnani, John Case, Justin Mace and Justin Meador).

The show starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door or through Ticketmaster. They start at $10, but better tickets are available for $22.50 and $47.50. An additional $2.50 surcharge, or facility fee, is added to the ticket price.

Gamst said a lot of pre-production work goes into his company’s show.

“We don’t just run fights where you see a bunch of fights and go home,” he said. “You’ll be entertained. If nothing else, you’ll walk away and say, ‘I had fun.’”