Alexandria resident surpasses his fundraising mark for nonprofits combatting veteran suicide rates, mental health struggles 9:00 am, May 18, 2021 × Thomas Herrera of Alexandria competed in a mixed martial arts championship fight May 8, 2021. After a three-year hiatus, he returned to MMA so he could raise money for veteran nonprofits. (Contributed photo) Thomas Herrera may have lost the battle of his most recent mixed martial arts championship fight, but he exceeded his fundraising goal for veteran nonprofits. Herrera, an Alexandria resident, hadn’t competed in MMA for more than three years before a match-up Saturday, May 8. Although his recent fight didn’t end like he wanted, Herrera said he had one message for any young, up-and-coming athletes: Competing at a high level requires learning how to handle disappointments and bounce back from them.