If you missed the Titans of the Cage #24 event this past Saturday evening in Independence, you missed what was probably the most exciting fight card, from top to bottom in the history of the event. Every fight was evenly matched and highly competitive. This event had a little bit of everything, from knockouts, several submissions and fights that were determined by close decisions.
In the main event of the evening, it was champion K.C. Cockran, of Roanoke retaining his lightweight belt by stopping a game challenger, Micah Sheffey of Ring-Combat Sports in Wytheville, by arm bar late in round four. Entering the 4th round, Sheffey was up on the judges’ score cards having won the first two rounds. Cockran grappled his way to the mounted position midway into the fourth round where he finished the fight with an arm bar submission.
In a fight being billed as a “Super fightâ€, Ray Ray Holston of Ring-Combat sports stopped Eric Rodriguez of Team Phoenix out of Greensboro, NC with a beautiful heel hook submission, to earn his 11th win inside the cage, along with another “submission of the night†award to add to his collection.
In another thriller, it was current light heavyweight champ, Tyler Cardwell of Ring-Combat sports, stopping accomplished boxer and current black diamond beat down heavyweight champ, Josh Short of Charlottesville. Cardwell came out and was extremely dominant in rounds one and two. Â He ran into some adversity he had to overcome in round three when Short landed a stiff shot to his chin that rocked the champion. Cardwell was able to weather the storm and retain his title by arm bar submission late in the 3rd round.
Other winners included; Will Holtzclaw (Norfolk) def. Stacy Dalton (Wytheville), Josh Cook (Halifax) def. Dee Venable (Martinsville), Danny Edwards (Wytheville) def. Devon Shewey (Fort Chiswell), Evan Lineberry (Hillsville) def. Will Wilson (Roanoke), Jared Gravely (Beckley, WV) def. Mathew Porter (Wytheville), Kyle Davis (Princeton, WV) def. James Dean (Max Meadows), Clay Anders (Wytheville) def. Josh Cloud (Martinsville), Tango Rogers (Princeton, WV) def. William Hale (Roanoke), Jeremiah Wills (Greensboro, NC) def. Justin Shatto (Dublin), Tony Booher (Bristol, TN) def. Sean Mitchell (South Hill) and Cody Prior (Covington) def. Jaylee Long (Wytheville).
The night also featured three “expo†bouts. Ring-Combat Sports teammates, Zach Perkins and Tanner Sark went three exciting rounds in a teen kickboxing expo, with no winner declared. Seventeen year old, Alex Troxal of Pennington Gap, defeated seventeen year old Keith Pecora of Beckley, WV by rear naked choke, while Austin Cox of Lebanon and Kaine Tomlinson Jr. of Roanoke fought to a three round draw.
Youth competitors included; Brie Hubbard, Emma Allen, Matyus Kennard, Kayden Walters, Desiree Simpkins, Gabrielle Waller and Makenzie Pennington, all members of the youth programs at Ring-Combat Sports in Wytheville, as well as Aaliyah Lacks of Norfolk. Ring girls for the event were Tiffany Barr of Abingdon and Katie Crump from Beckley, WV. Â Ring announcer for the evening was Pastor Jody Pyles of Radford.
The event was sponsored by and helped to benefit the Grayson County H.S. athletic department. Â Titans of the cage events are sanctioned by the state of VA and overseen by United Combat Arts sanctioning body. The next Titans of the Cage event is tentatively scheduled for October. Stay informed about the event by following Titans of the Cage on facebook or visiting www.titansofthecage.com.
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Photo 1: Micah Sheffey (right) lands an inside leg kick to the champion KC Cockran (left)
Photo 2: Ring-Combat Sports fighter Ray Ray Holston (right) finishes his opponent Eric Rodriguez (left) with a heel hook submission.
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Photo Credits:Â Cody Houck – 5 O’Clock Photography