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Pulaski County high school played host to Titans of the Cage’s 25th event this past Saturday evening. Fans from all around the region filed in to enjoy some 17 MMA bouts, as well as some youth grappling bouts and sport karate matches inside the cage. Competitors from all around the region, with one competitor coming from as far away as Chicago, IL helped to make up this explosive fight card. The fans in attendance got treated to a super entertaining night of fights.
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Title fights and championship belts were on the line, with seven (7) different title fights on the card. The main event of the evening seen challenger Zion Tomlinson of Legion MMA in Roanoke dethrone the champion, Christian Bradberry of Knoxville, TN by triangle choke late in the 3rd round of the contest. Tomlinson had lost the first two rounds on the judges’ scorecards before he came roaring back in the 3rd to get the win and become the new TOC middleweight champ. Pulaski County native and the area fan favorite, C.J. Burleson out of Ring-Combat sports in Wytheville retained his cruiserweight title by way of 1st round TKO over Chris Hamlett of Blacksburg. Burleson landed a strong knee strike which wobbled Hamlett a little over a minute into the fight and Burleson swarmed in to finish the fight by TKO from strikes.
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18 year old “Razor†Robbie Ring is a rising fighter who is already widely recognized throughout the region and he stepped inside the cage to do battle with Titans of the Cage veteran fighter and TOC hall of fame member, Josh Cook of Halifax fight team. Robbie Ring dominated the action in this one, winning all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards and scoring the unanimous decision win. Ring hurt Cook in the first round with a solid knee to the head from a standing clinch, but Cook somehow weathered the storm and survive the round. The next two rounds were much of the same, with Ring mixing in a steady diet of strikes, coupled with being able to easily land takedowns and deliver ground and pound. Cook did display great heart and determination to be able to last out the three rounds.
A.J. Sanchez of Chicago, IL retained his bantamweight belt by defeating Ray Ray Holston of Ring-Combat sports by 3rd round TKO. Austin Cox of Elite grappling in Lebanon stopped Micah Sheffey of Ring-Combat Sports by 3rd round TKO to become the new TOC welterweight champion. Sean Mitchell of South Hill claimed the TOC lightweight championship by defeating Dylan Smith of Elite grappling in Lebanon by rear naked choke in the 1st round. Adam Zolot of Team Phoenix out of Greensboro, NC took home the TOC featherweight title by stopping Mike Sant of Absolute Jiu-Jitsu in Bristol, TN by rear naked choke. Finally, Logan Hurley of Ring-Combat sports in Wytheville retained his TOC flyweight championship by stopping Coeburn fighter, Billy Byrd by TKO in the 1st round.
In other results it was Tango Rogers defeated Josh Cloud, Danny Edwards defeated Will Wilson, Kristy Stafford defeated Stevana Shouvley, Tyler Gilger defeated Jacob Coller, Matthew Hairston defeated Derek Wisser, Jeffrey Carrico defeated Danny Stubbs, Tanner Perry defeated William Hale and Ron Vance defeated Devon Shewey.
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Participants in the youth expo bouts were five year olds; Emily Porter, Riley Grubb, Joey Larkin and Eli Holston, all of the Ring-Combat sports Tiny Titans program in Wytheville. Other youth participants were nine year olds, Sierra Llewellyn and Hunter Penningon, as well as thirteen year olds Emily Foore and Grace Crowder, also of the Ring-Combat sports youth martial arts program.
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