AX 39 went down Saturday night August 11th at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwwood WA with 18 bouts on the card, including a modified Muay Thai fight, grappling match, and a kickboxing battle. Two fights ended with paramedics in the ring, but both fighters are doing well and are at home.
Ever evolving and always exciting Clinton Jenkins, fighting out of Arlington Kickboxing, showed his grappling skills against independent fighter Donovan Hernandez in the evening's Main Event. Known for his ground and pound, and a lover of big takedowns, Jenkins did not disappoint by securing a double-leg slam on Hernandez in this 130lb catch-weight bout. Hernandez quickly reversed and began to strike at Jenkins from guard. Jenkins however broke him down, positioned for the armbar, and was relentless against Hernandez's defense, eventually switching to a triangle and locking it in for the win.
The Co-main Event was a 170lb MMA contest that surprised the crowd with a submission rarely seen outside the gym. Steven Rickords of TriCity Kickboxing and Corey Watson of the United Fight Team traded briefly on the feet before Watson wrapped Rickords into a falling takedown. Rickords secured guard and kept him broken down until Watson slipped his hands behind Rickords neck and sat back. Caught in a can opener, Rickords tapped at 2:33 into the fight.
The only knockout of the night came from the smallest of the 36 fighters competing. United Fight Team's Firen Towanda and Julia Jones out of Lake Stevens MMA electrified the crowd with their intensity. The 120 lb bout started with a barrage of strikes from Jones, prompting Towanda to go for the legs. Jones sunk in a standing guillotine and proceeded to climb Towanda's body like a tree. The higher she went, the tighter the choke became until Towanda snapped her upper body forward, flipping Jones free and to the mat. Towanda rapidly began tattooing Jones with head strikes, knocking Jones out 48 seconds into the first round.
In a technical and well-fought 145 lb match, Jeremie Montgomery and James Pollard spent the beginning of the first round gauging distance and circling. Montgomery was able to get the more aggressive Pollard to move in close for his clinch and knees, while Pollard continued to sling leather. Montgomery bear-hugged a takedown and was wrapped up by Pollard at time ran out in the 1st. The second round saw both fighters find their stride. Montgomery got Pollard to the ground after catching a kick, but immediately had to defend an armbar attempt. He did so successfully by slamming Pollard, sliding free, and popping to his feet. Pollard stood and launched into a leaping kick, trying to close the distance to his opponent. Instead he ate a big right hand from Montgomery and was dropped to the canvas. Montgomery was able to land a few blows before the referee dove between the two combatants, ending the fight at 1:15 of the second round.
A stand-out fight at 195lbs, Alfonso Gonzales training out of NW Elite in Tacoma, took on the well-known and dangerous Miles Coble of Arlington Kickboxing. Gonzales opened with two heavy jumping jabs, but this was read by Coble who responded with a solid left hook. Gonzales went for the knees and got Coble down. Both fighters scrambled quickly and regained their feet, Coble slipping in the guillotine. Gonzales fought his way out and landed a devastating combo, knocking Coble flat. He proceeded to pummel Coble into a 59 second 1st round TKO.
Brett Lucero of Crisis Fight Team made great use of his skills in a modified Muay Thai bout against independent Dustin Welch, both putting on an exciting three-round battle in the 170lb division. In the first round, Welch connected with big combinations and showed superior head movement, while Lucero effectively blocked and evened the striking score with knees in the clinch. Welch adjusted his footwork in the second to avoid some of the clinches, but Lucero was tenacious and kept the pace high. After two hard-fought rounds, Welch began to show signs of fatigue and Lucero managed to drive him around the ring and deliver damaging blows to the body. After the third time getting trapped in the corner, the body punishment overwhelmed Welch, prompting the referee to step in and put an end to the onslaught with just 45 seconds left.
A women's grappling exhibition had not only the ladies checking their mma instincts at the door, but their coaches as well. Looking for takedowns, both Amy Cadwell from Charlie's Combat Club and Mari Mata from Rock Solid MMA kept to the grappling rules, but it was obvious that both missed throwing punches and knees. Mata went in first, but Cadwell defended and tried for the guillotine, jumping guard. Mata escaped the choke, and ignited Cadwell into a rolling reversal, ending up with mount. Mata grabbed for her own guillotine, but Cadwell slipped out and both bounced up. With takedown attempts and defense employed evenly, the 5 minute competition ended with Mata in Cadwell's half-guard. The judges determined the match a draw.
Photos and vids of the event are at lockflow.com. The next show from promoters Charles Pearson and Aric Wiseman is September 22nd with A-Town Throwdown 5 at the Soccer First Indoor Sports arena in Arlington, WA. More info at axfighting.com.
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