LAKEPORT — When you step into the Gladiator Challenge ring, all the talkin” is over. Just ask T.C. Collins.
In his first super-heavyweight title defense, Wes Walker of Clearlake put Collins down early to retain his undisputed title during the “Deep Impact” round of cage fights on Saturday at Konocti Vista Resort in Lakeport.
“That guy (Collins) had been talking so much trash online,” said Walker”s trainer, Larry Cummins of Cummins Martial Arts in Clearlake. “Wes didn”t say a word, but he went from teddy bear to grizzly bear in a second once the match started.”
Walker”s first punch of the match left Collins dazed, according to Cummins, and the fight was stopped on a TKO less than a minute into the first round.
“He pummeled him pretty good,” Cummins said of Walker, who improved to 4-0 in cage fighting. “I don”t think Wes got punched once.”
Walker”s pre-fight prep-aration, including workouts with boxing coach Dave Cavagna and wrestling coach Justin Gaddy, helped prepare him for Collins, according to Cummins.
“That boy was a force to be reckoned with,” Cummins added of Walker, who will likely make his next title defense sometime in October when cage fighting returns to Lakeport.
Cummins” other fighter entered in Saturday”s action, 155-pounder Clay Emerson, lost his cage fighting debut.
“He got choked out in the second round,” Cummins said. “But up until then he fought a great fight. He did awesome for his first time out.”
Along with Walker-Collins, another of the headliner bouts on Saturday featured Aaron Jameson of Lakeport, part of the Submission Coal-ition, battling No. 5-ranked Josh Hinkle of Team Fury in a welterweight match.
Hinkle went on to beat Jameson, who tapped out in the second round as Hinkle put him in an “arm bar” hold.
Both cage fighters entered the match with undefeated records.
Other members of Jameson”s Submission Coalition fighting on the undercard Saturday were Lakeport”s Ed Lavelle, who beat Dave Suarez at 135 pounds; Kelseyville”s Tommy Boyles, who lost to Gigo Jara at 155 pounds; Lakeport”s Manuel Rosa, who lost to Jimmy Shifflett at 170 pounds; and Kelseyville”s Anthony Boyles, who lost to Ted Voltendesta at 155 pounds.
