Submitted photos – Tim Hayden, left, in action at the Bear River Casino fight night on Saturday.
Orion Cosce comfortably improved to 5-0 as a pro MMA fighter on Saturday night, winning the main event at the Bear River Casino fight night.
In an entertaining night of action, Cosce got the better of Daniel McWilliams with a submission 90 seconds into the fight.
“Orion did what Orion does,” said fight promoter and local MMA trainer Brian Wilson of Hard Fought Productions. “He dominated the fight.”
The win was the third in five weeks for the former Hoopa High wrestler, who had a change of opponent a day and a half before the event after Justin Baesman backed out at the last minute.
Cosce, 25, was one of many locals in action on a busy night of fights, and one of the most entertaining events yet, according to the promoter.
“We’ve done so many shows now, and it’s hard to pick one out, but this was as exciting as any one we’ve ever had,” Wilson said.
In addition to Cosce’s big win, Andrew Guisa of the Lost Boys Gym in Arcata defended his belt at 170 pounds by getting the better of Dupra Goodman with a first-round TKO.
Submitted photos – Andrew Guisa of the Lost Boys gym, right.
“That was a dominant win against a really tough opponent,” Wilson said. “He came out looking confident and had a very measured approach.”
Three other locals, Austin Moore, Tyler Watkins and Tim Hayden, each lost their fights.
Hayden, who fights out of the Redwood Mauy Thai gym in Fortuna, lost his kick boxing fight to Grant Paulin out of Ukiah on a unanimous decision.
“Tim Hayden’s fight was a very competitive fight,” Wilson said.
Kick boxing has quickly become a fan favorite at the fight nights since being first introduced to the event earlier this year.
Moore, meanwhile, suffered his first defeat in the cage, dropping his record to 5-1 after losing on a second-round TKO to Isaac Qiokata, who improved to 4-0.
Moore fights out of Crescent City and has become another fan favorite at the fight nights.
Watkins, who also fights out of the Lost Boys Gym, lost to Obadiah Johnson on a first-round TKO.
“Both those fights were pretty exciting,” Wilson said. “They were competitive the entire way till the end of the fight.”
Watkins is now 5-4, and like Moore he is expected to turn pro soon.
According to Wilson, each has been scheduling tougher and tougher opponents to better prepare them for the leap.
“They’re both at a stage of their career they want to be tested,” Wilson said. “They want to work out the kinks before they turn pro. They’re not looking to pad their stats.”
Fight night will return to the Bear River Casino in November.
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Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.
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