MMA: Fighters take licking, keep on kicking

WEST VALLEY CITY — Despite the blood streaming out of his nose, his eyes swollen and black and the fatigue of 25 minutes of savage fighting ravaging into his body, Radley Martinez never once thought about giving up.

"I was wishing I could have ended this thing in the third round, but there was never any quit," said the West Jordan native after he held onto his Lightweight Title Belt with a thrilling 48-47 victory over Vancouver, Washington fighter Stryder Davis. Martinez and Davis offered MMA fans the best fight of the night in Throwdown Elite's Showdown IV at the E Center.

The unanimous judges' decision was booed by the crowd, but the 8,000 fans were on their feet cheering the effort of the two men after each of the brutal five-minute rounds. Martinez said he understood the reaction of the fans and said it was difficult to feel good about winning a fight that close by a single point.

"I hope they're booing the decision and not me," said the former high school football player and wrestler. "I hope they noticed that I didn't lay down or just lay there; I hope they understand I fought my heart out . . . I am just grateful I could pull out a narrow, narrow, narrow win."

Martinez said it was a friend who talked him into trying Mixed Martial Arts and it immediately snared him.

"It's got a hold on me," he said. "I just love the competitiveness of it; there are so many different aspects of it; the conditioning, the toughness - there are no Prima Donnas. We're all out here fighting for $1,000 a night and a chance to win a fight."

Davis, a college wrestling champion, was visibly disappointed, as the loss was his first as a professional.

"He was a good fighter," Davis said. "He kept coming; It's sucks, but someone had to lose."

Even in the final round the two fighters battled furiously to end the bout before time expired. Each succeeded in slamming the other to the mat, only to have the winded opponent fight his way out of the holds and onto their feet — throwing punches the entire time.

"I think that was the best lightweight fight I've ever seen," said Johnny Riche, the production and promotions director for the event at the E Center.

Martinez and Davis climbed into the cage after several bouts ended in the first round. It only took about a minute for the two to begin landing punches. While Davis seemed to have an edge in the boxing aspect of the fight, Martinez seemed to fare better when it came to wrestling, including earning about a half-dozen take downs.

"I knew it was close the whole way," he said. "In the end (the take downs) that's probably what won it for me."

He learned both some good and bad things about him in defending his Lightweight Championship.

"He hit me with some punch combinations that really rocked me," said Martinez. "But I stood in there and kept fighting. I learned I can take punches and keep coming."

E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com

Fight results

Castillo def. Eric Hernandez; Lopez def. Gonzales; Anton def. Rose; Pelczynski def. Otten; Jardine def. Torres; Steve Siler also successfully defended his featherweight title.