Austin Bledsoe wanted to attempt something exceptional. He desired to try his hand, or his ft, if you will, at a brand new game.
The former Chapmanville Regional High School athlete is not any stranger to the athletic fields and courts.
Bledsoe became a four-recreation standout at CRHS in his prep days, gambling basketball, baseball, football and tennis for the Tigers.
He had a dream, however.
And that dream changed into to grow to be a fighter.
So he requested Greg Dillon to educate him however even Dillon tried to talk him out of it.
It did not work.
So this weekend, Bledsoe could be moving into the ring and the steel cage as he’s scheduled to make his kickboxing debut on the New Line Cagefighting II occasion on Saturday night time at the Williamson Fieldhouse.
“I told Greg again in overdue wintry weather I become wanting to try this and he tried to talk me out of it,” Bledsoe said. “Well, most of my own family and pals have attempted to talk me out of it. But it is something I feel compelled to do. So my friends got collectively and they all consider and loved Greg Dillon as a teach and knew he had trained some a success warring parties, like his son Tanner, so James Ellis and I requested if he could teach me.”
Dillon obliged however alternatively reluctantly.
“He’s a very good young guy,” stated Dillon, who had coached Bledsoe formerly while he become the Chapmanville football mentor. “Loved him and his organization once I coached and love them still but. Don’t realize if he’ll win or lose however he’s growing skill, has heart and his diabetes might not keep him lower back. Don’t recognize if all the schooling will make him a Superman however he will be a higher man. My old football crew showed up and requested me to educate him. I attempted to speak him out of it however he stated he became going do it without or with me but he’d instead have me. I couldn’t say no. It’s Austin’s first ever fight of any type in any format.”
Bledsoe is slated to make his kickboxing debut against Anthony Stewart of Varney within the tenth bout of the night.
Bell time is about for 7:30 p.M. And 23 bouts are on the card, inclusive of 17 MMA fights, 3 boxing fits and 3 kickboxing bouts.
The cagefighting occasion is delivered to you by means of New Line Cagefighting, founded last summer by using Logan High School graduates Keith Noe and Greg Robinson. It’s the second one NLC event to be held in Williamson with the previous one taking area back in March.
Bledsoe said he had originally skilled to be at the MMA card but after some thing befell that turned into out of his control he needed to make a change.
“Greg were schooling me for MMA however I needed to make a transfer given that my opponent backed out,” he said.
Bledsoe stated he’s been education difficult for his kickboxing debut and is inside the first-class form of his lifestyles.
“I’ve been hitting the baggage and had been doing masses of cardio, but it didn’t put together me for what Greg positioned me via,” he stated. “So far it is been mastering through mistakes and ache. Nothing essential however pain makes believers. I’ve performed golfing plenty and other sports activities and it has helped mildew me to in which I am at now but I desired to attempt some thing new. I’ve always had a near bond with Greg and I researched what to do and Greg was my preference.”
Bledsoe said he is been going at it for a couple of months now.
“I’ve been training stable approximately two months tough now,” he said. “It’s an uphill struggle at instances however I’m continually getting to know and adjusting my skill set. I’ve always been interested by the game of preventing and need to peer what I can do with it. I juggle it around college which is tough but I sacrifice one factor to excel at others. I’d like to see in which I can go with it. You get out of it what you put in it. It calls for technical effort and awareness. The difference right here is, well, I did not ought to ward off punches hitting a golfing ball. Or kicking a football ball.”
Bledsoe stated his parents had been also reluctant to see him select to grow to be a fighter.
“Some of my friends get quite excited about this,” Bledsoe stated. “That’s quite cool. My mother and father have been freaking out however all my friends and own family agree with Greg. He’s skilled me very good inside the time I’ve gave him. He’s surrounded me with a good stable of people with first rate person and talent to assist me out. That’s all I can ask for. It’s been the spotlight of my summer. I need to apply my age to my gain. I even have loads of power and I’m ready to use it.”
As a brand new participant in a brand new recreation Bledsoe could be inexperienced however his opponent could be inexperienced alike considering the fact that he also has no sanctioned fighting revel in in kickboxing.
“I’ve by no means heard of my opponent earlier than but he is likely prepared for a few kind of brawl. My team and I have attempted to prepare me for the worst and the best. With that being stated, I’m equipped to head,” Bledsoe said.
There are 4 expert MMA activities, scheduled for the the remaining four bouts of the night. The four will all serve as co-Main Events.
In one of the pro MMA fights, Logan native Cody Abbott could be making his professional debut towards Jacob Willyard (0-3) of St. Louis.
As an newbie, Abbott sports activities a 5-1 file, which include 4 first-round wins and was ranked No. 1 inside the country for three plus years in his bantamweight elegance (126-135 pounds). He’s presently ranked twenty third inside the East Coast Division.
Abbott, additionally a former all-nation wrestler for Logan High School and additionally an newbie youth boxer in his teenagers, ultimate saw MMA action again on March 9 at Williamson wherein he beat Matthew Tennant, a No. 2-ranked fighter in West Virginia, through choice, in the first New Line Cagefighting event.
In every other pro fight, Mingo County’s Austin “Speedy” Marcum is matched up in opposition to Nikk Willyard of St. Louis. Both could be making their expert debuts in MMA. Marcum is no stranger to the hoop as well having been former Toughman and Rough ‘N Rowdy boxing champions and having logged 23 professional bouts.
The other pro MMA bouts have Jeremy Lane (1-zero-1) of Charleston taking over Sam Warren (zero-zero) of Roanoke, Virginia and Montrez Tinson (zero-2) of Baltimore squaring off with Ran Ray Holston (zero-zero) of Wytheville, Virginia.
All four professional MMA fights are scheduled for 3 5-minute rounds.
Other than the Bledsoe/Stewart fit different kickboxing bouts are on the card as Joshua Blair (zero-zero) of Man takes on Danny Stubbs (0-0) of Beckley; and Chris Pontier (zero-zero) of Nitro fights Joshua Dotson (0-zero) of Raccoon, Kentucky.
