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Jun 06, 2023

Debuts, knockouts reign supreme at MCF's St. Paddy's Day Beatdown

The cheers for Marcus Vigil as he walked to the octagon were already loud. But when Vigil knocked out opponent Sheldon Long of Ogallala in just 12 seconds, the crowd at the D&N Event Center was the

The cheers for Marcus Vigil as he walked to the octagon were already loud.

But when Vigil knocked out opponent Sheldon Long of Ogallala in just 12 seconds, the crowd at the D&N Event Center was the loudest it had been all night.

Vigil, in his MMA debut at Midwest Championship Fighting’s St. Paddy’s Day Beatdown on Saturday, got his first win in the most exciting way possible.

“I wanted to coast through the first round and get the knockout in the second round, but I’m not going to cry about it,” Vigil said. “I did exactly what I came here to do.”

Vigil opened up about his troubled past to the Telegraph earlier in the week, and he talked about how much this fight meant to him.

He was interviewed after the match in front of the crowd, where he uttered a single phrase that drew a lot of cheers: “We do recover.”

“It means everything because it’s the truth,” Vigil said. “We do recover, and anybody in a bad position, they can recover. I’m proof of that. If I can do it, I don’t know a soul who can’t.”

Vigil doesn’t know what’s next, but he said all the support he got during the fight meant a lot.

“It means the world to me,” Vigil said. “By now, everybody knows my past, and all I can say is I wouldn’t change it for s*** because it got me right here.”

Other local fighters entered the octagon on Saturday, and a few made their MMA debuts as well.

Mason Tilford of North Platte lost to Josh Dickhausen of Fort Collins, Colorado, by tap out in his debut. Krysta Openshaw of Wallace also tapped out to Vanessa Flores of Kearney in Openshaw’s debut.

Robert Potts of Paxton defeated Eben Rackett of Denver by tap out, as well. Potts, an assistant wrestling coach in Paxton, said this fight was a bucket list thing for him, and he isn’t sure if he will have another match.

Paxton’s Robert Potts readies for his fight against Denver’s Eben Rackett during Midwest Championship Fighting’s St. Paddy’s Day Beatdown on Saturday at the D&N Event Center in North Platte. Potts won by tapout. Go to nptelegraph.com, or look in Monday’s edition, for the full story.

The North Platte Telegraph

“It’s probably my last fight, my bucket list fight,” Potts said. “I’m 38 years old. I always wanted to try and do it.”

North Platte's Austin Delorme fights Omaha's Jesse Campos during Midwest Championship Fighting's St. Paddy's Day Beatdown on Saturday at the D&N Event Center in North Platte. Campos won the fight by TKO.

Austin Delorme of North Platte returned to the octagon in a losing effort against debuting fighter Jesse Campos of Omaha by TKO. Jordan Davis of North Platte also lost in his match against Daniel Headley in the St. Paddy’s Beatdown opener.

Chris Carrizales of North Platte lost to Marquiz Barraza of Scottsbluff by TKO.

Adam Lee of North Platte had a rough start to his fight against Gatlinn Smith of Denver, but Lee caught Smith off guard, got on top after a takedown and forced a TKO win in the first round of their main event fight.

Adam Lee of North Platte circles Gatlinn Smith of Denver during their fight at Midwest Championship Fighting's St. Paddy's Day Beatdown on Saturday at the D&N Event Center in North Platte.

Jaden Overman of Omaha defeated Anthony Hill of Ogallala by TKO.

Jareb Huerta of North Platte also made quick work of Jerod Padilla of Fort Collins, Colorado. Huerta won by tap out.

“As expected, we train really hard for this type of s***, and this is the only thing that we expect” Huerta said. “Come out here and complete domination.”

Other results include Chad Hayden of Denver defeating Hunter Holliday of Kearney by knockout, Lee Barr of Omaha defeating Alex Dubray Jr. of Alliance by TKO and Isaiah Robinson of Omaha defeating Gabe Trinidad of Omaha by split decision.

Results

Adam Lee def. Gatlinn Smith by TKO

Isaiah Robinson def. Gabe Trinidad by split decision

Jaden Overman def. Anthony Hill by TKO

Lee Barr def. Alex Dubray Jr. by TKO

Jareb Huerta def. Jerod Padilla by tap out

Vanessa Flores def. Kyrsta Openshaw by tap out

Marcus Vigil def. Sheldon Long by knockout

Chad Hayden def. Hunter Holliday by knockout

Josh Dickhausen def. Mason Tilford by tap out

Marquiz Barraza def. Chris Carrizales by TKO

Jesse Campos def. Austin Delorme by TKO

Robert Potts def. Eben Rackett by tap out

Daniel Headley def. Jordan Davis by tap out

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