Aiken scores TKO win over Davis

Charlz “The Predator” Aiken triumphed over Mike “The Ogre’ Davis with a technical knockout win in the first round of their heavyweight undercard clash Saturday in the Gorilla Warfare MMA “Battle Ready,” stunning spectators at the full-packed Royal Taga Hall of the Saipan World Resort.

After Davis knocked him down early in the match, Aiken rose from brink of collapse with the full might of a bull and delivered the killer blows against his much heavier and taller opponent from Guam. Aiken is 6’0”and weighs 236 lbs., while Davis is taller and heavier at 6’3” and 319 lbs. They are both 27 years old.

“My knees almost gave up. I was just waiting for him to come close to me,” Aiken said.

Once he had the opportunity midway in the first round, Aiken held David on the waist and hip and put him down onto the ground with the former’s body hitting the ropes and his head facing down and laying at the technical officials’ table.

Davis lied down for several minutes there, while medics helped him regain consciousness. He refused to be carried on a stretcher, but could not continue the fight, as his body was still aching from that fateful fall. Davis later walked out of the ring on his own.

With the win, Aiken, who is fighting for the Predator Combat Team, improved his record to 8-2, while Davis of The Crew 671 suffered his fourth loss in eight fights.

Aiken recalled how he thought of giving up early in the first round.

“In every punch I got from him, I thought I was going to drop,” Aiken said.

Aiken added he tried to trade punches with Davis, but the latter appeared more powerful and connected more punches that hit the former’s body and forehead so hard.

“I almost quit but then a fight is a fight. I just wanted to give all of what I have when I have a big chance to do it,” Aiken said.

In the non-title welterweight semi main event, Eduard “The Landslide” Folayang of the Philippines won against Saipan’s Jerome Norita of Marianas Elite.

Folayang is now 4-0, as the reigning URCC champion from Northern Luzon won via technical knockout in 52 seconds of the first round.

One of the undercard fights was cancelled to the frustration of Jay “Furbs” Santos, whose opponent, Joel “Mushu” Pangelinan, did not show up, citing injury.

The lone women fight ended in the quickest win of the night with Tara “The Tarantula” Namauleg winning over Kristy “The Tasty” Halstead via verbal tapout in 23 seconds in the first round of their flyweight showdown.

Namauleg is now 2-0, while Halstead lost her debut.

In the middleweight division, Shane “N Sane” Camacho of Team Zogai won via TKO over Lionel “Da Hellion” Borja of Marianas Elite in 53 seconds in the first round.

Swain “The Pain” Cangco of Predator Combat Team beat Victorino “The Hitman” Igitol by unanimous decision in their light heavyweight encounter.

In another light heavyweight fight, John “The Jackhammer” Borja of Predator Combat Team won in 3:11 of the first round on a tapout against Noel “The Lion Heart” Taisacan.

In the open weight class, Robert “Pitbull” Palacios finally scored his first win after four fights against Rick “2 Slick” San Nicolas, who dropped to a 0-10 slate.

In the bantamweight bout, Martin Ayuyu of Marianas Elite kept his perfect fight record of 3-0 by defeating Jay “Tabi” Muna.

Leroy Sablan improved his record to 4-2 after beating J.J. “The Mauler” Mality (1-5) in the featherweight division.