Hudler had his way with Durall, finishing the fight by sitting on Durall’s chest and delivering repetitive blows to the head. The third Cortez local, Durall – fighting for 505 Fight Factory out of Farmington in the 205 class – was outmatched by Shawn Hudler of Pagosa Springs. “That’s what I’m here to do is please the crowd and build my name.” “I like finishing fights, whether it’s putting them to sleep with a choke or knocking them out,” he continued. “The head kick caught him and he tried to shoot in just to survive and he dropped right into the standing guillotine and I just walked him back to the cage,” Jackson explained. The match ended so abruptly that those who had turned away momentarily to look back and see the referee waving Jackson away and trainers attempting to revive Simmons were left confused and asking what happened. Somehow, as the two struggled in close quarters, Jackson caught Simmons with a standing front choke – and just 46 seconds into the first period, Simmons’ body went limp and collapsed to the mat. Jackson – also fighting for Impulse MMA – and Simmons each opened with kicks, but the two quickly moved against the cage, grappling and attempting to lock the other in any sort of hold. Jackson’s middleweight fight against Pierre Simmons followed, but lasted just 46 seconds. The two 125-pounders jockeyed for position for all three rounds, and although neither was able to clearly establish their dominance, Taylor eventually won by split decision: 28-29, 29-28, 29-28. Representing Impulse MMA of Cortez, Chavez began the evening’s card in a flyweight match against Aaron Taylor of Albuquerque, New Mexico. King of the Cage’s return to Towaoc on Saturday featured four fighters from Cortez, and the noise from the audience showed an overwhelming amount of support for locals Anthony Chavez, Matthew Jackson, Andrew Durall and Joey Trevino.

Past the ringing slot machines and through a haze of cigarette smoke was a crowd that had piled into the Ute Mountain Casino’s Bingo Room to watch mixed martial artists attempt to beat their opponents to a bloody pulp.

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