Riverbank High graduate Bryant Munoz was the perfect picture of a composed mixed martial arts fighter as he slugged through the first few minutes of an International Sports Combat Federation state title match on the Rumble in Richmond card on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Munoz traded shots with Sunnyvale fighter Alvin Cacdac and even let loose with a beautiful hip toss that slammed Cacdac to the canvas in the first minute of action.
But Cacdac responded with a quick reversal, and after avoiding a Guillotine choke, snuck a vicious elbow past Munoz' guard that split open a gash in the 21-year-old's forehead.
A healthy dose of ground-and-pound followed, forcing the referee to call the fight 2 minutes, 34 seconds into the opening round.
The loss was Munoz' second in a 4-2 career in the ring.
"He just caught me with that elbow," Munoz said just moments after the battle. "I tossed him and I just got too excited and allowed him to reverse me. After that I could not sink my arm bar in or get the guillotine and the ref decided to stop it."
The fight was one of 11 MMA, muy thai and boxing matches at the spacious Richmond Memorial Auditorium. Munoz joined Oakdale MMA teammates Rolando Velasco, Justin Smitely and Quincy Schoemann for the trek to Richmond, though none of the local fighters escaped with a victory.
Velasco was TKO'd in the world title main event while both Smitely (TKO) and Schoemann (split decision) suffered tough losses.
Munoz appeared on track to hand the club its first victory of the night after the thrilling hip toss, but as he scrambled to land blows Cacdac turned the tables with a reversal. Munoz snuck in a quick guillotine choke, but Cacdac eventually pulled out his head and landed heavy blows while Munoz looked to snare an arm-bar. Cacdac lunged down with powerful elbow that split skin and rained blows until the match was stopped.
Munoz was a little disheartened by the official's decision to stop the fight, but he knows he will have the chance to battle again.
"It still feels good to get out there and fight," Munoz said. "I've got my chin up because I know I'm going to keep going and I will be back.
"I love to bang."
Munoz traded shots with Sunnyvale fighter Alvin Cacdac and even let loose with a beautiful hip toss that slammed Cacdac to the canvas in the first minute of action.
But Cacdac responded with a quick reversal, and after avoiding a Guillotine choke, snuck a vicious elbow past Munoz' guard that split open a gash in the 21-year-old's forehead.
A healthy dose of ground-and-pound followed, forcing the referee to call the fight 2 minutes, 34 seconds into the opening round.
The loss was Munoz' second in a 4-2 career in the ring.
"He just caught me with that elbow," Munoz said just moments after the battle. "I tossed him and I just got too excited and allowed him to reverse me. After that I could not sink my arm bar in or get the guillotine and the ref decided to stop it."
The fight was one of 11 MMA, muy thai and boxing matches at the spacious Richmond Memorial Auditorium. Munoz joined Oakdale MMA teammates Rolando Velasco, Justin Smitely and Quincy Schoemann for the trek to Richmond, though none of the local fighters escaped with a victory.
Velasco was TKO'd in the world title main event while both Smitely (TKO) and Schoemann (split decision) suffered tough losses.
Munoz appeared on track to hand the club its first victory of the night after the thrilling hip toss, but as he scrambled to land blows Cacdac turned the tables with a reversal. Munoz snuck in a quick guillotine choke, but Cacdac eventually pulled out his head and landed heavy blows while Munoz looked to snare an arm-bar. Cacdac lunged down with powerful elbow that split skin and rained blows until the match was stopped.
Munoz was a little disheartened by the official's decision to stop the fight, but he knows he will have the chance to battle again.
"It still feels good to get out there and fight," Munoz said. "I've got my chin up because I know I'm going to keep going and I will be back.
"I love to bang."
