Alonzo Leisholmn Jr. echoed what many were probably thinking about AK Beatdown’s “Battle of the Belts” main event between himself and Nino Kafoa Maka on Saturday night.
“I went in there expecting a full five-round bore, I’m actually a little disappointed,” Leisholmn Jr. said.
The 168-pound MMA fighter with Complete Warrior Academy put Nino Kafoa Maka (5-1-0) in a chokehold late in the first round of their main event fight, forcing Maka to tap out.
Leisholmn Jr. (4-0-0) was the last of four MMA fighters to be presented with AK Beatdown’s newest belts as winners in their respective belt bouts.
Kole Skaflestad (185 pounds), Tyson Duckworth (155 pounds) and Victoria Carney (women’s) also claimed belt wins before the 300-deep crowd.
Skaflestad’s fight against Marques Facine was the only belt fight that went the full five rounds. Duckworth, Carney and Leisholmn Jr. all won in the first or seconds rounds by submission. Skaflestad won by unanimous decision over Facine.
The main event began just after 11 p.m. in the winter-decorated Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Maka and Leisholmn Jr. circled one another briefly before Maka threw a right leg kick.
About 30 seconds into the fight, as two went to the ground as Maka tried landing a few knockout punches. Leisholmn Jr. temporarily immobilized Maka with a leg lock before the fighters returned to their feet.
The fight then returned to the ground, where after another 30 seconds of entanglement, Leisholmn Jr. gained the upper hand. The Complete Warrior Academy fighter was close to completing a toe hold when his plans changed.
“When you turn back to defend that toe hold, it exposes your back, so I just climbed on his back,” Leisholmn Jr. said. “Then once I was on his back, I put in what’s called a short choke.”
The short choke did its job. After 2 minutes, 49 seconds of fighting, Maka tapped out, and referee Sam Carney quickly attended to Maka as Leisholmn Jr. stood up and screamed in celebration.
“People act like he’ll knock you out in one punch, I just proved tonight that he will not,” Leisholmn Jr. said. “They act like he’s a big, scary dude, but no he’s not.”
Maka said his methods for making weight may have finally caught up with him. Maka dropped 30 pounds in just six weeks using by making regular trips to the sauna and fasting from food.
“But no excuses, he did good today,” Maka said. “But I will bounce back and I will get that belt.”
The next AK Beatdown is scheduled for February.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
