Lemoore fighter wins

NEW TOWN, N.D. -- Poppies Martinez had to wear more than one hat on Saturday at 4 Bears Casino in New Town, ND.

The Lemoore mixed martial artist improved his to 13-3 with a submission victory over Aaron Maldonado (4-2) of Minneapolis, MN by guillotine choke in 1:22 of the first round of a co-main event of the Palace Fighting Championship's ''Beatdown at 4 Bears.''

Martinez not only fulfilled his duties in the ring, but he also played the part of referee of sorts.

"I knew that he was out cold from the choke," Martinez said. "But the ref wouldn't stop it and said that he might be faking. I know he was out, his body was limp, so I let him go.''

And that's where the fight finished with Maldonado slumped over completely put to sleep by the choke.

"Poppies looks great. He's really stepping up his game," said Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino entertainment director Christian Printup, who traveled the PFC away from it's home base in Lemoore for the first time. "He's fighting at another level right now," Printup added. "This was a good measuring stick for Poppies. Maldonado is a very tough guy. I think it's time to really push him and move him to the next level.''

Martinez received a large ovation from the 1,100 fans in attendance and in a post-fight speech asked 4 Bears Casino to bring him back.

"I loved fighting here. It kind of felt like home,'' Martinez said. "The tribe here really took us in and made us feel at home.''

Martinez took little time to take Maldonado down and he did so right in front of his corner where he unleashed some rights and lefts before working his way to the guillotine.

"The plan was to stand with him, but it was just a natural reaction to take him down," Martinez said. "But I want my team back home, especially Jacob Jeff, to know that I was punching.

In the main event, Sacramento heavyweight Brad Imes (10-3) defeated Chris Blair (9-1) of Kearney, NE by technical knockout in 4:13 of the first round.

"He was a tough guy," Imes said of Blair. "I didn't think that he would have been that tough."

Imes worked for several submissions in the first round, but Blair was able to stay out of trouble.

Eventually after Imes knocked Blair to the canvas, Imes was able to work his way to a mount position and pound Blair out.

"I knew once I got mount that I was going to tire him out," Imes said. Imes bout was a climax to an 8-bout card.

"I was very happy with the turn out here," Printup said. "It was a pretty big venue and we filled it about a little over half full. I thought the fans here in North Dakota really got to see a lot of action.

Also on the card

Exeter featherweight Michael Craddock (2-1) lost by submission at 1:24 of the first round to Idaho's Vance North (1-1),

Fresno light-heavyweight Jimmy Dexter (2-4) lost to North Dakota's Eric Pribble (4-1) via a guillotine choke 46 seconds into the bout.