Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Damien Nesbitt, 2022 GHS graduate and standout Scottie wrestler, made his MMA debut July 23 in Glasgow at the KillEagle Promotional fights in the Valley Event Center. He faced off against Darrius Longknife in the cage, winning his match in the first round. Nesbitt spent a fair amount of time on his feet, landing hits and kicks, before showing his wrestling roots with a strong ground-and-pound finish. The event featured a number of fights – both MMA and boxing – with a number of results from a knockout to TKOs to decisions. All the fighters left it all in the cage, with one leaving more after fighting with a stomach virus. "I feel pretty good actually," Nesbitt told the Courier the day after his victory.
KillEagle Promotions was in town again July 23 for another round of MMA fights. The highlight – at least for the hometown crowd – was Damien Nesbitt’s debut and first-round victory.
With only two months of MMA training under his belt, combined with a lifetime of wrestling experience, the 2022 Glasgow High School graduate took only one round to secure his win with a TKO.
“I feel pretty good, actually,” he told the Courier the day after his fight. Nesbitt entered the cage against Darrius Longknife and took little time in earning his win. A series of hits and kicks preceded Nesbitt taking down Longknife where he showed his wrestling roots with a strong ground-and-pound finish.
Nesbitt now lives in Glendive but has been traveling to Glasgow three to four times a week to train with Ryan Smothermon and Bobby Overbey. Nesbitt explained that the trio focused on defense over submission while also spending a lot of time working on their feet with a focus on how to submit.
Their work showed in the cage as Nesbitt battled his way to winning. The fighter explained as he moves forward with MMA, he’d like to study a wide variety of fighting styles. “I’d like to learn a little bit of everything and not one specific style so I get a general idea of every kind,” he elaborated. “That way I can be an all-around fighter instead of being limited to a specific fighting style.”
Nesbitt named Forrest Griffin as one of his inspirations, noting the pair share a mentality when it comes to fighting. The retired UFC fighter was known for his technical striking, grappling ability, and physical and mental tenacity in the cage. Nesbitt, who remembers watching Griffin as a young teen, said, “He showed me I can do whatever I want, that you just need to motivate yourself.”
Nesbitt knows that there is still a bit of hesitation in the general public when it comes to MMA fights as a sport. As he plans to move forward with his MMA career – Nesbitt will be fighting for Fusion Fight League Aug. 27 in Havre and again for KillEagle Promotions in October – the 1-0 fighter feels people should not view MMA as a negative or be scared of the sport.
“It’s not as bad as it looks in the ring,” Nesbitt said. “It doesn’t hurt as bad as you’d think it does.”
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