Montejano wins by submission

Kevin Montejano earned the first submission victory of his career on Friday against Christian Rios in a 135-pound bantamweight fight during Gladiator Challenge: Super Fight Night at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln.

Rios took Montejano's back and went for a rear naked choke early in the second round, but Montejano escaped and sank in a rear naked choke of his own and won by submission 1 minute, 24 second into the round.

It was the best fight of Montejano's young career and he had to fight through adversity to get the victory. Wary of Rios' takedowns, Montejano worked combinations and kicks to keep him at bay but still ended up on the mat for part of the first round.

"I feel that he won that first round because he took me down and held me down," Montejano said. "I cleared my head and went after the win, I told myself to do it now or never."

He felt his energy draining due to cutting weight to get down to the 135-pound mark. His first two fights with the Gladiator Challenge were at 145 pounds. He knew he had enough energy to make it through the second round but didn't want to test the waters of the third round, he said.

"It was a brawl in the middle of the cage, there was a big exchange and I dropped him with a left hook," Montejano said.

The punch set up a scramble on the ground that he ended with the rear naked choke. Montejano is now 2-1, having won back-to-back fights since a loss in his debut. He won by TKO in his second bout.

"It was my very first submission victory, I'm hoping to get a knockout in my next one," he said.

Montejano plans on staying at 135-pounds and credits his training partners Clinton Fouse, Santino Valdez and Armando "Possum" Renteria for keeping him motivated and on track with the weight cut.