Craig Daily Press

The orange glow emitted Satur­day night by the lights inside the Rio Blanco Fairgrounds cast a daunting shadow on the hexagon shaped cage in the middle of the room.

One by one, fighters from across the Western Slope stepped inside to test one another’s will, desire and courage.

Meeker played host to those who dared step into the cage, as more than 200 spectators cheered on the action which had come to the town for the first time.

Rampage Promotions presented its second mixed martial arts cage fight of the year Saturday, and although the location was different than that of the original in Craig on April 26, many of the fighters were the same.

Marc Leier was back. He picked up his second victory in as many fights, winning by submission against newcomer Josh Kissell.

Fighting at 135 pounds, Leier admitted once the second round had finished, he didn’t want to continue.

He was exhausted, and his eyes swelled almost to the point where he couldn’t see.

But, he continued and pulled out the win.

“It’s all about hanging in there,” Leier said. “I wasn’t going to give up. I wanted to though, let me tell you.”

Many of the fighters present Saturday were new to the sport.

All but lightweight Jason Brenton.

Brenton danced to the ring, caravan of corner men holding championship belts above their heads.

Brenton — fighting out of Grand Junction — is the three time Kick Down champ, the Snap or Tap champ, the EFX champ and the Ringside World boxing champ.

Brenton tore through Meeker’s Tyler Zong in less than two minutes with a flurry of kicks and punches that forced the referee to stop the fight in the first round.

Brenton has lost once in his career and it came during the Rampage event in Craig in April to current UCF light heavyweight champ, Travis Linsacum.

“I feel pretty good,” he said after his quick match Saturday. “I was trying to work on my leg work, and it went pretty well.”

Brenton turns professional Aug. 16, but he still wants another amateur fight before then.

“I want to fight Linsacum again,” he said. “I’ve fought in Virginia, Kansas City, Colorado, Wyoming and I have one loss. When he beat me before, it was all about fun. Now, I’m serious. I want Linsacum.”

Meeker resident Barney LeBlanc — whose only loss was to Linsacum as well — squared off against Craig resident Eli Buckner in possibly the night’s most exciting event.

LeBlanc — a state runner-up while wrestling in high school — took the match to the mat in the first round, dominating the action where he said he feels “more comfortable.”

But, Buckner bounced back in the second, keeping the fight toe-to-toe.

The match appeared even heading into the third and final round before LeBlanc’s wrestling prowess proved too much for the former Moffat County High School linebacker.

Buckner’s left eye was swollen shut and blood trickled from his mouth as the decision from the panel of three judges raised LeBlanc’s arm in victory.

“It was fun,” Buckner said, holding an ice pack over the left side of his face. “I tried to stay up, but he kept away from my right hand and kept taking me down. I definitely have to work on my ground game.

“I’m disappointed I lost, but I’m not disappointed with the experience.

LeBlanc said his cage fighting days might soon come to an end.

“I have two kids and another on the way,” he said. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I’m going to have to be responsible sooner or later.

“Hopefully later.”

Colorado Boxing Association judge Mark Vantine said the Rampage Promotion fights are a great starting point for up and coming fighters, but the level of competition he sees on the Eastern Plains is on a whole different level.

“There is more experience over there,” he said. “They train everyday. That’s what they do.

“I’ll tell you what though, these guys,” pointing toward the ring, “have heart. You can’t take that away from a small town.”

Rampage Promotions’ next fight is scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Moffat County Ice Arena in Craig.