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OSU Alumnus Mark Martin Lands a First-Round TKO In His LFA Debut

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Andy Vance's picture
July 24, 2020 at 10:12pm
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They don't call him "Showtime" for nothing.

Mark Martin, a member of Ohio State's 2015 National Championship wrestling team, made his debut in the Legacy Fighting Alliance in high style, finishing the fight versus Tony Grant in just three minutes and 52 seconds. Martin landed the first strike of the LFA 86 welterweight bout, and it would be the first of many for the 26-year-old Buckeye.

"It went pretty much how I thought it would go," Martin said after the match. "I just wanted to take my time, relax and pick my shots."

Those shots included a series of sharp lefts that put Grant into the cage, giving Martin the chance to put his Muay Thai skills to work. Repeated knees from Martin seemed to knock the wind out of his opponent, setting up a double-leg takedown.

Once Grant hit the mat inside Sioux Falls' Sanford Pentagon, Martin was merciless. He pummeled his opponent, raining punishing blows and elbows, working toward a submission attempt; two of his four professional victories have come by making his man tap out.

Grant managed to get back to his base, but it was clear he wasn't locked into the match at that point, looking very unstable on his feet as he tried to avoid Martin's continued striking. A stiff Martin uppercut took Grant back to the mat a second time, and scant moments later the referee called the match.

"[I'm] constantly working on my striking...working on my grappling," Martin said, adding to his extensive wrestling experience.

The southpaw, true to his nickname, put on a show Friday night in South Dakota.

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