Sarmiento stops Ordiz in 1st round

HARRIS “The Hitman” Sarmiento punished Isaiah “Ice” Ordiz with blows to the body and head before forcing a kimura submission late in the first round to retain the Pacific Xtreme Combat lightweight title at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig Saturday night.

Feared more for his pin-point striking accuracy, Sarmiento ironically brought the fight to the ground and tagged Ordiz with the vicious arm lock with 33 seconds left in the round.

It was the same cruel ending that Sarmiento, a 29-year-old from Ilocos Norte, suffered at the hands of submission specialist Mark Streigl in their nontitle bout three months ago.

“After that loss I was hungry and waited to knock somebody out,” said Sarmiento, who chalked up his 36th win in 60 fights.

The United States-raised Sarmiento got what he asked for against Ordiz, whose objective from the start was to survive the five-rounder with a decision.

Expecting a brawl, the explosive striker from San Pedro, Laguna, was caught off-guard when Sarmiento wrestled him to the canvass.

From there, Sarmiento threw a succession of fists and elbows, leaving Ordiz weak and vulnerable for submission. Ordiz, 25, absorbed his first defeat in three fights.

“Where are you Mark? Let’s do this one more time,” said Sarmiento, teasing the 145 lb champion and Baguio-based Streigl, who flashed a smile while watching a jubilant Sarmiento on the sidelines.

PXC flyweight titleholder Ale Cali was also at the venue and got Hawaiian Louis Smolka as his next challenger. Smolka set up the fight for the 125 lb belt after submitting Alvin Cacdac with a rear naked choke with 1:01 left in the third round.

Cacdac, who was born in Nueva Ecija but grew up in California, opened a deep cut with an elbow above Smolka’s right eye.

“I’m thankful that I’m going to fight for the belt,” said Smolka, who improved his MMA record to 3-0. “I’m going to bring it to Hawaii.”

Cali, the agile striker from Davao City who defended his title against Erwin Tagle in November, said he has been working on his jiujitsu to keep up with Smolka on the ground.