A YOUNG fighter is making a name for himself on the MMA circuit having just ground and pounded his way to another first-round victory.
Charlie Walker, 21 from Carlisle, adds to his unbeaten record making it 4-0 after his latest mixed-martial arts fight at the Unity Fighting Champions in Darlington on March 4.
Much like it's becoming a custom for the part-time joiner to finish a fight early, Charlie secured a technical knockout against Kyle Bridges in the dying embers of the first round.
Very much in a similar vein to the success of his last fight in which he sparked out his opponent in a mere 14 seconds.
"I heard the final ten seconds call and I just thought I have to finish this here and now - I'm just determined to keep going but I'm proud of this one," he said.
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The 70kg bout even caught the attention of the commentator on the evening, MMA legend Ian 'The Machine' Freeman who wants to put Charlie on his next fight card.
Check out Charlie's last fight here: WATCH: Showstopping 14-second MMA victory from Carlisle lad
Charlie, who strives to be determined, was brought up on boxing but is now 'hooked' on MMA and looks to keep building on his impressive win record.
"I'm training hard, early in the morning and late at night. Surrounding yourself with the right people makes a difference.
"The friends I have now are different to the ones I had years ago, you've got to surround yourself with people who want you to do well and achieve, straying away from things like drinking and keeping yourself focused is key," he said.
The 21-year-old, who trains at Tapout Knockout in Carlisle, praised the coaches and his team for keeping him going through all this, Michael, Bradley, and Connor Tedham.
Check out more from the Tapout Knockout Carlisle team here: WATCH: Stunner in 'Boro for two Carlisle lads
Looking ahead, Charlie said: "Obviously the dream is to be in the UFC, as is everyone in MMA, but the short-term plan is to turn professional at 23."
Coach Michael Tedham, who runs Tapout Knockout at Dragons Gym Carlisle, said he's 'immensely proud' of how far Charlie has come over the past year, and he couldn't ask to be in a better person's corner.
If you would be interested in joining Tapout Knockout at Dragons Gym Carlisle, which also runs Tapout Knockout Workington, give Michael a phone at 07704300631.
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