By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
A big crowd of fight fans flecked with families packed into The Foundry on Saturday night for Beaufort Brawl 4: Memorial Mayhem, cheering on a card of 16 contests featuring a blend of youth and adult jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts.
And those in attendance saw the emergence of a future star who comes by her confidence in and out of the cage honestly.
Summer Estrella, the 11-year-old daughter of Macey Estrella, better known as former WWE star Lacey Evans, won her youth MMA debut by second-round submission after locking up a wrenching arm bar with just seconds left in the round.
Estrella had controlled the first two rounds, scoring several takedowns — most importantly including a pair of ankle picks, which her famous mom had put a $100 price tag on.
That was among the highlights for The Foundry, along with a thrilling win from U.S. Marine Trig Tennant in his amateur MMA debut.
The knockout of the night came from 43-year-old Justin Harvey, who made his amateur kickboxing debut — and promptly announced his retirement after landing a clean shot just seconds into his bout to whip the sold-out crowd at The Foundry into a frenzy.
But the bout of the night belonged to Tennant. A 21-year-old U.S. Marine, Tennant was a two-time state champion wrestler and four-time state placer at Arkansas City High School in Kansas, and he has honed his jiu-jitsu and striking skills at The Foundry while stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
Tennant battled through three rounds with Terrance McKenzie, a fighter from Faglier’s MMA in Augusta who entered with a 2-0 record and two quick knockouts. The fight was fairly even through two rounds, but Tennant dominated the third and finished the fight with a flurry of punches after scoring a late takedown.
“I appreciate everyone who came out to support us and support the sport,” said Abe Stem, who owns The Foundry and coaches the gym’s fighters. “Definitely our biggest and best event yet.”
Stem plans to hold a boxing event in September and Beaufort Brawl 5 is slated for Nov. 2.
