Sherdog – Soriano was one of two competitors to get job offers from the UFC. Regiment Training Center export Yorgan De Castro was the other, as he kept his perfect professional record intact and put away Sanford Alton Meeks with a leg kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their heavyweight showcase. A former linebacker at Iowa State University, Meeks (1-1) bowed out 4:45 into Round 1.

Correction: This blog was updated to correct Yorgan De Castro’s current gym as Regiment Training Center.

“We want to be able to say, ‘I come from New England MMA, we’re some of the baddest motherfuckers in the country’.”

Those were the words of Peter Barrett when I interviewed him before Cage Titans XLIV last week. One might say Yorgan De Castro’s victory last night might be the icing on the cake for that sentiment. We saw what fighters from the local scene could do to each other on Saturday. Last night, De Castro showed what they could to everyone else.

De Castro came into this fight not only highly ranked in MA and New England at Heavyweight, but at Light Heavyweight as well. Although he weighed in at 253lbs for this bout, I wouldn’t be shocked if eventually he cut back down. With that said it is HARD to see him doing that any time soon after a performance like this one.

His opponent, Alton Meeks, is actually a former D1 linebacker at Iowa State, so you know he’s an athlete. He was able to take De Casto down a couple of times but the Regiment Training Center product kept getting back up, frustrating the hell out of Meeks. From there it was only a matter of time before De Castro showed how devastating he could be on the feet, earning his fourth KO/TKO in five fights and keeping his perfect record in tact.

So click clack, I think they hear us coming. The rest of the MMA world is surely aware of NE MMA now. Our little local scene boasts Lauzon, Powell, Kattar, and Font in the big time with De Castro now joining them. Congrats to Yorgan De Castro, a big win for a whole community.

-Joey B.