Turlock’s Jeremiah Metcalf made his K-1 debut on Saturday when he faced Jamaica’s Markhaile Wedderburn at 186 pounds in the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Metcalf, a seasoned mixed martial artist, made the most of his opportunity, dispatching Wedderburn 2:12 into the first round via knockout.

“I knew he was a traditional Muay Thai fighter so I figured if I came out full blast I’d overwhelm him,” Metcalf said. “That was the plan and that’s what happened.”

The two fighters let their fists fly from the opening of the round as they aggressively jockeyed for position. After a few exchanges and interjections from the referee, Wedderburn found himself against the ropes, cornered by Metcalf. As the first round wound down Metcalf landed a solid uppercut that stunned the Jamaican and followed it with an overhand right. The combination setup a devastating knee to the midsection that sent Wedderburn to the canvas where he remained as the referee counted to 10.

“As soon as I threw it I knew it sunk in deep,” Metcalf said of the knee strike. “To win by knockout in my K-1 debut, especially against someone like Markhaile, it meant a lot.”

Metcalf now returns to training as he prepares for a possible December K-1 fight in New York. If all goes well the Turlocker hopes a K-1 contract will be in his immediate future.