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In first major challenge of his budding MMA career, Dakota Vance retains title with split-decision victory


By John Burbridge
sports@charlescitypress.com

It’s easy just to be a participant in a sport.

To be a successful participant takes a little more effort.

Perhaps one of the toughest sports to be successful in is mixed martial arts. But somehow Charles City native Dakota Vance made it look easy in his first two fights of his budding MMA career.

After winning his amateur debut in just 16 seconds, Vance went on to win the Elite Fight League amateur middleweight (185-pound) title in just 22 seconds last spring.

In his latest belt defense against Deven Current at the EFL No. 7 card held Oct. 18 at the Teamsters Hall in Cedar Rapids, it looked as if Vance was going to get another quick victory.

“He took him down early like he did to the other guys,” said Vance’s father, Chad Vance, who was in his son’s corner, “but (Current) was able to get out of trouble.”

What ensued was a grueling battle that went the five-by-three-minute round distance.

“He was gassed,” Chad Vance said of his son. “He told me he couldn’t feel his legs at one point.”

But the younger Vance was able to survive his toughest challege and retained the belt with a split-decision victory.

“(Current) is a good striker with stoppage power, and Dakota took some shots from him,” said Chad Vance, a veteran professional MMA fighter, who is (semi) retired.

The No. 7-ranked amateur middleweight in the North and South Dakota region according to Tapology, Current came into the fight with a winning record (2-1).

Dakota Vance, ranked No. 6 in Iowa among amateur middleweights according to Tapology, improved to 3-0.

Chad Vance said that his son will likely fight a few more amateur bouts before making the jump to the professional ranks.

“He’s getting a lot of calls,” the elder Vance said of promoters across the country trying to get his son on their cards.

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