Marine Sgt. Micah Terry lands a straight right on Vüseyin Usta during a Muay Thai kickboxing bout at the Fight Sports Center in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany, on Saturday night. Terry’s victory earned him a sponsorship from Take a Nap Fight Gear. (Warren Peace / S&S)
LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGER, Germany — Marine Sgt. Micah Terry won his first professional bout with a unanimous decision after three rounds of Muay Thai kickboxing at the Fight Sports Center on Saturday night.
The Richmond, Va., native faced a much heavier opponent, Vüseyin Usta, in the three-round heavyweight competition sanctioned by the International Sport Kickboxing Association.
They exchanged punches and kicks throughout the first round, and Usta scored a few throws but was losing the standup game.
Both fighters appeared fatigued in the second round, but Terry outpaced Usta until the bell in the third round.
"I was exhausted in the second and my shoulder was hurting from a previous injury, but I had to push on," Terry said. "He was hard to muscle since he is so big. When the third round came I got an energy boost. I would rather have died in that ring than come out a loser."
The victory earned Terry a sponsorship from Take a Nap Fight Gear, which is owned by an active-duty Marine.
Army Sgt. Daniel Lucas wasn’t as successful in his first mixed martial arts fight. The New Braunfels, Texas, native lost a split decision against Oguz Usta, Vüseyin Usta’s brother, on the undercard of the evening.
The amateur fight was two rounds.
It was also Oguz Usta’s first MMA fight, and it showed on both fighters.
The first round featured a lot of ground fighting. Lucas maintained the dominant position for most of the round, but Usta landed an an elbow to the head that cut Lucas’ left brow. Lucas received a warning for landing elbows to Usta’s spine. Ringside officials examined Lucas’s cut between rounds and let the fight continue.
Usta was the aggressor for the majority of the final round and all but one judge gave Usta the decision.
Terry and Lucas say they are going to make a career out of fighting when they finish their obligation to the armed services.