Gulf High Grad's 1st Pro MMA Fight Ends With Disqualification Loss

The second round of the Mixed Martial Arts fight between Gulf High grad Ladarious Jackson and Nick Smith at the Xtreme Fighting Champions Collision Course event Friday night came to a halt with Smith on his back, covering his face.

Minutes later, after judges looked Smith over, it was declared that Jackson had lost the match by disqualification. The reason given was “illegal knee.” The fight, a preliminary match at the event, was Jackson's inaugural professional MMA fight.

The first round had gone Jackson’s way. Jackson went in low and got Smith down on the ground and kept him there, dominating.

In the second round, Smith got Jackson to the ground immediately, covering Jackson with his body as Jackson went on the defensive with his back to the air and belly to the floor. Jackson escaped the hold and got Smith on his back, keeping him there and grappling until the match stopped at 2:38.

Jackson said he was trying to pin down Smith when the violation occurred.

“I was basically winning that fight,” he said.

Smith, from Charlotte, N.C., was 2-0 going into this fight.

On his Nick “The Vanilla Gorilla” Smith Facebook page, Smith wrote: “I won by DQ, took a illegal knee. I am fine but at the hospital getting X-rays, ring side doctor thinks I have a fractured jaw. not the way anyone wants to win but it's part of the game/rules."

Jackson has been working toward entering professional MMA fighting. He was a rising above a troubled childhood. He won two state wrestling championships while at Gulf High. He touts a 6-0 amateur MMA record.

Jackson said that he has been offered contracts for future fights in the XFC. XFC officials haven't confirmed to Patch whether they have offered any.