BENDIGO'S Jimmy Crute has made a stunning start to his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
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The 20-year-old fighter scored a submission win against Australian top 10 ranked heavyweight Ben Kelleher late last month.
It took Crute just four minutes to register an armbar submission against Kelleher, who had won 12 of his 19 professional bouts, dating back to 2010.
The February 20 bout was part of a huge Hex Fight Series card, which attracted a sellout crowd at Melbourne Pavilion.
His success was all the more remarkable considering he accepted the fight on just 12 days' notice.
Crute, an Australian purple belt heavyweight champion in Brazilian jiu jitsu but is billed as a light heavyweight in MMA ranks, said his game-plan centered on getting a quick submission and that's how it played out.
He was undaunted stepping into the cage for the first time.
"It's always what I've wanted to do - it was more 'it's about time'," Crute said.
"That's what I said to myself as I walking into the cage - 'finally'.
"I was a very big underdog, making my debut against an opponent that had 18 mixed martial arts fights and 25 kick-boxing bouts."
Crute said he felt some pressure to perform well, with a full-house watching the event live and plenty of family and training partners watching via live stream.
He was glad not to have disappointed and already has a second bout lined-up in June against a yet to be determined opponent.
It’s likely his rival will be another top 10 contender.
Crute divides time training under Stewart Moulden at Stewie's House of BJJ in Bendigo and former kickboxer and mixed martial artist Sam Greco.
This involves a minimum four return trips a week to Melbourne to Greco's base at North Melbourne Boxing and Fitness at the end of his daily work shift as a storeman in Bendigo.
Moulden, a black belt who has instructed Crute in jiu jitsu for eight years, said his debut could not have been anymore impressive.
“It was a major upset for Australian MMA – it was huge,” he said.
Moulden believed Crute had the capability, ambition and tenacity to go far in the sport.
“Jimmy’s got a great work ethic. He’s got natural talent, but he works really hard,” Moulden said.
“He’s down training with Sam Greco – I teed that up to take him down to one of Australia’s best strikers.
“Now we’re connecting the two – striking and wrestling – and it’s proving a lethal combination in the cage.
“There’s a chance he can go all the way.”