Carson City's Cory Reeves has no doubt in his mind he'll make it to the top of the ultimate fighting world.
Reeves got off to an excellent start, winning his professional debut in ultimate fighting on Sunday at Colusa, Calif. during the Gladiator Challenge. Reeves won in his first caged fight, needing just one minute, nine seconds to be Nick Shadwick of Sparks.
Reeves fights in the 160-pound lightweight division. "I anticipate with the proper sponsorship I will take the World title pretty soon," Reeves said.
Reeves won the national title in muay thai kickboxing two years ago. Reeves said he had the chance to fight professionally in muay thai kickboxing.
But former world ultimate fighting champion Randy Couture offered Reeves a chance to fight with Couture's Team Quest club. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be doing this. I wasn't going to pass that up," Reeves said.
Those in the area will have a chance to see what ultimate fighting is all about during the King of the Cage Revolution, a pay-per-view event that will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, May 17.
Reeves' next scheduled fight will be during a pay-per-view event in September in Colusa.
"Right now for the next few monts it's upgrading my sponsors," said Reeves about his plans.
Among the sponsors that Reeves have are Vital Signs, Kipling Chiropractic, GNC in Carson City, Abeyta Remodel and Construction, Nevada Fitness and Reno's Aces Tatoo Shop.
"I do a lot of voluteer work," Reeves said. "If it wasn't for mo sponsors, I couldn't do it."
Reeves operates Straight Blast Gym and teaches rape prevention and self defense classes. He does a great deal of work with youth and said he has worked with youth who have been involved with gangs. "My heart is with the youth," he said.
He has already been able to use his skills from muay thai kickboxing in ultimate fighting. In his first fight, he was able to use boxing, thai boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling and Brazilian marshal arts.
In his fight against Shadwick, Reeves was able to use a Greco-Roman wrestling throw to take Shadwick down and finished off the win with a rear naked choke hold.
"I was fortunate," Reeves said. "I got a lucky win. You take what you can get."
Fights are scheduled for two five-minute rounds. "You have to be really well-rounded in fights like this," Reeves said. "It's like wrestling and boxing at the same time.
Reeves admitted the sport has a bad reputation, but as many precautions as possible are taken to maintain the safety of fighters.
"It's way better than your boxing, your football as far as injuries go," Reeves said.
Reeves also said the fighters have much more respect for each other than many other sports.
"In what we do, there's no attitude in this sport," Reeves said. "You just don't catch that in a lot of sports."