Last night, I spoke with Fran Evans, promoter of Philly’s Locked in the Cage events. He told me the next show, LITC VII, goes down Feb. 12, 2011, and that he has signed the main event: Scott Heckman vs. Brian Jackson for the vacated 145-lb title, as well as an addtional belt put up by a group known as the World MMA Council, run by Evans’ friend, Ian Salerno.
Evans said the title was vacated when Philly fighter Wilson Reis could no longer defend it, due to his contract with Bellator Fighting Championships.
Heckman, left, with training partner.
Heckman is 4-1, with his sole coming from Dustin Pague by rear-naked choke. Heckman has won his fights in a varierty of ways, by submission, decision, and strikes. Heckman, a blue belt in BJJ, trains at Revolution Academy in Levittown. His bio, from the academy’s website, reads: “Scott Heckman has been a talented and successful wrestler his entire life. After completing an outstanding high school wrestling and football career, he went on to wrestle in College at ESU. When Scott realized his wrestling career would soon end upon graduating from ESU, he knew he wanted to continue staying active and use his natural athletic abilities. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sparked his interest and he soon began his training at the Academy, driving two hours each way from ESU to Levittown, three sometimes four days a week. His first year as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter proved to be a successful one (refer to accomplishments below). Scott’s teaching style is upbeat and clear-cut.”
Jackson, right, and BJ Penn.
Jackson is 4-2, and similar to Heckman, has spread his wins around by various means, and has been finihsed by triangle choke and TKO. Of note is that Jackson has been fighting as a pro since 2003, and that year at Reality Fighting 4, beat Jay Glazer (yes, that Jay Glazer) by guillotine choke.
In a video Jackson shot for Locked in the Cage, he talks about his extensive training in martial arts: high school/junior college wrestling, BJJ since 2001, striking since 2004. He trained for three years at Philly Fight Factory, three years at BJ Penn academy in Hawaii (where he was MY coach for 6 months) and is now back at The Fight Factory and also LA Boxing in Cherry Hilkl, NJ.
