Pepperdine, Kohal pick up wins at Orofino MMA fights

OROFINO — Sandpoint’s Tim Pepperdine ran his record to 4-1 with a win over Yakima’s Junior Martinez, leading a strong showing of Sandpoint Mixed Martial Arts fighters in action Saturday night in Orofino.

Pepperdine, a former state champion wrestler at Sandpoint who now fights for 11th Commandment MMA, was rocked by a straight right hand in the first round, but rallied for a second round win by way of a keylock submission.

Fellow 11th Commandment fighter Nick Kohal (1-2) dominated Stephan Heibert of Team Nez Rez, scoring a first round rear naked choke. Jesse Eller, the founder of 11th Commandment in Kamiah, had high praise for the growing contingent of Sandpoint MMA fighters.

“I don’t know what you guys are putting in the water up there but whatever it is I’m sure other MMA team across the Northwest would like some,” said Eller, lauding the training the fighters are getting in Sandpoint. “We couldn’t be happier with the training that Danny Clark and Joseph Davis have given them at the Integrative Athlete.”

Jake Lindell easily won in 45 seconds of the first round via triangle and Daniel Swain won the NWCL 155 pound belt with a devastating arm bar from bottom in the first round for 11th Commandment.

Other Sandpoint fighters included Logan Goade, who fought his way out of a deep arm triangle and came back to get a win in the first round via standing guillotine, Ely Zech, who won in the first round via referee stoppage, Scott Paramore, who won via rear naked choke in the first round and Anthony Copeland, who came in 15 pounds underweight and lost via standing guillotine to a heavier fighter.