Muay Thai fighter Charles Aaron Bisset won his 20th fight with a decisive knockout over Jason “The Wrench” Rzepka last month in Cali 5 at Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, Calif.
The former Pride Gym fighter won by knockout after a devastating kick to the head sent the veteran of close to 40 fights to the mat in the third round of the five-round bout. The win was Bisset’s third over Rzepka, the previous two won by decisions, and his record improves to 20-5, 10 by knockout.
The Retallick native returned to Trail and Pride Gym earlier this month to work out with Pride’s instructor Glen Kalesniko.
“I remember when he first started, because he was a pretty big kid, he came in and he was only 12, but I thought he was 15 or 16,” said Kalesniko who trained Bisset for his first fight, a win over a 32-year-old fighter when Bisset was just 15.
Pride Gym has produced over 20 champions and numerous world-class fighters, including Bisset who has won the National Muay Thai Canadian title, the North American Muay Thai cruiser weight championship, and the World Kickboxing Association’s cruiser weight title.
“If it wasn’t for Glen I wouldn’t be who I am today, because this is where I got my roots and my foundation,” said Bisset. “Without this gym, I wouldn’t be where I am . . . the Kootenays are very fortunate to have Glen in this area, to get world-class training in my opinion.”
In his Aug. 16 bout, Bisset started tentatively, feeling out the heavier fighter in the first round with low kicks, yet the Wrench caught Bisset with a jarring left hook that stung the 28 year old.
“I was just trying to test the waters . . . and he came out like me, fighting southpaw and orthodox, like I figured he would.”
Despite the blow, Bisset regrouped and won the round, then took control in the second round, landing a number of hard knee strikes to the midsection while in the clinch. Bisset won the second round handily setting up the decisive third round.
Early in the round, Rzepka exposed his face while in the clinch trying to tie up his opponent’s shoulder. Bisset pushed off and landed a hard elbow, and followed that up with series of elbows, that rattled the Fullerton, Calif. fighter.
Bisset landed another big elbow, and when Ryzepka fell on the rope, he followed it with two more slashing elbows, and an upercut knee that caught him full in the face. He landed two more elbows and a knee, then threw a head-kick that finished him off.
“It was a really brutal knockout. From my point they should have stopped it in the second round. He took a lot of punishment, but it was a great win.”
Bisset lives in Los Angeles and rounds out his fighting with an acting career. He is helped in his corner by training partner Andrew Hagar and sponsored by Sammy Hagar’s Beach Bar Rum. As for the future, Bisset just wants to continue to do, what he does best.
“I just want to keep fighting and winning, get bigger fights, and just continue to make my record better, and work my way up. If I could, my goal for next year is to fight eight or nine times.”