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Chokes by the Ocean in Pictou to also feature UFC’s Diego Sanchez
After a convincing MMA victory last weekend, Pat Carroll will put his jiu-jitsu skills to the test Saturday at a submission event in Pictou.
Truro’s Pat Carroll will be facing Halifax’s Jesse Allen in the Chokes by the Ocean submission wrestling event on Saturday.
Carroll was in Saint John last weekend to fight in the Elite 1: The Uprising MMA competition, walking away with a win against Saint John’s Jeff Theriault.
In his first professional MMA fight since being injured in 2014, Carroll beat Theriault by strike submission in the first round.
“It felt really good to feel at home again, to be back,” he said on returning to the cage for the first time in three years.
“Honestly, you never know what to expect, but I knew I was a better striker. I was happy with how calm I felt. Being in the cage brings me a sense of peace stronger than anything else in life.”
His undercard match against Allen this weekend is one of seven, which also includes matches with Truro competitors Taylor McCafferty and James Harnish of Marmac Athletics.
Carroll has faced Allen before, and although they are tied for wins, he believes he will walk away with the victory.
“We’ve fought twice in the past,
and we’re 1-1 right now,” said
Carroll.
“This match is submission only, and I got the submission win over him last time we competed
against each other. I’m confident that I’ve improved enough to come out with another win.”
Headlining the event is a match between UFC fighter Diego Sanchez and New York’s Mike Wacker.
Carroll is excited to compete alongside Sanchez, who was an inspiration to Carroll when he was younger.
“Sanchez is the guy I was watching on TV as a teenager,” he said.
“Not only is he a great MMA fighter, but he’s also an excellent jiu-jitsu competitor. He’s also one of the craziest characters the sport has ever produced.”
While Sanchez helped inspire him, Carroll got his motivation from other fighters who grew up in Truro.
“In Truro, we have a great history of martial arts,” he said.
“With guys like kickboxers Micky Marshall and Ryan Burgess and jiu-jitsu competitor Jake MacKenzie taking it to another level, they inspired me to get into those sports as a teenager.
“They are just from small-town Truro, but they showed me how to not limit myself, and showed me I can go anywhere with the sport. No matter where you are from, it doesn’t make those other guys better than you.”
Chokes by the Ocean will be held at the de Coste Performing Arts Centre in Pictou on Saturday, and starts at 7:30 p.m.