By Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas — The sound of fists flying and crowds cheering echoed around Abrams Physical Fitness Center during Fight Night: Return 2 The Ring Sept. 12.

After the popular comeback of Fight Night in June that brought a crowd of more than 2,600 people and watch parties at installations across the nation, the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation hosted another — this time bigger.

With more than 100,000 views on the livestream, and thousands that attended, this fight night featured 16 active-duty Soldiers competing in eight bouts, with each round lasting two minutes.

After weeks of practicing, the Soldiers were ready to leave it all in the ring.

Spc. Felix Adeliyi, 115th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, made Fight Night history with the first-ever knockout against Spc. Edward Moseley, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st ABCT, 1st Cav. Div., in the third round of their bout.

“I started pumping my jab, and then that’s when I started reading him and I knew I could catch him with that right,” Adeliyi said.

“It feels good to stamp my name in the history books,” he added. “I’ll always be remembered as the first and I can’t wait to keep going forward, I can’t wait to keep making memories and keep making more histories in the future.”

Pfc. Vernon Jackson, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, had an uphill battle before even stepping into the ring with a 37.3-pound difference in weight with opponent Spc. Zechariah Medina, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st ABCT, 1st Cav. Div. However, his background in mixed martial arts helped him snag the win.

“I made a decision before the fight,” Jackson expressed.  “It was either going to be him or me. I wasn’t planning on taking one step backwards even with the weight disadvantage. I planned on walking through his chest and taking his best shot and giving him mine, and that’s what I did.”

Some of the winners from Fight Night: Return 2 The Ring will face off the winners from Fight Night in June in December at the installation.

While Adeliyi is looking to add another knockout to his belt, for whoever Jackson fights, he had one thing to say.

“Good luck,” he concluded. “You’re going to need it.”

To view the full event, click here:

Fort Hood Fight Night: Return 2 the Ring

Pfc. Vernon Jackson, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, takes a swing at Spc. Zechariah Medina, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, during their bout at Fight Night: Return 2 The Ring Sept. 12 at Abrams Physical Fitness Center at Fort Hood. (U.S. Army photo by Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Public Affairs)