The next time Vicksburg’s Jeremiah Riggs steps into a ring for a mixed martial arts fight, he’ll be getting paid.

Riggs finished his amateur career by stopping Tony Godbold of Natchez in the main event of Saturday night’s Rage on the River MMA card at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

It was one of eight bouts that the mainly young adult crowd got to see in filling nearly two-thirds of the convention center’s seating. What they saw was 16 Mississippi amateurs try their hand in a sport which is growing in popularity on cable television.

That’s where you’ll next see Riggs. The 24-year-old, former Porters Chapel Academy athlete has signed a contract with Frank Shamrock’s San Jose Razorclaws of the International Fight League (IFL).

The IFL is a team-based mixed martial arts league that has televised shows on several national networks.

&#8220As an amateur, you try to use these fights as a way to make a name. Well, I think I’ve shown I have a fighter’s instinct,” Riggs said. &#8220I’m a fighter. This was my last fight as an amateur and now I’m joining an IFL team in San Jose.”

Riggs said he could earn between $1,500 to $2,000 per bout with the Razorclaws.

&#8220In the IFL, it’s a team competition. It’s their lightweight against ours, middleweight against middleweight,” said Riggs who fights as a 185-pound middleweight.

Riggs’ bout with Godbold ended suddenly in the first round when referee Larry Ingle said he saw a concession signal from Godbold’s corner.

Godbold’s camp, however, was motioning that there had to be a break because Riggs had lost his mouthpiece. Riggs had Godbold in a hold and didn’t want to break.

&#8220There is a rule where fighters must have a mouthpiece, but Riggs was refusing to break his hold,” said Ingle, who refereed all eight bouts Saturday.

&#8220Yeah, my mouthpiece was out, but I had sunk a triangle on the guy,” Riggs said. &#8220You can’t lose your advantage. Things can change so quickly in a match. If you make one slip up, you can lose. That’s why you have to stay sharp until the end of the fight. Things happen so fast.”

Only one of the eight bouts went to a second round. On at least four of the earlier bouts, the fighter that looked to be in trouble actually came back to win the fight.

&#8220That’s what makes this sport pretty difficult to referee,” said Ingle, who is from Forest and has called boxing, kickboxing and MMA events. The Rage on the River card was sanctioned by the Mississippi Athletic Commission.

&#8220Basically, what I do is look at the eyes of the fighter. I try to give them as much leeway to continue and try and fight. I know in the first four fights, all four of the winners were behind, in my judgement, but they were able to turn things around,” Ingle said.

It was evident the key tactic in MMA is to get the fight on the ground and then get the opponent into a submission hold.

&#8220You want to get to the ground. That’s where I fight best,” Riggs said. &#8220It may look like wrestling but it’s actually jitsu, a martial art. You’re looking to get a clinch.”

Riggs finished 4-2 as an amateur, with both losses coming by decision.

&#8220Jeremiah has been a great fighter and now he’s going to the next level. I just have to get another fighter ready,” said Eric Rawlings, Riggs’ trainer.

Another fight card is scheduled for Aug. 18 at the VCC. Brian McGuire, the promoter for Saturday’s fights, said he was pleased with the event.

&#8220Everything went well and I felt we had competitive matches,” McGuire said. &#8220MMA is a growing sport because it brings in all the martial arts, wrestling, boxing and puts it all in a mix.”