BERLIN, Pa. – Taylor Cahill has never lacked confidence, and his latest MMA win has only boosted that confidence.
“I think I'm going to be the best in the world,” the Berlin Brothers Valley High School graduate said after defeating Marcus Williamson by first-round submission in a welterweight bout at the 247 Fighting Championship Brawl at Burg 22 in Monroeville on June 29, improving to 2-1 as a pro.
“I believe so. I think all the work I've put in will pay off.”
The 27-year-old Williamson dominated the 33-year-old from the get-go, with the former Division I wrestler gaining the upper hand with a double-leg takedown 30 seconds into the bout. He used a lot of short elbows in a ground-and-pound match, eventually getting into a rear-naked choke position and forcing Williamson to tap out 2 minutes, 18 seconds into the bout.
“I wanted to take him down with an elbow, but the victory just came naturally,” Cahill said. “In a sport like MMA, when you see the victory, you just accept it. I felt like I was the dominant fighter the whole card. I don't think there was any other fighter that was more dominant.”
It was Cahill's first fight since a first-round submission loss to Mahamed Addo 371 days ago and his first win since a submission win over Bruno Melo in September 2022.
Between bouts, Cahill accepted the head coaching position for the Bedford College wrestling team, but resigned before the end of the season.
Coaching took away time that he could have used to train.
He also said he was “dealing with some personal issues that I had to battle through. I was able to balance some things in my life. When the opportunity came up, I knew it was my time. I think everyone has their time in their athletic career. It sounds like a cliché, but I think now is my time.”
Cahill trains out of The Shop in Berlin, a gym he runs with his brothers Tanner and Toby and former four-time PIAA champion wrestler Gavin Teasdale.
Taylor Cahill spent much of his early career under the tutelage of Danilo Villefort at Indio Dojo Martial Arts in Pittsburgh and even traveled to Brazil to train under former UFC title winner and Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Murilo Bustamante.
These days, he's training near his hometown at Gorilla House Gym in Altoona with veteran 247 fighter Ethan Goss and coach Darren Cassidy.
He's now setting his sights a little further east, to State College.
“I'm going to be transferring to American Top Team Happy Valley,” he said. “My wrestling and grappling are so good, so I need to find wrestlers and grapplers at the next level and take advantage of them. I've been around some of the best in the world, and I think State College is the best place to level up as a fighter because it's the best place for wrestling. I know the guys there are going to take me to the next level.”
Harris wins debut
Cahill wasn't the only local alumnus at the Monroeville event.
Former Greater Johnstown wrestler Malcolm “The Alchemist” Harris, who trains out of The Shop, was victorious in his amateur debut, defeating Cameron Jenkins by unanimous decision in a lightweight bout.
“With a guy like Malcolm coming in to replace him, it's just a matter of keeping him calm and allowing him to be himself,” Cahill said. “He's a kid from Hornerstown. He's been competing his whole life. It's the main thing to keep him calm. I know he's going to win.”
