JACKSON — Last week’s Strikeforce/Challengers card in Jackson was a success not only at the gate, with 1,600 in attendance, but also for two Mississippi fighters.

Vicksburg’s Jeremiah Riggs pulled out a unanimous decision over former training partner James Sharp of Biloxi, 29-28. Wes Shivers, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound Brandon resident, rocked Tupelo’s Goldman Butler with a devastating first round knockout.

Riggs, a former Porters Chapel Academy football player, earned his fourth straight win and improved his professional record to 7-5. Strikeforce/Challengers executive Shannon Knapp said Riggs still needs some seasoning, but was on their radar as a fighter to watch.

“Riggs definitely kept his win streak going, which was important for us,” Knapp said. “We will keep him in mind when we do our match-making process. Until then, I think he needs another fight somewhere in the Southeast.”

Riggs’ manager, Allen Sircy, said that’s the plan.

“I think the Strikeforce folks liked what they saw out of Jeremiah tonight,” Sircy said. “Tonight, he got hit hard, it ticked him off and then he came back and pressed the action. He did what he needed to do and that was to win the fight. We’re probably going to get him a fight in the Nashville area soon.”

Riggs was dropped in the first round by a crunching overhand right by Sharp, but bounced back.

“I hit him with a good shot,” Sharp said. “I was hoping he wouldn’t get up but he recovered a lot quicker than I had hoped.”

Riggs said he knew he couldn’t stay up and box Sharp. Riggs took him to the ground and nearly got a submission late in the second round. In the third, he got on top again and kept up the pressure to secure the decision.

“I was really happy to get this win,” Riggs said. “Now, I can wait on the phone to ring. It was also big for me, personally, because my dad is in Afghanistan and I wanted to do this for him.”

Shivers, a former Mississippi State football star, turned in the most impressive performance of the night. He rocked Butler with a devastating right hand for the knockout, and lifted his record to 8-1.

“I would definitely say that Wes Shivers is someone we want in Strikeforce/Challenger,” Knapp said. “First, he is a big ol’ boy at 6-7. Secondly, he has a great story being a former football player and now is a deputy sheriff. He just has that presence about him that you look for.”