Finals fights set at Army combatives tourney

[RTO]

FORT BENNING, Ga. — After more than eight hours and 550 fights, 28 soldiers remain in the third annual All-Army Combatives tournament here.

The finalists, fighting in seven weight classes, will step into the ring Sunday afternoon to vie for top honors in the Army’s premier combatives tournament. All eyes will be on the ring in the middle of the Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith Fitness Center on post as the soldiers — some of them top finishers in last year’s tournament, others first-time competitors — unleash their mixed martial arts skills on each other.

.....Lt. Col. Kevin Petit, commander of 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, will deploy to Iraq next week, but he and his soldiers still turned up to fight in the tournament.

Petit fought in the cruiserweight class, and was eliminated before the intermediate round.

His feet slightly bloody and bandaged, Petit talked about his change of command ceremony in February.

“Right after the change of command I had a squadron formation to introduce myself and talk about my priorities,â€