10/16/2025
Peoria Life: Trent "Sun King" Wilkins Jr and Trent "Coach Bang" Wilkins SR
Written by Anshuman V Reddy. Edited by Cedric Dockery
From East Bluff to Caged Aggression
Peoria has a rich history in combat sports, from the obscure — such as Billy Papke vs. Tony Capon in 1907 — to the well-known — such as Soo Kim’s Taekwondo, founded in 1976, and Golden Gloves legend Francis Sargent, who challenged Muahhamd Ali.
Continuing this history, Trent “The Sun Kid” Wilkins Jr., will be making his MMA debut at Caged Aggression XL in Iowa on October 17, with support from his father and coach — Trent Wilkins Sr., a.k.a. Coach Bang. Both represent Mud Warriors, which recently relocated to Northwoods Mall.
Peoria Life’s project, “The Peoria Fight Talks,” showcases local combat sports. On one livestream, we previously interviewed Coach Bang (https://www.youtube.com/live/x9JAON6Gj-Q?si=f6mwOWHysMfho3Ix) when he was an assistant coach at KOK (Knock Out Kings Boxing). During this time, he was also running Mud Warriors at the East Bluff Community Center. With The Sun Kid's upcoming fight, I reached out to both for a virtual interview.
The Fight Mindset
I asked Sun Kid how he felt about fight night approaching.
“I’m very, very excited — but also nervous,” he said. “A lot of greats say if you ain’t nervous, you don’t love it. I want to learn as I fight them to build confidence, stay calm, and gain experience. Fight number one might not be the prettiest, but it’s still number one. That’s more than most people do.”
The reader of the article may wonder what there is to be admired about The Sun Kid stepping into the ring on Caged Aggression. He will be fighting against more than a hundred people, and Caged Aggression is also streamed via PPV. His victory or defeat will be witnessed by those in the studio and by those watching on a screen. During the interview, I stated that I could never step into the ring because I am reluctant to get hit. However, the Sun King’s willingness to enter Caged Agression regardless of the outcome is a courage I deeply admire.
Preparing for the fight, Sun Kid splits his training between Mud Warriors, KOK, and Peoria Athletic Club — stacking boxing, wrestling, and Muay Thai into his own style. This also further shows the interactivity and mutual support within Peoria's combat sports scene.
“How did I get certified for my first MMA bout? I was working for it really hard over the years, from high school to now, from wrestling to boxing to Muay Thai. I did them all separate and broke it down."
I asked The Sun Kid if he considers himself more of a striker or a grappler. As someone who practices Muay Thai, I had a minimal grasp of grappling, being more focused on striking. The Sun Kid focuses on balance, relying on situational awareness, and sums up: “Keep everything simple; Simple is better.”
A gym's vision
Sun Kid's very first gym was Mud Warriors. “From day one,” Sun Kid told me. “And then I was with KOK for a little while, because they were together.” Initially, Coach Bang had Mud Warriors at his house before moving to the East Bluff Community Center. The name came from rising from the mud through hard work and perseverance. KOK’s head coach, Robert Bell, suggested to Coach Bang that he open his own location. This gesture shows mutual respect between the coaches. KOK boxing is also located at Northwoods Mall, having relocated from Peoria Friendship House. The very close proximity of the gyms allows members of both gyms to interact and train together for mutual growth.
“We opened, but we haven’t really publicized it yet, because we've got a lot of major events coming up at the moment, he told me. “We've just been focused on the competition fighters”.
Mud Warriors has members besides "The Sun Kid". The gym also trains Isaiah “Speedy” Hanson, a USA Boxing-certified fighter, and Anthony Holloway, a pro fighter and the cousin of Coach Bang. This shows that Mud Warriors has a lot of upcoming and established talent.
Coach Bang doesn’t see himself as a business owner. He describes the gym as a place that inspires others and helps them grow.“Our doors are open,” Coach Bang said. “It’s an open-house facility. You come in and you find your place in the home because we’re real tribal there. Mud Warriors is physical and mental. We’re heavy on the mental. That’s why we try to be the best example we can be. Be you and be a better version of you every day.”
Caged aggression
“This will be my second as a Coach on the card”. Coach Bang is very familiar with this event and is on good terms with Mike Goodwin, CEO of Caged Aggression, whom Peoria Fight Talks has previously interviewed. Caged Aggression XL will be on Friday, October 17, and Saturday, October 18, with the Sun Kid fighting on the former. The event will feature Professional and amateur fights. The Sun Kid will not be the only fight to represent Peoria at Caged Aggression. Thomas Blackorby and Matt Rettig of the Peoria Athletic Club will also be fighting at this event. The former will be making his professional MMA debut on the first night. Mike Goodwin was previously based in Illinois but had to move because the state is restrictive on MMA.
The Quiet Resurgence of Peoria Combat Sports
The fact that Sun Kid and other Peoria fighters will be participating in Caged Aggression is not surprising. Though not openly reported in the news, Peoria’s combat sports scene is undergoing a resurgence. Peoria Fight Club went viral during the COVID pandemic, gaining millions of views on social media. In July of 2024, Michael Price, head coach of CORE fitness and boxing club, hosted a boxing bout called Midwest Showdown at Peoria Civic Center. Fighters from KOK Boxing, Peoria Athletic Club, and CORE competed with other Illinois fighters. Peoria Life has been interviewing fighters, coaches, and gym owners while also covering combat sports events. We can verify the rise of an expanding local combat sports scene.
City Pride
What makes The Sun Kid’s debut at Caged Agression and Mud Warriors opening in Northwoods Mall isn’t just crucial to Peoria’s combat sports team but our community overall. Several of Peoria's gyms are located in mundane places like shopping malls and community centers, yet they produce gifted individuals who bring glory to our city. Individuals like The Sun Kid have the potential to become world champions. Our city needs to support and uplift these individuals.
Follow Peoria Life for coverage and post-fight interviews.
