The UFC is a promotional juggernaut in the sport of MMA. Of course, with being the top dog in the business there are bound to be critics of your business practice. While the UFC has been the recipient of many a poison arrow lobbied by its competitors, one thing that cannot be attacked is its humanitarian efforts with the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The UFC has long been a bastion of hope in regards to the fundraising it routinely conducts to benefit the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund which serves men and women of the United States Armed Forces whom have been severely wounded as well as providing relief to the families of military personal who have lost their life in service. In conjunction with their fundraising auction, the UFC holds an annual fight card specifically for our Armed Forces with the event taking place at a military installation and being closed to the public.
This year’s event took place at Fort Hood located in Killeen, Texas. The event, dubbed UFC Fight for the Troops 2, took place this past Saturday night and gave both our respected service men and women, along with fans watching from home, a great night of MMA fights.
UFC Lightweight Main Event
Melvin Guillard (27-8-2) TKO 1 Evan Dunham (11-2)
Time of Stoppage: 3:00 round one
Ever since he exorcised the personal demons that had plagued the begging of his career Melvin Guillard has been on a nasty streak inside the Octagon. Against the extremely formidable Dunham, Guillard wasted little time in establishing dominance inside the cage. Using lighting fast combinations, Guillard was able to batter and bruise Dunham early on. A vicious knee in the clinch rocked Dunham who ate several more knee strikes before the fight was mercifully stopped.
UFC Heavyweight Fight
Matt Mitrione (4-0) TKO 1 Tim Hague (12-5)
Time of Stoppage: 3:00 round one
You have to respect the continuing maturation of Mitrione’s game. No longer just a lumbering heavyweight, Mitrione’s standup is evolving in leaps and bounds and it showed in this fight. Bouncing light on his feet Mitrione was able to avoid an early takedown attempt by Hague and floored the fighter with a straight left. The ensuing ground and pound spelled the end of the night for Hague.
UFC Featherweight Fight
Mark Hominick (20-8) TKO 1 George Roop (11-7-1)
Time of Stoppage: 1:28 round one
With the promise of a title shot against UFC champion Jose Aldo, Hominick came out like a man possessed. Using some excellent striking, Hominick dropped Roop with a right hand and followed up with some more shots that prompted the referee to call a halt to the bout.
UFC Heavyweight Fight
Pat Barry (9-2) UD 3 Joey Beltran (12-5)
Scores: 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
While it may have appeared that Barry displayed more emotion in his post-fight victory speech than in the 15 minutes of fighting he engaged in you can’t discount Barry’s dominate third round leg kick fest. On paper this fight looked like it was sure to bring the fireworks but Bletran, showing obvious concern for Barry’s excellent kickboxing, sought to make the fight a grinding, dirty boxing filled affair. While Barry’s wrestling is inarguably his weakest skill, the amiable heavyweight managed to stifle much of Beltran’s wrestling. While both fighters fought tentatively throughout the fight Barry began to turn things in his favor with some lethal leg kicks that had Beltran grimacing in pain. Things looked bad for Beltran in the third round as Barry’s leg kicks in effect crippled the fighter and nearly forced him to submit. Credit Beltran’s toughness but his lead leg paid one helluva price.
UFC Lightweight Fight
Matt Wiman (13-5) UD 3 Cole Miller (17-5)
Scores: 29-28, 30-27, 30-27
Wiman made Miller’s night extremely uncomfortable as he dominated nearly every aspect of their fight on the first fight of the main card. Wiman’s superior stand up game battered and befuddled the BJJ black belt that is Miller. Even on the ground the fighting was controlled by Wiman who used some beautiful ground and pound to cruise to a unanimous decision victory.
UFC Lightweight Fight
Yves Edwards (40-16-1) SUB 2 (RNC) Cody McKenzie (12-1)
Time of Submission: 4:33 round 2
There are two things one can expect from McKenzie in a fight. One is a grungy, unorthodox fighting style and two, submission attempt after submission attempt. While this was the case early on in his fight with Edwards, McKenzie was treated to the will of a fighter who is having career resurgence. Edwards was light on his feet and used his superior striking to repeatedly pepper McKenzie in the opening round. Things seemed to take a turn in McKenzie’s favor entering the second as he was able to repeatedly take Edwards to the mat. However, it would be Edwards who would capitalize on his opponent’s opening and managed to slip in a rear naked choke near the end of the round that choked McKenzie unconscious.
UFC Welterweight Fight
DaMarques Johnson (12-8) SUB 1 (Verbal Tap) Mike Guymon (12-5-1)
Time of Submission: 3:22 round 1
It seemed like this fight was over before it even began. Johnson wasted little time in taking down Guymon and quickly taking his back. However, before Johnson could even begin to strike an apparent a back injury forced Guymon to verbally submit. It was an anti-climactic ending but a well-received victory for Johnson.
UFC Featherweight Fight
Rani Yahya (16-6) UD 3 Mike Brown (24-8)
Scores: 30-27, 29-28, 29-28
It wasn’t that long ago that Brown was wildly considered a pound-for-pound candidate following his two victories over Urijah Faber in the WEC in route to winning their featherweight title. However, since that time Brown has been in a sort of career free fall. Following a loss at the hands of Diego Nunes back at UFC 125, Brown was eager to get his career back on track and took this fight on short notice after the originally slatted Chan Sung Jung was injured in training. Unfortunately for Brown, Yahya would be undeterred and managed to dominate the former champion throughout most of the contest.
UFC Lightweight Fight
Waylon Lowe (10-3) UD 3 Willamy Freire (17-4)
Scores: 29-28, 29-28, 29-28
Riding an 11-fight win streak Freire, a former Shooto champion, was riding a wave of confidence and great expectations. Unfortunately for Freire he ran into an equally confident fighter in Lowe. Lowe, a former NCAA DII wrestling champion, utilize his edge in wrestling to repeatedly take down and control Freire. While Freire came on strong in the third round, Lowe’s lead was insurmountable and his control of the fight was unquestioned.
UFC Welterweight Fight
Charlie Brenneman (13-2) UD 3 Amilcar Alves (11-3)
Scores: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27
When you come out to Hulk Hogan’s old theme song “Real American” in front of 3,000 US troops it’s hard to envision a fighter not being motivated to win, and win big. This is exactly what Brenneman did Saturday night and fooled by the unwavering support of the audience used his commendable wrestling acumen to stifle and dominate a clearly outgunned Alves in route to a unanimous decision victory.
UFC Bantamweight Fight
Chris Cariaso (11-2) UD 3 Will Campuzano (8-4)
Scores: 29-28, 29-28, 29-28
In the night’s opening fight, former WEC fighters Cariaso and Dallas’ own Campuzano engaged in a nip-and-tuck, closely contested affair. Despite a good second round by Campuzano and a good third round by Cariaso, the fact that the judges gave Cariaso the opening stanza solidified his win. With Campuzano’s third loss under the Zuffa banner (two with WEC and this loss in the UFC) it would be hard to imagine him not being released from the organization.
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